Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters So Why the 308?

Exactly why I bought one. It was the platform I wanted more than the round. But now it’s both.

My first Savage 99 was a .308 my father bought for me, after I took my first deer with his Marlin .30-30--which was 52 years ago. That proved I was a far-gone hunter and rifle loony, so he took me to a local (Bozeman, Montata) store which had a great selection of used rifles, and told me to pick one out, up to $50 in price. The 99 was $55, but he said that was OK. It turned out to be very accurate, and I hunted with it for several years, but when I got even loonier sold it to buy something something else. He'd passed away, so never knew, but still regret my young decision. Luckily I have several of his other guns....

John, I can relate. For me it was an H&R single shot 410 at age 10. I was so proud. It went “down the road” for something bigger and better.

The 308 is one of the best.

My boss doesn’t hunt but his oldest boy (28 years old) wants to start. The boy knows nothing about guns or optics. My boss asked me if I would talk to the young man about his options and help him select a firearm. I’m going to suggest a Tikka in .308 with a Leupold of some sort in 3-9.


P

In my opinion the .308 Winchester is the greatest rifle cartridge in the universe.

I'm really fond of the .308 Win.

The only .308 I’ve owned was a Montana that I ended up selling to some lucky recipient here on the ‘fire. I really wish I’d kept it as it shot several types of ammo to the same POI and held sub-MOA groups even though I hadn’t learned the tricks to shooting good groups from light rifles yet at the time.

I’ve taken a 308 to Africa twice and not once did I feel under gunned. I killed all those mentioned by MD and Eland as well. I like the 308 and have been using it since 1957. Joyce Hornady introduced me to the 308 and reloading as well.

Why the .308: because it launches a .308" bullet of "x" grains weight, at a velocity of "y," fps and fits a short action rifle.

I think it's a simple thing to figure out.

The police in my town were investigating the killing a deer with a pellet gun in 2020.

An elephant was killed in Kaeng Krachan National Park with a 22LR in 2013.

25 years ago I realized the most common cartridges used on Elk would scale down to imply the 223 is overkill for any deer.

The fallacy in my reasoning is that the appropriate cartridge is used for the game. What really happens is that hunters use the cartridge they can handle* and work backwards to justify it.............. just like reasoning in politics.



* 10 pound rifles for men and 5 pound rifles for boys.... then work backwards to justify.

My exact sentiment. I dont really like the little 308, but actually bought one today, to keep my AR10 company.

After reading through this thread I've come to the conclusion the 308 cures cancer--maybe even the Wuhan Virus............

Maybe it does. According to mule deer, you could load the 308 "with horse manure" and it will shoot good. It might just come down to that, with todays powder and primer crisis...

Actually I suggested it might shoot well when loaded with "double-based" horse manure.

I'm afraid to speculate what that horse has been eating to produce double based manure........

lol.........

Ha ha.. Ok, that's how it went. Thanks for clarifying..

Careful, lest you incur the wrath and get accused of blow drying your chest hairs....

How did it weigh under 6.5# if the barrel weighed 18.5# ????

Sorry, as a literalist I couldn't help myself.

I switched from a 270win/30-06 to the 308 4 or 5 years ago. since then I've killed all my deer and elk, and several hogs with the cartridge. what prompted me to make the switch was an article I found on the web, written by john barsness, entitled "the 308 is great". I wanted a copy of the magazine containing the article and said so here on the fire. sure enough, one of our members had the exact mag and sent it to me for free. I promptly ordered a win model 70 ew in 308 as well as a ruger wood/blue hawkeye, also in 308. I gave my 270's to kids/grandkids and my 30-06 will go that same route next deer season. I shoot factory ammo. both 308's shoot 150gr fed blue box very well, which is all I use for deer/hogs. for elk I shoot fed premium loaded with 180gr partitions. last years elk was 266yards, one shot and done. I wish i'd made the switch to the 308 40 years ago. the perfect cartridge for my needs.