wa_coyote_hunter
Member
Is the 308 a good long range hunting rifle?? Iam looking for a deer and maybe elk caliber that is good for 500 to 700 yards?? And something I can buy lots of ammo for chaeply for just long range out to 1000 yard targets.
308 for hunting??
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ishootkittens
Well-Known Member
Of course.. but you will definately have to reload. I dont think you will get to 1000 yards with factory ammo. I have seen weirder things.. but I honestly think ANYONE who wants to go 1000 yards will HAVE to reload their ammo and not just buy a buncha factory fodder on the shelves.
500-700 deer..OKAY..
But I will tell you now.. you have just started a **** storm. Alot of people will tell you that the .308 is just fine for elk at that range.. but me.. I dont know if I agree with that. I just dont think a .308win is enough to drop an elk at those ranges. LIke I said.. Ive seen weirder things.
500-700 deer..OKAY..
But I will tell you now.. you have just started a **** storm. Alot of people will tell you that the .308 is just fine for elk at that range.. but me.. I dont know if I agree with that. I just dont think a .308win is enough to drop an elk at those ranges. LIke I said.. Ive seen weirder things.
NomadPilot
Well-Known Member
It'll certainly work for targets at 1000, even with factory ammo. Assuming of course the rifle and shooter are up to the task.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15qj032UJ1I]18" Barrel to 1000 yards - YouTube[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15qj032UJ1I]18" Barrel to 1000 yards - YouTube[/ame]
ishootkittens
Well-Known Member
If you have a Ga precision custom rifle... then sure it will work with factory ammo..(apparently) but most of us cant shell out that kinda doe! Im guessing since he wants to buy ammo CHEAP then he doesnt have the kinda money to bust on a 4000 dollar rifle.
liltank
Well-Known Member
Here's in difinetive skinny on the .308. As a target caliber to 1000... absolutely. As a hunter... no. To 850-875yd for deer... absolutely with proper bullets and hand loads. Most factory ammo is not loaded well enough to produce the velocity and trajectory necessary for kills at those distances on deer size game. I currently load Nosler ballistic tips to 2790fps. With there low velocity opening speed (1400-1500fps) will allow for distances that far. I 180 grain CT/Ballistic Tip bullet or the the 200grn Sierra Game King and 208grn A-max bullets will work also. For elk you will want to use 165 to 200 grain bullet, but you should limit your distance to about 600yds.
Through the history of target competition the .308 with 155grn match-190grn match bullets dominated for years. I firmly believe with the proper loading and even the proper match grade ammo, even a factory rifle will perform to 1000yds.
Tank
Through the history of target competition the .308 with 155grn match-190grn match bullets dominated for years. I firmly believe with the proper loading and even the proper match grade ammo, even a factory rifle will perform to 1000yds.
Tank
D.ID
Well-Known Member
In my honest opinion............ I would think you should be good to go with a good 308 to whatever range you can make the hit ON DEAR............for elk beyond 4-500 I would want some thing with more thump.......The 308 is a great cartridge for learning, target shooting and dear. There is no cheap bulk ammo for long range elk. That is an expensive game best suited to the big 30s and 338s. Any thing can be done but for elk I would want more gun. Remember the farther out he is when you shoot the harder and longer it is to get over there and start tracking him. You want to be able to put him down hard and fast...................................Duke
Michael Eichele
Well-Known Member
The 308 is my favorate caliber and would love to tell you that the 308 is great for elk at 700 yards. I cant do that. I would never say it is a bad round for elk at 700 either but is not optimum.
Factory loads can get you to 1K. Not many of them but some. The Federal Gold Medal Match in both 155 and 175 will get you there easily. You will find your factory hunting rounds much more difficult to do that with.
For LR elk I would steer you to the 200 grain Sierra Game King. It will expand at 700 yards where alot of bullets at 308 speeds wont. It also will have enough energy to get the job done. It will take 6000-7000 feet of elevation to get a Barnes 175 LRX to open. Fortunately, thats where elk live. If all I had was a 308 in elk country, I would not hesitate to use it at 700 as long as I had the right load.
Coyotes, just about anything will work from 155 AMAX's to the 208 AMAX, SMK's, VLD's etc.....
Hope that helps!
Factory loads can get you to 1K. Not many of them but some. The Federal Gold Medal Match in both 155 and 175 will get you there easily. You will find your factory hunting rounds much more difficult to do that with.
For LR elk I would steer you to the 200 grain Sierra Game King. It will expand at 700 yards where alot of bullets at 308 speeds wont. It also will have enough energy to get the job done. It will take 6000-7000 feet of elevation to get a Barnes 175 LRX to open. Fortunately, thats where elk live. If all I had was a 308 in elk country, I would not hesitate to use it at 700 as long as I had the right load.
Coyotes, just about anything will work from 155 AMAX's to the 208 AMAX, SMK's, VLD's etc.....
Hope that helps!
i took an elk at 250y with an AR-10 last year and was successful. My brother-in-law is a butcher and cut it up for me. said the bullet did a perfect job but at a little further off (4-500y) it might have gone different. i shot a 185 berger vld at 2400fps and hit the shoulder aria.i missed the bone but it wasn't the best shot. when using a smaller or slower cartridge shot placement becomes very critical. for an elk i would consider stepping up to a mag or larger caliber for the longer shots.
I shot an antelope @440 with 168g amax and it dropped like a bag of hammers. After I put my back pack on and headed for my speed goat, I looked up and she was standing there looking at me.(What?) The grass was kinda tall and I wasnt sure that was the one I just shot. So as I headed her direction, (west) she headed south walking. (I could see her the whole time). When I got there I saw blood and no goat. So I lasered her @502 adjusted my scope my scope and sent another one. This time she was dead, but the amax did not perform like I expected. Both shots were high rear shoulder. If I was gonna use the 308 again it would def not be with a target bullet. I would atleast use a nbt or accubond.
joe0121
Well-Known Member
Buy a 30-06 or 300 WM, 190 gr match king, 208GR Amax or 210GR berger VLD's on top of the brass of your choice with a heavy dose of h1000 and CCI Br2 Primers. Load em as long as you can to fit the mags. You can thank me later.
bowhunthard88
Well-Known Member
.308 is an awesome caliber, I own 2, but I really wouldn't recommend for elk past 200 yds. or so... For deer it's great, but you want a little more punch for bigger game.
Accuracy wise, I personally would handload, although Federal and Black Hills make good ammo, they may not be the cheapest. Using Hornady 168gr. A-MAXes, it costs me about $0.40 per round to handload.
Accuracy wise, I personally would handload, although Federal and Black Hills make good ammo, they may not be the cheapest. Using Hornady 168gr. A-MAXes, it costs me about $0.40 per round to handload.
I am maybe a little more conservative. I think with that slow of a 308 round your shots
need to be placed really well. 350 On elk and 600 on deer would be my limits. An elk
can travel 8 feet with one step, it wouldn't be a stretch to have one move while that thing
is waddling its way along to 500 or 600 yards and only getting there with 1100 ft lbs is
really on the edge.
need to be placed really well. 350 On elk and 600 on deer would be my limits. An elk
can travel 8 feet with one step, it wouldn't be a stretch to have one move while that thing
is waddling its way along to 500 or 600 yards and only getting there with 1100 ft lbs is
really on the edge.
liltank
Well-Known Member
If we are going to look at foot pounds, than here are my numbers for elk:
2724fps 168 NBT BC .490 .308 Win
440yds 2000fps 1492 ft. lbs. of energy
2653fps Hornady 178BTHP .530 BC .308 Win
495yds 1944fps 1494 ft. lbs. of energy
2750fps Nosler CC 175's .505 BC .308 Win
500yds 1961fps 1495 ft. lbs. of energy
So with those 3 loads you can clearly see that it will dispatch Elk at 500yds depending what bullet you use.
Should you go the Berger 185 Hybrid, you are looking at 520yds at a muzzle velocity of 2650 which is very achievable. So take your pick. You can add another 300 yards for deer.
Tank
2724fps 168 NBT BC .490 .308 Win
440yds 2000fps 1492 ft. lbs. of energy
2653fps Hornady 178BTHP .530 BC .308 Win
495yds 1944fps 1494 ft. lbs. of energy
2750fps Nosler CC 175's .505 BC .308 Win
500yds 1961fps 1495 ft. lbs. of energy
So with those 3 loads you can clearly see that it will dispatch Elk at 500yds depending what bullet you use.
Should you go the Berger 185 Hybrid, you are looking at 520yds at a muzzle velocity of 2650 which is very achievable. So take your pick. You can add another 300 yards for deer.
Tank
