What Have You Killed with Your .308 Winchester?

[hawkeyesatx]

I recently sighted in my Ruger American Rifle, and it’s in .308.
I’ve been wondering exactly what can I hunt with this round?
I have a tack driver of a rifle. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the 8 round group all within an inch.
When hand loaded, can I expect to not get the same level of velocity and and accuracy?
What kind of game has everyone used it on to hunt?

Hawk

 

[Jim Golden]

I once dropped two white tail deer in two seconds with a Springfield M1A, using 168 gr Hornady SST's. Boom - Boom. Meat for the freezer I always wanted an M-14...this is as close as I got.... It's surprisingly accurate.

 

[TXhunter65]

Eland
Sable
Kudu
Waterbuck
Black wildebeest
Lechwe
Burchells zebra
Tessebe
Nyala
Fallow deer
Common reedbuck
2 Bushbuck
Impala
Kalahari springbok
Common springbok
2 Warthogs
Vaal rhebuck
Mountian reedbuck
Grey duiker
Steenbuck
Procupine

 

[Andrew62]

I take my .308 to Africa often and it performs wonderfully well. This past year I took 3 blue wildebeests and 5 zebras, 4 of the zebras actually spun around and were DRT. The other one ran about 200 yards. The .308 with good bullets is a great round for Africa. On my last hunt I was using Black Butterfly ammo loaded with Terminate-Trex 168 grain bullets.

 

[Ravensview]

Whitetail deer, black bear, porcupine, coyote, and a red squirrel that screwed up a long stalk on a whitetail

 

[robtattoo]

Not a G/D thing in 14 years. So I sold them all.
Seriously.

Truth be told, each & every time I head out to hunt I find myself reaching for either my 6.5x55 or .358 instead.
Lately, that's more likely to be .223 or 9.3x62

To me, the .308 has always been the 'lights-off-missionary-position' of rifles. Yeah, it gets the job done, but it's not a lot of fun.

 

[mdwest]

Far more than I can count… it’s my primary caliber for almost all big game… NA and Africa…

 

[poco]

.308 is equal to a 30-06 @ 250 yards with proper ammunition, it kinda falls off + 250 yards, but it will handle most elk size game

 

[Northern Shooter]

White tail and Bull Moose.

 

[CBH Australia]

I've shot a Fallow Buck and numerous feral pigs in Australia. I've shot goats, foxes and a Dingo.
It's a popular round in Australia making it readily available. I say it's common as muck because I feel some other cartridges have a more prestigious reputation but the .308 is still out there doing it everyday.
It has been used by professional Buffalo hunters in the day taking meat for export with head shots from vehicles.
Ive owned three .308 hunting rifles and intend to keep the current one even if I have other hunting rifles at times. It just works.

 

[Ragman]

Coyotes
Whitetails
Mule Deer
Black Bears
Elk
Moose

Never once in my life have I felt under gunned with the .308 Win. One of the very best hunters that I know hunt bears with a 35 Rem. For all else he uses a .308 and he shoots an elk and a moose every year.

 

[mark-hunter]

Foxes, Roe bucks, and European wild boars.
Never took it to Africa.

 

[perttime]

It is one of the most common calibers for Moose in my corner of the world. Distances are typically short.

 

[Jon R15]

2 Mule Deer
1 Nyala
2 Impala
1 Warthog
2 Zebra
1 Bushbuck
1 truck load +/- of prairie dogs

I have shot thousands of rounds of 308 from numerous rifles on targets, varmints, and some medium/big game. I have always been happy with the results, and never felt under-gunned in any hunting situation at reasonable distance. Target shooting at 1000+ yards inspires confidence and is fun. All of the game animials were harvested using 168gr Barnes TTSX bullets and I shoot 168gr MatchKings at steel, paper and varmints.

 

[CBH Australia]

Foxes, Roe bucks, and European wild boars.
Never took it to Africa.

I'm sure it's used in Africa but it just doesn't seem like a classic cartridge for Africa.
Young Townsend Nelson-Whelen used his .308 in Namibia with great success.I don't think he posts here but Bob can fill us in.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I'm a one hit wonder: a single Sitka blacktail buck. Ammo was handloads with 160 grain Hornady FTX bullets. My daughter has an 8.5' brown bear and some caribou with hers. (handloads with 150 grain Partitions)

 

[Nkawu]

I have used a 308 loads growing up in South Africa.
Blue Wildebeest
Impala
Warthog
Nyala
Fallow deer (uk)
I use 168 grain peregrines.

 

[Sika98k]

A variety of beasts. Oryx, warthog, sika, wild boar, Red Hartebeest. All with Winchester 180gr Silvertips IIRC.

 

[R eight]

I once dropped two white tail deer in two seconds with a Springfield M1A, using 168 gr Hornady SST's. Boom - Boom. Meat for the freezer I always wanted an M-14...this is as close as I got.... It's surprisingly accurate.

I’ve owned both M1A’s and M14’s. Shot rabbits up to scrub bulls. They were both accurate and reliable.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

Anyone else have experience with a Ruger American Rifle in .308?

I went to do final sight in with the scope, and I was dumbfounded to see 8 shots into an inch give or take a hair less or more.

I had used the regular Silver/Gray Winchester Power Point rounds. Just because it’s plentiful and fairly inexpensive.

My mouth dropped when I saw this group!

What’s the biggest animal in Africa you have taken on with the round?
How did it perform?

Here, I’ve seen guys go after elk with it, granted it’s been within 250 yds, and the majority have only moved a few yards, if not being dropped DRT.

But it might be a different story in Africa, where the fauna seem to be more stout.


Hawk