.308 win.. The forgotten hunting calibre??

My .308 target rifle is my moose rifle, but I've only been hunting for the past 5 years or so. However, my uncle has been shooting moose for 30 years with .308.
 
308

I use a Model 7 SS chambered for 308 as my #1 choice for hunting anything.
I will do anything at 100 yds that a Magnum can do at 300.
Just get close and shoot straight.
 
My Browning A-Bolt Micro Medallion in .308, was my first "real" big game rifle, bought about 20 years ago from SIR in Winnipeg. I take it out every year. It's accounted for at least two dozen moose and whitetails...I may be forgetting - but I don't recall ever having game get away after shooting at it with this rifle.

I just recently decided to "slim down" my rifle caliber choices - and as such have acquired a Remington 700 SPS Tactical in .308, with an M14 coming soon.
 
.308 is a " staple " round in my opinion however there is always something newer that is just a bit better ... my brother was showing me a 7MM WSM the other day ..... now that looked like an good all round cartridge .

bonus to the .308 / 30-06 / etc is the abundance of reloading supplies ( cases and bullets ) I think that will keep it around for a long time .
 
When I was a boy it seemed everyone was talking about 30-06, but it seems to me the military, police tactical and so on are all using .308 now. Seems to me that alone will keep that cartridge alive for a long time. I plan on buying 3 guns a .22, a shotgun and a rifle. The rifle will be a .308 as its easy to get ammo for and works on any and all kinds of game. Around here everyone seems to be in love with 7mm this and magnum that but I just don't see a need for it.
 
I know folks that still use .308 for deer, but your right i have seen people moving away to more powerfull calibers. I met a guy at the range that said a moose laughed at his 30-06 so he bought a .300 win mag. I was polite but, i think he was just a lousey shot lol.
 
Is there really anything in North America that a .308 can't kill? Grizzley? The bear expert from bear scare, tells me he relys on his 30-06 for anything in North America.
 
The OP said: .. "I have been noticing a mass exodus to the Magnum corral. Doe anyone still use the .308 win for hunting anymore?"

About this time last year I drove to Wholesale Spurts in Nanaimo with cash in hand.
I asked the gent behind the counter what he had for sale in .308 or 7mm-08.
He looked at me like I am an old, out-of-touch geezer (which I guess I am) .. and answered: "Nothing. But we have LOTS of magnums".

Any of the small black-tail deer here on Vancouver Island can be taken easily with a .243
and the extremely few hunters who win an elk draw really don't need anything more than a .308

Sure, if you plan to travel to the Yukon, to make 700+ yd shots at mountain sheep .. then buy a magnum. But really, I only know of 4 hunters here who do that.
A good craftsman chooses the right tool for the job .... and most of us, who hunt locally, do not NEED twice the recoil to do half the job .. (eg. Tikka Lite in 300 mag)

So .. who decides what calibre rifles should be stocked by retailers?
.. the retailer marketing managers? (maybe) .. the rifle manufacturer sales reps? (maybe) .. the marketplace? (I doubt it)
 
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Most stores have already sold a ton of 308's , the new gee whiz magnums are about selling new/more rifles and mounts scopes, slings, and all the other accessories.
 
The magnum craze is upon us, dont know why. .303 .308 and 30-30 was the most commun cals around. CT started selling ammo in those cals for thin skinned game as it was cheaper they sold a lot of it. Many hunters had wounded moose walk away and those that went down were shot multiple times. Solution seemed to be magnum and lots of hunters switched. I shot a moose with four shots at less than hundred yards before he went down, all shots placed within three inches in kill zone. I started questioning the rifle before I looked at the ammo box and read CXP2. Swithed to proper ammo and ten moose later no probs. bought a BLR .30-06 after and stayed with same ammo always in 180 grain and it takes one shot. Thinking now of going back to the .308 as the higher recoil is making me flinch when target shooting. Yes i shoot target with my hunting rifle.

Biggest mistake I made was shooting a couple of boxes of .223 before I sighted in the .30-06. Held it loosely as I would with the .223 and not ready for the recoil. Nearly gave myself a scope brow. Getting used to it for target shooting prone, in a hunting situation it is not a problem - adrenaline looks after that. Lol. Dunno what i would do with a .300 Win Mag. Long story, but .308 is plenty for even moose as most are shot within 100 to 200 yards. If 700 yard shots are what you are after, well the Magnum is what you need. Hunters that take those shots and make them are more scarce than the net will make you believe. Most are tall tales.
 
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