What to use??

[bahabill]

Ok I am an Arizona hunter for last 8 years and haven't hunted anywhere else so curious to your opinion guys.
I am gonna go hunt with my brother in NY catskill mountains on his land. He is lefty and I am a righty (shooting wise not political) and all my guns here are for 200 yard plus and mostly prc calibers . I have an older 308 savage rifle that just sits in my safe already with a 3-12 scope setup . Is that good enough for that or should I use larger caliber like a 300 prc I have setup.
Most guys up there use 30-06 and all of them say I need one for there.
Give me your opinion please guys????

 

[bahabill]

O sorry didn't mention it but the longest shot my brother had to take was less than 100yards!!!!

 

[QuietTexan]

I love the 30-06, and I'm unrepentant about extolling the endless virtues of the Back to Back World War Champ over the Flower Power 308 Winnie. So I would definitely use this as an excuse for a new rifle in the greatest chambering ever made.

Serious talk though, I don't think you'll come across a deer than can tell if a 180gn is going 2000 or 3000 FPS when it hits them. 308 Win, 30-06, 300 PRC, doesn't matter a whit for this, especially with your 100 yard max range. Take the one that you can handle and point fast, feels good to carry, and will look good in the picture when the deer hits the ground.

The 3x minimum power is a huge benefit for your 308. Narrow FOV from too high minimum magnification has been a problem for me much more often than not having enough magnification. I've hunted with a 2-7x out to 300 yards most of my life. But that was with a 30-06, so you might need to dial up a click to help out the Winnie.

 

[dogbuster0006]

308 will be plenty for any deer you'll encounter, 3 power on the low end will be helpful at typical woods ranges.

 

[std7mag]

Another vote for the 308!

It's not about caliber at those ranges.
Took 2 deer the other year here in PA with my 250 Savage shooting a 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.

A light weight, easy to handle rifle with a low power on the scope of 3-4 is the ticket in the woods.

 

[Rick Richard]

308 no doubt.

 

[Recon$$]

.308 is more then plenty for that application.

 

[338 dude]

Ok I am an Arizona hunter for last 8 years and haven't hunted anywhere else so curious to your opinion guys.
I am gonna go hunt with my brother in NY catskill mountains on his land. He is lefty and I am a righty (shooting wise not political) and all my guns here are for 200 yard plus and mostly prc calibers . I have an older 308 savage rifle that just sits in my safe already with a 3-12 scope setup . Is that good enough for that or should I use larger caliber like a 300 prc I have setup.
Most guys up there use 30-06 and all of them say I need one for there.
Give me your opinion please guys????

Stick with you what you got it'll work just fine

 

[entoptics]

Doesn't get much better than 308 for the job you laid out above!

You don't mention what scope you have, but if I was building the "perfect" woods gun for inside a couple hundred yards, I agree with @QuietTexan / @dogbuster0006 about FOV and strongly suggest something with 1X-2X minimum power and an illuminated reticle. Dawn/dusk in the timber can be pretty dark, so having a red reticle is a big help. It can also function as a "red dot" type optic for both eyes open snap shots at closer range.

I'd be looking at an LPVO type optic with 1-6X magnification, or perhaps a 2-8 or 2-10 conventional scope, as long as it has an illuminated reticle and a forgiving eye box.

 

[bahabill]

Ok sounds like the 308 is good!! So what bullet is good for short range . Looking for good expansion and not so much fragmenting … I shoot Hornady match, eldx and a lot of Berger out here but again it's alway 300 plus yards mostly plus lol…

And I am looking for factory ammo recommendations cause I don't wanna do a load work up for it please…

 

[Pdyson]

308s typically kill like poison with any bullet
they shoot well. I handload, but if I didn't I'd grab a box of Remington, hornady, or Federal. Past experience showa they all shoot well. Basically whatever they have in stock between 150 and 200 grains. Sight it
in and go huntin. Deer don't take much killing and 30-Cal will do a number on them.

 

[K.E.C.]

What most have said, 308 is all you need.
And 150 to 185gr is more than enough.
Go get some bullets and practice at 100yds. You don't want your brother and buddies to show you up.
Hope you have a Great time. It's beautiful in that area. Enjoy.

 

[Weaver93]

Ok sounds like the 308 is good!! So what bullet is good for short range . Looking for good expansion and not so much fragmenting … I shoot Hornady match, eldx and a lot of Berger out here but again it's alway 300 plus yards mostly plus lol…

And I am looking for factory ammo recommendations cause I don't wanna do a load work up for it please…

Look at the Hornady Precision Hunter 178gr ELD-X. Mine shoots that factory round really well and I don't feel bad if I loose the brass. You can usually find it around too.

Beautiful area you are headed to!

 

[SSG Graybush]

Ok I am an Arizona hunter for last 8 years and haven't hunted anywhere else so curious to your opinion guys.
I am gonna go hunt with my brother in NY catskill mountains on his land. He is lefty and I am a righty (shooting wise not political) and all my guns here are for 200 yard plus and mostly prc calibers . I have an older 308 savage rifle that just sits in my safe already with a 3-12 scope setup . Is that good enough for that or should I use larger caliber like a 300 prc I have setup.
Most guys up there use 30-06 and all of them say I need one for there.
Give me your opinion please guys????

If it's woods and 150 yards is a long shot then 3x12 variable scope 308 would be perfect. I like illumination especially on a ffp scope in heavy woods.
Need 30-06 Haha, a deer <400 yards ain't gonna know the difference. But if your hunting fields from a blind, making 600+ yard shots use the 300 prc. Right, Right. Now that we've found common ground, let's work on some bigger issues.
For a close range bullet the Hornady 150 gr flat base Interlock #3031. They shot great in two 3006's and a 300 win mag. Very easy to tune and usually shoot great at book coal.