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

I chambered a 308 from an Obermeyer blank for my M1A hunting rig using the same classic hunter. Mount is a Navy design, front ring sandwiched between barrel shoulder and receiver. NXS 2.5x10 scope, sound moderator is a legacy Surefire FA762SS.

2000MR works very well in a M1A. The lead guy on the powder development used his Supermatch to test the powder pushing the old tried and true 168 SMKs.

Target is a cold bore shot at 200 on a SR target.

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How does it work at 600?
The rifle is a solid shooter, but will never do another barrel from a 1.25 blank. PITA on manual machines

Last month we took it to the range with steel from 200 to 600, cold bore shots after resting and cooling period. Using the NPR2 hold over I had cold bore hits at every range plate shooting late production issue LR ammo The Obermeyer barrels shoot. The scope mount is probably the most solid of all the M1a mounts I tested. I've owned just about every offering out there. IThe M1A is bedded and have all the stuff done for NM shooting.

FYI, the plates are not exactly in the advertised ranges. Used my Geovid to range them and held approximately from 200 zero.

Here is picture floating around in the errornet the Navy guys shooting their SSR rig with SSR scope mount.
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Nice to see you got them off Gator beach to do some work Hahahahaa !!

look like very nice pieces.

I'm sure they will work on anything beyond 600 as well.
 
I have been partial to shorter barrels. 20 inches is the longest I own. Besides velocity, what am i giving up on the 3 in the 17-18.5 inch range?

Set it up right and shoot the heaviest bullet it will shoot.

My 20" 308 is doing 2493 FPS with a 215 Berger.
At 625 yards is going 1811 FPS/1567 Ft lbs and most important in 10 MPH wind it drifts 3.5 MOA.

The next barrel will be a little longer for the same set up and may just sell everything else.

Besides they're so sexy...

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Yeah man absolutely! With the right bullet. 308's a great performer at those intermediate ranges. And at those ranges IMO you could even stand to sacrifice a little bit of BC in favor of a lighter bullet that punches above its weight class teminally like the Hammer hunters, Cayugas ; Bulldozers, and Barnes. Don't even think yus be giving much up BC wise with the BD2's
 
I have shot five black bears with a .308 and definitely got the job done. When it comes to brown and grizzlies, I prefer a .338 WM.

As for 600 yards, it really becomes a challenge in the wind. I don't have any .308s in CO right now, but my favorite 500 yard gong rifle is a .308. However, in gusty winds (seem to have them much more in CO than AZ), a 28N, 300 RUM, or a big .338 makes it almost a no brainer - yesterday I shot at my 509 yard gong in 15 mph winds - with a RUM I held 2 MOA into the wind and hit 3" from center - a .308 would have required about 5.
 
Shot placement is everything a 22 cal. would work, again shot placement. However a quartering away elk or big muley from rearward going forward or any position of a grizz. would definitely want more power. Anything pushing 180 gr. at 2800+ MV would cover everything 600 yds and closer.
 
IMHO, yes. With the right bullet choice(s). I have taken many animals in Alaska with my 308s. I've taken mature arctic bull moose which are much larger on average than moose further south. I dropped another mature bull at 440 in the Mat-Su valley. Taken black bear, caribou, a pile of dall sheep and black tails. Longest shot was 763 on a dall. One shot. Wolves too. I've taken coues white tails and mule deer with the 308 as well. For me, I can shoot a lot more with the 308 due to long barrel life. You can really get proficient with it without the barrel changing every 50 rounds like some other barrel burner magnums. I have loads that match the energy of my 6.5PRC at the muzzle out to 300 yards. Of course, my PRC blows it away as the distance increases but out to 300, I prefer my 308. At 600 yards, I'm only giving up 120 pounds of energy to my 6.5PRC. Windage is different but from a terminal ballistics standpoint, it holds it's own. Look to 190-210 grain pills for the best 600 yard values in energy and windage. Also, with the heavier bullets, slower powders are best. H4350, RL17, VV-N540-550 all work well. I get 2650+ with 200 grain pills under H4350 in 26" barrels. 550 is another great choice for 200+
 
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