308 Self Imposed Max Range

[General RE LEE]

My Tikka CTR 308 is probably the most accurate rifle I own. 178 ELDX handloads is consistently 0.5 MOA. I go through the know your limits rack at 600 yards frequently and don’t miss until I get to the last 4” plate.

What is the max distance you would be comfortable shooting at game with an accurate 308?

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I’ve killed elk and mule deer out to 450 yards. I always told myself I wouldn’t go past 500. That was with a 20” barrel shooting 168 Berger hybrids

 

[Slick8]

It appears you have the accuracy / dope dialed in from the bench.

1. I'd move to field positions / wind to determine your max range for accuracy in a hunting position.
2. Simple math, MV, BC and altitude in a ballistics app to determine when your bullet passes below the velocity threshold for consistent expansion. I use 2k for most cup and core bullets.

One item of note that many people overlook. When your bullet is reaching that minimum velocity threshold, it's falling like a rock. Accurate ranging of the target becomes more critical.

 

[Tanner]

As far as I can hit a 1.5 MOA target from prone off a backpack with an entire magazine from said rifle.

Edited to add: and as long as I’m 1800fps or better at impact.

 

[sreyemj]

For deer? 400-450yd. Beyond that, the difficulty of landing a precise cold bore shot and the energy you're delivering are going in the wrong direction fairly quickly. For me personally, I would limit it to 300yd for elk.

 

[Eluder]

2. Simple math, MV, BC and altitude in a ballistics app to determine when your bullet passes below the velocity threshold for consistent expansion. I use 2k for most cup and core bullets.

This, Hornady states this bullet is good to 1600fps, general consensus seems to be 1800fps is a better bet. That said, shooters naturally seem to like a large margin of error, which ethically is a good thing. Are you getting more than 2800 fps?

 

[General RE LEE]

This, Hornady states this bullet is good to 1600fps, general consensus seems to be 1800fps is a better bet. That said, shooters naturally seem to like a large margin of error, which ethically is a good thing. Are you getting more than 2800 fps?

2517 fps

At my altitude (1K), its a 500 yard load. 20" barrel.

 

[Jbehredt]

My Montana has a strong preference for 150 monos so I draw the line at 400 to stay above 2200 fps. Got busted trying to shave a few off on a buck @ 421 this year.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

As far as I can hit a 1.5 MOA target from prone off a backpack with an entire magazine from said rifle.

Edited to add: and as long as I’m 1800fps or better at impact.

This usually is where I aim to land, not just 308 but all my rifles

 

[Tanner]

This usually is where I aim to land, not just 308 but all my rifles

Yep. Pretty reliable way to determine my boundaries across the gamut.

 

[TaperPin]

I picked up an accurate barrel in 308 last year and worked through a few mental gymnastics and settled on a 165 gr Accubond for it. Long range Accubonds would function better past 600 yards, but it’s as likely to be borrowed for elk in the timber as it is for antelope past 500 yards, so I’m happy with it. 180 gr versions provide a minimal improvement between 500 and 600 yards, not enough to get excited about

As with anything longer than 500 yards, wind will usually be the limiting factor. The printout is for 1 mph wind - because I can’t tell if there is 1 mph, or even 2 mph, unless I’m lucky and it matches where I’m sitting, but for all intents and purposes it’s invisible to me in rolling sage, pine forests, or across canyons. My wind call error above a few mph is up to 50% off, so wind is definitely my limiting factor. When the kids watch some new video of how to read mirage and watch grass rustle down range I enjoy taking them out in normal sage and say, “OK hot rod, let’s see those new wind reading skills.” Accurate wind calls are hard in the best conditions.

Field accuracy over a pack without a rear bag is MOA, so at 600 yards I’m a 6” group on top of a 2” shift from that 1 mph invisible wind. If the hidden wind is actually 2 mph I’m starting to get some shots out of a 10” kill zone. If it’s a 5 mph wind at 500 yards, with my 50% error I’m barely keeping them all in. For 99% of hunting with average hunters it’s a 500 yard cartridge at best.

At 700 yards with a rear bag for maximum accuracy, a phantom 1 mph wind has the group shifted 3” and at the barrel’s best, it is barely staying within that 10” kill zone and 2 mph is way off. Accubond’s expansion at that velocity look like a Lincoln Log or flying dog turd. Too far.

 

[General RE LEE]

I picked up an accurate barrel in 308 last year and worked through a few mental gymnastics and settled on a 165 gr Accubond for it. Long range Accubonds would function better past 600 yards, but it’s as likely to be borrowed for elk in the timber as it is for antelope past 500 yards, so I’m happy with it. 180 gr versions provide a minimal improvement between 500 and 600 yards, not enough to get excited about

As with anything longer than 500 yards, wind will usually be the limiting factor. The printout is for 1 mph wind - because I can’t tell if there is 1 mph, or even 2 mph, unless I’m lucky and it matches where I’m sitting, but for all intents and purposes it’s invisible to me in rolling sage, pine forests, or across canyons. My wind call error above a few mph is up to 50% off, so wind is definitely my limiting factor. When the kids watch some new video of how to read mirage and watch grass rustle down range I enjoy taking them out in normal sage and say, “OK hot rod, let’s see those new wind reading skills.” Accurate wind calls are hard in the best conditions.

Field accuracy over a pack without a rear bag is MOA, so at 600 yards I’m a 6” group on top of a 2” shift from that 1 mph invisible wind. If the hidden wind is actually 2 mph I’m starting to get some shots out of a 10” kill zone. If it’s a 5 mph wind at 500 yards, with my 50% error I’m barely keeping them all in. For 99% of hunting with average hunters it’s a 500 yard cartridge at best.

At 700 yards with a rear bag for maximum accuracy, a phantom 1 mph wind has the group shifted 3” and at the barrel’s best, it is barely staying within that 10” kill zone and 2 mph is way off. Accubond’s expansion at that velocity look like a Lincoln Log or flying dog turd. Too far.

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This post is why I lean on my 6.5 Creedmoor. 143s and 147s don’t require as much wind hold and my hit rates at distance go up significantly. If it’s not windy, my 308 rivals the 6.5.

 

[Mike D Texas]

For me 500 and in. I have other rifles that are much better for way out there distances, but I still love my .308.


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[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

After a cut and thread at 16" my .308 crosses 1800 fps between 400-450 yards depending on density altitude, so that's my max range on animals.