The Shoot2hunt Podcast

[NSI]

Availability of inexpensive great consistent ammo, 50 state legality, and a barrel life so long that the gun’s stable period is virtually indefinite. All adds up to reliability.

-J

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus - Ryan said on the latest podcast that you said something along the lines of "everyone should have a 308 hunting rifle".

Given you've posted many times here before about recoil differences with smaller calibers, what's the reason for this? Availability? Being familiar with a classic? Learning wind with a "slow" cartridge ... or something else?

Everyone should have a well setup 308.

As @NSI stated:

1). Absolutely predictable and consistent. Set it up correctly, zero it, true it, and it remains the same for longer than most people’s lives.

2). Available everywhere. Excellent ammo is extremely common. It has the most consistent factory ammo of any cartridge, and it’s widely available- Federal Gold Medal Match 168gr and 175gr SMK. You can take FGMM 168gr from 20 years ago, 10 years ago, 5 years ago, and today, and all will be inside a 1.5” dot at 100 yards.

3). 50 state legal.

4). Terminally effective with several bullets/loads to 600’ish yards, and past 700 yards with a few.

5). Recoil is light enough that a trained shooter can use it very well in a moderate weight rifle.

5). Trace/splash is large enough to consistently spot past 900 yards.




The 308w does recoil more than optimum. However it is low enough that nearly anyone can learn to shoot it well with a suppressor or muzzle brake. It is boringly consistent and you don’t have to worry about barrel life and being “gentle”- it likes abuse. You don’t have to worry about zero changing due to barrel condition- never clean it, and the zero stays the same from 50’ish rounds to… near forever.
Through the entire 10k plus barrel life MV’s stay the same. Data stays the same. Zero stays the same.

A simple, correctly setup, bomb proof 308 is one rifle people should have, that they never futz with.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’ve had a Sako model 75 in .308 since 2004. High school graduation present from my Dad. I wish I had kept better track of round count, but it still has the original blued barrel. It has to have over 9,000 rounds through it and still puts 10 rounds in a 1” square from a “bench”.

 

[Formidilosus]

Left is MRC 308. Right is Tikka 308 with fixed 6x Mark 4.




Tikka 308 with 10x Mark 4, R700 with 6x Mark 4-





Left is Tikka 308 with SWFA 10x. Right is BAT 308 with March.



Top is HH 308 with Zeiss LRP S3, bottom is Tikka 308 with SWFA fixed 10x (starting to be a trend it seems).




Even Ryan secretly likes them-

 

[Bluumoon]

Left is MRC 308. Right is Tikka 308 with fixed 6x Mark 4.
View attachment 779284



Tikka 308 with 10x Mark 4, R700 with 6x Mark 4-
View attachment 779286

View attachment 779289


Left is Tikka 308 with SWFA 10x. Right is BAT 308 with March.
View attachment 779291


Top is HH 308 with Zeiss LRP S3, bottom is Tikka 308 with SWFA fixed 10x (starting to be a trend it seems).
View attachment 779292



Even Ryan secretly likes them-
View attachment 779294

Making me regret not choosing the master sporter for .308 over .22 Creed. Oh well, Tikka/KRG version will work.

I don’t see a consistent scope choice. Thinking mine will end up w an inherited NXS, leave at half power (double the reticle values?) and try to live w the 2nd focal plane.

 

[NSI]

Making me regret not choosing the master sporter for .308 over .22 Creed. Oh well, Tikka/KRG version will work.

I don’t see a consistent scope choice. Thinking mine will end up w an inherited NXS, leave at half power (double the reticle values?) and try to live w the 2nd focal plane.

My SWFA 10x will migrate to an RS-MRC-AICS in 308 eventually.

-J