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?

Throwing my pack down is generally the way I have always done it—including those longer chip shots. ‘Cause 300 yds and beyond a lot of things can go wrong.........

Although the last 300 yd chip shot I made was sitting on my butt on very uneven ground and holding the rifle across my knee because the corn stubble was too tall for prone.

My longest shot last year was 240 yards. I used my pack for an aid, I used my pack in the up right mode. My close range shot was 80 yards, I did this off hand. All done with a .308 Win.
Now, I'm thinking about using this same gun for Spring bear hunt. Or I could use a different .308 Just joking on another .308 My .338-06 would like to go on a Spring hunt. Or, there is my trustworthy 30-06. I don't shoot any of those larger magnums anymore.

Back to the subject at hand.
I would have no problem shooting a deer at 400 yards with my .308 Win. As long as the wind isn't crazy or any other odd stuff. I don't care for unethical shooting at game.

Take care gents.

The original question is usually asked by someone shooting a duplex reticle and guessing holdover beyond their usual shooting distance.

Ex: A buddy in Colorado was sure my 338-06 was a poor choice for shooting elk at any distance in the sagebrush flats. "you need a Magnum!"
It worked fine for both elk at 400 measured yards but I had some holdover dots and I'd proven it in practice.

He loves his familiar Duplex reticle Leupolds and "Magnum" rifles but is unwilling to try something different...

Regardless of the cartridge, do you have a way to aim consistently at various distances and have you proven it in practice?

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Their are more 400+ yard cartridges/rifles than shooters.

Both you guys need to get out a bit...and maybe read a bit of what`s posted on this site about that cartridge.

You might want to do a little shooting too.

Oh most definitely, I need to get out a bit, shoot a little, and see more than the 46 states and 14 foreign countries I've been to

Thanks for setting me straight with staggering 308 facts collected on the internet.

Where, pray tell, do you live, and what's your experience with the 308 that leads you to believe it was "THE Big Game Cartridge"?

Right Casey. That dude is a freaking moron anyway. If your azz is parked on the bench and you're allowed a few sighters to get things right, then it is closer to being a chip shot (as you elude to) than winging bullets at game, something he knows very little if anything about.

As long as you have a decent BC bullet and know what range you're shooting at I'd say most of the common rifle calibers are pretty long range capable.
The fun comes in when you have to judge the range without a rangefinder for whatever reason. In that case I'd happily take the flatter shooting round.

308win. shooting a 208gr. AMAX killed a big hog at 210 yards , exit wound about 3'' in diameter . Shocking information for all to see and read .

Yes they are all 400 yard cartridges but I get much more pleasure out of sneaking up and around to get as close as possible.

Where does the round reach ~ 2,000 fps/1,500 ft-lbs...?

... Because that's getin' to be the edge of the envelope for me.




GR

Figure it out and tell us.

Rhetorical question.

All my hunting rifles/loads have been calculated.




GR

No.

"Capable"
You may have asked the wrong question.

Both are easy to make hits with at 400 yards. The 270 shoots flatter. BUT............ at 400 even with a 270 you have to hold a bit high. If you have to hold 2" over a deer's back or 9" over a deer's back YOU STILL HAVE TO BE CAPABLE OF HOLDING where you need to hold.

So the capability of the cartridge is not near as important as your ability to hold and squeeze a trigger. If you can, you can. If you can't you need to get closer and that's about the shooter/hunter, not the tool he has.

This^^^. Each of the common "field positions" has a limit to the range in which it is applicable to me. I like to use a round 8" steel plate and going 5 for 5 on hits from common positions. With a LRF I know my limitations and either adjust my position or get closer. Prone off a pack works best but often is not attainable. Making clean hits on steep up/down hill shot past 200 yards takes a lot of practice for me.

JC said it best "you can't get too steady or too close"


mike r

To make quality killing hits at 400 with nearly anything you’ll need to reduce every variable possible. No particular order to my thoughts below but these are what crossed my mind to make 400 pretty easy unless you’re winded & cold etc.

Rest: good sticks, packframe etc

Optics: get something with a BDC or CDS dial at a minimum. Make sure your crosshairs are dead level.

Cartridge: 308 Win or nearly any cartridge 6mm and up with a bullet designed to expand reliably when it arrives on target - no FMJ lol but many others might interest you after some research. The high BC game doesn’t really come into play at 400 but certainly does at ranges just beyond that.

The 308 is indeed very versatile & generally very capable at the ranges you’re asking about and waaay beyond if the shooter is up to it.

Shoot some rocks & squirrels, fiddle with your preferred shooting position & scope settings. Bench practice won’t help you IMO because your body won’t be used to the different ways that it’s possible to hold a rifle comfortably while wrapped around the available terrain.

Oh and dry fire a bunch at little stickers around the house or property to gain intimate trigger control that breaks without lots of thought. Plus dryfire practice is the cheapest way to build skills very rapidly.

If you already know this stuff I mean no disrespect but wanted to share what I’d be thinking about if I were confronted with the same thought & challenge.

So for me there are two answers:

1) SHORT ANSWER yes. Yes it can

2) MUCH LONGER ANSWER, depends

I have seen Elk shot with a 30-06 at less than 100 yards and it not kill the animal. Partly because of bullet construction and partly because of shot placement.

Some, myself included, will go down the energy path and and say "for that load, what is the energy left in that projectile and what are you shooting at?" Energy and velocity but I break it down to these questions

Will I be hunting a thin skin animal?
Average range for the in the terrain?

Anything in the deer family under 200 lbs I can look at the remaining energy at range and say...yeah that will work.

Hope this helped

There is some serious misinformation in this thread. Short answer to can a 308 be used at 400 yards, yes. Long answer, it depends on a lot of factors (like others have said). While the 308 can punch paper at 1000 yards, and do it well, that's not the question. We are talking about ethically killing an animal at 400 yards. Assuming skill of the hunter and necessary accuracy and understanding of the bullet's flight path, the issue becomes the bullet, impact velocity, and game animal involved. I shoot Barnes TTSX in my 308. Based on Barnes' old documentation and hunting experience (mine and others), impact velocity should be around 2000fps for good bullet expansion, and no lower than 1800fps. 2000fps is right at 400 yards, and 1800 right at 500 yards. Personally with elk, I want at least 2000fps at impact for good expansion and penetration, so with a 308, my limit is 400 yards. Deer sized game, I'd be comfortable to 500 yards. If the bullet is lighter and faster, chances are it will expand better but at the sacrifice of penetration - not good for large game animals. Lighter, shorter bullets typically have lower BC's so wind and trajectory offsets are larger. A chronograph and shooting app. is paramount to becoming a long range shooter. Neither is a substitute for marksmanship, but both are necessary to become a good marksman at long distance.