Is the .308 dead???

308 dead? what? it is Immortal! How can you even ask such a question? :p However they are bowing to the 260 at our place, this year, but certainly not dead and or buried! No Sir-e, just taking a little rest break!
 
crazydave said:
In some ways the 06 is better than the 308, once you get up to the heavier grain bullets the 30-06 outshines the 308.
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That's true, but the margin of difference is not that great with heavy bullets and now with the lighter TSX and similar premium bullets the difference is even less.

Either way, it's still hard to beat the 30/06 for most hunting here in Canada. The 308 is so close that the same can be applied to it as well.



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SuperCub said:
That's true, but the margin of difference is not that great with heavy bullets and now with the lighter TSX and similar premium bullets the difference is even less.

Either way, it's still hard to beat the 30/06 for most hunting here in Canada. The 308 is so close that the same can be applied to it as well.

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I don't know if that stands up. A .308/240 gr Woodleigh is 1.429" and a .308/180 gr TSX is 1.392". Loaded in a .308, some rough measurements suggest that they would use about 20% additional powder capacity compared to a 150 gr bullet. That suggests to me that due to the .30/06s greater length, the .308 cannot produce enough propellant gases safely to develop the velocity that is possible with a .30/06, particularly if the round is fed though a magazine and into a chamber with a standard throat. Besides which, there is the issue that few .308s have the 1:10 or faster twist necessary to stabilize these bullets. Perhaps some magic could be accomplished with a fast burning powder, but my .308 target rifle with a fast twist barrel seems to do best with 760 when I load heavy bullets, although the long throat of my chamber allows for me to seat even very long bullets so they don't extend below the shoulder of the cartridge. FAster powder don't produce the velocity before the high pressure demon raises its head, and there isn't enough powder capacity to gain from the use of even marginally slower powders.
 
Just the other day a recent batch of Varget was handloaded for my .308 Winchester for the first time.
Preliminary results demonstrate my groups almost cut in half @300 meters from a rest using Scenars. I'm thinking the remanider IMR 4064 is going to be saved just for the Garand handloads from now on.
 
R-17 with 208 Match in 308 is sure giving me stellars results, i was a diehard Varget fan but since i started reloading with R-17, give me differents perspective on the 308... JP.
 
I hope you guys realize that altho the 308 win is a great target round, anybody that would actually use one for hunting would also fornicate with sheep.:D I heard this at a clubhouse one day and i must say it got very quiet but the 308 shooters never challenged the guy on his statement. ;)
 
That's bull####, fornicate with sheep? Lol! I really like the .308 in my semi auto's which I use for bush pushing. I agree the 30-06 is better in MOST situations, but sometimes a .308 could be more ideal. you don't always need long ranger and hi-power, so when not challenged in those situations I'd recomend the .308. A nice light weight 30-06 (sako finlight, or tikka) are ideal. Just my opinion.
 
dead meat said:
I hope you guys realize that altho the 308 win is a great target round, anybody that would actually use one for hunting would also fornicate with sheep.:D I heard this at a clubhouse one day and i must say it got very quiet but the 308 shooters never challenged the guy on his statement. ;)
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The fellow that stated that,probably, liked sheep.He may have been looking for like minded fellows. As the 308 has nothing to do with sheep,do you?
 
Boomer said:
I don't know if that stands up. A .308/240 gr Woodleigh is 1.429" and a .308/180 gr TSX is 1.392". Loaded in a .308, some rough measurements suggest that they would use about 20% additional powder capacity compared to a 150 gr bullet. That suggests to me that due to the .30/06s greater length, the .308 cannot produce enough propellant gases safely to develop the velocity that is possible with a .30/06, particularly if the round is fed though a magazine and into a chamber with a standard throat. Besides which, there is the issue that few .308s have the 1:10 or faster twist necessary to stabilize these bullets. Perhaps some magic could be accomplished with a fast burning powder, but my .308 target rifle with a fast twist barrel seems to do best with 760 when I load heavy bullets, although the long throat of my chamber allows for me to seat even very long bullets so they don't extend below the shoulder of the cartridge. FAster powder don't produce the velocity before the high pressure demon raises its head, and there isn't enough powder capacity to gain from the use of even marginally slower powders.
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I agree, but wondered aloud if a lighter (165gr) TSX in a 308 would work as well on game as a heavier (180gr) TXS in a 30/06. Many are using these bullets in light for caliber weights with good results. I'm still stuck on good old cup and core bullets for a lot of what I shoot, but do have some 110gr TTSX and 130 TSX lined up for my 270. I wouldn't hesitate to use these on a moose instead of my 30/06 loaded with 180s.
 
How do 308 shooters find sheep in the tall grass?
answer:They find them delightful !
 
SuperCub said:
I agree, but wondered aloud if a lighter (165gr) TSX in a 308 would work as well on game as a heavier (180gr) TXS in a 30/06. Many are using these bullets in light for caliber weights with good results. I'm still stuck on good old cup and core bullets for a lot of what I shoot, but do have some 110gr TTSX and 130 TSX lined up for my 270. I wouldn't hesitate to use these on a moose instead of my 30/06 loaded with 180s.
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I seem to have developed a mental block when it comes to the use of light bullets on large animals, but I recognize the fact that mono-metal bullets from Barnes and GS Custom are game changers. The fact is that Steward Edward White hunted Africa at the dawn of the 20th Century with a custom .30/06 that was so new the only ammunition he had access to was military 150 gr ball loaded to 2700 fps. He shot a huge amount of plains game compared to what is permissible under modern hunting regulations, and as far as I know, nothing got away from him. To say a 150 or 165 gr TSXs would be superior to 150 gr ball would be an understatement.
 
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