Do It All With One .308?

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ACP230

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It occurred to me the other day that with a suitable scoped bolt-action .308, a selection of reloading tools, powder, primers, bullets and cases, I could do just about everything I want done with a rifle. I picked a .308 because cases are cheap and available everywhere, and because it can get close to the old standby .30-06 in power with the right loads.

I have the reloading stuff. All I'd really need in bullets would be some pulled 110 grain carbine pills for varmint loads. I even have some .30 caliber lead round nose bullets already on the shelf for those .22 simulation rounds.

The reloading part of the exercise would be interesting for a while, but I don't think I'd ever really try and do this. The reason not to: variety. I like to mess around with actual .22 rifles, plink with an M1 Carbine, and shoot a semi-auto (or two, or three) in rifle matches.

Would anyone else here really prefer to work one rifle up into an everything rifle?
 
Well, that's the way I started out, beaucoup years ago. A Lyman 310 Tong tool, a Redding scale, and a screwdriver that was just right for cleaning primer pockets. (Still have the screwdriver!) I chamfered the case necks with a pocket knife. All this was in suppport of my 1917 Enfield '06. I'm still using the same load data today, for the 110- and 150-grain bullets.

While I don't have to worry about reloading for various purposes 'cause I'm too poor to own more than one gun, there's still just one gun I grab for when my purpose is just really serious. And that same old '06 load data still works...

:), Art
 
ACP230:

Though I would hate to be stuck with only one rifle, the .308 is caliber of choice for a do all kind of rifle. I wouldn't waste my time with any pulled carbine bullets......use a Sierra MK for varmints. Accuracy will likely be dismal with the pulled military bullets.....but the .308 will do it all, with the right bullet placement, of course.

Personal favorite.......175 Sierra Match King with 44.5 grs Varget in Lapua brass. It'll work on anything.
 
Fear the Man with only One Gun......

I have thought about that statement and decided I couldn't do it -I couldn't give up all my guns and just have the one - granted rifle wise the .308 is the chambering of most of my rifles - just couldn't give them up just for one......
 
Guess if I was going to go the one-gun route it would be a .338.

While not much for plinking--it's big enough for any critter I'll encounter and Bambi and Wiley Coyote ain't gonna care if they've been over killed.
 
I've got a .308 Mauser in the shop right now, my goal being a "do it all" rifle. Accurate, light, fast, super reliable, legal, and powerful. I've got dies for it, but I haven't started working on a load yet (my press is at home, and I'm at school for 2 more months). Loading anything from 110gr softpoints to 163gr pulled AP slugs it should be able to do just about anything. A flash suppressor for dusk/night shooting, a Leupold M8 scout scope, FAL mags for 5-, 10-, and 20-round capacity, and a stripper clip guide for topping off the mag if needed. Also, a Ching Sling for carry and shooting stability. It's the Coolest Mauser Ever. :)
 
Since my AR-15's 1x7" twist overspins and destroys all .223 varmint bullets that I've encountered (and I'm too cheap to pony up $350 for a new varmint upper), I've been forced to press my .308 into varmint duties. I chose the 125gr remington corelokts. Their expansion is explosive.
The .308 really is a good "jack of all trades, master of none" caliber.
 
Beware of the man with only one gun, he probably knows how to use it.

A proper 308 bolt rifle will do anything you need doing in the field.

See www.brockmansrifles.com for his rendition. Accepts conventional scope, scout scope, and aimpoint, comes equipped with a Ching sling and white light mount. Load and lock.
 
Instead of fearing the man with only one gun, I've always figured either he wasn't into guns or he was just to poor to afford any more ;)

Even though I've got a wide range of firearms, I've hunted everything from groundhogs to deer with a .308. With the proper bullets, I wouldn't be afraid to hunt anything in North America with a .308
 
While I only own one other rifle (a 700 in 30.06), it seems I've pretty much chosen a .308 as the one that gets all my attention. Closing in on the perfect load, although I've found some good ones.

May just be me, but I really don't have the itch for any others. I'ld rather have more opportunity to shoot.

S.
 
Doin it all with one caliber is exactly what I've done. Got rid of my 30+ rifles for my pair of FALs. I'd like to say that I like variety in shooting, but I don't. I like to perfect my shooting technique with what I've got, so I know I can handle it in all situations, whether it be varminting, big game, or target plinking.

Admitedly, I've kept a 22lr bolty for squirellin', because I can't figure out how to shoot a squirrel with a 308 and leave any meat to bring home. Tiny head shots with open sights are hard to do when your adrenaline's pumpin.

Also kept a 22mag bolty to keep on the rack in the pickup, in case that once-in-a-lifetime buck decides to jump in front of the truck late one night. I'm a dreamer I know, but's that's the way I sees it.

Also kept the 1911's for daily carry. Can't say enough about 45ACP for self-defence. Picked me up a Glock 30 today, I hope I like it.

Since I live in this part of Va, had to keep a couple Remmy 870's for deer huntin. Won't let me use rifles around here. They come in handy for duck/goose season anyway.

With the right tools, the job can get done expediently and without waste. However, too many tools and you'll spend all your time deciding on which tool to buy. Not to mention, it's hard to work a lifter puller if you only use it once every three years.
 
Besides the .22LR's for fun, my two rifles are:

M1A National Match
'98 Mauser in 308

I have chosen the 308 as the standarized round, as it indeed can do it all, at least in north america. It won't do elephant or cape buffalo or seriously big game, but again, in North America, it will do it all.

My Mauser in 308 is pretty sweet. Is this the Jeff Cooper "Scout" concept??

I don't think the .223 is anywhere close to the versatility of the 308. Also, with cheap milserp, you can shoot a lot vs. 30-06 and still come out ok.

A scoped 308 is pretty close to just one rifle you need..
 
Wow, yankytrash!

Also kept a 22mag bolty to keep on the rack in the pickup, in case that once-in-a-lifetime buck decides to jump in front of the truck late one night.
Click to expand...
Game laws sure must be easy and liberal in Virginia. EITHER jacklighting a deer, OR shooting one with a .22 rimfire in my state will earn you some pretty serious heat.

Custody arrest. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Vamos al carcel, pronto. Magisterial arraignment with a none-too-gentle bail bond being set.

Vehicle AND firearm impounded, most likely to undergo forfeiture and sale at auction.

First offense: VERY high fine, with possibility of county jail time.

Subsequent offense: HUGE fine and nearly-certain jail time, measured in months, not weeks.

Then there's the civil suit--The State brings suit for illegal destruction of game resources. Last one I heard of, road shooting an eight-point whitetail at night, had a judgement of $2,500 levied, BESIDES the criminal penalties.

Did I mention loss of hunting license, five years to permanent? And, if the game law violator fakes up a way to get another license, and is discovered, the whole adventure starts again . . . .

And, really, a majority of sportsmen believe in these laws--that the game law violator is a thief. And each year, the tip line, 1-800-GAMETHIEF gets a lot of calls.

The Old Dominion must have a lot more deer than they need, to allow such. Different laws for different places, I guess.:)

Best,
Johnny
 
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Found this link in another thread - - - -

http://www.dgif.state.va.us/hunting/regs/section6.html#legaluse

From Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries GENERAL HUNTING REGULATIONS - -
Legal Use of Firearms and Archery Equipment . . . .

Rifles used for deer or bear must be .23 caliber or larger. . . .

Pistols and revolvers are lawful for deer and bear hunting only in those counties where hunting deer and bear with rifles is lawful. Cartridges used must be .23 caliber or larger and have a manufacturer’’s rating of 350 foot-pounds muzzle energy or more.

Unlawful Methods

Penalties may include hunting license revocation for one year to life and forfeiture of firearms.

A person found guilty of a violation a second time within three years of a previous conviction shall have their license revoked by the court trying the case.

It is a violation of State statute to discharge a firearm, crossbow, or bow and arrow in or across or within the right-of-way of any road.
Unlawful to cast a light beyond a roadway upon places used by deer without written permission of the landowner or at anytime while in the possession of a rifle, shotgun, pistol, crossbow, bow and arrow, or speargun. . . .

Hunting Hours . . . .
One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset for nonmigratory birds and game animals . . . .
Click to expand...
Perhaps the state-to-state regs are pretty similar. I’d hate to see any THR member have difficulty through a misunderstanding of the game laws.

Best,
Johnny
 
Maybe it's for putting down the deer that just ruined the front of his truck?

Of course, a .45 to the brain pan would do that pretty well, too, I guess...

:confused:
 
I read this a long time ago in north american hunter....

"beware the man who shoots only one rifle... he probably shoots it well."

The author had sold his rifles and acquired one super nice .270, and hunted all sorts of game with it and his reloading bench.

Personally, I love my Remington .243, and don't see a need for another rifle until I get myself an EBG or a Garand for fun.
 
Seems to me that if one develops the needed skills in shooting and stalking, and knows the limitations of self and armament, most any cartridge equal to or greater than the AK round will suffice for self-defense or most common hunting. (I'm not suggesting the AK round as a primary for elk, understand.)

Personal preference and local conditions are the determinants when choosing among such as the .243 or .270 or .308. For a handloader, almost any cartridge will do just fine. The 30-caliber critters have the edge for larger game.

But y'all already know all that...

Art
 
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