get yourself a good 168 gr hunting bullet and you're good to go with .308
Is .308......
- Thread starter TacticallySharp
- Start date
get yourself a good 168 gr hunting bullet and you're good to go with .308
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
I really don't think you should be putting your faith in a Non-magnum for N.American game, these animals are tough, dangerous and hard to kill with small caliber rifle with small cartridges.You need to rely on high velocity, heavy bullets and copious amounts of energy to properly dispatch of these game animals we encounter!! .338 is about minimum and you can easily go up from there for peace of mind shooting. 
Personally, either one will do. You are splitting hairs IMO when you are shooting rifles that move medium weight bullets at the speeds these ones do. If you can shoot it accurately, that is all that matters!! If it was me I'd go .308 for the SA advantages.
Personally, either one will do. You are splitting hairs IMO when you are shooting rifles that move medium weight bullets at the speeds these ones do. If you can shoot it accurately, that is all that matters!! If it was me I'd go .308 for the SA advantages.
RememberTheSomme
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Old Chinese proverb say; "The .308 does it all"
I remember a fellow at a silhouette match once remarked, that it was a good match round but anyone that would use it for hunting would also fornicate with sheep. As you can imagine that caused a bit of a stir in the club house. Personally i`ve owned 4 different .308 chambered rifles and got rid of them all.
Funny comment, but what an idiot.
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
I have both, and love them both. I think 30-06 has more punch and more energy longer range. But the difference isn't large enough to fret about when comparing 150-168 grain bullets. When looking at 180 grain +, its a different ball game and advantage 30-06.
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I'm one that actually believes there is a difference. Both will kill game with ease, and well, but the .30-06 is more versatile, and a better case due to the longer neck- it was also made before fitting in detacheable mags was a problem, and guns were built around cartridges not vice versa. Those who think 200 fps mean crud all need to give their head a shake! We go to great lengths, AI'ing chambers, tweaking up hot handloads, Hornady 'Light Mag' ammunition, to gain those precious rises in velocity. If you handload , .30-06 hands down. I don't hold a bias here despite what it sounds like, my favourite small bore hunting rifle was a .308 for a long time. It works, but the .30-06 does work better, especially when the fellow's talking elk.
I'm stunned to see so many people, so readily recommending .308 for a guy who wants to include elk on his hunt list. How many have actually hunted elk that are telling him to go for it? I think some internet guru'ing is going down... I would consider .30-06 and a 200gr bullet (180's for Barnes bullets) the absolute minimum for elk.
As for cougar, most around our acreage in the Rocky Mtn foothills use .22 centerfires or .243's. You will never, ever get up on a cougar without hounds, the dogs tree the cat, and that's that a .224 takes them out of the tree. It sounds like the OP is new to hunting, let's not tell a new hunter to take a marginal caliber out and chase elk!
As for the Remington rifle, pick up a Winchester, and a Ruger off the racks beside them. Cycle the actions, look at the bolt handles and extractors, fit and finish, the safety ergonomics and function (we'll leave that whole other Rem 700 issue aside)... and I'd be absolutely stunned if you walked out with the Remington. Your money goes a lot farther in other brands these days.
I'm stunned to see so many people, so readily recommending .308 for a guy who wants to include elk on his hunt list. How many have actually hunted elk that are telling him to go for it? I think some internet guru'ing is going down... I would consider .30-06 and a 200gr bullet (180's for Barnes bullets) the absolute minimum for elk.
As for cougar, most around our acreage in the Rocky Mtn foothills use .22 centerfires or .243's. You will never, ever get up on a cougar without hounds, the dogs tree the cat, and that's that a .224 takes them out of the tree. It sounds like the OP is new to hunting, let's not tell a new hunter to take a marginal caliber out and chase elk!
As for the Remington rifle, pick up a Winchester, and a Ruger off the racks beside them. Cycle the actions, look at the bolt handles and extractors, fit and finish, the safety ergonomics and function (we'll leave that whole other Rem 700 issue aside)... and I'd be absolutely stunned if you walked out with the Remington. Your money goes a lot farther in other brands these days.
Geeez take a deep breath Ardent.When it comes to velocity we're all just whistling in the dark,unless you own a chronograph.Most hunters have bigger problems than the calibre of their rifle, like the fact that 200m looks like 300m and that the cheapest ammo at Canadian tire is still too expensive to waste practicing.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I'm confused where this deep breath comes in. Straight facts, a .308 is a very marginal gun for elk, unless you ask people that haven't hunted them but own a .308. .308 does not do well with a 200gr bullet, and if he wants one gun for that range of game and is stuck on .30-06 or .308, the .30-06 is it hands down. If nobody cared about a couple hundred fps, no 7mm Mags would be sold, just .270's and .280's.
If the rifle you really want is only available in shorter cartridges like the .308, go for it. I suspect most of your hunting will be for blacktails and those nice big island black bears. The .308 is perfect for that.
I am unfamiliar with your island elk hunting conditions, but the lads up here regularly pop moose and the occasional elk with their .308's. Much of that shooting is done on their own back 40, so if the shot is too long, a bad angle or they won't be able to get the tractor to it they pass on the shot. They'll get another chance tomorrow or the next day.
If you have a lot of time and money involved such as for a 'northern' moose or elk hunt you won't want to be in a position where you can't take the only shot that might be offered. This is known as a "Honey, I really need a new rifle for this" situation for those of us who are married. For those of us who aren't married it is still a fine and logical reason to buy another rifle.
I am unfamiliar with your island elk hunting conditions, but the lads up here regularly pop moose and the occasional elk with their .308's. Much of that shooting is done on their own back 40, so if the shot is too long, a bad angle or they won't be able to get the tractor to it they pass on the shot. They'll get another chance tomorrow or the next day.
If you have a lot of time and money involved such as for a 'northern' moose or elk hunt you won't want to be in a position where you can't take the only shot that might be offered. This is known as a "Honey, I really need a new rifle for this" situation for those of us who are married. For those of us who aren't married it is still a fine and logical reason to buy another rifle.
Have both...plus used 270. As for 308 or 3006 I hardly notice any difference under 200 yards. Since most hunting is under that moot point. Unless you want 190 to 220 grain bullets. Then the 3006 wins.
The 7mm Rem Mag fantastic cartridge. A buddy has used in on ELK many times plus Alaskan moose. He lives in the lower 49TH. But he has never said a bad word about 3006 or 308.
It's the ability of the guy holding the rifle. If you can't hit the target because of recoil better to go smaller. Or not hunt or practice. That fact proved itself when he took a caribou with a 243. I saw the trophy mount in his den.
The 7mm Rem Mag fantastic cartridge. A buddy has used in on ELK many times plus Alaskan moose. He lives in the lower 49TH. But he has never said a bad word about 3006 or 308.
It's the ability of the guy holding the rifle. If you can't hit the target because of recoil better to go smaller. Or not hunt or practice. That fact proved itself when he took a caribou with a 243. I saw the trophy mount in his den.
