Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Why would anybody shoot a tired old .308?

I like the 308 and it may just be my favorite cartridge as I've had more rifles so-chambered than any other cartridge (six with barrels from 18.5 to 24"). If limited to just a 308 for the rest of my hunting life I'm sure I'd never be undergunned, especially if I lived back East. Out West there is something to be said for juicing up its ballistic's by 300-400 fps to make shooting at range and in wind a bit easier... but only a bit. I'm not one who hangs his hat on energy tables as it's a quality bullet properly placed that does the trick... it's just that in some situation's the extra speed of a 300 can be an aid in that regard.

Still, there's nothing like KNOWING your rifle to be proficient at range regardless its chambering and the cheap n' easy 308 WINs (pun intneded) in both categories hand's down!

I started drooling over the short magnums back a few years ago. But kept hunting with my .270 Win. This year I went to serious mode for a new deer rifle.

I originally started looking for a .308. However I just put in my order for a Marlin lever in 35 Remington. I really got serious as to how I ACTUALLY hunt and realized that I have very short shots (easily under 100 yards). in thick woods. I really belived that a larger grain slower velocity bullet had significant advantages.

I also hear all this magnum craziness. I think that if I were to only have one single gun and one only it would be a winchester model 70 in .358 winchester. It is short action yet powerful enough to take virtually anyting out to 250 yards. This in my opinion is truly the first "short magnum". And it was based off the venerable .308 case.

I also believe that these magnums offer more capability than most of the people shooting them. I also think the capability of the gun encourages people to take longer shots than they have any business even attempting. It is like all these young kids on the crotch rocket motorcycles. Just because the bike can do 200 mph doesn't mean they have any business doing it!

George..I was basically just being silly. If it were not for new calibers then most of us would get bored with the old ones, as did, and still do, the wildcat, reloader and custom guys. I have way more guns than I need but not as many as I want. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> We want what we want, right? If I had to sell all my guns and only keep one then I would have to keep my .300 win mag, but I sure would hate giving up all my Savage 99 lever guns! I love the nostalgia of hunting with my 99 lever guns, and knowing my limitations, these old standby calibers do just fine for me. I would like to think that during hunting season most hunters grab the gun they are most comfortable, confident and have had the most practice with to take hunting. If that gun happens to be a 50 caliber then so be it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> As said before, dead is dead.



Hey George..Is the Chicken Oil Company still in business? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

MontanaMarine: Ah, that just shows our cultural conditioning. Some cultures have multiple degrees of dead, including "nearly dead," "dead," "dead all over," and "dead forever." I suspect we'd be happier eating only the last category, however...

Jaywalker

Truer words have rarely been spoken.

BMT

because they don't make a 308 magnum ???? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

By that standard there should be a lot of Bozo's out there hunting deer with a .22 lr! Who cares if the rifle is more capable than the shooter (God I know most of mine are ... even some of my .22's), WHAT MATTERS is that the shooter is capable with the rifle within his/her shooting limit/range!

A guy just gave me all of his once fired 308 brass last week(300 cases). Is that enough reason to get a rifle? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Don

CH:

What load gets you 2700 FPS with the 180 grain NP?

I would love to work that one up (seriously, this ain't a flame).

BMT

BMT, only way I've ever seen that happen in a 22" barrel is with the Federal High Energy 180 NP stuff... runs right at 2,700 and, best I could tell, is impossible with any sane handload in a barrel less than 24"... course I can't fathom a 150 at 3,000 fps in a 308 either...

Don,

That's sounds like a pretty good reason to me ... but usually want is a good enough reason for me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> If not a .308, maybe a 7-08 or good for trading for brass you need.

.308??old??,,how about a 1st run mdl.99 in 250/3000 for deer,,I reserve my .308 for bear and moose and elk at long range,( 300 yd.s ) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Agreed. Usually, the rifle will be more capable than the shooter. But practice is the most overlooked aspect of shooting. And shooting is one of the least important aspects of hunting (you gotta find the game first!).

I see a LOT of 338's at the range. The shooter takes 3-5 shots, considers his rifle "sighted in" and never fires another shot till he sees an Elk.

This can be a bad thing.

The shooters on this board are the minority. I shoot a lot less than most of the guys here and I shoot over 1000 rounds a year (centerfire rifle).

The fact is that a 308 is deadly on Elk farther out than most hunter's are deadly on Elk.

Heck, my rifle is deadly on deer to 300 yards, BUT I AIN"T (except maybe from a bench rest).

So why buy a Magnum (that gives you more range than you can use) if you won't practice enough to take advantage of that range? Heck, why buy a 270 Win if you are only capable of hitting a deer out to 175 yards.

I submit that a guy who is reliable to 150 yards on deer needs a 30/30 and lots of practice. He will be happier in the long run.

All that being said, if a guy WANTS a magnum, I won't stop him. The 7mmRemmy is a very versatile round and works for Deer and almost everything else in NA (except Big Bears).

I just lament the classic American Problem--OverBuy and UnderPrepare.

Good Shooting,

BTM

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


True ... but in all honesty, I see A LOT MORE with 30-30's, .243's, .308's and blah blah blah doing the same thing!!! Many more! I agree it is a bad thing, esp considering the amount of wounded game that is caused by this practice.


300 yards would be an obscene overestimation for me!


Just because I don't need it ... I shouldn't have it? Same arguement the Anti's use against most of the firearms we own!! I submit that most (not all!!!) of the people on this forum that own a pick-up really don't need one ... and the ones that have 3/4 ton diesels probably less so ... every once in a blue moon, yes ... but everyday??
In the long run he/she may be happy with a Honda Civic for going back and forth to work!!


I think the 7 RM is about the best allround round out there ... but I still shoot a 300 Roy ... when it comes down to it .... its a want, not a need! We don't need to hunt ... we want to hunt!


Very very true!

I want it to be understood I have nothing against those who shoot the non-magnum rifles, they are great and have been responsible for many an animal meeting an early demise. What I don't understand is why those who choose not to shoot magnums need to justify why they don't (such as go ahead and get beat up ... or just burn the extra powder). I never told anyone who wanted a 7-08 or .280 Rem to buy a 7 mag. I think the 7-08 and .280 are both top notch chamberings! I like what I like for the reasons I like it.

Again, it goes back to a WANT, not a NEED. If we all lived by our needs, we would all live in a small efficient apartment with a 4x4 yard, no guns, no cars blah blah blah. It is what makes America Great!!

George:



A 300 Weatherby! Great all arounder. No Complaints from me.



But . . . . I dislike the boomers for the same reason I dislike 4WD pickups with 20" lift Kits, 42 inch tires, and pimp-chrome all around.



It looks impressive, but it usually does not do the job any better (and sometimes its worse).



Good Shooting,



BMT

We've kinda' lost track here! As the original poster, I was looking for help convincing new shooters that you don't HAVE to have a big boomer to kill a 75# whitetail! Have you ever tryed to get a kid to shoot after his first experience with a firearm was with his dad's (uncle's, friend's etc.) .12 ga? The same thing happens when you convince a novice adult shooter when he touches off that .300 RUM! We need to teach these new hunters to love the experience, not discourage them to inflate our fragile egos.

So, the real answer to the original question is more like:
Finding a rifle that fits you, feels good in your hands, is comfortable to shoot (indeed, comfortable enough to practice often without undue pain & expense), fits your budget, and is chambered in a cartridge suitable for the game you wish to hunt in the terrain where you hunt them, is much more important than spectacular ballistics or having the latest "breakthrough". Right?
Incidently, my .308 is the first real deer rifle I ever owned. I bought it because I didn't foresee a safe full of specialized rifles (?!?!), and I figured it would be versatile enough to be a "mountain" rifle, a "beanfield" rifle, a "brush buster", and a plinker. I was right on all counts...

What a beautiful ( can I say that?) summary of this lively discussion! Worth repeating!

P.S. I wish I could spell eliquent.

I have several 308's and I hunt white tail in the eastern hardwoods and farms.

I bought into the 308 not just for its individual ballistics but because an entire "world" surrounds the 308. If not for that I would own 280's or 7mm/08's or any 7mm's because of the superior B/C's. Some of you rich fellers live in a different world from me, so my thinking would not make sense to you but for me:

If I stick to the 308 I continually accumulate more once fire brass for reloading.
I can get discount bulk purchases of 308.
I can get factory loaded 308 in many different configurations.
I can get 308 ballistic cards already printed up.
I can buy bullet drop cams for the 308 already ready to go.
I can buy any number of military rifles in 308 from the venerable M1A to the reliable but cheap Cetme.
In a societal meltdown, they say it will be possible to "aquire it", (308 ammo)
Any reliable military style 308 with a 20 rnd mag is good bear medicine.
308's are pleasant to shoot.
308's can be converted to 358's
or 7mm/08's
There are more options for reloading 30 calibers than any other.

I love my 308's and intend to get a few more!