New Rifle Suggestion

[dscubame]

30-378 you cannot go wrong.

[high country]

My wife just got a new laptop what is a safe distance you would say a 308 will make a clean kill? I am am comfortable shooting out to 4-500 yards with my 250-06 but think the 308 comes up a little short, am I wrong?

yes. spend the loot on a good scope and lots of ammo. with practice you can be deadly to ranges nobody thinks a 308win can go anymore.

[Bob33]

My wife just got a new laptop what is a safe distance you would say a 308 will make a clean kill? I am comfortable shooting out to 4-500 yards with my 250-06 but think the 308 comes up a little short, am I wrong?

At what distance are you confident of hitting a 8" circle every time on the first shot, under field conditions?  There's your answer! 

I would guess that 99% of the shooting population will run out of accuracy before running out of sufficient energy.

[RockChuck]

So would you suggest I carry the 308 over the 25-06 for deer also?? My 25-06 has a heavy bull barrel and wide stock, it gets quite heavy after carrying it all day and hard to keep steady offhand.

[high country]

the art of rifle is not about buying a round so fast you do not have to ever worry about holdover. it matters not if it is a 300rum, 30-378 roy.....or 308, wind is what is gonna kick you butt. take a rifle you like to carry, shoot it at the distances you want to shoot and use a bullet that you trust.....now do it often.

that is how you become a rifleman.

[C-Money]

270win, or a 30-06 will treat you just fine!

[CAMPMEAT]

So would you suggest I carry the 308 over the 25-06 for deer also?? My 25-06 has a heavy bull barrel and wide stock, it gets quite heavy after carrying it all day and hard to keep steady offhand.

I've got a Savage Model 10. It has a 20" bullbarrel with a 4.5x14x42 Pentax scope on it. Accu-trigger too. Kind of heavy, but not too heavy.

[RockChuck]

At what distance are you confident of hitting a 8" circle every time on the first shot, under field conditions?  There's your answer!  

I would guess that 99% of the shooting population will run out of accuracy before running out of sufficient energy.


25-06 out to 400 is my limit 500 is a LONG shot  I would not take either on an animal if everything was not perfect.

[Bob33]

You answered your own question about distance..

Federal offers a high energy load for .308: P308TT4.  It is a 165 grain tipped Trophy Bonded bullet at 2880 ft/second.  At 500 yards it has an estimated 1375 foot pounds of energy. If you can hit an elk in the vitals at that distance, it's going down.

[RockChuck]

I understand that wind is one of my biggest enemies, I am just looking for the best caliber for the area and animals that I hunt.

[RockChuck]

Ok, But what is the drop on that bullet at 500 yards?

[Bob33]

If you are 3" high at 100 yards, probably about three feet low at 500 yards.

[high country]

you will have to look up the bc on it to be sure. the "best caliber" is a loaded question. super 7mm's, 338edge, 257roy.....etc they all take some of the drop out of the mess, but when you get to thinking about it, you are holding over on a deer at 400yds with any of them. what is the diff if you come up 2 minutes or 3? both require a correction to be on target.

[RockChuck]

Maybe i am underestimating my 308 then??  but that does not help in getting a new rifle!!

[Bob33]

Maybe i am underestimating my 308 then??  but that does not help in getting a new rifle!!

That 308 is a worthless piece of junk.  You won't be able to hit anything past 100 yards, or kill anything past 50 with it.

There.  Now go buy yourself a new gun!