Is the popularity of the 308 cartridge going down??

I doubt that the .308 is going to go extinct anytime soon, but I don't see as many at the range anymore. Those do show up tend to be heavy barrels, then there's a big jump over to the levergun guys that tend to show up once or twice in the fall. Come to think of it, the non bolt guys are getting spread pretty thin too.
 
I believe in the cycle of history.

The .308. I believe is coming back to it's time in the sun.

The whiz bang magnums are fine and dandy, but I believe there is a move towards the tried and true once again...

The 30-06, .308, .303...even my favourite the 30-30...

I don't see this move quite so much in the new buyers as in the the experienced buyers.
 
I think that the rise in popularity of 308 based cartridges such as the 7mm-08 and 260 are making more people realize just how handy the original 308 really is. The 243 has always been a big seller, and now the 260 is starting to make a comeback. The 7mm-08 seems to be getting huge. People like these small calibre low recoiling rounds, and it all is based on the fact that the parent cartridge is just as handy and powerful. I believe the 308 based cartridges are one of the most efficient on the market
 
My way of looking at the 308win is that it is a niche cartridge that is also a standard. It's not quite a 30-06, but it's very close, and it does that in a short action, or a semiauto action. People have claimed that it is more accurate than the 30-06, but I think that's more rifle dependant, and more dependant on the shooters ability to tolerate recoil than anything else.
I don't think that we will see the demise of the 308 any time soon; it's a good cartridge that does what it's supposed to, it's a military cartridge, and it's a standard (as I said above filling a ligitimate niche).
All of the "standards" are a little watered down each time a new wonder cartridge comes out, but when people realize that the new wonder cartridge doesn't change the world, they move back to what works, and the 308 does indeed work.
Mike
 
No, the opposite way = up. Today such good bullets exists that the difference is not a 308 or 30-06, but the bullets construction. A 308 will harvest all animals with a proper anatomically correct bullet placement.
And the really fine thing is recoil or rather absence of it. This caliber suites youngsters, women and big strong men.
 
I'm doing my part. Four rifles and counting. I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. It's too perfect a caliber for North America. Sure people think they need super magnums and such because they think it kills the deer even more dead, but in my mind there really isn't anything that can bump it from it it's seat as the king.
 
stuckon308 said:
I'm doing my part. Four rifles and counting. I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. It's too perfect a caliber for North America. Sure people think they need super magnums and such because they think it kills the deer even more dead, but in my mind there really isn't anything that can bump it from it it's seat as the king.
Click to expand...

Well....it was.....until Federal stuck a .338 bullet in it. Now it's absolutely perfect :)
 
Remington 700 5R SS in .308.

A precision rifle geared for one purpose, it could have been chambered in others than the standard calibers they did.It sells, some are realizing that chambering doesn't make a rifle or a shooter.The bigger is better theory isn't gospel as much as it used to be.That being said, the rifle market is kinda like how GM was a few years ago, so many models and options to choose from that it was inevitable the there will be lower sales in one area due to marketing pressure in another, after all it is how you sell merchandise.

If media tells everyone that they "need" a new 7.89mm Deluxe Platinum 767 Series Bolt Action rifle, by jebus people will buy them. People bought the smart cars in Saskatchewan.:confused:

However there is a growing crowd of shooters(IMO)that do know what they "need" to be accurate and get the job done and the .308 is proven and not a pain to find loading components and equipment.
 
I think the 308 or 7.62X51 is here for a long time.
I can't afford the odd calibers of ammo, so I shoot the available stocks I have purchased over the years.
I can only afford to shoot 308, 7.62X39, 223, and 303.
 
I think it's just not as "in" as the 7-08, 260, 6.5 Swede with the short action crowd at the moment. There are no shortage of people who will tell you the above cartidges are superior b/c of wind drift, BC etc and soforth. I really like the simple fact I can buy cheap rounds for the 308 if I didn't have time to reload(or was too lazy or whatever).
 
I will often browse the used section of online dealers looking for a bargain. As well as my online bargain hunting I like to rummage through the used racks of the gun shops I visit. The one caliber that is often under represented is used .308 I think they are still one of the most desired calibers to own and they get picked from the used racks first. Since it is a "do-all"caliber people tend to hold onto them and sell off their guns that are chambered in other calibers first.

I recently purchased a new 7mm-08 and would agree that it is the new up and comer.
 
Wrong Way said:
Well....it was.....until Federal stuck a .338 bullet in it. Now it's absolutely perfect :)
Click to expand...

actually, the 338 caliber is HAMPERED by the use of the 338 case UNLESS you stick to the LIGHTER LOADINGS- a PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED bullet in 338 weighs between 225 and 275 grains and up to 300 - and NEEDS 338 WIN MAG VELOCITIES to make it perform- your 308 bullet is good up to 220 grains in an 06- that's about 3/4s of a 338- the WAY I LOOK AT IT IS THAT THE 308/180 is PERFECT FOR MOST NORTH AMERICAN GAME, and if you REALLY need that long heavy shot, you 1) NEED to stalk CLOSER or 2) switch to the 338 win mag, so you have LOTS of power when you get downrange- the 338 federal et al is just a GIMMICK to sell MORE EXPENSIVE BULLETS- ie you can't get 338 in bulk- if you light ;load the 338, it becomes nothing more than an EXCELLENT DEER rifle- and FEDERAl HAD to come out with an answer to the 358 WINCHESTER
 
t-star said:
actually, the 338 caliber is HAMPERED by the use of the 338 case UNLESS you stick to the LIGHTER LOADINGS- a PROPERLY CONSTRUCTED bullet in 338 weighs between 225 and 275 grains and up to 300 - and NEEDS 338 WIN MAG VELOCITIES to make it perform- your 308 bullet is good up to 220 grains in an 06- that's about 3/4s of a 338- the WAY I LOOK AT IT IS THAT THE 308/180 is PERFECT FOR MOST NORTH AMERICAN GAME, and if you REALLY need that long heavy shot, you 1) NEED to stalk CLOSER or 2) switch to the 338 win mag, so you have LOTS of power when you get downrange- the 338 federal et al is just a GIMMICK to sell MORE EXPENSIVE BULLETS- ie you can't get 338 in bulk- if you light ;load the 338, it becomes nothing more than an EXCELLENT DEER rifle- and FEDERAl HAD to come out with an answer to the 358 WINCHESTER
Click to expand...

You know....I heard that if you use lots of capitals it helps make your post look more accurate :)

The 338 fed matches the ballistics of the '06, and does it with less powder and a bigger diameter bullet.....good enough for me :)
 
the 308 is well .... kind of boring .

there is nothing wrong with it , and many people refer to it as a set "standard " to compare what ever they are using .... but still boring , like the colour beige .

will it be around in 100 years .... 200 years .... you bet .
but so will rounds like the 6.5x55 , 30-06 and 45-70 , which have already been around for over 100 years , and are stronger than ever .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom