Hardest chambering to give up?
- Thread starter Ardent
- Start date
Cost-wise, are you better off dumping the .223 Rem and sticking with a .308 Win knowing that you don't need to own the extra rifle, ammo, components etc?
I guess the 110 grain loads would suffice for varmints, and if you already have a 10 pound target rifle set up in .308...
On the flip side, the .375 H&H might stand in for both a .338 WM and a .458 WM, and offers something that the .30-06 can't quite reach.
.223 Rem : 55 grain
.308 Win/.30-06 SPRG : 110-220 grain
.375 H&H : 235-350 grain
Seems to cover everything. All three can be had in heavy and light configurations. I would have a .308 Win and .30-06 Sprg in .308 cal to cover the range of form factors and bullet weights.
I guess the 110 grain loads would suffice for varmints, and if you already have a 10 pound target rifle set up in .308...
On the flip side, the .375 H&H might stand in for both a .338 WM and a .458 WM, and offers something that the .30-06 can't quite reach.
.223 Rem : 55 grain
.308 Win/.30-06 SPRG : 110-220 grain
.375 H&H : 235-350 grain
Seems to cover everything. All three can be had in heavy and light configurations. I would have a .308 Win and .30-06 Sprg in .308 cal to cover the range of form factors and bullet weights.
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I’ve indeed been warming to keeping .375 in the mix, as I do plan another African stint for work and play. But I don’t varmint hunt, and there’s really no application in my purposes for .223 unfortunately as I prefer target shooting with .308.
I'm deliberating that one. I like the cost and milder report of .223 factory ammunition for plinking and informal target stuff. However, considering total time and effort available, maybe just using .308 and practicing with that is more applicable to what I want out of centrefire usage anyway. Once comfortable with a Model 70 in .308/.30-06 at heavy/light rifle weights, I would be closer to total comfort with a .375 H&H than if I did all my centrefire practice with a .223 in say a Ruger Mark II or Kimber Pro Varmint. Practice with the .375 H&H in a heavier Safari and a lighter Alaskan would allow me to get used to the recoil in the lighter rifle. And all rifles would be a Model 70 so everything feeds back to everything else. My goals lean more to developing wilderness proficiency than twisting dials out to long ranges. Hmm...
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I find .308 very friendly to the shoulder, and prefer how it does with the 175 SMK at distance vs the heavy .224s for my style of shooting. And I don’t need a fast twist to shoot good long range ammo as the 175 SMKs happy in standard twist rates. Bore lasts longer too, I like to shoot informal long range, so barrel life’s a factor in my mind.
Eliminating a caliber has been on the back burner in my mind for quite a while now. How can I make more room in the safe and still cover as many of the shooting disciplines as possible.
Is there any point to owning a 300WM when you already have a 308? In terms of practical hunting (or informal target shooting) applications would there be any point? I hear the 308 is capable of taking any game animal in north America, so why bother with the 300? For longer range shooting outside the range of the 308 wouldn't it cover more of the shooting sports bases by going with a larger (than the 300) cartridge such as a 338 Lapua?
Perhaps the 308Win and the 300WM are too similar to one another to bother with owning both...?
Is there any point to owning a 300WM when you already have a 308? In terms of practical hunting (or informal target shooting) applications would there be any point? I hear the 308 is capable of taking any game animal in north America, so why bother with the 300? For longer range shooting outside the range of the 308 wouldn't it cover more of the shooting sports bases by going with a larger (than the 300) cartridge such as a 338 Lapua?
Perhaps the 308Win and the 300WM are too similar to one another to bother with owning both...?
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Way I see it, if you hunt the mountains or the prairies frequently, .300 can be very handy. For everything else there’s Mastercard and .308, which also hunts the mountains and prairies about 100 yards closer.
If I went bigger than .30-06 and wanted more range, I'd probably get a .338 Win Mag. I get that the theme is staying the same caliber, but from what I read, the .300 WM isn't different enough from the .30-06, and the .338 carries more oomph at range. But then one is onto loading for another calibre.
Then again, if you have a .308 and want some more oomph in the same caliber, maybe the .300 WM makes sense. OTOH, seems like the bullets made for a .308 envelope aren't suited to a .300 WM?
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I’ve done just this over the last few years.
My entire gun safe is now
.22
12G
5.56
.308
45-70
That covers every single base in North America and then some.
At one time I had 11 different calibers. What’s the point? Why spread yourself thin, get good with what you have IMO! Spend the money on range time and practice with what you have rather than chasing a new caliber or loading all the time. Unless you have endless money, then own it all.
My entire gun safe is now
.22
12G
5.56
.308
45-70
That covers every single base in North America and then some.
At one time I had 11 different calibers. What’s the point? Why spread yourself thin, get good with what you have IMO! Spend the money on range time and practice with what you have rather than chasing a new caliber or loading all the time. Unless you have endless money, then own it all.
I follow the same line of thinking as you but with the addition of:
-an extra cartridge that is useful at longer ranges where the 308 falls short
-all the pistol chamberings
Now that I am retired, I'd like to do an extreme make-over, but I get the shakes just thinking about letting some of my favorites go. I do have them all ranked in order of priority, so when I get a new one in, I sell one from the bottom of the list... that will have to do for now. What I don't want to do is leave a mess of gear for my family to deal with when the final curtain drops.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I’ve shot .308 to 1,000 yards a lot, we set up our own range for it, and even with iron match sights you can hit a silhouette at 1,000 from a 22” .308.
I have to wonder, what more does one need and how much further for general shooting does one need to shoot? 500 yards is entirely reasonably for a .308 hunting, a .300 just makes it a bit easier.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
