308 Win is a great hunting Cartridge…Change my mind

[Kellendv]

On the Federal Website a 165 gr trophy copper in 308 carries 1448 ft lbs at 400 yards, a 165 gr trophy copper in 300 win mag carries 1989 ft lbs at 400 yards. That's a difference of over 500 ft lbs, a bear won't notice that?

I think what Drew is trying to say is that bullet placement is very important and don’t get too caught up in the numbers. Both of the energy numbers you listed are sufficient to kill a bear. With both examples you listed: If you put either of those bullets in “no mans land” you probably won’t kill the bear. If you double lung or heart shot the bear with either it’s going to die. If you one lung with either it might or might not die, depending on where you hit the lung.

Now, that being said: Many hunters in Alaska and Africa go by the motto “use enough gun.” Ruark wrote a whole book about it. Kind of. But California is not Alaska or Africa.

@Truduct I’m not trying to speak for you so feel free to correct me if that’s not what you were going for.

 

[JakeSCH]

308 WIN is a fantastic cartridge though. It's basically a 30-06 with less powder. Last year was my first year killing an elk from something that was not a 308...

@Truduct I would say there was a significant impact difference between a 308 and a 300 WM. I've shot an elk at 100y with each...they responded drastically different. Granted the 300 WM was using 181 gr hammer bullet and the 308 was using 168 TTSX.

But they both died…so maybe drew is right.

also, I am huge believer in hammer bullets…I plan on shooting the 124 gr hammer 3100 fps soon out of my 308

 

[JakeSCH]

263 grain Hammer Hunter, going 3065 fps should do the trick.

 

[NBK]

On the Federal Website a 165 gr trophy copper in 308 carries 1448 ft lbs at 400 yards, a 165 gr trophy copper in 300 win mag carries 1989 ft lbs at 400 yards. That's a difference of over 500 ft lbs, a bear won't notice that?

Nope...

 

[MJB]

The faster a projectile is travelling, the greater distance it can maintain terminal velocity......

 

[NBK]

308 is a beast. My son and I have both killed elk with it as well as pig and deer. 400 yards and under the cartridge performs on any game from moose to coyote. Magnum's are certainly better suited for dispatching game at longer distances but the original thread post was 0-400 yards. With that said, it is hard to argue with Drew's logic.

 

[JakeSCH]

The faster a projectile is travelling, the greater distance it can maintain terminal velocity......

That is not necessarily true...BC makes a big difference.

 

[JakeSCH]

308 is a beast. My son and I have both killed elk with it as well as pig and deer. 400 yards and under the cartridge performs on any game from moose to coyote. Magnum's are certainly better suited for dispatching game at longer distances but the original thread post was 0-400 yards. With that said, it is hard to argue with Drew's logic.

Agreed. Sub 400y a 308 will work fine and you don't "need" more. Though the extra 500 fps from my 300 WM will produce more of a bang flop.

 

[HATCHET1]

I mean..why not at this point...

.

 

[TRICER]

On the Federal Website a 165 gr trophy copper in 308 carries 1448 ft lbs at 400 yards, a 165 gr trophy copper in 300 win mag carries 1989 ft lbs at 400 yards. That's a difference of over 500 ft lbs, a bear won't notice that?

Nope if they are put in the right spot they will both do the same thing which is kill the bear.

 

[HATCHET1]

I know a guy that has been in on about 20 or so bear kills....a good throat patching with any caliber will end the bear convo..good night nurse...lots of guys come out with the 308 for Forky's...it does extremely well...I think the 400 yard rule is a good one..I like the 100 yd rule for anything...but it's not always possible..

 

[JakeSCH]

I know a guy that has been in on about 20 or so bear kills....a good throat patching with any caliber will end the bear convo..good night nurse...lots of guys come out with the 308 for Forky's...it does extremely well...I think the 400 yard rule is a good one..I like the 100 yd rule for anything...but it's not always possible..

How about the female biologist that stabbed one with a knife recently...that worked.

 

[HATCHET1]

This too!

 

[HATCHET1]

How about the female biologist that stabbed one with a knife recently...that worked.

Had a guy tracking a wounded bear once with a swiss army knife and a rock...never a truer story...that went western real quick..good thing my spider senses were on that day. And I actually hit something...LOL..

 

[HATCHET1]

Back to 308 talk.
Sorry drew...the newsome post may have been too soon after the vaccinated thread... but man that guy comes up with some shit don't he?

 

[JakeSCH]

Did I mention my 308 has caused a lot of blood shed? From 70 to 550 (do not recommend this distance, but hunting partner wounded elk and it was worth taking shots to put her down).

Now it gets neglected because I have gotten caught up in the hype of having multiple rifles and calibers.

 

[TRICER]

The faster a projectile is travelling, the greater distance it can maintain terminal velocity......

I will take a slower bullet with higher BCs all day long when you get down range the high BCs outperform every time. Light bullets with high speed and low BCs are a thing of the past. “Ballistic Coefficient” has changed the long range hunting game.
Again this is a sub 400 yard realistic hunting post. Keep in mind I shoot a 280AI and a 260 Remington not a 308 but the more I think practically about it the 308 is a hard to beat. If the goal is just killing an animal most of us are over thinking it. like @Kellendv said a well placed bullet under 400yards with enough velocity and energy to expand is gonna do the same as any caliber in that range.

 

[JakeSCH]

I will take a slower bullet with higher BCs all day long when you get down range the high BCs outperform every time. Light bullets with high speed and low BCs are a thing of the past. “Ballistic Coefficient” has changed the long range hunting game.
Again this is a sub 400 yard realistic hunting post. Keep in mind I shoot a 280AI and a 260 Remington not a 308 but the more I think practically about it the 308 is a hard to beat. If the goal is just killing an animal most of us are over thinking it. like @Kellendv said a well placed bullet under 400yards with enough velocity and energy to expand is gonna do the same as any caliber in that range.

Truth! I just like the extra velocity of magnums because it gives me more margin for error in my wind calls.

 

[Kellendv]

I like heavier bullets. I am shooting the 175 Elite Hunters in my 280AI at 2980FPS and they are incredible. You need to start reloading you would be so good at it.

Back to the 308 I am still not convinced that under 400 yards you need a different cartridge. How often are you shooting more than 400 yards? 90% of the stuff I shoot is well under 300 yards most of which are under 200 yards. It’s also a very economical cartridge compared to the magnums.

I do agree with you that a 308 is totally adequate as evidenced by many, many dead animals gone off to the great beyond. My comments were really all just regarding my personal preference. I don’t like it but I respect it’s capabilities.

 

[TRICER]

Big boar one of my customers bam flopped with my kids 308 Win.