308 Winchester Caliber Opinions...

[bilmcc]

Recently I resuscitated an old compact Ruger m77 in 308 to use as a mountain rifle/loaner. I have been pondering why I don't care for it much. It is a fine caliber. I guess it is because my first high power rifle was a 7.65 Argentina Mauser, which is close to a 308, but kicked me mercilessly when I was a skinny kid. I often begged my neighbor to use his 7.7 Arisaka, which he had restocked. The 270 was my dream cartridge, thanks to Jack O'Connor. I got one as soon as I could afford it. I have strayed to 45-70, 35 Rem, 358 Win, 257 Roberts, and have had a couple 22 Hornets to use on groundhogs. Later, I found a 375 H&H. That led me to a couple other big calibers. People suggested 7 mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag for distant sheep. My wife says I seem to be open to suggestion. Then a couple weeks ago, I was seduced by a Ruger Hawkeye in 6.5 creedmoor. Sweet! I have not showed it to my 270, yet, but geez, it's time to move into the 21st Century! So my excuses for not focusing on 308 are mostly based on distractions, and a bad start. It's a good cartridge.

 

[Ragman]

Recently I resuscitated an old compact Ruger m77 in 308 to use as a mountain rifle/loaner. I have been pondering why I don't care for it much.

Christmas is coming and I've been a good boy!

 

[bilmcc]

Christmas is coming and I've been a good boy!

I have three boys who have no rifles of their own. I am sure they will give you a good price when they liquidate my estate. Trying to push that off another decade or so.

 

[Ryan]

As a left-hander I know it's widely accepted because it's one of a handful of calibers I can find in just about every manufactured left handed rifle model out there. It and the 30-06 are so close ballistically it's not worth arguing (incidentally, I use a 30-06), and I have yet to hear of any PH complain of either used for plains game in Africa or everything but maybe grizzly bear and bison in North America. I have a couple of friend who use a 308 and between them I know of a few caribou, a dall sheep and at least one moose dropped by them. My PH in Namibia last time used a Musgraves in 308 for plains game on their place.

 

[Shootist43]

I've used my 308s on some nice White-tailed deer and hogs. Myself, I'd be a little hesitant to use it on larger animals but others have successfully done so.

 

[lcq]

I have lots of different calibers and I must say the 308 is boringly accurate, boringly easy to load for, doesn't use a lot of powder, components are cheap and available and it isn't hard on the shoulder. Ammo can be found everywhere and you will never burn the barrel out. I am a lefty and own 1 left in 308 and I still can't get used to it, go figure. The one criticism I can offer of my favorite caliber is in a hunting length barrel 22" you will be paying a price with heavy bullets. My 20" does 180gr accubonds at 2570, the 22" 2625fps. where the 3006 will launch them at 2800. Using lighter 150-165gr the difference is only 100fps. and no animal I know of will be able to feel the difference.

my $0.02

 

[kesha]

Very nice cartridge my son used his on PG on Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Giraffe, Kudu, Impala, Blesbuck, Warthog, Waterbuck, Springbuck
all 1 shot kills except Zebra took 2 shots using Federal Fusion 150Gr.
I started using Vortex ammo 150gr with Barnes TTX bullets took Nyala, warthog, Duiker, Bushbuck, Mtn Reedbuck all 1 shot kills. I would not hesitate to shoot Eland with .308 , its all about shot placement and good bullets.

 

[cagkt3]

Then a couple weeks ago, I was seduced by a Ruger Hawkeye in 6.5 creedmoor.

I have one also, and I love it!

 

[bilmcc]

I have one also, and I love it!

Excuse the brief off-topic, please. What glass did you put on it?

 

[Patton63]

.308 is a fantastic round. I use it in long-range match shooting all the time and have no problems with shots out to 1100 yards. I've hunted deer and wild pigs with it. And my son took a great kudu, black wildebeest and gemsbok with it last month. All of his shots were at ranges of roughly 250 yards. There are great bullets available in that caliber and the quality of the factory loads (both match and premium hunting rounds) is very high.

 

[cagkt3]

Excuse the brief off-topic, please. What glass did you put on it?

Nightforce 4-14x56 SHV. Really like the set-up.

 

[bilmcc]

Nightforce 4-14x56 SHV. Really like the set-up.

That is useful to me. I put a 4-12 on mine with a smaller objective. I hear good things about Nightforce. Thank you.

 

[cagkt3]

That is useful to me. I put a 4-12 on mine with a smaller objective. I hear good things about Nightforce. Thank you.

No problem sir! I think you will like it a lot

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

Thanks for the answers!!!
Bilmcc expose a good reason to "not to use" a 308 hahaha... So many calibers.... all of them so pretty hahaha...
But yes, it´s a great cartridge! I love it...

 

[lcq]

Recently I resuscitated an old compact Ruger m77 in 308 to use as a mountain rifle/loaner. I have been pondering why I don't care for it much. It is a fine caliber. I guess it is because my first high power rifle was a 7.65 Argentina Mauser, which is close to a 308, but kicked me mercilessly when I was a skinny kid. I often begged my neighbor to use his 7.7 Arisaka, which he had restocked. The 270 was my dream cartridge, thanks to Jack O'Connor. I got one as soon as I could afford it. I have strayed to 45-70, 35 Rem, 358 Win, 257 Roberts, and have had a couple 22 Hornets to use on groundhogs. Later, I found a 375 H&H. That led me to a couple other big calibers. People suggested 7 mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag for distant sheep. My wife says I seem to be open to suggestion. Then a couple weeks ago, I was seduced by a Ruger Hawkeye in 6.5 creedmoor. Sweet! I have not showed it to my 270, yet, but geez, it's time to move into the 21st Century! So my excuses for not focusing on 308 are mostly based on distractions, and a bad start. It's a good cartridge.

I did a little math on the 6.5 creed and found there was nothing it would do the 270 wouldn't and launching heavier bullets to boot. the only thing the 6.5 has going for it is it recoils like a 243

 

[bilmcc]

I did a little math on the 6.5 creed and found there was nothing it would do the 270 wouldn't and launching heavier bullets to boot. the only thing the 6.5 has going for it is it recoils like a 243

... and it is light with smaller ammo.

 

[JakeH]

I did a little math on the 6.5 creed and found there was nothing it would do the 270 wouldn't and launching heavier bullets to boot. the only thing the 6.5 has going for it is it recoils like a 243

As a hunting round, yes. As a long-range target round, its excellent ballistic coefficient gives it the edge over traditional long-range rounds like the .308. Basically its the cool kid round right now.

 

[cagkt3]

As a hunting round, yes. As a long-range target round, its excellent ballistic coefficient gives it the edge over traditional long-range rounds like the .308. Basically its the cool kid round right now.

Exactly why I like it - I can go to the range and (try to) ring steel at 500-1000 yds, take the same round and go hunt deer, pigs, etc.

Still love the .270 as a round - I've got a couple sitting in the safe now, and looking at adding a 3rd if the price is right

 

[JakeH]

Exactly why I like it - I can go to the range and (try to) ring steel at 500-1000 yds, take the same round and go hunt deer, pigs, etc.

Still love the .270 as a round - I've got a couple sitting in the safe now, and looking at adding a 3rd if the price is right

I've thought about buying a 6.5, and my older brother is having a fit for one. However, there's no long target ranges around here and my .243 and .270 do more than well enough for shooting across a field.

But we digress from the topic at hand.

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

Hahaha JakeH... you´re right! But there are so many good calibers ...
In fact, the 243 and 270 are two rounds very used in my country.... Also the 30-06 but... the 308 covers the same hunting situations than the others calibers and have a little more punch with 165 gn than the 243, per example...