I have several precision and hunting rifles and I never thought that I would be without a 308 Winchester in the safe. If you asked me 5 years ago if I would always have a 308 in the stable I would have answered you a resounding yes. However, like many of you I find myself shooting my 308 less and less and 6 and 6.5 mm more and more. I have great admiration for the 308 but as my barrel wears out I find myself asking the same question many of you have. Has the 308 gone the way of the typewriter? More of a novelty then a real tool these days?
-
Having trouble using the site?
Contact support
Is it worth keeping a 308 around?
- Thread starter swampbuck
- Start date
I've found myself going back to the 308 recently. I still like my 6.5 better, but I still enjoy shooting the 308.
308 is the lord’s caliber. Keep it.
I like older cars, older women, and 308 rifles for the same reasons.
You always need a scoped 308 in the safe, it’s probably the most versatile caliber around plus who doesn’t like 308 ringing steel at distance
The .308 has been unpopular for years now but i love them, Keeping one or two .308 is nice.
During my research on calibers for my first bolt gun, I came very close to buying a 6.5CM, but landed on .308 for the reason that it is less harsh on barrels. As I understand it, a 6.5CM will shoot out a barrel in 1/3 as many shots.
The extra rounds you get from a 308 will probably hit nothing and end up in the dirt anyway. Go 6.5.
If you want another 5000 rds of barrel life, keep it a .308.
I went back to the .308 this year.
Its good to be able to get components like brass for next to nothing. I am seldom able to shoot further than 600 meters anyways, so the .308 makes a lot of sense for me.
Its good to be able to get components like brass for next to nothing. I am seldom able to shoot further than 600 meters anyways, so the .308 makes a lot of sense for me.
- Mar 15, 2018
- 1,299
- 5,111
It's been around since 1952, it will be around in 2052 and probably in 2152. I'm still shooting .45 Colt (introduced in 1872). There are lots of calibers that have come and gone and some that will be around 'forever', I think the .308 will be in the latter category.
I thought about going the 6.5 route, but I ended up doubling down on the .308. I already had a metric shit ton of powder and components for .308 and I am too lazy to try to sell it all and buy new stuff.
Will I regret not upgrading to the 6.5 at this point? Maybe...dunno. The .308 hits targets accurately enough for my uses today.
Maybe I am too old to care at this point. Lol.
Will I regret not upgrading to the 6.5 at this point? Maybe...dunno. The .308 hits targets accurately enough for my uses today.
Maybe I am too old to care at this point. Lol.
I always keep a .308 around. Good round and good to have the option to shoot Tac if I want.
Recently ditched my last bolt gun 308 barrel. Saw a Faxon 6.5cm barrel for the PSA large frame AR and in one fell swoop removed 308 from my life.... For now.
Between 5.56, 6.5, and 300PRC it wasn't doing much for me.
Between 5.56, 6.5, and 300PRC it wasn't doing much for me.
I have 2 AR10s in 308 and a 308 barrel for my AI AT always fun to shoot
I still shoot 308. I don’t like reloading, and even though you can find 6.5 most of the time, 308 is usually still more abundant in supply.
It’s not the most ideal long range round, but it gets the job done for my uses. Especially being in the midwest, there are only a couple places to shoot 1k distance. For me, why have a barrel burner for something I can do with 308 and have a barrel life to last me a long time. If I was traveling the country to win a series, I’d probably pick a 6mm instead.
It’s not the most ideal long range round, but it gets the job done for my uses. Especially being in the midwest, there are only a couple places to shoot 1k distance. For me, why have a barrel burner for something I can do with 308 and have a barrel life to last me a long time. If I was traveling the country to win a series, I’d probably pick a 6mm instead.
I would say I do as well with my .308 as I do with my 6.5 CR. Inside of 1100 you will, too.
That makes no sense. One outperforms the other in drift by 25-30 percent.
Last edited:
Indian, not the arrow.
Is that all it is? Why does nobody use it in high level competition except when required by the rules.
Because the smart Indians want better arrows!
Wait a damn minute.....we’re not that dang ol..... well yeah I guess we are
I keep a 308 around. Always seemed like a good idea even if it sees less daylight
yes , always keep stuff you never know when It could turn into a gift to some needy kid , me or a relative if they are worthy
Or,,,,,,shooting something with the recoil of 308 but
a similar trajectory of a 338 lapua
Or,,,,,,shooting something with the recoil of 308 but
a similar trajectory of a 338 lapua
I got one of those already. 22LR
Range trip tomorrow, guess what I’m bringing... a .308 and a .22lr.
Range trip today
260 and 7 saum.
I'll probably always have a .308 barrel for one of my bolt guns. I've currently got 4 different actions and 2-3 different calibers for each (.223, 6 creed, 6.5 creed, .308). It's nice to swap around. I still shoot my .308 multiple times a week though. If I only had one rifle, it'd probably be a 6.5 Creed because it's a nice compromise of performance, recoil and barrel life. It's still a free country though (kinda) so I have a bunch of calibers cause I can
It’s not really keep or not, it opportunity cost.
What are you not doing that dumping the 308 will allow.
Everyone here has a rifle or 5 that we almost never touch on the back of the safe... that we haven’t sold for one reason or another.
one reason that I still have a few, those are my loaner rifles. Someone new wants to shoot, or a family member wants to borrow etc.
I give them a 308.
have a lot of Ammo sitting around, accurate, has some recoil (which I do miss when i shoot the smaller stuff for a while).
And if they shoot too fast or put a ton of rounds down range I’m not worried about barrel life
plus 308’s are like enfield , Mauser or garands.
in today’s world they are useless but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun to shoot or don’t have a purpose anymore.
What are you not doing that dumping the 308 will allow.
Everyone here has a rifle or 5 that we almost never touch on the back of the safe... that we haven’t sold for one reason or another.
one reason that I still have a few, those are my loaner rifles. Someone new wants to shoot, or a family member wants to borrow etc.
I give them a 308.
have a lot of Ammo sitting around, accurate, has some recoil (which I do miss when i shoot the smaller stuff for a while).
And if they shoot too fast or put a ton of rounds down range I’m not worried about barrel life
plus 308’s are like enfield , Mauser or garands.
in today’s world they are useless but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun to shoot or don’t have a purpose anymore.
D
Deleted member 10043
Guest
I had mine out today 15-20 mph winds hitting 8x10 target at 500 meters. About 80% of the time, lol. Of course you should keep a 308 in your stable. It's a government mule.
Does anyone know when the Lord is gonna transition to 6.5 Creedmoor?
I miss shooting .308 tho, I’m thinking remage an 18” Criterion on a 700, to run suppressed... Somebody please don’t say Bighorn Origin, it’s gonna be a 700
I miss shooting .308 tho, I’m thinking remage an 18” Criterion on a 700, to run suppressed... Somebody please don’t say Bighorn Origin, it’s gonna be a 700
Pretty sure it was elevated to sainthood in like 2014.
Pick an interesting cartridge, there are lots of them.
308 is like a 1969 Camaro. Yes the 2020 Camaro is better in every way, but a 69 396 SS can still teach you a lot that the new stuff with traction control, abs and electronic throttle cant. 6.5 with it's high BC bullets and good velocity and low recoil is a new Camaro. Makes everybody look like a rock star.
That’s an insult to the 69 Camaro. The .308 is more akin to a 50’s Buick Roadmaster.
I think its worth having for a couple of reasons. Fyi I do think 6.5 is the better all around cartridge.
One, for the vast majority of people, 308 will have higher energy on target at ranges that you will realistically shoot at where energy matters. Maybe that matters maybe not.
Long barrel life.
Cheap and avalible components, and cheep surplus is avalible. I'm not always trying to squeeze out the .1s of an inch in a group, sometimes you just want to vaporize soda cans and fruit at a hundred yards... do you want to take out your cousin and let them light up 100 of your precious perfect 6cm hand loads, or some steel wolf ammo?
Even if you reload, sometimes you run out of ammo, need more, cant get components during panics, or whatever. It's really nice to be able to just pick up a box of whatever at the local fishing shop.
If you're of the prepper mindset, it's a lot easier to find 308 than niche calibers.
There are more uses for bolt guns than prs type shooting at 800 yards where incrimental improvements on drop and wind drift are critical. Sometimes you just want to convert cinderblocks into dust. Not everything has to be serious.
.223 also has all of these advantages if you dont need the energy of a .308. I have both.
One, for the vast majority of people, 308 will have higher energy on target at ranges that you will realistically shoot at where energy matters. Maybe that matters maybe not.
Long barrel life.
Cheap and avalible components, and cheep surplus is avalible. I'm not always trying to squeeze out the .1s of an inch in a group, sometimes you just want to vaporize soda cans and fruit at a hundred yards... do you want to take out your cousin and let them light up 100 of your precious perfect 6cm hand loads, or some steel wolf ammo?
Even if you reload, sometimes you run out of ammo, need more, cant get components during panics, or whatever. It's really nice to be able to just pick up a box of whatever at the local fishing shop.
If you're of the prepper mindset, it's a lot easier to find 308 than niche calibers.
There are more uses for bolt guns than prs type shooting at 800 yards where incrimental improvements on drop and wind drift are critical. Sometimes you just want to convert cinderblocks into dust. Not everything has to be serious.
.223 also has all of these advantages if you dont need the energy of a .308. I have both.
Some where Frank has a chart breaking down different common calibers, 1-5 score on multiple factors. Cost, recoil, and a couple others. .308 scores a 5 (top) for training.
Yesterday I tried 780 yards on a 66% ipsc silhouette. I had a first round hit and then missed more times than I care to admit, the wind was kicking my ass more than anything I think.
. I'm signed up for the Iowa class in August. I want to switch to 6.5CM so bad I can taste it. I'll learn a fuck ton more with the .308. I'm sticking with it until at least after the class. After that we'll see.
Yesterday I tried 780 yards on a 66% ipsc silhouette. I had a first round hit and then missed more times than I care to admit, the wind was kicking my ass more than anything I think.
Many of your wind related misses would have been hits with the 6.5. If I have to choose between learning a lot while missing a lot, or learning a lot while hitting much more, I’ll choose the latter.
