Best .308 Ammo: Match, Bulk and Hunting Loads

.308 Winchester does three jobs well, and no single box does all of them. Matching the bullet to the task matters more than the headline brand.

Three jobs, three bullets

.308 Winchester is one of the most versatile rifle cartridges in common use. That versatility is also why it is easy to buy the wrong thing. A bullet built for tight groups at distance is not the best choice for hog season, and a bullet built for volume plinking is not the best choice for a match. This page sorts the cartridge by job and links the two products the catalog carries for the first two.

Precision: Federal Gold Medal Match 175gr

Gold Medal Match 175gr in the 120-round can is the one to look at when your goal is tight groups. The listing identifies the bullet as a Sierra MatchKing boat-tail hollow point (the "SMK BTHP" in the product name). In match shooting, that style of bullet has a long history because it is built for consistent flight, and the 175gr weight is associated with long-range work.

Three things to understand:

• Match bullets are made for precision, not for hunting. The hollow point in a match bullet exists for manufacturing consistency, not to drive expansion in game. Treat the load as a target round.
• The rifle matters as much as the ammunition. A rifle with a barrel twist suited to 175gr bullets will shoot this load far better than a rifle that is not. Check your twist rate against the bullet weight. MatchGrade's piece on .308 match ammo grain weights goes through 155, 168, 175 and 178 grains, and its M118LR explainer covers the military 175gr lineage.
• Fit the packaging to your plan. A 120-round can is a sensible quantity for a shooter who tracks groups and works up loads, since you can keep the same lot for a sustained test.

Volume: PMC X-TAC 7.62x51 147gr

PMC X-TAC 147gr is a different animal. The listing names a 147gr boat-tail FMJ in 7.62x51, which is the NATO-pattern round. It is the sort of ammunition you buy when the goal is simply to put rounds downrange on a day when group size is not what you are chasing.

There are two caveats you should take seriously.

1. 7.62x51 and .308 are related, not identical. Both use the same case dimensions in a broad sense, but they are specified under different standards. Many rifle makers say 7.62x51 is acceptable in their .308 rifles, and some do not. The only authority on your rifle is the manufacturer. Read the manual first.
2. Range rules apply. Some ranges have rules about military-pattern ammunition or specific bullet types. A phone call is a good idea.

Bulk ammunition is also useful for non-precision jobs: breaking in a new rifle, practicing positions and trigger control, or learning a scope's turrets. In those uses, a consistent but unremarkable load is exactly what you want.

Hunting: why neither product is the answer

This is the part that gets people into trouble. Match bullets and FMJ bullets are not what hunters generally use on game. Hunting bullets are designed to expand in a controlled manner and to retain enough weight to penetrate. Match bullets are designed for accuracy. FMJ bullets are designed for general use and military-pattern practice, and some jurisdictions restrict or prohibit FMJ for hunting.

The honest recommendation is:

• Browse the hunting ammunition category and the broader best deer hunting ammo guide.
• Match the bullet to the species, the distance and your rifle's twist rate.
• Check your state or provincial hunting regulations on ammunition. Requirements differ and change.

If you do want to hunt with a rifle you also use for precision work, plan on buying a separate hunting load and spending range time to confirm where it hits relative to your match load.

Cartridge context

If you are weighing .308 against other cartridges, three guides help: .30-06 vs .308, .308 vs 6.5 Creedmoor, and the general best .308 ammo overview. They address the choice of cartridge. This page assumes you have chosen the .308 and want to match ammunition to a job.

A simple purchasing plan

For a shooter who owns one .308 rifle and wants to cover the three jobs sensibly:

1. Start with the bulk case for general range time and rifle familiarization.
2. Add one can of match ammunition for the days you want to test your precision. Keep the same lot if you can.
3. Buy hunting ammunition separately and confirm its point of impact before the season.
4. Keep records. Note the lot, the date and the results.

Mistakes that waste a good .308 load

A few errors show up again and again with this cartridge.

• Chasing a match load in a rifle that cannot use it. A factory rifle with a modest barrel and a basic stock will show the limits of its own accuracy long before it shows the limits of match ammunition. Learn what your rifle does with ordinary loads first.
• Mixing lots mid-test. If you are comparing groups, a change of lot is a change of variable. Finish a test with one lot.
• Ignoring the cold barrel. The first shot from a clean or cold barrel can land away from the rest. Note it and do not draw conclusions from a single shot.
• Skipping the notebook. Write down distance, conditions and results. A shooter with notes improves faster than one with a better rifle.

Pick Gold Medal Match if, pick X-TAC if

• Pick Gold Medal Match 175gr if you want your rifle to show you what it can do, you shoot paper or steel at distance, and your twist rate suits a 175gr bullet.
• Pick X-TAC 147gr if you want to shoot a lot, you are not chasing small groups, and your rifle's maker says 7.62x51 is acceptable.
• Pick neither if your goal is game. Browse the rifle ammunition category and the hunting category for loads made for the job.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications and publicly available information. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and legality for your own situation.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.