147 to 150 grain
Full metal jacket · range · the everyday load
The weight of standard military ball and most range .308. Brass-cased 147 grain FMJ is the load most semi-automatic .308s are happiest with.
Rifle ammo · range, match and deer
147 grain ball for the range, 168 and 175 grain match for paper at distance, and certified nonlead loads for the hunting season, over the counter in Kearny Mesa. And the barrel-stamp question every .308 buyer should ask: .308, or 7.62 NATO?
Start here
Which .308 Should You Buy?
Read what the barrel is stamped, then decide what the ammunition is for. Those are the only two questions that matter.
- Range practice
- 147 or 150 grain full metal jacket. It is the everyday .308 load, it cycles gas guns reliably, and it is normally the least expensive per round.
- Paper at distance
- 168 or 175 grain boat-tail hollow point match. 168 is the classic match weight; 175 is its heavier cousin, often preferred for longer distances. The boxes say HPBT or BTHP — the same thing.
- Deer and other game
- Certified nonlead only, in California. Copper and other nonlead soft points exist in .308 in the common hunting weights; a match bullet is not a hunting bullet, and neither is ordinary lead-core ball.
.308 and 7.62 NATO: close, not identical
.308 Winchester and 7.62x51mm NATO have nearly identical outside dimensions, which is why people treat them as one round. They are loaded and measured to different standards, and military-spec chambers are cut slightly differently from commercial ones.
Most rifle makers publish that their .308 rifles fire both. Some do not, particularly for older and military-surplus rifles. The rule is the same as with .223 and 5.56: the barrel stamp and the manual decide, not the counter. If the barrel is not stamped at all, ask the maker before you shoot either.
The number on the box
147 to 180 Grain: What the Weight Changes
Heavier .308 bullets hold their speed better at distance; lighter ones start faster. What the bullet is made of matters as much as what it weighs.
168 to 175 grain
Boat-tail hollow point · match · distance
Match bullets built for consistency, not expansion. The hollow point is a by-product of how the jacket is made, not a hunting feature. This is what people buy for load-to-load accuracy on paper.
150 to 180 grain
Nonlead soft point and copper · hunting
The hunting weights, and in California the bullet has to be certified nonlead. Heavier for larger game and heavy brush, lighter for flatter shooting. Ask what is on the shelf before the season opens — it goes.
Hunting means nonlead in California
California requires certified nonlead ammunition to take any wildlife with a firearm, statewide. That rules out ordinary lead-core .308 for deer and pigs. Our lead-free hunting page explains what counts, and a phone call tells you what is on the shelf.
Counter mistakes
Rounds That Get Confused With .308
The number thirty is on half the rifle shelf. These are the mix-ups we actually see.
7.62x39 is a different round
7.62x39 is the shorter AK and SKS cartridge, with a slightly wider bullet. It shares nothing with .308 but a nominal bullet size. Our 7.62x39 page covers it.
.30-06 is longer
.30-06 Springfield is the older, longer cartridge .308 was developed to replace in a shorter action. Same bullet diameter, different case. They are not interchangeable — a .30-06 will not fit a .308 chamber, and a .308 must not be fired in a .30-06.
Other thirties
.300 Blackout, .300 Winchester Magnum, .30-30 Winchester and .308 Marlin Express all use .30-caliber bullets and all are different cartridges. The name on the box has to match the barrel, every word of it.
Range rules still apply
Some ranges restrict steel-cased, bimetal or steel-core rifle ammunition, often checked with a magnet. Brass-cased, lead-core .308 is accepted everywhere. Our guide to ranges around San Diego lists what each one allows, but the range's own rule is the one that counts.
On the shelf in Kearny Mesa
.308 Win Loads We Have Carried
Real boxes that have been across this counter and on the deals board. Pictured as printed, so you know what you are looking for on the shelf.
Recent .308 Win boxes on this counter came from PMC, Sellier & Bellot — and that is a record of what we have sold, not a promise of what is on the shelf today. The shelf moves daily and this site is updated by hand, so call or text before you drive out and somebody will go and look.
Why there is no price on this page
Ammunition pricing moves with the wholesale market, and a figure printed next to a caliber is wrong within weeks. So we quote .308 Win on the phone, with a number that is true today. The one exception is the deals page, where a fixed price on a fixed quantity runs for a fixed week.
Before you drive out
Buying .308 Win in California
A few minutes longer than buying anything else, and almost every problem we see at the counter could have been sorted out at home.
- .308 Winchester and 7.62 NATO are rifle ammunition: 18 and over in California.
- Every ammunition sale in California happens face to face at a licensed vendor. State law, not our policy, and the reason there is no cart on this site.
- Bring your California driver's license or ID card. If it reads FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY, bring a passport or certified birth certificate as well.
- Every purchase runs a DOJ eligibility check with a state-set fee collected on the state's behalf — not our charge, and we do not mark it up. The most common reason one fails is a stale record, not eligibility.
General information, not legal advice. Reviewed — the rules that govern every purchase are published by the California Department of Justice.
Ammunition and accessories only — no firearms, and no shooting range at this location. If you need somewhere to shoot what you buy, we keep a list of ranges around the county. Se habla español.
Common questions
.308 Winchester Questions We Get at the Counter
Real questions from real customers, answered the way we answer them in person.
Can I shoot 7.62x51 NATO in my .308 rifle?
Most rifle makers say yes for their .308 rifles, and some do not, particularly for older and surplus rifles. The two cartridges share outside dimensions but are loaded and measured to different standards. Follow the barrel stamp and the manual; if the barrel is not stamped, ask the manufacturer before you shoot either.
Is .308 the same as 7.62x39?
No. 7.62x39 is a shorter cartridge for AK and SKS pattern rifles, with a slightly wider bullet. It will not chamber in a .308, and .308 will not fit a 7.62x39 rifle. The only thing they share is a nominal 7.62mm in the name.
What .308 can I hunt deer with in California?
Only certified nonlead ammunition, which California requires for taking any wildlife with a firearm, statewide. Copper and other certified nonlead loads are made in .308 in the common hunting weights. Game-specific rules beyond that are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — check the regulations for your species and zone.
Is HPBT the same as BTHP?
Yes. Both mean boat-tail hollow point, and both usually mark a match bullet. The hollow point on a match bullet comes from how the jacket is formed, not from being designed to expand, so match ammunition is not hunting ammunition — and it is not nonlead unless the box says so.
Can I use steel-cased .308 at the range?
At some ranges, not others. Steel-cased and bimetal ammunition are common range restrictions, often checked with a magnet, and a steel-core bullet is a separate restriction. Brass-cased, lead-core ammunition is accepted everywhere. Check the rules for the range you are going to before you buy for it.
Do you have .308 in stock, and how much is it?
Call 858-987-0509 or text 310-499-3499 and we will quote today's price and check the shelf while you are on the line. The catalog carries no prices because ammunition moves with the wholesale market; when .308 is on the weekly deals board, the price is published on the deals page. This site is updated by hand, so treat nothing on it as today's inventory.
Stock & deal questions
Tell us the rifle and we will match the load
Text is usually faster than a call. Send what the barrel is stamped, the rifle, and whether it is for the range, paper at distance or the hunting season — somebody will tell you what on the shelf fits.
Se habla español
- Ask if your caliber is in stock today, and what it runs.
- Ask what the in-store Deal of the Week is before you drive out.
- Ask what to bring for the California eligibility check.
- Ask anything about a load, a caliber, or your gun. No pressure, no attitude.
- Phone
- immediate during business hours
- Text
- anytime — immediate during business hours, forwarded after hours
- Hours
- Mon – Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Sat – Sun 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Where We Are
LAX Ammo San Diego4411 Mercury St, Suite 103San Diego, CA 92111
Kearny Mesa, San DiegoOpen in Google Maps
Hours
- Mon – Fri
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sat – Sun
- 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Call or Text
858-987-0509Calls only
310-499-3499Text only
Text anytime. Anytime — immediate during business hours, forwarded after hours.
Before You Visit
- Bring your California ID — every ammo purchase needs an eligibility check.
- Purchases happen at the counter. No online checkout, and we don't ship ammo.
- Ammunition and accessories only. No firearms, no range at this location.
Se habla español
How California's ammo law works