Cheap .308 ammo

I would not shoot Wolf 308 especially in autos.

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176323

Many 7.62NATO surplus available around .40-.50/rnd.

the .308 is what got me into reloading. Wolf does make .308, but spend the extra couple of cents for silver bear if you want to shoot dirt cheap steel case. IMO Barnul>Wolf

I shoot Federal Gold Medal Match .168 gr in my .308. It isn't necessarily cheap at around $20/box, but there are many more expensive rounds out there. The FGMM also shoots around (and under) 1/2 MOA from my rifle.

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newguy07 said:

It is a bolt action, not semi.

Do all .308 shoot 7.62 or is it like.223 where a .223 shoots .223 only but a 5.56 shoots either.

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With .308 it's opposite, meaning a gun chambered in .308 WIN can shoot both .308 and 7.62x51 NATO, but one chambered in 7.62 NATO can shoot only 7.62.

Handload! Premium grade stuff for $0.50 a shot Sure beats paying $2 a shot for quality ammo, you know the stuff you can actually hit a target with at 400yd. I have yet to find really good cheap factory fodder in 308 and trust me I tried, none of my 308s liked cheap stuff, the closest was the Prvi that shot about 1.5" out of my old 308 and 150gr core lokts in my new model 70 that shoot right at an inch at 100, but even they are $19.95 a box.

There's really no such thing as cheap .308. There's nothing wrong with the steel cased stuff, if your rifle will eat it. The chamber on my target rifle is on the tight side and it's pretty usual to find a round that won't chamber.

If you're serious about shooting .308, you need to handload. You can get surplus components to load on the cheap and it shoots pretty good.

+1 for the FGGM SMK 168 HPBT being best / most accurate factory but it's def not 'cheap' at $1+ per round. Since I plan to hunt I've started buying / using federal power-shok blue box 150gr soft point from Walmart at <$16 per box ($0.80 per round). It is the cheapest I have found of anything available locally. The one time I tried 7.62x51 in my Savage axis I had 4 out of 20 fired cases get stuck, don't know if it was due to the round, the cheap manufacturer, the rifle being brand new or what, but it has made me shy away from dropping $100+ on some surplus. I hope to start reloading soon with the purchase of a lee turret. Not to hijack / sidetract the thread (its still roughly on topic) Anyone have advice for primer, powder, bullet combos for cheap range work out to 100-200 yards?

I have used this website to gauge the ammo market and find really good deals on many different calibers.

Captains1911 said:

With .308 it's opposite, meaning a gun chambered in .308 WIN can shoot both .308 and 7.62x51 NATO, but one chambered in 7.62 NATO can shoot only 7.62.

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You can shoot either. There is a very minor difference in max head space but every manufacturer sets the head space to allow either round to be used.

The .308/7.62 is a hand loaders round if you want cheap. Quality surplus NATO is about .50 a round and quality match is $2+ a round. You can build match loads for under $1.

You can build match quality .308 ammo for far less than $1.00 per round.
The Sierra 168 gr Hollow point boat tail match bullets are .30 each from Midway and can be found cheaper, primers are .03 each and IMR 4895 will cost about .17 per round, total cost is .60 per round if you collect free range brass. My rifles favorite load is the Sierra HPBT M bullet over 41 gr of IMR 4895 & any brand primer in Fed brass. Consistently sub moa in my LR
308.
You can find the Sierra bullets on sale for much less as well as Hornady 168 HPBT M and Nosler HPBT M for less.

Roger

cheapest I've found recently:
http://www.freedommunitions.com/product-p/fm308f147r.htm
$250 for 480

Reloading is the way to go...for 100 rounds of match grade I spent
$23.00 for 100 168gr. hpbt
$11.00 for 1/2lb varget
$4.00 for primers
$20 for brass

Much cheaper than the $1.50/shot if I were to buy it, and the only way I can afford to own an FAL.

why buy a rifle and set it up to be somwhat of a presicion rifle but not willing to feed it ammo needed to finish the job?

HankC said:

I would not shoot Wolf 308 especially in autos.

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176323

Many 7.62NATO surplus available around .40-.50/rnd.

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Example of ONE case head separation...Seriously? Horrible argument. Wolf isn't the only manufacturer of ammunition that has a bad round once in awhile. Also, just noticed that the post from this link is from 6 years ago. Not exactly current info.

I've used Wolf and other steel cased .308 ammo in AUTOS and it's worked fine. Don't let one story tell you otherwise. I don't see the point in expensive ammo if you are going to plink around. On the other hand, if you are hunting and want the absolute best accuracy, go for some factory hunting ammo.

Example of ONE case head separation

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Did you read the whole thing? Do a search, you will find more recent cases. It is always how much risk you want to take. Personal choice.

WOW, I've never seen someone use the word "Cheap" and "308" in the same sentence.

Man, I still can't get used to the idea of a buck a round for 308 surplus. The last batch I bought (which is still setting unopened in the garage) came from Pakistan or some such place and set me back $89 for 500 rounds. I guess it was a while ago.

Yup. I remember buying sealed South African battle packs $35 for 200 or loose boxes at $4 for 20.

Man I wish I'd bought a warehouse full of that crap.

HankC said:

Did you read the whole thing? Do a search, you will find more recent cases. It is always how much risk you want to take. Personal choice.

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Yeah, I did. Only people that have had problems will post on the boards. When thousands of others use Wolf ammo and it works you don't read about it because there is no point in making a post about it.

I do agree Hank that it is a personal choice. I can't make people shoot Wolf ammo but I am saying that in my experience and the experiences of many others that .308 Wolf ammo runs just fine.

SaxonPig said:

Man, I still can't get used to the idea of a buck a round for 308 surplus. The last batch I bought (which is still setting unopened in the garage) came from Pakistan or some such place and set me back $89 for 500 rounds. I guess it was a while ago.

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I paid $77/200 about a month ago for some early 90's Paki milsurp. So it must have been awhile back.

I have a saiga .308. It eats about anything. Wolf ammo is alright but no matter what caliber wolf loads the lightest bullets. For cheap ammo silver bear is best with brown bear right behind it. At least you can use the same weight bullet you will be hunting with. Silver Bear for rifles is zinc plated, not nickel plated.

Captains1911 said:

With .308 it's opposite, meaning a gun chambered in .308 WIN can shoot both .308 and 7.62x51 NATO, but one chambered in 7.62 NATO can shoot only 7.62.

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Well, no. The apparent difference is more a difference in how SAAMI and NATO measure pressure in 308/7.62. Use the same method, little difference.

Also, check your rifle's manufacturer and warranty. For instance, DPMS will void your warranty if you use steel case ammo. And they do not recommend using NATO ammo in their 308 chambers (they sell both). Why? The 308 chamber is tighter and some NATO brass could have "performance" issues.

BTW, Wolf does not make ammo, they are basically a distributor. It used to be made by Tula, and now by Barnaul, but still has the polymer coating. So a 6 year old Falfiles thread does not represent current manufacture.

lmccrock said:

Well, no. The apparent difference is more a difference in how SAAMI and NATO measure pressure in 308/7.62. Use the same method, little difference.

Also, check your rifle's manufacturer and warranty. For instance, DPMS will void your warranty if you use steel case ammo. And they do not recommend using NATO ammo in their 308 chambers (they sell both). Why? The 308 chamber is tighter and some NATO brass could have "performance" issues.

BTW, Wolf does not make ammo, they are basically a distributor. It used to be made by Tula, and now by Barnaul, but still has the polymer coating. So a 6 year old Falfiles thread does not represent current manufacture.

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Well, yes. The more important issue is pressure, and 308 chambers are typically rated for higher pressures than 7.62. Just like how 5.56 chambers are rated for higher pressure than .223. The fact that the chamber dimensions are slightly different is secondary.

308 chambers are rated for higher pressures? You lost me. You mean every 308 rifle ever built is "rated" for higher pressure than any 7.62 chamber?

This debate goes on and on and on and on... But I look at the dimensions of 7.62x51 and 308 Winchester and they are virtually the same. I have owned several rifles stamped 308 and they all shot military 7.62 without any detectible difference. My one rifle stamped 7.62 digests commercial 308 with equal indifference. I have heard military ammo uses slightly thicker brass to withstand being slammed through full-auto guns. I have heard military ammo has a slightly different shoulder for the same reason. I dunno... My guns don't care which ammo I use.

If there is any difference between 7.62 and 308 I can't see it.