So why DID Aagard gravitate to 308 WIN?
Sorry to hear about your dog. Losing them is no fun.
I’ve been re-reading
Hunting Rifles & Cartridges lately. I think that this evolution starts with the 375 Holland & Holland, which he used in a 25" Model 70 with factory ammo while hunting for himself and guiding in Kenya. He describes that in “The .375 H&H Mag.”
He began guiding in North America when he moved to Texas in 1977. “A Professional’s Rifle” describes how he liked a 22” Mauser in 30-06 for that because it had the reach, power, and reliability that he needed. His main loads were not downloaded factory ammunition, but full-power handloads: a 150 at 3,000 fps, a 180 at 2,750 or 2,800 fps, and a 220 at 2,550 fps.
“A 308 Carbine” describes using a surplus Mauser in the Texas Hill Country. I don’t think that feral hogs were much of an issue when he wrote that, but the Hill Country was rich in javelina, whitetail deer, turkey, and aoudad. He found the 308 to be perfect for them with a 150-grain bullet at 2,600 fps.
As he put it,
For most dead-serious trophy hunting, I prefer rifles with at least 22” barrels and sufficient power to get the job done under the most unfavorable conditions I am likely to encounter. Then I would always choose the ‘06 over the .308 Win. But heck, I have done all that. I have seen the elephant, climbed the damned mountain, followed sick and angry buffalo into the thick stuff, faced the charge, slept wrapped in a blanket on a rhino trail while lions grunted nearby, spent days trying to outwit a particular trophy animal, and have found a fair share of record book heads for my clients. For the most part, I enjoy a far more relaxed style of hunting. If I can find a deer for the freezer, that is great. But I am content to hold my fire until I am certain of killing clean, and if I don’t fire a shot, that is fine also. For this sort of “woods-loafing,” a light, handy .308 Win. suits me.
Okie John
