Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting .308 sniper rifle for deer/elk/bear.

"A heavy barreled .308 sniper rifle is a pretty stupid choice for long range shots at game. Do yourself a favor and get a real long range cartridge in a lighter rifle."

I am new to this forum, but here is my 2 cents worth (for whatever it is worth):

I don't shoot at moving animals, when the wind is up, or off-hand, but the cartridges that have 308 performance in rifles (in .264 to .308) will cleanly take deer sized animals out to 600 yards (my experience). The weight of my rigs is noticeably less than a varmint barreled rifle and I use a 284 parent case or above. But, since I use a specialty handguns (XP-100's) my MV's are lower for a given cartridge in a rifle length barrel.
These shots were made rests with a BR type stability out of guns that will outshoot the majority of over the counter rifles.
Basically, BR rigs being used in the field. It is not shooting for the sake of trying, but intentional shooting with complete expectation you will cleanly take your animal with one shot (or you do not shoot).
It involves practice in shooting at those distances from field positions. In fact, I typically use my hunting loads for PD shooting so I can get use to my rig.
Just because you don't understand it, or at the present time are unable to do it (or it is just not for you), don't doubt the motives or abilities of the men who spend great amounts of time, money, and education to hunt and shoot at this level.