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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: TexFlip]
#6004760
11/01/15 05:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,211
J.G.
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There is no such thing as the perfect cartridge. It would be like saying this is the perfect wrench. Well if you're talking about a 3/4" and the job calls for a 1/2", then the 3/4" isn't perfect.
The .308 is a good one, and will do lots of jobs. So will a very long list of other cartridges. But a .308 is like a good pair of channel locks; it'll do what a bunch of wrenches can do in a nice compact package. Channel locks round over shoulders...
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6004775
11/01/15 06:06 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 19,829
TurkeyHunter
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The 0.308 Winchester short magnum is the most awesomest cartridge in the world.
To be determined
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6004797
11/01/15 06:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,745
603Country
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I think that perfect might depend more on the desired application. If all you hunt is pronghorn, then the 308 isn't perfect. If you hunt bigger things, like Black Bear and elk, the 308 isn't perfect. And if you disagree and think that it is perfect, then wouldn't the 30-06 be MORE perfect. But then, the 300 WM would be even more perfect. But if you shoot groundhogs...
So...no one cartridge is absolutely the perfect one, but I guess the 308 can be argued for. But for me, and my present needs, the 260 is about perfect. Years ago, in eastern Louisiana, my 270 was perfect for my needs.
Great discussion for a rainy day in central Texas. But I think I'll walk to a blind and see if I can find a coyote. Carry on...
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6005692
11/02/15 02:57 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,575
Leonardo
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Readily available ammo world wide is a huge player for that caliber.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6005952
11/02/15 12:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,719
cameron00
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Guys, guys, guys...
I learned on this very forum by a poster that will remain unnamed, that people are only recently shooting .308 because of Marky Mark in "Shooter".
I think you'd have to define "big game" to answer the original question. I think .308 is awesome for whitetail, hogs, varmints, etc., but may not be for some of the bigger stuff.
Anyhow, I love my .308 and it will always be my go-to.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6005971
11/02/15 01:00 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,682
cmorsch
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Is the 308 a good round yes, is it perfect for all of NA, not at all. I would not take it to Kodiak to hunt brown bear personally. Also everyone hunts a different way. Some of us like to stretch out the legs on our rifles to long distance hunting, and for that the 308 is not perfect as it doesn't have the horsepower behind it to ethically shoot at a game animal. However, I will say this, for your average hunter who doesn't shoot a lot and doesn't shoot much past 200 maybe 300 yards at deer sized game and smaller it is ideal.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: SniperRAB]
#6007238
11/03/15 12:42 AM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
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Cue Navasot in 3...2....1 I'm a Fan...
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6007480
11/03/15 02:18 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,685
txbobcat
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308 for small game I guess. Something like 300 win mag prob best all around big game gun available.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: Navasot]
#6007596
11/03/15 03:00 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21,271
SniperRAB
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6007870
11/03/15 06:00 AM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,492
splash556
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I like the .308 and use it a lot. The perfect caliber is the one you like and can shoot well.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: kry226]
#6007901
11/03/15 07:12 AM
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Joined: May 2015
Posts: 30
Texas45
Light Foot
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Light Foot
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Now that I roll my own, I'm a big fan. It's perfect enough. Mine loves 45.0 of Varget.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: stxranchman]
#6007909
11/03/15 08:13 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 12,162
kry226
The General
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: Texas45]
#6007913
11/03/15 08:56 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 12,162
kry226
The General
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The General
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Mine loves 45.0 of Varget. I hit that node and stopped because I knew it was stout enough. (And it would make my Varget last longer )
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6008287
11/03/15 03:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 144
D-Day
Woodsman
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Woodsman
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This will forever be a never-ending debate, but I prefer the .30-06 Springfield. No need to second-guess with the larger case, but wait the .308 Winchester is more efficient.
Which has the larger bullet weight capabilities?
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If dogs don't go to Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.--Will Rogers
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6008915
11/03/15 08:52 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21,271
SniperRAB
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Here Nav
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: SniperRAB]
#6009449
11/04/15 01:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,211
J.G.
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I reject that chart...
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6009462
11/04/15 01:16 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,183
Mike Honcho
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That chart is so american no 6.5's or all the fantastic metric cals lol
“Two things that define an individual what you do when you have everything, and what you do when you have nothing."
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: J.G.]
#6009480
11/04/15 01:22 AM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,364
Hirogen
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I reject that chart... Agreed. My grandfather killed umpteen moose with his trusty 30-30. Apparently he missed the memo when this chart was mailed out.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6010311
11/04/15 03:05 PM
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,136
EddieWalker
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All of my family lives in Canada and every year my uncles hunt moose from Ft St John across to Saskatchewan. As residents, they have a fairly long season and their primary goal is to get meat. They road hunt and just drive up and down the oil well roads waiting to see a moose in the road, or off to the side. Then they shoot it with a .303 at less then a hundred yards. Antler size does not matter to them, but every few years one of them might get one with a decent rack.
Saying that so many animals where killed with a low performing caliber does not make it a good all around hunting caliber. If you live where there are a lot of animals, and if you hunt in such a manner that there will never be a long shot, or even a challenging shot, then just about anything works. The Native Americans in that area use a .22 for moose hunting. They shoot it once in the lungs and wait for it to die.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6010413
11/04/15 03:58 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 27,091
Nogalus Prairie
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Move the elk line over to take in the .300 Wby. and .338 Win Mag and I pretty much agree with that chart. The .338 is a pretty dang great heavy medium caliber IMO. Perfect elk caliber.
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6010583
11/04/15 05:27 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 52
joeycoates
Outdoorsman
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Posts: 52 |
I do not know about perfect, but it is a very good caliber that is very flexible and can be used for many different things. I would say that it is one of my go-to rifles that I can always depend on, and the barrels seem to last forever if taken care of. Out of my rifles, 223/5.56 Armalite AR, 243 700VLS, 243 Savage, 25-06 Ruger MkII Varmint, 30-30 Marlin 336, 308 SPS Tac 700 and 7-300WM AI built 700 (used to be 7mm Rem Mag), the AR and the 308 see the most use. My 308 is what I will be out with on Sat morning come to think of it. Here are two rounds at 500yds, 162gr A-Max, 43.5gr IMR4895, WLR primers, .020 off lands. (I do not know why it is sideways..)
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: no-guts-no-glory]
#6010671
11/04/15 06:13 PM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 759
Aggieman775
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A .308 will do a lot but if I'm hunting Alaskan brown bear or something I want a little bigger caliber.
TSmith
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Re: Is the .308 the perfect North American big game cartridge?
[Re: splash556]
#6010687
11/04/15 06:23 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,072
cabosandinh
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I like the .308 and use it a lot. The perfect caliber is the one you like and can shoot well. I agree with that my friend in Utah shoots 600lb+ elk deep in the mountain with a .243 up to 400 yds(he's been a guide for years) He echoed that shot placement is the key. I'll be elk hunting with him soon and will have my trusty .308 ... can't imagine any NA game that I can't kill with 165 gr.. I plan to take Elk , Moose, Bear
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