Can you go wrong with a .308 for deer and pig hunting

Game hunting and large prey. Deer stalking, hunting with hounds. Boar, pigs etc., large prey, culling, hunting large feral animals.

Can you go wrong with a .308 for deer and pig hunting

Post by Diddums » 08 Apr 2018, 7:47 pm

Hi

New to the forum and have been shooting for the last few months.

I have a Tikka T3x in 22-250 and I am looking at getting a bigger rifle for pigs and deer.
I'm tossing up between a 270, 308 or 30-06. I'll be reloading so factory ammo selection isn't an issue.

So my question is, can I really go wrong with a .308 as an all round rifle.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Lorgar » 09 Apr 2018, 1:33 pm

Diddums wrote:So my question is, can I really go wrong with a .308 as an all round rifle.


I'd say nope.

.308 is pretty much the text-book example of an all rounder.

Short-action
Medium range (in a hunting rifle context)
Medium recoil
Good barrel life
Ammo is plentiful
And 150gr (or thereabouts) hunting projectile in the right spot with drop buck or porky at up to 300m without much ado
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by pomemax » 09 Apr 2018, 1:43 pm

:mrgreen: Apart from whats said above they are not to good on rabbits :mrgreen:
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Archie » 09 Apr 2018, 1:47 pm

pomemax wrote::mrgreen: Apart from whats said above they are not to good on rabbits :mrgreen:


They are fine on rabbits.

It's the rabbits that are not to good.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by bladeracer » 09 Apr 2018, 1:55 pm

Diddums wrote:Hi

New to the forum and have been shooting for the last few months.

I have a Tikka T3x in 22-250 and I am looking at getting a bigger rifle for pigs and deer.
I'm tossing up between a 270, 308 or 30-06. I'll be reloading so factory ammo selection isn't an issue.

So my question is, can I really go wrong with a .308 as an all round rifle.


I would go .308 of those three choices, but have you looked at 7mm-08?
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Cooper » 09 Apr 2018, 2:14 pm

bladeracer wrote:
Diddums wrote:Hi

New to the forum and have been shooting for the last few months.

I have a Tikka T3x in 22-250 and I am looking at getting a bigger rifle for pigs and deer.
I'm tossing up between a 270, 308 or 30-06. I'll be reloading so factory ammo selection isn't an issue.

So my question is, can I really go wrong with a .308 as an all round rifle.


I would go .308 of those three choices, but have you looked at 7mm-08?



What Bladeracer said. If you are going to reload 7mm 08 would be my choice. I have a Tikka T3X lite and I'm glad I choose the 7mm over the standard 308. Not that there is much in it! Still I don't regret going 7mm.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by bigpete » 09 Apr 2018, 2:25 pm

I'd stick with 308. Very useful
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Rod_outbak » 09 Apr 2018, 4:35 pm

I wouldnt consider .30-06 when buying a rifle for everyday hunting(Different story if buying a piece of history).
Nothing wrong with it, but the action length for .30-06 is longer than the .308, 7mm-08 or .260, and the .308 does everything an '06 does, in a shorter package.

.308 takes some beating for versatility; huge range of projectile options, and a good all-rounder rifle.
110gn V-max projectiles fairly scream out of the barrel of a .308, and explode on impact.
It is highly unusual to not be able to buy a box or two of .308 ammo from nearly any gun store across Australia, if you get caught out on a hunt.
Projectile options range from 100gn, right up to around 225gn, though you will need a pretty fast twist for anything above ~170gn.

7mm-08 is a pretty nice shooting calibre, but more limited in projectile options.
MUCH more limited in what you can buy off the shelf in the way of factory ammo, if needed.
[I find the 7mm-08 really needs the touch of 'Roll Your Own' ammo...]
Projectile options range from 100gn to 180gn.

A 6.5mm calibre like a.260Rem would be another flat-shooting option, and a LOT of pigs & deer have been shot by 6.5mm across Europe for most of the last century.
[AGAIN; nowhere near as much availability for factory ammo or projectiles in your average LGS]
Projectile options range from 95 to 160gn.

Even .243 will nail pigs and smaller deer, while still accurate for medium range.
[Lots of off-the-shelf options at the LGS, though]
Projectiles range from 58gn to 108gn.

I have a mate who has a Tikka T3 in .260 Rem, and it has nailed a LOT of roos at distance, the past few years.
Also very good at nailing pigs.
For roos, he mostly shoots 95gn V-Max, and they are pretty nasty.
I saw a rabbit explode from one shot.
The Hornady 143Gn ELD-X projectile is supposed to be for medium/large deer.

All 4 cartridges listed above are based on the .308 case, so lots of options for brass, and share a common action/magazine size.

Having seen the long-range performance of the 6.5mm calibres, I'd NOT consider the .270 in a new rifle, myself.
I'm pretty sure .270 is based on the parent of the .30-06 case; the .30-03.

I have two .308's, and a 7mm-08, and while I think they are all fantastic, I am seriously considering a .260 re-barrel for one of the .308's.

My suggestion is that if you are mostly reloading, I'd consider .260Rem, or .308 as a second choice.

My 2 cents..
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by bladeracer » 09 Apr 2018, 4:57 pm

Rod_outbak wrote:7mm-08 is a pretty nice shooting calibre, but more limited in projectile options.
MUCH more limited in what you can buy off the shelf in the way of factory ammo, if needed.
[I find the 7mm-08 really needs the touch of 'Roll Your Own' ammo...]
Projectile options range from 100gn to 180gn.


Up to 208gn nowadays if you have the twist rate for it.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by marksman » 09 Apr 2018, 5:16 pm

I would recommend the 30-06 :drinks:
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by TBJ » 09 Apr 2018, 5:23 pm

I would say no chance of going wrong with a 308, I use a model 70 in 308 for deer and pigs, I think the 308 is the best all round hunting caliber available, as well as being a decent long range caliber, low recoil, good ballistics and the available factory ammo is awesome and easily available just like the 223, heaps of stuff available for reloading if you want and again readily available.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by scoobs » 09 Apr 2018, 5:25 pm

.308 is great for pigs
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Stoney » 09 Apr 2018, 5:57 pm

.308 is an absolute champion. It does the job no fuss. Big enough caliber for all common Aussie game. Good in the wind compared to the lighter calibers. Tolerable recoil. Stocked in EVERY gun shop in Australia, and factory ammo is almost always a lot cheaper than the other popular calibers. PPU .308 $17/20. :D :D :D
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Diddums » 09 Apr 2018, 6:06 pm

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I was looking at a 7mm-08 as i like to be a bit different but then i came across a good Ruger American package in .308, now this has just complicated things again. Dammit
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Lorgar » 09 Apr 2018, 8:18 pm

Diddums wrote:I was looking at a 7mm-08 as i like to be a bit different but then i came across a good Ruger American package in .308, now this has just complicated things again. Dammit


If you're going to reload, I'd say get the 7mm-08 (I have one as my "all-rounder" rifle and I've previously had a .308 too).

There are plenty of ammo options in the 120gr - 160gr range for hunting and target shooting. I shoot 140gr Nosler Ballistic tips in mine, they shoot under 0.4MOA (Tikka Fluted Hunter is the rifle), recoil is very reasonable, and they drop dinner like a sack of bricks.

Regarding performance, the 7mm-08 has a slight advantage over the .308 in that the higher BC of a 7mm-08 projectile over an equal weight .308 projectile means it shoots a little flatter and retains a bit more energy at distance.

Honestly, there's not a world of difference between them. As an all rounder and hunter rifle the difference is a bit academic; If you already had a .308 and were considering changing to a 7mm-08, for the cost/hassle involved I might say don't bother, since you're buying from scratch though you might as well grab the 7mm-08 for the extra (albeit it slight) advantages it holds.

Hope that answers it for you :)
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Oldbloke » 09 Apr 2018, 9:11 pm

308 is a good choice. 30-06 has a small advantage for heavier bullets but not much in it. Had to mention that because I have one. But for pigs 308 is the best option.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by in2anity » 09 Apr 2018, 9:17 pm

Don’t overthink it, just grab a bargain 308 and get stuck into handloading for it
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by Diddums » 09 Apr 2018, 9:20 pm

I think I'll stick with the .308, it's going to run me about an extra $300 - $400 if I go the route of the 7mm-08.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by JimTom » 10 Apr 2018, 6:54 am

Oldbloke wrote:308 is a good choice. 30-06 has a small advantage for heavier bullets but not much in it. Had to mention that because I have one. But for pigs 308 is the best option.




+1
Can’t go wrong with a 308 for all of the reason people have already mentioned. I have one, and will get another once this one is worn out.
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Re: Can you go wrong with a .308

Post by brinny » 11 Apr 2018, 4:10 pm

+1 for the 308.....I have always had a 308.....spent a lot of years hunting sambar with the hounds and used a BAR 308....shot heaps with it....when little Johnny Howler took our Autos of us i bought a Rem 700 in 308 and have shot countless deer with it over the years.....Have just recently taken a couple of red stags in the roar over the last week.....Bloody great cal.....i reload and my loads are 42.5 grns 2206H pushing 180 grn interlocks....
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