what's so great about 308

[HankC]

"what's so great about 308"

Cheaper surplus ammo still can be found

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I think that the 308 is best limited to 1/4 mile and less, and Jeff Cooper said 300 yds, for big game. It's just not that powerful or high velocity a round. So it's trajectory and wind drift numbers aint great. It won't reliably expand a big game softpoint much beyond 400 yds, from 20" or so barrel lengths.

Just want to add some clarification Coopers 300 yards for hunting wasnt based on the cartridge. It was based on what most people were capable of that would provide clean ethical shots on an animal. Anything beyond 300 yards he felt you shouldn't brag about.

 

[stubbicatt]

The recommendations for the Remchesterby's are all well taken. If you would like to try something a little different, and of certainly equal and most likely better quality, get a CZ550. They have at least 3 different flavors, one of which will certainly suit you. Additionally, the 308's have detachable box magazines, so if you want to splurge you can get a high quality 10 rounder from them for not a whole lot of money.

I absolutely love my CZ. It is my favorite rifle to shoot any distances with, and 308 is my favorite cartridge for blasting with. I do find with today's prices, however, that handloading is a definite must.

Good luck and have fun with your new rifle.

 

[adelbridge]

I have owned several .308 guns and what it has going for it is short action and tacticool.
I can rattle off 1/2 dozen better short action cartridges for long range shooting. I am going to go against what has already been posted and declare the .308 begins to fall on its face after 250 yards. With an average cross breeze wind drift is about the same as bullet drop at 280 yards. 6 and 6.5mm bullets have a much better BC. .308 is a perfectly good hunting round out to 230-250 yards (longer than 90% of shots I take) and with a good bullet it can be potent enough for anything in texas.

 

[joed]

35 years ago when I bought my first centerfire rifle you couldn't have given me a .308. In fact I chose a .25-06 in a Remington 700 VS. The .25-06 is a fantastic cartridge and it has done everything I ever needed for 35 years.

That said, back in 2005 when Winchester announced it was closing the factory I ordered a model 70 Stealth in .308. I was never a fan of the .308 as it doesn't have a lot of velocity. After owning this rifle for 7 years I'm very impressed with the .308. That cartridge is very accurate and not at all finicky about what powder is used. Mine will shoot 1/2" groups all day and it is a stock rifle. It's the first rifle I've owned that doesn't need a fouling shot, I can tell you where every bullet will hit the target.

If I were down to 2 rifles and had to chose between the .25-06 and the .308 I'm not sure which I would let go. That says a lot about a cartridge I hated in the beginning.

 

[savanahsdad]

can't kill a bear ??? I know guys that bear hunt with bows , and I think a 308 has a bit more killing power than a bow ,

 

[ifit]

not as poplular as the savage or remington, but chose this for my firs bolt action a FNH TSR XP .308,

then my best group so far at 100y with a cheap bsa scope

 

[Nasty]

My fun 308 is the Ruger Scout as mentioned...

As stated...good for everything North American except the great Bears, Moose and Bison.

Yes...they have been taken by bow...but I try to be real and the ethics of clean kills matters to me.

 

[blzeye]

Remington 700 SPS Tactical gets my vote. I put in a Timney trigger, Harris bipod & Millet scope. Weighs about 11 lbs so it's no lightweight. But w/ a 20 in. barrel it's not too unwieldy. But can this thing shoot! Normally right around 1/2 MOA. I shoot beer cans full of water at 300 & half gallon milk cartons at 500 for fun.

 

[hang fire]

I like the .308 because it is extremely accurate with cast boolits.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

as you can tell, I am a .308 fan. my favorite hunting rifle is an old Model 788, also love my AR10s and my M1As. at 58, I just dont shoot any larger calibers anymore, dont need or want to.

 

[wyohome]

my favorite hunting rifle is an old Model 788,

Mine used to be as well. My wife shot all of my 308s, and claimed the 788 for her use.. I am back to using my 1968 model 760. The Win model 88 never has pleased me and my Kimber is too unreliable for anything but looking good in the safe.

 

[sayak]

My fun 308 is the Ruger Scout as mentioned...

As stated...good for everything North American except the great Bears, Moose and Bison.

Yes...they have been taken by bow...but I try to be real and the ethics of clean kills matters to me.

I'd hate to count the number of moose that have been taken in Alaska with the .308, both cleanly and efficiently. My best friend's wife gets her moose every year with a .243.
As they always say, "It's all about..."

 

[06]

Nothing on this continent that it will not take--and I do not even like 308s--LOL. My pick is the old trusted 30-06. Can load it from 110-200 grains and all sorts of boolits. Well you can the 308 also but the '06 packs just a hair more punch down range. I have a couple of 51s but don't tell anyone about that "inferior" round--lol.

 

[wyohome]

^Why don't you like .308?

 

[Robert101]

I like the .308 caliber very much and I'm not a fan of the 22 (or there abouts) calibers for anything larger than coyote. So to that end, the 308 Winchester has all that I need in this performance range. It is a do all varmit to big game getter within a reasonable distance of say 500 yards. If you need to extend that range then the 300 Mags is a viable upgrade. I must claify that the 30'06 does everything the 308 does but a little better. I like the 308 due to shorter action and better acceptance of powder variety - that's all.