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

[Turkeytider]

In those conditions, my self imposed limit would be less than 100yds!

At anything over 100 yds you`d have to hod with the barrel pointed at the next county! I`m all for a challenge but that looks ridiculous. I`d be terrified that I`d cripple an animal, IF I even came close, which would be unlikely in the extreme. Call me a wuss, if I had the time, I`d wait for a better day. Say.......only gale force winds!

 

[Bravo 4]

In those conditions, my self imposed limit would be less than 100yds!

Once you spot the target animal, circle around till you are shooting directly into either a head or tail wind.

 

[44-40]

You'd be hard pressed to find a bigger 308 fan than me, but elk at 600 is really pushing it.

Yep, I tend to agree...I have great fondness for the 308, and am in the process of building an 8th...super light, short barrel.
But I have another specifically for LR with a 30" heavy Palma 8 twist, long action, aluminum chasis using hybrid cases it can run 168 gr 3250 fps, 200 gr over 2900fps, 225 eldm to over 2700 fps.
Lapua cases about 50 to 100 fps less than hybrid cases, with heavy bullets. A 200 gr .715 BC SMK at 2856 Ave in Lapua brass would get the energy and velocity, in a heavy to carry long action, very accurate but 14 lbs....and match bullets are supposedly not recommend but many use them. But you can seriously bump up the performance of the 308 case, if you insist on high performance from it you're gonna have to carry a heavier rifle, long action, and a slim profile 28" with 9 or 8 twist barrel, will be light enough to do the job...I run a 27" 308 for a varmit rifle with a Remington Sendero contour for varmints, easy to carry...or a 6 Dasher not so easy to carry.
But 600 yds on elk, is really pushing the average configured hunting 308 ...I'd just stock a little closer and not worry about it...no reason to take a 600 yd shot, if you can easily walk another 300 yds, and make a fairly easy shot. Many yrs bow hunting makes a lot of LR hunting seem, silly.
When 50 yds is a long shot, most are between 8 and 30 yds.
But I enjoyed LR shooting for 30 yrs, at varmints and targets...but hunters should try to meet the velocity and energy requirements for a fast kill on big game as bullet performance falls off fast as velocity drops off, below 2000 fps. Example you can wrap a egg tightly in plastic wrap and shoot at 1000 yds with 3000 fps muzzle velocity from a 308 it will take 2 or 3 hits and not explode...but just puncture 30 cal holes in the egg, the thin plastic wrap holds it together, and 150 gr Nosler BT still have the green plastic tip intact at 950 yds, just a pristine rifled bullet.

 

[bultinkle]

If a given bullet opens reliably at 1800fps it doesn't care what speed you start it at.

A ballistic calculator will tell you if you're combo can reach your desired range and do it's work

 

[Stokesrjsr]

If a given bullet opens reliably at 1800fps it doesn't care what speed you start it at.

A ballistic calculator will tell you if you're combo can reach your desired range and do it's work

Most will not reliably function at an impact velocity of 1800 fps, even the premium bullets we all love fail to perform reliably below 2000 fps and act like solids. That has been my experience on both game and ballistic gel.

 

[bultinkle]

Most will not reliably function at an impact velocity of 1800 fps, even the premium bullets we all love fail to perform reliably below 2000 fps and act like solids. That has been my experience on both game and ballistic gel.

That's fine, insert the minimum velocity you're comfy with

 

[Stokesrjsr]

A like minded fellow.

 

[bultinkle]

A like minded fellow.

You ever done a tmk at 1800? That's what I'm shooting this year. Last year I shot 215 berger hybrids but I didn't get close to 1800.

Everyone I can find using tmks close to that number is reporting them working

 

[memtb]

Once you spot the target animal, circle around till you are shooting directly into either a head or tail wind.

Preferably a "tailwind"! memtb

 

[JTComfort]

I shot .308 in PRS for two years. Frequently, I was the odd-man-out w/6.5 and 6mm variants taking the cakes. Pinging a target is one thing - terminating a threat or taking game is very different. And, I felt VERY confident w/my dope put to 750 yards and knew that my terminal energy and trajectory could dispatch what I targeted.

I do shoot 2 .30-06s as well because I own legacy rifles in that caliber. A .30-06 took a elk at 65 yards that was a chip shot that a .30-30 could have dropped.

I let go a .300WM because in Eastern VA I can't justify the caliber for over-penetration. I have a .375H&H for fun and the Alaska trip to come - it took a MT mulie 2 yrs ago. One and done.

.308 is 100% what anyone needs in the lower 48… unless you decide you need more… ;-)

And FYI - I shoot 175 Berger OTMs in packaged ammo and reloads w/Varget. Also, I hand-load 165 SMK-BTHP in .30-06.

 

[Bravo 4]

I shot .308 in PRS for two years. Frequently, I was the odd-man-out w/6.5 and 6mm variants taking the cakes. Pinging a target is one thing - terminating a threat or taking game is very different. And, I felt VERY confident w/my dope put to 750 yards and knew that my terminal energy and trajectory could dispatch what I targeted.

I do shoot 2 .30-06s as well because I own legacy rifles in that caliber. A .30-06 took a elk at 65 yards that was a chip shot that a .30-30 could have dropped.

I let go a .300WM because in Eastern VA I can't justify the caliber for over-penetration. I have a .375H&H for fun and the Alaska trip to come - it took a MT mulie 2 yrs ago. One and done.

.308 is 100% what anyone needs in the lower 48… unless you decide you need more… ;-)

And FYI - I shoot 175 Berger OTMs in packaged ammo and reloads w/Varget. Also, I hand-load 165 SMK-BTHP in .30-06.

I feel ya, been running a .308 with factory loaded 175 SMK in my competition rifle for a while. Compared to others on the line it's a ballistic turd.

 

[Bravo 4]

Preferably a "tailwind"!

I was kind of joking…kinda. If it were a true head or tail wind that's relatively easy to shoot in, pretty much no matter the velocity. However if it is a switchy head/tail wind, that can be some of the worst conditions to shoot in.

 

[memtb]

I was kind of joking…kinda. If it were a true head or tail wind that's relatively easy to shoot in, pretty much no matter the velocity. However if it is a switchy head/tail wind, that can be some of the worst conditions to shoot in.

I wuz think'n that @ 600 …..the .308 Win. could use a little help! memtb

 

[Turkeytider]

I was kind of joking…kinda. If it were a true head or tail wind that's relatively easy to shoot in, pretty much no matter the velocity. However if it is a switchy head/tail wind, that can be some of the worst conditions to shoot in.

No, with that wind and at any distance at all, doing what you suggest might be one`s only chance!