What is so hot about a .308??

[pressfit]

I have never shot one.. probably every other cal. out there but not a .308.. I know some guys that shoot deer at 800-1000 yards with them.. The 12 palma savage advertises is a .308.. I have looked at the balistic charts and on paper the .308 doesnt seem to be any better that a 30-06.. maybe a tad worse..?? why is it that so many long range shooters.. even military snipers use the .308?? I know i'm missing something and I feel I should own one.. I just cant figure why...thanks!!

 

[rdl65]

The fella in this link shoots at the local gun range. He says the .308 is a good long range caliber too for some reason. He is an interesting and nice fella to talk with.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/200 ... up-at-600/

 

[redblood]

accuracy. they shoot the same bullet as a 30-06 with a 20percent smaller powder charge. it is speed that makes a great long range rd. it is inherent accuracy.

 

[fastbs]

accuracy. they shoot the same bullet as a 30-06 with a 20percent smaller powder charge. it is not speed that makes a great long range rd. it is inherent accuracy.

Fixed it for ya.
Mostly it's popularity and availablity of accurate ammo. 308 is not really a great round when compared to 6.5 creedmore or 260 rem.
Many loads can be developed to be just as accurate but, 308 has become the standard others are compared to.

 

[huntinman]

I often wondered what made it so popular and accurate as well. All a 243 is is a necked down version of a 308. I did but the new Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle this past summer. It is very accurate and low recoil. Haven't killed anything with it yet, but not for lack of trying.

 

[redblood]

accuracy. they shoot the same bullet as a 30-06 with a 20percent smaller powder charge. it is not speed that makes a great long range rd. it is inherent accuracy.

Fixed it for ya.
Mostly it's popularity and availablity of accurate ammo. 308 is not really a great round when compared to 6.5 creedmore or 260 rem.
Many loads can be developed to be just as accurate but, 308 has become the standard others are compared to.

thank you. i make lots of typeos when posting from a phone

 

[jakeway]

The .308 is the father of many of my favorite rounds. I've got the .308, 260, and 243. If funds and time allow, I'd like to have the full range of 308-based commercial cartridges. I think the 338 FED would be next, followed by the 7mm-08. But just like I prefer the 270 and 280 to the 30-06, I'm more interested in the non-.308 variants of this cartridge.

I like lightweight, shorter-barreled rifles, which is another reason I like the 308-based cartridges.

 

[EastTNHunter]

It is about efficiency... Up until you get to the 180gr and heavier bullets, the .308 is a ballistic twin of the .30-06, but with quite a bit less powder, and thus, muzzle flash and recoil. The .30-06 takes over with the heavier bullets, but as has been noted, the .308 is an inherently accurate round. The .30-06 is no slouch in the accuracy department, but the shorter action being somewhat stiffer, less barrel vibrations due to less powder consumption, and so on, give the .308 a "scientific" edge in the accuracy department, although this is kinda splitting hairs for the average Joe.

 

[JimFromTN]

Its the cheapest centerfire ammunition to shoot at longer ranges if you are buying it and not reloading it. The only cheaper ammo to shoot is the 223 and 7.62x39.

 

[RUGER]

One of my friends brother is a sniper and he turned me onto it.
Since then what has impressed me about it is that they hit where you aim.
To the hair.

 

[Hawkeye5]

Like the '06 and .45ACP, the .308 is a military round (7.62 NATO).

As such, many shot the .308 using the M14 during basic training, even if they never shot again in their lives.

The M14 was a nice shooting rifle with not much recoil so the .308 left a good impression on the thousands of young men that (at one time) served during the draft years. After they were out of the Army, many selected the .308 as a deer rifle because they were familiar with the cartridge.