308 Winchester hunting bullets for over 500 yards

[xsn10s]

The shot i can make.....the bullet doing it's job is a different story I'm afraid.

That's where you may want to study up on terminal ballistics concerning your bullet and cartridge choice. I won't question you on hitting your mark. The question is what the speed of your bullet will be at your distances once it gets there. For me it looks like your velocity will be anywhere from upper 1300 fps at 900 yards to mid to upper 1200 fps at 1000 yards. Generally with open tip match bullets people are wanting 1800 fps for expansion. I've heard some polymer tip match bullets can expand at 1400 fps. I've not used them on big game at that velocity. You may consider your friend's 300 wm using that 215 Berger Hybrid. But don't trust my word on it, look into it yourself. Best of luck to you. And I pray your health improves.

 

[VLD Pilot]

My son and I use to shoot Ground hogs together in Ohio. He shot a .260 w/140 Amax bullets in his. He made numerous hits at 1200 yards+ on hogs. Wasn't sure that bullet would expand much at that range but surprisingly it did expand very well. Exits were like baseball size holes in many and still silver dollar size in others. Granted the .260/140 is faster at impact(1400fps) but they are smaller critters than deer with less resistance for bullet performance. Not sure how well the polymer tipped bullet would do at 1200 fps but my guess is, pretty darn good.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

That would be quite a poke for the bullet, more than likely a bullet at that velocity range put into the vitals would eventually kill that animal. BUT eventually and reliably are not the same. Using a 308 win at that range might put you in the same class as them boys riding them ATVs...Think about it.

 

[ButterBean]

That would be quite a poke for the bullet, more than likely a bullet at that velocity range put into the vitals would eventually kill that animal. BUT eventually and reliably are not the same. Using a 308 win at that range might put you in the same class as them boys riding them ATVs...Think about it.

They have been killing Elk at long range with 308's for decades' it's been a proven cartridge

 

[VLD Pilot]

It's hard to put an end result on any scenario regardless if which cartridge your using. Shooter experience, load and environment and conditions dictate all of it. That vid ButterBean posted is one I've seen numerous times. Given conditions were ideal is exactly where that cartridge gets it done at further ranges than most would believe.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Yupp...I thought about this video when this first came up.

.Add say 8000 ft to your ballistic app and see how much it gives you- alot more velocity. He probably did the shoulder shot as you can see it when she drops. EVERYTHING went exactly right. No margin of error. Add 2 more MPH wind and it could be ugly.
Not my model hunting example. If I was trying to survive to put food on the table maybe, but this guy is filming a youtube video...

OP stack the deck in favor of recovering your animal. From experience, 308 win velocity bullets at that range get a little squirrely.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

They have been killing Elk at long range with 308's for decades' it's been a proven cartridge

Thanks ButterBean and I have watched these. The 800 elk shot is why I tried the 168 gr. Bergers. Up to this point the farthest shot on a whitetail for me is 400 plus or minus with a .243 Winchester. After the shot, If he made it 15 feet it'd be a stretch. That's a long shot per average range in my area. A varmint showed itself on the site back. I ranged it with a Vortex Razor 4000 at 916 yards. My buddy was up at this time with me spotting. We made a quick assessment and decision. He absolutely dusted that critter! Like I said before, that 300 with 215's will bounce a filled milk jug a 1000 to what looked to be 5 to 6 feet up in the air. He has the jug shots on video. We set up our cells to record through the scope. Knowing how some folks react to this type of shooting. It's really funny to see the face after someone insinuates you are stretching the truth, to see numerous videos of what you described happening with their own eyes.
Thanks for your in put ButterBean.

 

[xsn10s]

My buddy has been killing big elk here in Oregon for decades. Out of his arsenal he has taken most of them with his 308 Win. His limit his range at 300 yards. It's up to everyone to choose how they'll hunt. I prefer to stack the odds in my favor when it's an important issue. That video looks like a neck shot by the first image of the cow on the ground. The bullet bounced off the ground near the cow behind it. Not a shot I would take for several reasons.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Yeh, he almost acts surprised he did it.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Yeh, he almost acts surprised he did it.

First time I viewed this video i thought he hit the spine by the way it went down.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Elevation is any cartridges friend. For the record tho, I'll take an experienced 308 shooter using his tried and true .308 win over most using a much more adequate cartridge designed for ELR. You just can't replace knowledge and accuracy of the rifle. It's without a doubt shot placement that gets it done. I hear too many toting that their 300WM gets it done even with a poor hit. Kinda tired of hearing that statement proudly used. I'm not one to use my 308 in that scenario when I have several other rifles that shoot flatter and play better when Ma nature is being rude. It's just my opinion on the above.

 

[xsn10s]

I've shooting a 308 Win for 30 years now. I still practice with it out to 1230 yards. I've handloaded for it the entire time. I love to push the limits of it. Given the choice of using it or say a 300 WSM or 300 WM and a 215 Hybrid going around 2850 fps or better at 2200 ft elevation I'll reach for the bigger rifle. The trajectory is flatter. It'll be less deflected by wind. And the terminal energy will be far greater. And I'd be practicing with it well before I considered taking the shot.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Elevation is any cartridges friend. For the record tho, I'll take an experienced 308 shooter using his tried and true .308 win over most using a much more adequate cartridge designed for ELR. You just can't replace knowledge and accuracy of the rifle. It's without a doubt shot placement that gets it done. I hear too many toting that their 300WM gets it done even with a poor hit. Kinda tired of hearing that statement proudly used. I'm not one to use my 308 in that scenario when I have several other rifles that shoot flatter and play better when Ma nature is being rude. It's just my opinion on the above.

Recoil is a problem for me. So I've been looking at other calibers. It's just hard to change because I know this rifle and load so well. Discussed this last night after shooting while loading up. 6.5's I really wanna try, but finding components for some of the cartridges is like trying to find hen's teeth. My buddy D says you are married to the caliber Bob.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Elevation is any cartridges friend. For the record tho, I'll take an experienced 308 shooter using his tried and true .308 win over most using a much more adequate cartridge designed for ELR. You just can't replace knowledge and accuracy of the rifle. It's without a doubt shot placement that gets it done. I hear too many toting that their 300WM gets it done even with a poor hit. Kinda tired of hearing that statement proudly used. I'm not one to use my 308 in that scenario when I have several other rifles that shoot flatter and play better when Ma nature is being rude. It's just my opinion on the above.

Yupp...and knowledge and experience with a 308 long enough, said shooter probably knows it isn't stacking the deck in his favor.

I am not a 308 hater. I learned long range with one.

OP, test it. Go shoot targets that will react, bone in leg meat with other similar to game material and see what it does. Then you will have the confidence it your equipment. Then you will know what it is capable of and what it is not. Oh and learn the wind...That is the HUGE mitigating factor on the range of a 308 Winchester.