Is the .308 still a modern round, or is it outdated?

[dancrichy]

I've been doing some research into the .308 load and different rifles to shoot. A few of the places I have looked have had an 'out of style' view of the .308 saying it is outdated and not as reliable as some of the other long range, big game rounds and rifles. Their review states that after about 300 yards or just over it starts to loose its accuracy do to the projectile and velocity it is fired at. It just doesn't have the grain load capacity of other rounds.

But when I have shot the .308 I have thought it to be a very accurate round.

What are people's thoughts on the .308/what rifle they like in it? If you don't like it why, and if you do why?
If you were going to go get a different round what would it be? What rifle would you shoot it in?

The Remington 700 heavy barrel in a .308 seemed like a good option, but after reading some of the reviews on the .308, I'm not so sure.

 

[indiucky]

Yes and the 7.62 x 54r, 45 long colt, 45 70, 30 30, 30 06, etc....Are all no longer cool and should be ditched in favor of whatever the latest "blackout" "Thumper", etc that the places you looked are selling....

Plus revolvers suck too.....

Rounds don't work because they are "new"....They work because people can put them where they aim them...IMHO of course....

 

[DoggyDaddy]

The 308 can be good out to at least 1000 yards. Are you going to be shooting anything farther away than that? So many things come into play... hand loading, projectile choice, rifle... all those have an effect on accuracy, so I don't know that one can just dismiss (or praise) a particular caliber without taking all those things into account. Just my

 

[Fordtough25]

Yep, 7.62x51 mm rocks! I like sending them through the barrel of my M1A. Fun and deadly.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Yes and the 7.62 x 54r, 45 long colt, 45 70, 30 30, 30 06, etc....Are all no longer cool and should be ditched in favor of whatever the latest "blackout" "Thumper", etc that the places you looked are selling....

Plus revolvers suck too.....

Rounds don't work because they are "new"....They work because people can put them where they aim them...IMHO of course....

 

[avboiler11]

IMO:

Yes, technological advances in bullet, powder, and case design have rendered the 308 obsolete much like technological advances decades ago allowed the 308 to render the 30-06 obsolete. The 308 (and aught six, for that matter) still gets the job done, of course, but there are other chamberings that do the job "better", ie. superior external ballistics for less recoil, and even greater energy at ranges exceeding 600m.

The big upside to a 308 is over a half-century of military history, meaning lots of institutional momentum, meaning even though there are "better" choices (some of which are actively being used by JSOC units...) the venerable 7.62x51 and its 308 Winchester SAAMI cousin have PLENTY of industry support in terms of rifles, ammunition and components and aren't going anywhere any decade soon.

Me? I personally have zero use for a 308 (I am an unabashed 6.5mm guy, owning both 260 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor) and to that end OP, I've got a 700 Varmint in 308 in a B&C A3 Medalist stock I'd make you a deal on...

 

[kawtech87]

.308 may be an older caliber but it's certainly still more reliable and capable of better accuracy than 99.99% of the people who are telling you its not worth it's salt. Fact is most people who target shoot, even long range bench rest guys who have been doing it for years have a hard time pushing .308 to its limits. The people who told you .308 is worthless probably can't even push 22lr to it's absolute limit.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

I don't know....there are some F/TR and Palma guys still printing some impressive groups at 1,000 yds. Do some of the new high B.C. projectiles and low-recoil cartridges make accuracy easier? Yep. I don't think that .308 is dead just yet though...

 

[IndyDave1776]

I will have to join the consensus: Out of fashion and outdated are two entirely different concepts. The .308 eclipsed the .30-06 on account of powders which delivered more energy from less volume, allowing a short-action rifle to do the work formerly reserved to the long-action. I will certainly not disparage the .260 Remington. I don't have one, but friends have had them and it is a wonderful round. I don't consider it to have been a game changer in concept given that Mauser beat Remington to discovering the wonderful properties of the 6.5mm projectile by a century, and we had already addressed the case size to performance ration in the .30-06 to .308 transition. Besides which, the .260 isn't much shorter than the 6.5x55.

 

[mkgr22]

I've been doing some research into the .308 load and different rifles to shoot. A few of the places I have looked have had an 'out of style' view of the .308 saying it is outdated and not as reliable as some of the other long range, big game rounds and rifles. Their review states that after about 300 yards or just over it starts to loose its accuracy do to the projectile and velocity it is fired at. It just doesn't have the grain load capacity of other rounds.

Te O.P. mentions "big game" and "300 yards" in the first paragraph. IMHO, planning to take shots over 300 yard at game, in any situation, is poor sportsmanship.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Te O.P. mentions "big game" and "300 yards" in the first paragraph. IMHO, planning to take shots at game, in any situation, is poor sportsmanship.

How so? Is he supposed to tackle it by hand?

 

[avboiler11]

Besides which, the .260 isn't much shorter than the 6.5x55.

It is short enough to run from a short action, which the venerable Swede is not.

Of course, there's also the 6.5 Creedmoor which is more mag-length friendly (and receiving a LOT more support) than 260 Rem, and the 6.5x47 Lapua which is shorter yet - all three cartridges providing almost identical ballistic capability.

Of course 308 is a very accurate round, and with modern propellants (2000MR, Varget) and bullets (185 Juggernaut, 155 Scenar, 168 Hybrid, 208 Amax, etc.) is an increasingly capable round. However...the same can be said for 6mm-7mm chamberings, many of which have more efficient case designs.

There's a huge "Indian, not the arrow" factor here, but all things being equal, 308s are not competitive at long range with 6mm and 6.5mm chamberings because running a higher BC bullet at higher velocity means higher hit probability on target and in the X ring. This is why 6BR/BRX/Dasher rule benchrest, and 6/6.5 Creedmoor and 6/6.5x47 Lapua rules PRS.

Is 308 dead? No, absolutely not. It is the epitome of a "jack of all trades" chambering, and with handloads and a purpose-built rifle, can be QUITE impressive. The 308 is kinda like the small block Chevy engine; still reliable and properly built can perform like a mean SOB, but technologically is a few decades obsolete because lighter, smaller displacement motors can create more torque and horsepower while obtaining better fuel economy...

 

[mkgr22]

How so? Is he supposed to tackle it by hand?

Oops!! I left out "over 300 yards" that I meant to say!!

I edited my post.

 

[SEIndSAM]

Dang, and I recently bought a 30-06 for some 400 yard shooting.... I guess it needs to go in the trashcan.........

 

[IndyDave1776]

Oops!! I left out "over 300 yards" that I meant to say!!

I edited my post.

You reminded me of this!

 

[mkgr22]

Dang, and I recently bought a 30-06 for some 400 yard shooting.... I guess it needs to go in the trashcan.........

Let me be clear on this. (I sound like a politician!) 300 yards or more shots at game while hunting is poor sportsmanship, IMHO. 400 yards with a .30-06 at targets would be great fun.

You reminded me of this!

Dave, I can't argue that.

 

[calcot7]

Outdated? Maybe, but far from obsolete. It is less outdated than the .45ACP and how many recently designed firearms are chambered in that caliber.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Dang, and I recently bought a 30-06 for some 400 yard shooting.... I guess it needs to go in the trashcan.........

What's your address, and which day is your trash pick up day?

 

[scoutsniper]

What's your address, and which day is your trash pick up day?

beat me to it haha

 

[Robert Richardson]

IMO:

Yes, technological advances in bullet, powder, and case design have rendered the 308 obsolete much like technological advances decades ago allowed the 308 to render the 30-06 obsolete. The 308 (and aught six, for that matter) still gets the job done, of course, but there are other chamberings that do the job "better", ie. superior external ballistics for less recoil, and even greater energy at ranges exceeding 600m.

The big upside to a 308 is over a half-century of military history, meaning lots of institutional momentum, meaning even though there are "better" choices (some of which are actively being used by JSOC units...) the venerable 7.62x51 and its 308 Winchester SAAMI cousin have PLENTY of industry support in terms of rifles, ammunition and components and aren't going anywhere any decade soon.

Me? I personally have zero use for a 308 (I am an unabashed 6.5mm guy, owning both 260 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor) and to that end OP, I've got a 700 Varmint in 308 in a B&C A3 Medalist stock I'd make you a deal on...