How far can a 308 responsibly take game?

[gohring3006]

Congrats to y'all.
The 308 is plenty capable, Snipers have been using it for years.

Taking some one out of the fight by hitting them at 1000 is different than cleanly taking an animal at 1000. I can take someone out of the fight with a .22 by hitting them in the head-neck region but if I shoot a deer at 100 with a .22 I'm probably going to be disappointed. That being said I would not hesitate to shoot 800 yds on deer with a accurate sub moa .308 shooting 200gr. Or heavier bullets.

 

[mmh]

Correction out of the 716 this load chronographed at 2410 not 2100 as initially posted.

...My load was 43.0 grains of IMR 4064 pushing a Hornady 180 gr. SST w/ a COAL of 2.82". Out of the 716 this load chronographed at 2100 fps...

Also, the velocity was verified via checking bullet drop at 100, 200 & 300 yds. vs. results as predicted by Hornady's ballistic calculator.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

This subject sure has me thinking. I am seriously considering a 26-30" barrel with this puny 308 win. What a concept! A round with long barrel life, low recoil, excellent accuracy AND perhaps lethality out to as far as 800 yds. Amazing.

Its a fine concept indeed.
However id suggest the 215 hyb for its reduced bearing surface.
With the case capacity of the 308 the 215 will start to edge out the 230 @ 1k

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Correction out of the 716 this load chronographed at 2410 not 2100 as initially posted.


Also, the velocity was verified via checking bullet drop at 100, 200 & 300 yds. vs. results as predicted by Hornady's ballistic calculator.

300 yds isnt far enough to accurately predict velocity. I think the rule of thumb is 80% of supersonic distance. Pretty much at the distance your bullets reaches mach 1.2.

 

[RMulhern]

Depends upon the shooter!

 

[ammohouse]

Taking some one out of the fight by hitting them at 1000 is different than cleanly taking an animal at 1000. I can take someone out of the fight with a .22 by hitting them in the head-neck region but if I shoot a deer at 100 with a .22 I'm probably going to be disappointed. That being said I would not hesitate to shoot 800 yds on deer with a accurate sub moa .308 shooting 200gr. Or heavier bullets.

The Snipers I have met weren't trying to hit a person at 1K...they were trying to kill them.
So I stand by my statment, the 308 is plenty capable in the right hands.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The Snipers I have met weren't trying to hit a person at 1K...they were trying to kill them.
So I stand by my statment, the 308 is plenty capable in the right hands.

Well said. I don't know any snipers trying to wound targets. 1 shot, 1 clean kill.

 

[gohring3006]

I never said that a .308 won't kill a person at 1000 I'm saying I'm not going to shoot an elk at 1000 with a .308. Hitting someone with a .308 is going to take them out of the fight whether it kills them or not. Snipers kill with confidence. But hitting an elk at 1000 and watching it run over the next mountain is not my idea of a successful hunt... just my opinion...

 

[jonthomps]

Watch you shot placement, impact velocity and energy. So long as you've got 1000ft/lbs of energy at your elv, your bullet is doing 1600fps, and you can put the bullet in the vital zone I'd take the shot. The 168gr amax's are great in a 308. All this is for deer, elk are a different ball game all together.

 

[mmh]

Watch you shot placement, impact velocity and energy. So long as you've got 1000ft/lbs of energy at your elv, your bullet is doing 1600fps, and you can put the bullet in the vital zone I'd take the shot. The 168gr amax's are great in a 308. All this is for deer, elk are a different ball game all together.

I thought that Amax's were not supposed to be used for hunting? I used SST's because the 180 gr. is ballistically close to a 178 AMAX. We shot antelope at 300 yards, broadshot thru both lungs & the heart. One dropped where it stood, the other ran 30 yards. Relatively small exit wound, but bullet fully penetrated.

 

[sendero72]

The Amax is a great long range bullet. Will fragment as low as 1400 fps. I use it in my 7 mag and 243. I know it works out to 650 yds in the 7mag and 300 yds with the 243. Drops in their tracks.

 

[djtjr]

I've gone to 800 on smaller sized big game quite effectively.

 

[djtjr]

With the 308 in case that wasn't obvious.

 

[zfastmalibu]

As far as you can reliable hit an 8" target. The .308 is really not a 1000 yd round. Mine will make it on some days and others it is too unstable. And the wind moves it so much compared to other rounds. The reason to shoot a big fast magnum is not killing energy, its wind deflection, B.C. and velocity.