Rem280
AH enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2023
- Messages
- 488
- Reaction score
- 1,369
- Location
- Northeast Florida
- Media
- 41
- Hunted
- USA, Canada, Cameroon & South Africa
We can all hate the Creedmor together.I've been thinking of posting here more, instead of just reading and commenting from time to time. Seems selfish to just hang in the shadows. So here's a post about my change in thinking and a new project.
I used to hate the 308. Not for any good reason really, just emotional. I disliked it like @Bob Nelson 35Whelen hates the .243. When I was a kid, all my reading material was books checked out from the library or purchased at the "friends of the library" sale. Needless to say, in both cases any books I could find on hunting were old. Those old books taught me about the classic safari cartridges, among those was the 30-06. Robert Ruark, Jack O'Connor, Hemmingway, myriads of others carried an 06. The only thing I knew about the .308 was that it was newer, was developed in part for NATO as the 7.62, and the only person I knew who liked it was an old Vietnam War vet at my local gun shop who said it was all he would ever shoot. I thought of it as a "Fudd" cartridge for people that just blasted away at anything and everything.
Fast forward 30 years and to my first trip to Africa in March. Africa taught me to "unlearn" what I knew about precision. It taught me that its OK to squeeze the trigger when the reticle is moving around some, that 1/2" MOA is not necessary, that its OK to remove a scope to use irons and then put the scope back and trust it to be back to good hunting accuracy, and mainly not to let perfect be the enemy of good. It taught me the value of a working rifle that can adapt to the shooters needs and be a useful tool all year, not just in season.
Modern precision rifles are nice. They are light, suppressor ready, accessory ready, and accurate. But I started thinking of a way I could marry my old precision mindset to my new Africa mindset. I wanted a classic rifle that I could also run with a bipod or tripod, that I could suppress when I wanted and not suppress when I didn't. that I could set up with a red dot for fast predator control and as a truck gun all year, but also scope during hunts. It needed to be something that was reasonably good in a short barrel, not just to maintain decent velocity but mostly so that I didn't blow my eardrums out shooting it bare. It also needed to be a cartridge that I could find easily in Africa. I almost lost my ammo on my first trip, so I went from not really thinking that was a real issue to realizing that it WAS a real issue for traveling hunters.
I ran across a good deal on an M70 featherweight in .308. With my new criteria and mindset, I realized why it's so popular. I had a gunsmith cut the barrel down to get good threads and shoulder with my suppressor. No instruction on length, just needed to be in the meat of the barrel for a good attachment. I think he ended up just under 17" to make that happen with the thin barrel profile. He cerakoted the barrel and action, not because I asked for it but because he damaged the bluing while working on it. Fine with me. I filed a flat spot and attached a short pic rail to the underside. I had a Warne rail that happened to fit, had a red dot I don't use (not a fan on a pistol it turns out) and an Accupoint scope with no home. I purchased some low quick release rings and a cheap Chinese made thread protector.
Today was the first time really shooting it. I shot it bare, suppressed, with red dot, with scope. It's a 1" gun with both 168 ELDM Hornady Black ammo, as well as Swift A-Frame 165s, both factory loaded. It even shoots both to the exact point of impact at 100 yards.
I can't wait to hunt it this season. I might take it with me in September for baboon with @Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS.
I may not be an old dog, but I am learning some new tricks and it's been fun. I can finally appreciate the .308 for what it is. Who cares what the case stamp says? All that matters is the bullet. How is it built, how fast is it going, and what I expect to do with it. View attachment 779456View attachment 779458View attachment 779459
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