Which and why? .270WSM .300WSM .338 Federal/Lapua

[OCHO505]

First answer a few questions? What does ethical hunting mean? I was in the military and some days shot so many 308 rounds that I was sick of shooting and later competitively shot larger calibers. I studied the anatomy, practiced for months, and perfected one rifle with one type of round, I had all my ballistic tables with me. so I could make that one perfect shot. I stated that I don't think that semi autos are accurate at 500 yards with 16 inch barrels.

I don't hunt game animals with semi-autos. high volume shooting. Pigs and Varmints is what they are good for.

About 30 years ago I went deer hunting with a co-worker. I didn't know that he was a spray and pray man with a browning 7 mag. semi. It was so disgusting what he did to a deer with 5 hits out of 8 fired from under 200 yards. The deer was balling gut shot and missing a front leg at the knee and still trying to get away. You might as well have thrown it in a garbage can because nothing was left with blown up intestines. I went over and shot it in the head to stop the balling. I was so F-ing ****ed that he was lucky to make it home that day. I never talked to him again

I have custom built 300 WSM AR 10 killed over 20 animals with it. Last 2 years it has killed 6 Oryx which IMO no other animal in the US will take a bullet like this animal. If you buddy shot a crappy AR or shot like crap that's on him. Don't lump all the AR's in one category when there are plenty of them can do as well as bolt guns. No everyone is Half MOA but all mine are MOA minimum but they are custom. Either way, its more than capable of hunting on the regular.

 

[OCHO505]

Yes, high quality AR-10's can do pretty good. I have two 24 inch match rifles with target 11 degree SS fluted that have 11 degree target crowns on the ends of the barrels. 8X32 with 60 mm objectives. I use them for long range PD and Pig hunting.

One problem with 308's is low velocity down range. do some chrono time and then feed the numbers with the bullet BC, your altitude and temp..... If I launch a 168gr ELDX @ 2800 fps. it goes under the magic 2000 fps right over 400 yards. That is the bottom end of the expansion FPS.

The poster originally said 16 inch barrel which makes even magnums iffy at 500

I do agree the barrel is big. You can get an BSF Barrel 24" under 2#'s and the Uppers for the AR 10 I have are under 5.5#'s most guns I have are 10# with a scope and empty 10 round mag. I checked...

 

[OCHO505]

Here is a few for example. All shot over 300 yards. First is the wife she shot her bull 450, stoned him pretty much and broke both legs. 190 ABLR - one shot did it. Daughter 360 one shot did it hit in neck, LOL - she's still learning. Mine was 350 2 shots never went over 30 yards. All same bullet and I have had great success with my AR10 300 WSM.

I am looking to build a nice bolt gun too and have nothing but good to say about both. I don't know max range efficiency of the gun but so far to 500 this gun shines. I likely will never shoot an animal further honestly. I am really a bowhunter so there has been so much to learn!

 

[iclick]

I shoot several AR 10's 243, 308, 300wsm and a 338 federal. All shoot exceptional. I made the 300wsm and used a 24" polygonal rifled barrel. It shoots ragged edge 1 hole groups at 200 yards every time. I also have the same calibers in bolt actions that I have built. I find that the AR's will shoot as good as the bolts. The 338's are great for elk out to 350 yards. The rifle in my avatar is the 300wsm and when I shot that Bull it took about 2 steps so I shot it again. When we skinned the animal it had 1 entrance hole and 2 exit holes as the angle had changed a bit. The range was 192 yards. Took a cow last month with the 338 Federal and it dropped where it stood. Range was 207 yards.