I used to really hate the .308

Nothing wrong with the .308, but I've always been a .30/06 fan (my first centerfire rifle was a .30/06, that I got for Christmas when I was 12 (because that's what I wanted)).


I have only one .308 hunting rifle (A Ruger American), and it is my "truck gun."

The .308 Winchester is a great cartridge, no doubt.


I've just always leaned towards a .30/06...

Doug Hamilton said:

Your post brought back memories. I had an uncle and then cousin that killed many blacktail bucks at the deer camp in Northern California with a Matel 88 in .308. Worked pretty well for them.

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Matel? No it's Model 88. As in Winchester 88. I hate auto correct!

For me, the .308 has been a wonderful parent cartridge for many other cartridges that I really like:

.7mm-08
.260 Remington





.243 Winchester, not so much...

Doug Hamilton said:

Matel? No it's Model 88. As in Winchester 88. I hate auto correct!

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All good, I knew what you meant
I’m learning to like this one. I have to say, it’s a sweet handling little rifle.

Doug Hamilton said:

Matel? No it's Model 88. As in Winchester 88. I hate auto correct!

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Didn’t know Barbie made rifles!

Rifleman97 said:

Didn’t know Barbie made rifles!

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Ken doesn’t just do beach.

Safari Dave said:

For me, the .308 has been a wonderful parent cartridge for many other cartridges that I really like:

.7mm-08
.260 Remington





.243 Winchester, not so much...

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Did you add the .243 comment to make Bob happy? ;-D.

Rifleman97 said:

Didn’t know Barbie made rifles!

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Isn't that the company that makes all those plastic stocks? "Yeah Kids! Now you can have your own 'high tech' deer rifle with Matel's new stock!"
I think Ken might have one.

Not really, I have just had sub-par results with a .243...

However, my nemesis son, has slayed everything he has ever aimed his at with a 1-shot DRT kill.

Safari Dave said:

Not really, I have just had sub-par results with a .243...

However, my nemesis son, has slayed everything he has ever aimed his at with a 1-shot DRT kill.

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I would have added it just to get a laugh out of Bob.

Doug Hamilton said:

I would have added it just to get a laugh out of Bob.

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Well, in that case, a .243 Winchester is probably more lethal than a .35 Whelen, despite it's shortcomings...

There are several very good reasons why the .308 was designated as a standard military sniper round in the mid 60's...and has remained in the fold for 60+ years.
Those who disparaged or disregarded it, could have done so for reasons best understood only by themselves...after having pooh-poohed all readily accessible ballistic data, and performance reports.
I have owned many accurate rifles of nearly every imaginable caliber through the decades. Most would be considered very accurate by all except the most anal, discerning long range enthusiast.
One in particular stands out for reasons both pro...and con.
It was a Remington model 700 mil spec 5R...24" large countour (full bull) SS barrel...mated to a printed SS action...and chambered for 308 Win.
I've had several rifles that probably matched it for both accuracy and consistency... but never one that bested it.
The con?
I needed a bearer to pack it for me.
Topped with a Leupold Mark lV LRT I'm certain it outweighed my 465 Hollis double.
Misery does not begin to accurately describe carrying it, particularly when (as a former young "tough guy") I determined it to be my perfect high Rocky "Mountain" Elk rifle.

Safari Dave said:

Well, in that case, a .243 Winchester is probably more lethal than a .35 Whelen, despite it's shortcomings...

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Oooph!

Never was a .308 Winchester fan myself. My 13 year old son wanted to build an AR10 in 308 to use on bears. Where I hunt, both species are available and legal (black and grizzly). So for Christmas, I bought him all of the parts required to build an AR10. Once he finished the rifle, I sat him in front of the reloader and he whipped out some ammunition.
This whole time, I am thinking about black bear and if a Grizzly comes in he could do a magazine dump.
Fast forward to June, and I put him up in a tree stand. Sure enough, griz comes in.

Bottom line, he caused me to have a paradigm shift. That kid harvested a Toklat Griz, at 15 yards, one shot one kill.
Here he I s with his bear.

I always used .308 for deer and never had an issue. I actually love that caliber. I started off with a cz 550 in .308 and then got a Howa walnut sporter in .308 took several deer with it. Both had moderators on them. Howa shot touching clover leaf at 100 yards with factory federal power shok. When i moved to the states from the uk I sold the howa and got a 1980 Winchester mod 70 XTR featherweight in .308 again shoots sub moa at 100 with federal factory ammo. This one is a keeper and keeping it as it is. Unthreaded.

I’ve always had a warm spot for the 308. I bought a plain synthetic stocked M700 ADL in 308, removed the sights, plugged the holes, and mounted a Leupold 2.5-8x36 on it. It’s not fancy, but it’s a killer. My handload using 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tips at 2800 fps has proven to be quite deadly on deer, pigs, and countless coyotes. It’s my “kick around” rifle.

My first rifle was a Savage .308. It was a lot of fun first learning to shoot centerfire rifles, but I stepped up to .300WM in short order and thought that was the medicine for everything non DG in North America. I've since used other smaller calibers for NA western game species to great affect, but never the .308. On a trip to SA last year I was asked to leave my .375 in the case (ranch owner request I believe) in favor of my PH's .308 with 180 grain Sellier and Bellot SPCE bullets. I took a quartering to Zebra through the shoulder, and a broadside Sable on the shoulder, both under 100 yards with terminal effects. Zebra went less than 50 yards, with no exit. Sable a bit farther. I was skeptical of both the .308 and the bullet, but trusted my PH and was pleasantly surprised. Now I'm acquiring parts to build a .308 for my daughter when she's ready to step up in calibers.

teklanika_ray said:

Never was a .308 Winchester fan myself. My 13 year old son wanted to build an AR10 in 308 to use on bears. Where I hunt, both species are available and legal (black and grizzly). So for Christmas, I bought him all of the parts required to build an AR10. Once he finished the rifle, I sat him in front of the reloader and he whipped out some ammunition.
This whole time, I am thinking about black bear and if a Grizzly comes in he could do a magazine dump.
Fast forward to June, and I put him up in a tree stand. Sure enough, griz comes in.

Bottom line, he caused me to have a paradigm shift. That kid harvested a Toklat Griz, at 15 yards, one shot one kill.
Here he I s with his bear.
View attachment 779931

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By the way, his bear looked small in that picture because it fell in a large hole. Here it is with a lift we use to get it out of the boat.notice the 4-wheeler is totally off the ground.