All things .308 Win

[SC HUNTER]

All this 308 talk has me wanting another one. I've got a heavy barreled 700 in 308 stuck back, I'm looking around at lighter weight ones. It will probably be a tikka or an xbolt. We shall see. I need the youngest kid to get old enough to shoot so I can buy him guns for me to try out.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

IMO I think 18 is the sweet spot for a suppressed 308. I carried one for years and became quite fond of it.

I’m quite fond of 20”. Even carrying slung, no issues in brush/timber. Touch more velocity than the shorties,

 

[Hondo64d]

I’m quite fond of 20”. Even carrying slung, no issues in brush/timber. Touch more velocity than the shorties,

That’s my choice too. My place is generally open country hunting and the shorter 6” suppressor helps too.

John

 

[sierracharlie338]

I’m quite fond of 20”. Even carrying slung, no issues in brush/timber. Touch more velocity than the shorties,

That’s my choice too. My place is generally open country hunting and the shorter 6” suppressor helps too.

John

To be fair the rifle started as a 20 but was threaded 9/16x24 and I didn’t want to run an adapter back then so it got chopped and threaded at 18.

I’ll concede and say 18-20 is where it’s at

 

[Stinky Coyote]

If you were to try and find the smaller siblings to the 308 what would they be? 6.5 Grendel, 6 ARC?

6.5 Grendel, 123gr eldm, but at factory ammo pressure it's a bit slower in a same barrel length, I think if you reload to bolt gun pressures you'd be almost identical to a 308 168gr eldm. Basically identical bc and sd and pretty close to same muzzle velocity. If shooting grendel factory ammo just run another 4" on the barrel perhaps to mirror the 308. Take with grain of salt, I'm generalizing. Otherwise same unlimited barrel life and about 55% less recoil factory ammo to factory ammo with grendel.

In theory a 6.5 GT with those 123's might be the perfect mirror to a 308 168 and not need to be hot loads to equal the fps in given barrel length? I shoot factory only and only grendels and 308s in house here. We just hunt, nothing else. Would be cool to see if a 6.5 GT 123 eldm combo became popular for those that value everything about 308 but would like a bit less recoil. It's obviously designed for competition stuff but can see the potential for it outside of that and mirroring everything a 308 does with say ~40% less recoil would not be a bad target for something 'new'...imo.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

Well, regardless of this weird tit for tat…my opinion is the .308 is a fantastic cartridge…based on my experiences.

• Pretty easy to get a rifle to shoot well with most factory ammo.
• Can shoot a variety of projectiles.
• Shoots well with different barrel lengths.
• Easy to hand load with good results.
• Relatively cheap to reload.
• Great barrel life.
• It’s “inherently accurate.”
• When braked or suppressed, there’s very little recoil.
• And last, but not least….it kills stuff and fills my freezers.

nearly covers it all, what about resale? does anyone even bat an eye on used 308's as potentially being 'shot out'?

 

[Rockpicker]

nearly covers it all, what about resale? does anyone even bat an eye on used 308's as potentially being 'shot out'?

As you said above, you hunt and nothing else, then no, there’s no worries about a 308 being “shot out”. It’s a rare day when you come across a rifle that’s had more than 1000 rounds through it. I did that this summer with a 223 and there’s more on the way come February when it starts to warm up a bit. 308 should be good for 8000ish before a person should start to worry

 

[Steve300xcw]

nearly covers it all, what about resale? does anyone even bat an eye on used 308's as potentially being 'shot out'?

I always bought stuff for me. Resale is whatever it is

 

[Eric Bailey]

I just picked up a Ruger American Compact in .308 (18" barrel). Topped it with Leupold 1.5-4 20mm scope to make a quick-to-the-shoulder gun for still hunting in the timber.

I need help with factory ammo selection. I will hunt either elk or mule deer (not at the same time). Expect most shots inside 100, max range 300. Looking for factory cartridges that perform well in a short barrel and bullets that do their job.

For deer, was thinking of using something soft and heavy. Like Hornady Precision Hunter 178g ELD-X because it's heavy (lots of energy), pointy and has good sectional density (for initial penetration), and soft enough to expand and transfer energy. Of course I'd love it if the deer would stand up broadside or 1/4ing away, but I find that they commonly hear me and then stand 1/4ing-to staring at me (deer are funny). Would the ELD-X do OK on a 1/4ing-to shot through the front shoulder? Or should I be looking at a sturdier bullet so I could take that shot?

For elk, I was thinking of something tipped with a ~165g mono to ensure the bullet gets to the vitals.

Maybe a heavy bonded bullet would be a good all-around solution?

Do you all have opinions about these choices? And any experience around factory ammo that does well out of short barrels (fast burning)? Any favorite offerings?

I appreciate your help!

 

[Ajsomp]

I just picked up a Ruger American Compact in .308 (18" barrel). Topped it with Leupold 1.5-4 20mm scope to make a quick-to-the-shoulder gun for still hunting in the timber.

I need help with factory ammo selection. I will hunt either elk or mule deer (not at the same time). Expect most shots inside 100, max range 300. Looking for factory cartridges that perform well in a short barrel and bullets that do their job.

For deer, was thinking of using something soft and heavy. Like Hornady Precision Hunter 178g ELD-X because it's heavy (lots of energy), pointy and has good sectional density (for initial penetration), and soft enough to expand and transfer energy. Of course I'd love it if the deer would stand up broadside or 1/4ing away, but I find that they commonly hear me and then stand 1/4ing-to staring at me (deer are funny). Would the ELD-X do OK on a 1/4ing-to shot through the front shoulder? Or should I be looking at a sturdier bullet so I could take that shot?

For elk, I was thinking of something tipped with a ~165g mono to ensure the bullet gets to the vitals.

Maybe a heavy bonded bullet would be a good all-around solution?

Do you all have opinions about these choices? And any experience around factory ammo that does well out of short barrels (fast burning)? Any favorite offerings?

I appreciate your help!

 

[Fireflyfishing]

I just picked up a Ruger American Compact in .308 (18" barrel). Topped it with Leupold 1.5-4 20mm scope to make a quick-to-the-shoulder gun for still hunting in the timber.

I need help with factory ammo selection. I will hunt either elk or mule deer (not at the same time). Expect most shots inside 100, max range 300. Looking for factory cartridges that perform well in a short barrel and bullets that do their job.

For deer, was thinking of using something soft and heavy. Like Hornady Precision Hunter 178g ELD-X because it's heavy (lots of energy), pointy and has good sectional density (for initial penetration), and soft enough to expand and transfer energy. Of course I'd love it if the deer would stand up broadside or 1/4ing away, but I find that they commonly hear me and then stand 1/4ing-to staring at me (deer are funny). Would the ELD-X do OK on a 1/4ing-to shot through the front shoulder? Or should I be looking at a sturdier bullet so I could take that shot?

For elk, I was thinking of something tipped with a ~165g mono to ensure the bullet gets to the vitals.

Maybe a heavy bonded bullet would be a good all-around solution?

Do you all have opinions about these choices? And any experience around factory ammo that does well out of short barrels (fast burning)? Any favorite offerings?

I appreciate your help!

Please read the entire thread. Lots of folks using lots of different ammo/projectiles and they’re all touting success!

 

[ACHILLES]

I put my buddy on a 75lb sow with his 16” 308AR10. He was running fiocchi 175smks at 2390fps. Shot was 50yds broad side. He put it right behind the shoulder. Had a 1.5” entrance wound and a small pc of bullet passed through. Made it 40yds with a great blood trail from the entrance and the exit had blood coming out also. It worked pretty well and I was surprised at the large entrance wound.

 

[Time2fish]

I just picked up a Ruger American Compact in .308 (18" barrel). Topped it with Leupold 1.5-4 20mm scope to make a quick-to-the-shoulder gun for still hunting in the timber.

I need help with factory ammo selection. I will hunt either elk or mule deer (not at the same time). Expect most shots inside 100, max range 300. Looking for factory cartridges that perform well in a short barrel and bullets that do their job.

For deer, was thinking of using something soft and heavy. Like Hornady Precision Hunter 178g ELD-X because it's heavy (lots of energy), pointy and has good sectional density (for initial penetration), and soft enough to expand and transfer energy. Of course I'd love it if the deer would stand up broadside or 1/4ing away, but I find that they commonly hear me and then stand 1/4ing-to staring at me (deer are funny). Would the ELD-X do OK on a 1/4ing-to shot through the front shoulder? Or should I be looking at a sturdier bullet so I could take that shot?

For elk, I was thinking of something tipped with a ~165g mono to ensure the bullet gets to the vitals.

Maybe a heavy bonded bullet would be a good all-around solution?

Do you all have opinions about these choices? And any experience around factory ammo that does well out of short barrels (fast burning)? Any favorite offerings?

I appreciate your help!

Just using my limited experience Inside 300yrds a lot of bullets will work. I shot a smaller WT quarrying too with 175gr terminal ascent @ 210yds and the performance was great. I’ve also used the 178gr eldx on bear and mule deer out to 417yrds and that bullet performs very well also. Both out of a 20” suppressed barrel.
The jacket separates on the eldx sometimes.
Both will be slow out of you 18” but again inside 300yrds you’ll be good.
T2F

 

[General RE LEE]

I’m “308-less” right now and it hurts. I’m thinking a T3X Lite in stainless would be fun.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

I’m “308-less” right now and it hurts. I’m thinking a T3X Lite in stainless would be fun.

Bought one along side my 90 peak 308, a little kicky as normal for stock lites, bolt open full mag inserted and barrel pointed down just a tap on the stock it will feed itself slick but does flatten poly tips in mag under recoil. For some considerations to ponder, typical Tikka-isms. No suppressors up here to help with recoil softening. I’d still love to play with a Ruger Hawkeye hunter one day but no rush with a Sako 90 peak in-house just wouldn’t mind a wood stock 20” stainless red recoil pad crf hinged floor to back it up.

 

[General RE LEE]

Bought one along side my 90 peak 308, a little kicky as normal for stock lites, bolt open full mag inserted and barrel pointed down just a tap on the stock it will feed itself slick but does flatten poly tips in mag under recoil. For some considerations to ponder, typical Tikka-isms. No suppressors up here to help with recoil softening. I’d still love to play with a Ruger Hawkeye hunter one day but no rush with a Sako 90 peak in-house just wouldn’t mind a wood stock 20” stainless red recoil pad crf hinged floor to back it up.

I’m in the mood for a non threaded sporter like the T3x.