Seekins Element .308 Lead Free Ammo Options

[AM_Hunter]

I posted this in the general forum but probably should have posted it here instead so I am reposting it in this thread. Let me know if thats against the rules, in which case my bad.

Anyone have any experience with lead free .308 through a Seekings Havak Element? Just ordered the rifle and trying to find the right off the shelf ammo to shoot through it for now. This is for California Deer/Bear hunting so it has to be lead free. Looking for off the shelf for now. Going to start getting into reloading more this year but for now I want to find something I can purchase off the shelf.

The options I am seeing are:

Hornady Outfitter 165gr CX
Hornady CX Super performance 165gr
Barnes VORT-X 168gr TSX
Barnes VORT-X 150gr TTSX
Federal Power Shok 150gr CHP

Anyone use any of these through their seekins element? Or have any recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[TN2shot07]

I also wouldn’t rule out the 130 ttsx’s. That’s been my favorite performance on animals, that extra speed seems to really make a difference on impact

 

[AM_Hunter]

I also wouldn’t rule out the 130 ttsx’s. That’s been my favorite performance on animals, that extra speed seems to really make a difference on impact

Thanks, what are you shooting them out of?

 

[TN2shot07]

Thanks, what are you shooting them out of?

Right now a Model Seven with a 16.5 inch barrel and a Kimber Montana, a 700 before that. The 150 ttsx’s and and cx’s shot fine too but the 130’s have been the best performance on animals, most drop immediately or after a very short run

 

[SDHNTR]

Seekins Element or Tikka ABC or Remchester XYZ or Savage POS has nothing to do with what ammo your rifle might shoot best. You are just going to have to try whatever you can get your hands on and see what shoots best out of your gun. Rifles all have their own individual preferences, regardless of make or model. There is literally only one way to find out — trying it in YOUR gun.

And then when you do find out what works best out of your gun, you better buy a few cases worth of that ammo in the same lot number. Otherwise you could get totally different results with the next box of the same ammo you buy.

 

[AM_Hunter]

Right now a Model Seven with a 16.5 inch barrel and a Kimber Montana, a 700 before that. The 150 ttsx’s and and cx’s shot fine too but the 130’s have been the best performance on animals, most drop immediately or after a very short run

Gotcha, what kind of velocity were you getting with the 130s out of a 16.5" barrel?