Can 308 do everything you need a rifle to do under 600 yards?

[GLTaylor]

All of these posts about distance are very pleasing. I live on a farm and shoot to 400 in my "back yard". I shoot off my bench to work up loads. Shoot off of crossed sticks to practice, cause thats how I hunt. Getting old, don't climb into stands any more.
Even when I shot benchrest mastery of reading wind eluded me.
All of my rifles are 0.5" guns at 100yds or better. 0.5 moa at 400. 400 is my self imposed limit - and then only with little breeze. Here in the East there is usually very little wind early and late when I hunt. I want to be 100% sure of a single killing shot, every time.
I admire those that can make the long shots. I'm just not one of them
400 is plenty far for me

 

[bamban]

There used to be a member in the M14 Forum who regularly hunted and killed Polar bears with his M1A. He is a native Inuit.

 

[MooseChaos]

Where I hunt I've thick pine forest with logging roads cut thru it. Ranges can go from 10' to 1500 yards but the wind is a constant variable. I limit to 300 because of that and rarely go past 150. In the past few years I concentrate on neck shots because I hate tracking in thickets. Rarely will a deer go more than 30" - from standing to the ground. I prefer 6.5x55 handloads or Nosler 120 loaded ammo. Both shoot moa or less from the bench w handloads the more accurate from my Tikka T3.

 

[ButterBean]

Where I hunt I've thick pine forest with logging roads cut thru it. Ranges can go from 10' to 1500 yards but the wind is a constant variable. I limit to 300 because of that and rarely go past 150. In the past few years I concentrate on neck shots because I hate tracking in thickets. Rarely will a deer go more than 30" - from standing to the ground. I prefer 6.5x55 handloads or Nosler 120 loaded ammo. Both shoot moa or less from the bench w handloads the more accurate from my Tikka T3.

No offense but what does that have to do with the Op's question?

 

[tndeputy]

Have really enjoyed this post and the 308 win will do what you want choose good bullets and practice.Me and my brother both use 308s for hunting as well as the old 270 win

 

[TimberWalker]

Just curious as to what would be your first choice?

For my personal comfort level when we're talking largest NA game, 300 WM and up.

 

[timl]

Tag

 

[308plinkerVT]

With everything from accelerator sabots to solids out there it's all about choice, knowledge and practice, IMO.

 

[Bravo 4]

Would I consider it a 600 yard hunt all cartridge (at least all I plan on hunting, which means up to elk)...sure, but not in just any rifle. The cartridge is just part of your system. I wouldn't take my 18" 1-12twist shooting 175grain bullets at 2600fps out with the intent/possibly of shooting elk out to 600 yards. However a 24-26" faster twist barreled .308 sending 215 Bergers at 2600 is a different animal.

 

[ButterBean]

Would I consider it a 600 yard hunt all cartridge (at least all I plan on hunting, which means up to elk)...sure, but not in just any rifle. The cartridge is just part of your system. I wouldn't take my 18" 1-12twist shooting 175grain bullets at 2600fps out with the intent/possibly of shooting elk out to 600 yards. However a 24-26" faster twist barreled .308 sending 215 Bergers at 2600 is a different animal.

Well that's your opinion and your entitled to it but folks have been killing Elk with a 10 twist 308 to and past 600 yards long before Berger was a bullet manufacturer

 

[Canhunter35]

Well that's your opinion and your entitled to it but folks have been killing Elk with a 10 twist 308 to and past 600 yards long before Berger was a bullet manufacturer

Until commercial rangefinders became widely available, no ppl haven't been dropping elk at 600yards plus. I'm pretty sure Berger bullets predate commercial rangefinder which started to really show up in the 90s, and those old models had trouble consistently bouncing 600plus yards in hunting conditions. A 10 twist is a fast twist 308, that'll easily stabilize a 215gr. I'm not saying a 308 won't kill an elk at 600, but 30years it was not commonplace and would've been a small group of shooters actually shooting elk that far with 308s. It's still a small group of shooters that'll take an elk 600plus yards. I shot a cow elk at 590yds last fall with a 2.5mil wind hold with my 7rem mag and 180hybrids, that's a major wind hold with a 308 and standard 175grain hunting bullet. There's theory then there's rubber meets the road in hunting

 

[okie man]

If you can't put the bullet in the vitals of any big game animal in America with a 308win at 600 yards no other caliber will make you a better shot. Period. Skills are honed, not bought!

 

[Coldfinger]

Greetings Gents,

I am a hunter first and foremost. A few years back I decided to reduce the number of calibers I shoot and reload for. I settled on a 308 as my "do everything" high power cartridge and currently have 5 rifles chambered in 308.

My question is if I know that I will never take a shot longer than 600 yards at game. Will 308 do it all? All species?

Is there anyone else that has done similar/ I would like to hear about your experiences. Post photos too.

Im trying to talk myself out of buying a 300 WSM or 30-06.

Bluejay

I've got .308's, 30-06, 300WSM and 300 Win mag. The 308 will do anything that the big boys will do out to 600 yards and beyond. If it's your only rifle I'm sure with proper shot placement it would work around the world caliber restrictions allowing. If you ask 100 people you'll get 100 different answers. Remember the 308 is far superior to the primitive guns used by our founding hunters.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Well that's your opinion and your entitled to it but folks have been killing Elk with a 10 twist 308 to and past 600 yards long before Berger was a bullet manufacturer

Yep 10 twist with 185s in a 308 Win plain works on Big critters. Like the old saying goes, beware of the man with just one rifle. It applies in this scenario.