Best .308/7.62x51mm Ammo
Every load we price, sorted by cost per round delivered to your state
We track 12 .308/7.62x51mm loads from 5 dealers. The cheapest delivered to AR, shipping included, is PMC Bronze .308 Win 147gr FMJ BT Ammo at $0.91 a round. By use: Target & Range from $0.91, Hunting from $0.97, and Competition from $1.40.
The .308 Winchester is the standard short-action .30 caliber hunting and target round. It fires a .308-inch bullet, and the loads on this page run 147 to 180 grains at about 2,570 to 2,890 fps. It came out in 1952, two years before NATO adopted the near-identical 7.62x51mm. The .243 Winchester and 7mm-08 Remington are both built on its case.
For range practice, pick an FMJ such as PMC Bronze 147gr or Federal American Eagle 150gr. For deer, use a 150 to 165 grain soft point or tipped bullet. The 180 grain loads suit elk, moose and black bear. Match loads like Gold Medal Match 168gr are for paper at distance, not game. The M80 and X-TAC loads are 7.62x51 NATO, which differs slightly from .308 in chamber and pressure spec, so check your rifle maker's guidance before you mix them.
All .308/7.62x51mm Loads
Compare ballistics and prices across 12 products
| PRODUCT ↕ | GRAIN ↕ | VELOCITY ↕ | ENERGY ↕ | BC ↕ | USE CASE ↕ | BEST PRICE ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Federal .308 Win 165gr Trophy Copper Polymer Tip Ammo
165gr
• 2700 fps
• Hunting
|
165gr | 2700 | 2671 | .503 | Hunting | $2.12/rd |
|
Federal American Eagle .308 Win 150gr Ammo
150gr
• 2820 fps
• Target & Range
|
150gr | 2820 | 2648 | .408 | Target & Range | $1.16/rd |
|
Federal Gold Medal Match .308 Win 168gr Sierra MatchKing HP Ammo
168gr
• 2650 fps
• Competition
|
168gr | 2650 | 2619 | .462 | Competition | $1.40/rd |
|
Federal Power-Shok .308 Win 180gr Ammo
180gr
• 2570 fps
• Hunting
|
180gr | 2570 | 2640 | .382 | Hunting | $1.40/rd |
|
Fiocchi .308 Win 150gr FMJBT Ammo
150gr
• 2890 fps
• Target & Range
|
150gr | 2890 | 2781 | .398 | Target & Range | $1.09/rd |
|
Hornady .308 Win American Whitetail 150gr InterLock Spire Point Ammo
150gr
• 2820 fps
• Hunting
|
150gr | 2820 | 2649 | .338 | Hunting | $1.26/rd |
|
Hornady Superformance CX .308 Winchester 165gr Ammo
165gr
• 2750 fps
• Hunting
|
165gr | 2750 | 2771 | .44 | Hunting | $2.24/rd |
|
PMC Bronze .308 Win 147gr FMJ BT Ammo
147gr
• 2780 fps
• Target & Range
|
147gr | 2780 | 2522 | .398 | Target & Range | $0.91/rd |
|
PMC Bronze .308 Win 150gr PSP Ammo
150gr
• 2820 fps
• Hunting
|
150gr | 2820 | 2648 | .336 | Hunting | $0.97/rd |
|
PMC X-TAC 7.62x51mm NATO 147gr FMJBT Ammo
147gr
• 2800 fps
• Target & Range
|
147gr | 2800 | 2611 | .398 | Target & Range | $0.91/rd |
|
PPU Standard Rifle .308 Win 165gr SP Ammo
165gr
• 2674 fps
• Hunting
|
165gr | 2674 | 2619 | .439 | Hunting | $1.08/rd |
|
Winchester 7.62x51mm 149gr M80 FMJ Ammo
149gr
• 2790 fps
• Target & Range
|
149gr | 2790 | 2575 | .456 | Target & Range | $1.16/rd |
.308/7.62x51mm Trajectory Calculator
Calculate drop, velocity, and energy at any range
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- Fits a short action, so rifles are shorter and lighter than .30-06 rifles.
- Handles deer through elk with 150 to 180 grain bullets from one rifle.
- Chambered in bolt guns, AR-10 pattern rifles and battle rifles, so one ammo type can feed several guns.
- Against the .30-06: about 100 fps less with 150 to 165 grain deer bullets, which matters little inside 300 yards, for less recoil.
Cons
- Recoil is noticeably sharper than 6.5 Creedmoor or .243, which slows follow-up shots and practice sessions.
- Against the 6.5 Creedmoor, factory .308 bullets drop and drift more past 600 yards.
- Against the .30-06, it gives up 100 fps or more with 180 grain bullets for elk and moose.
- Ammo is heavy to carry in bulk compared with 5.56 or .223.