Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Is a .308 just as capable of being a 400 yard rifle as a .270 or .30-06?

😂

What he said. 👆🏻
I use this bullet and the ELD-Match version to shoot out to 1,600 yrds reliably and 1 mile when the stars align.
That’s on steel. On game, you need to make sure that the impact velocity is at or above about 1,700 +/- fps for the bullets mentioned above to reliably expand at whatever distance that is from your rifle.

Impact velocity and the minimum expansion velocity for the bullet used are paramount. Most folks can’t hit a bull in the butt with a banjo at 400 yards. Happy Trails

U S Military Sniper round of choice. Wudda zat tell ya?

There is “ideal” but chasing “perfect” might last forever. The 308 is one of the best balanced for most people hunting medium sized big game.

Of all aspects that go into making a killing shot at 400, the cartridge part — the 308 — won’t be lacking.

The 308 is more capable than most shooter's. Thing about long range shooting, it really is about shooting! People talk about flat trajectory, hog wash No such thing at truly long range. Oh boy my 338 whomer only drops 27" at 500 yds. You call that flat? Long range. Here's the deal, you do your part and likely most cartridge's will do their's! You fail and the cartridge is at a loss no matter what it is. Have a box of Federal 22 RF LR here. Open the flap and it say's "dangerous to 1 1/2 mi"! If it is I would think a 308 would be also. So the question is not is the 308 capable but is the shooter!

Gotta admit my Banjo ain't good for 400 yards at all but the 308 will work just fine at that range if the shooter is up to it.

400 yards is not something I’d want to shoot offhand, but 400 yards ain’t chit with today’s bullets and optics and a good rest. I mean for gods sake most of us sight our rifles in with 200 yard zeros and strive for 1” ish accuracy. I walked my father in law through killing a bull elk at 400 + a couple years ago and he’s never even shot that far in his life. All it takes is a good range finder, mild wind and a spin of the turrets. A little practice at longer distances would make this very clear for those questioning it.

I agree with 65BR. I loaded some 130TTSX to 3100fps last fall and was banging my 400 yard gong with authority. Shot a nice buck at about 90 yards.... devastating. I don’t think my 270 has much if any advantage over it with my usual load of 130 hornady SP. But if I’m in open country with the 270 I’d probably load 140 AB with a much higher BC.

The cartridge is certainly capable the question is, how about the shooter?

If you handload, book max of Ramshot Big Game behind a 165 grain Nosler partition or accubond is the same velocity as a 30-06. If your rifle likes this load, thankfully mine does, you have a go to that is definitely good to 400 yards. But are you the shooter good?