.308Win or 300 WSM?

[davkrat]

I am planning on getting a new rifle. I am looking for a nice compact gun for hunting hogs in the brushy hills of NorCal. I'm planning on getting a Rem 700 and trimming hte barrel down to 20". I want a nice light easy carrying gun for use on hogs and deer out to 200-300 yards. I don't have a .308 but I do have dies for loading up my brothers. I have always liked shooting his .308 as the mild recoil lets you shoot it all day long. Also the availability of ammo is nice. It would be nice to have a rifle capable of chambering millitary rounds just in case the world goes to hell in a hand bag. I imagine that the .308 would be more efficient with a 20" tube than a 300 WSM. What do you think of the .308 as a backup rifle for the occasional elk hunt. I'm thinking a compact rifle like this might be nice if you are working through the timber and expecting a shot of no more than 200 yards. I'm sure the 300WSM would be better on elk but the .308 would probably do for normal range shots.

 

[James Jones]

The 308 has plenty of thump with the correct bullets to cleanly kill elk out to 400yds. Is it the best choice , that depends on who you talk to to , I feel that with good bullets and an experianced shooter you could cleanly kill anything in north America.

I personaly in your situation would use a 308 loaded with either 165gr Accu-Bond. It'll expand well yet not so fast as close ranges that you'll have penitration issues.

 

[sewwhat89]

Compromise on the two and get a 300 RSAUM. Norma is making brass for it now, and with powders like Varget, you can easily outpace and 308 or '06 in a more efficient case than the WSM. In a 22" barrel, you can get 3000+ with 165s easily. Just a thought!

 

[wildcat]

Davkrat-My-friend-has-a-300-WSM-and-it's-awesome-to-shoot.-It-will-run-circles-around-the-308.-I-would-go-with-the-300-WSM-for-performance-reasons.-Good-look-with-your-choice.

Wildcat

 

[GSPointer]

Whilst I do love my .308 I have now opted for a 300wsm also. It is a better calibre for down range punch and still has moderate recoil. Both rifles have a moderator on them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (Im in the UK and they are legal) so the recoil is less anyway. The 300wsm is good for the long range target plinking.
should be Best of both worlds I think. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[kraky]

Here's a real sweet factory gun that's all set to go to your specs......at 6.1#!! I have a tikka and love it. The bolts are smoot as glass and workmanship excellent.
Also...you could "split the difference" and go with the '06.

http://www.berettausa.com/product/product_rifles_main.htm

scroll down and click on the 'big boar"

 

[davkrat]

Well I went with the .308 Living in the people's republic of california I only have to wait 10 days!!! I plan on trimming the barrel down to 20" and putting a manlicher stock on it. If you've eer been to the coastal foothills of northern california you know how thick the manzanita can be. When I'm quail hunting even my compact 26" O/U seems too big. I figure with a 20" barrel I won't be giving up much with a .308 while I think a 300WSM would be a little anemic in that short of a pipe. I really like the light recoil of the .308. I've shot so many 3" Mags at ducks that I have developed a pretty bad flinch. I have to really think about it when I get behind a rifle. It will be nice to have a low recoil rifle to practice with. Thanks for the responses. This may not have been the proper forum to ask this question as I'm not getting a long range gun but rather a compact gun for up close. You'd be extremely lucky to even see a pig past 200 yards in the overgrown maze of brush and oaks around here.

 

[James Jones]

you won't be sorry , the 308 will do all that you ask of it so long as you do your part. And the recoil and muzzel blast arn't nearly as bad.
And if you get the itch to shoot way out their you can get some Black Hills 175gr Match ammo and go at it , I haven't met a 308 yet factory or custom that diden't like the heavy Black Hills stuff