Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles If you were buying a 308 today.

I have the ultimate 308. Sako finnwolf

New to me in the last week. A Christensen Arms MPR in 308 with a 16" barrel. Crimsontide had one at the campfire hog hunt earlier this month and I fell in love and had to get one for myself. The folding stock is sweet when there's 5 guys in the guides truck and at 23" using a can it'll work well in a tight blind.

Pulled the Zeiss V4 off the CTR for now as I plan to use it for an Axis hunt in May but have a LRTS waiting in the wings. Going to the range on Friday. Woot!!

I'll see your Sako Finnwolf and raise you a Win 88. Oh wait- fold

I should have grabbed one of those a long time back!

If you don’t have a Tikka, I’d recommend giving one a try. The two I have in 6.5CM shoot stellar for factory rifles.

I have a soft spot for the 308 and was recently looking to get a short factory offering for suppressed hunting.
Ended up with a Bergara Wilderness Ridge SP and I’m digging it. Currently developing a load for the 155 Scenar. Once load development is done, the rifle will either wear a S&B 3-12x42 P3L or a NF 2.5-10x42 Mil-R.

Awfully tough to beat a tikka!

Nice , did you shoot it first to see if you actually gained any accuracy with all the cash outlay for custom stuff'? What maybe 1/4" smaller groups?

If I were getting a new .308 today I’d probably get one very similar to my 7mm08. Winchester M70 Extreme Weather, top it with something lightweight in the 3-9 or 2-10x40 range, using Talley Lightweights. Load a 150 TTSX or 150 or 165 Accubonds or Partitions, and begin filling the freezer.

For me, I went with a Christensen Arms Ridgeline and swapped the stock out for McMillan Game Warden. You could save a few bucks and go with the Mesa and stock to your preference.

I have
2- Rem LTRs with Mk4 scope
1- Tikka varmint with Sightron
1- Tikka T3 with Meopta
All shoot 155 scenar less than 1” @ 100 yds

Hard to beat a Kimber Montana.

I feel bad looking at all these nice 308's. Me with my only sporter weight being a 1974 vintage Rem 788. I paid $125 for that in 1982. But to her good she can still stack 3 165 grain bullets touching.

My first 308 was a 788 back in ‘87. ‘‘Twas a great rifle. Traded a Mini14 for it that patterned like a shotgun.

If you were wanting a .308 for still hunting whitetail, box blind pigs and banging steel at the range and not being limited to CRF; what would you choose? How would you scope it, and what bullet would you choose for the 3 tasks? I’m leaning towards a Tikka and 165NBTS

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When I gave my grandson my dad's .308 M88 I didn't have one around the house. I went with a Ruger Scout rifle. First a blued 16.5" version and sold it to a buddy. Then I got the SS 18.3" barrel version. I put a synthetic stock on it to get it lighter, changed the scope rail to an XS sight version that I had kept when I sold my 16.5" version.
The scope I have on it now is a 2-7x32 Burris scout scope. It is OK but I will likely change to a 2.5-8x36 Leupold conventionally mounted.
I went for this setup as it already has iron sights, is reasonably light in weight, is threaded for muzzle brakes, a flash hider and a supressor, the stock L.O.P. is adjustable so I can adjust it depending on what I am wearing. I almost went for a Hawkeye UL All weather to match my .223 but I couldn't find one. Going to the 18.5" barrel lets me get a bit over 2700 fps with 150 grain handloads which was chancy with the 16 in tube.

I see no advantage in a CRF in a 308.

Depending on how deep your pockets are, I think the best rifle for the money right now might be a Howa. Though I prefer walnut, myself.

You can buy 700 Remingtons with plastic stocks for $500 on Guns International.

If I had to have a CRF, I'd consider building one on a good Mauser action - I did so with my 375 Whelen AI. But as I said I see no reason for a CRF in a 308. CRF rifles are over-rated.

I own/have owned a number of .308 rifles over the years. Current favorite in my Mauser M18. Also good are my Savage M10, Ruger American carbine, Remington M600 Mohawk, Rem M700 stainless DBM cut to 20", TC Venture carbine. All are good shooters. My Rem 788 is a little fussy, but puts its first 3 shots around an inch with a load it likes.
Long gone .308s are a M88 win, a M70 short action lightweight, and a M70 short action lightweight carbine.

Yes, but more than adequate at most everything. Been shooting 308s for 60+ years. They work for me...

Got the bug again and just added another 308 - Christensen Arms Mesa this go-around:

Tikka T3 or T3X have been meeting my needs and jumped to the top of favorite rifles for those that don’t kick hard. I have a 300 WSM in the Tikka T3 and put a limb saver on it to tame it some. I know a guy that has one in 300 WM and it rattles him pretty good. In a .308 or .30-06, I live the Tikkas.

The CRF thing would go to my Ruger RSI in 308 set up for eastern treestand hunting. Without CRF my NULA 308 or a Tikka get the nod.

The Ruger:

Just did my first 308. I started with a new 700SA, fluted the bolt, 3 pos safety, and Accu Tig tigged bolt handle. It has an Obermyer 11.25 twist barrel at about 22". I like Shilen triggers on my hunting rifles. The Grayboe stock has an aluminum bedding block, but was bedded also. Finished it up with black cerrokote.
I don't have a clue why I waited so many years to build a 308. It is accurate beyond my expectation.