Best shooting .308's

[cvaught]

Hey everyone,

I am getting ready to build a hunting rifle and I have decided on the.308. Now I cant figure out which one to go with. I do know that I want a heavy barrel. I will be using this gun mostly for whitetail but occasionally I will go to the mountains and have to take some longer shots. Whats everyones opinions on the most accurate .308?

Thanks

 

[MudRunner2005]

Rem 700 5R MilSpec .308 with a 24" barrel.

Mine will stack 24 shots inside of 1.3" with handloads.

This measurement was before corrected grouping of 1.286" (have to subract for caliber size). And it probably would have been just under 1" if I had not shot that last flier to the right trying to knock all the orange out of the bull...Then again, at the time I wasn't realizing what I had done. It didn't hit home until after I had squeezed the trigger.

 

[cvaught]

What kind of scope do you have on yours? Is there a big advantage or any at all from the 24 to 26 inch barrel?

 

[MudRunner2005]

I've had a 20 and a 24 on my .308's, and while the 20 was a 1K tack-driver, the 24 is also nice with the added velocity and stabilizing bigger heavier bullets.

So, I'd have to say that from now on my .308's will be 24-26" barrels.

The scope was a cheap-o with good mounts, but it's help zero no problems, and it's even holding a good zero on my big 7mm STW. While it's not the nicest scope in the world, and as long as you realize that going into it, you'll be ok.

I used a Konus M-30 8.5-32x52 scope. With an EGW HD (aluminum) 0-MOA base. And TPS TSR (aluminum) 30mm Low-height rings.

Here's a pic with it all set up.

 

[cvaught]

What do you know about these? I am hung up on the 26inch barrel

Centerfire Rifle - Model 700 Varmint SF - Remington Centerfire Rifles

 

[Kurt]

best shooting would equal one being built by a good gun smith.

 

[MudRunner2005]

What do you know about these? I am hung up on the 26inch barrel

Centerfire Rifle - Model 700 Varmint SF - Remington Centerfire Rifles

That would be an excellent LR .308 gun...However, if you do go that route, you'll need to chunk that plastic SPS stock in the garbage, and get a B&C Medalist, H.S. Precision, or something of that nature with a full aluminum bedding block in it. For example, a Remington 5R, Sendero, Sendero II, VSSF or VSSF II take-off stock. You can usually pick one up for $300 buck or so, and they all have full aluminum bedding block in them.

The 5R MilSpec (what mine is) comes from the factory sitting in a nice high-end H.S. Precision stock with a full aluminum bedding block in it. Which is mainly where you major price difference comes from, to recoop for the stock cost.

 

[cvaught]

Do you know of a website or someone that has changed the stock? That way I know if it will fit right. Remington parts says it might be snug around the channel...

 

[Greyfox]

+1 on the Rem700 Milspec. I have owned four, three 308, one 300WM. All shoot .25-.5MOA out of the box, or better. Quality has been superb except fr the MarkX trigger on my most recent purchase.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Opening up, or inletting, a barrel channel is not a big deal at all. Just requires some sandpaper, and some guidance. It's something you will want to check any time you replace a stock to make sure your barrel is completely free-floated. If you don't feel comfortable inletting the barrel channel, your smith can do it for you and it shouldn't cost you much at all.

 

[MudRunner2005]

+1 on the Rem700 Milspec. I have owned four, three 308, one 300WM. All shoot .25-.5MOA out of the box, or better. Quality has been superb except fr the MarkX trigger on my most recent purchase.

Yeah, I just got a lead on 2 older pre X-Mark triggers that I will be buying Friday to replace my X-Mark and X-Mark Pro triggers on 2 of my 700's. I hate those X-Mark triggers...

To the OP, if you do end up getting a new 700, you will probably want to replace the factory X-Mark Pro trigger with either an older style pre X-Mark remington trigger, or an aftermarket like a Jewell, Timney, Shilen, or something like that.

 

[cvaught]

Thanks for all the help!