Talk me out of the .308

[Formidilosus]

im sorry but the .308 is still a player even in this day and age. many of us would prefer to use the .308 because its proven. we know what it does. most engagements arent outside of the .308's capability.
the army's solution with the m2010 was a band aid fix and let me tell you....the barrel life and weapon system weight makes it very hard to justify its existence. meanwhile...the m110 and the new CSASS m110a1 will keep on trucking.

I shot around 9k rounds of M118LR and MK316 Mod 0 in the last year. As well as a substantial amount of 260 and 6.5Creed from similar platforms. The 308 works fine, but no one shooting a M110 that has ever went up against a 260Rem/6.5Creed gas gun has ever said- "nah... I'll take the one that recoils more, is heavier, and has more drop and drift because I know what it does".


The 2010 is not the best system for a 300WM, however the need is and was there for the capability. As for barrel life and weight- it is a dedicated LR SWS not a quasi SDM system, and any problems with barrel life have more to do with shooters thinking and treating it like a big 7.62 instead of what it is.



With all of that, I never said that the 308/7.62 was "bad". I said that just because the big military is doing or using something means very little. There are a few, very small organizations that have the budget, T&E capability and institutional knowledge that their picks DO mean something.

 

[Matt-LSI]

I shot around 9k rounds of M118LR and MK316 Mod 0 in the last year. As well as a substantial amount of 260 and 6.5Creed from similar platforms. The 308 works fine, but no one shooting a M110 that has ever went up against a 260Rem/6.5Creed gas gun has ever said- "nah... I'll take the one that recoils more, is heavier, and has more drop and drift because I know what it does".


The 2010 is not the best system for a 300WM, however the need is and was there for the capability. As for barrel life and weight- it is a dedicated LR SWS not a quasi SDM system, and any problems with barrel life have more to do with shooters thinking and treating it like a big 7.62 instead of what it is.



With all of that, I never said that the 308/7.62 was "bad". I said that just because the big military is doing or using something means very little. There are a few, very small organizations that have the budget, T&E capability and institutional knowledge that their picks DO mean something.

my personal rifles are chambered in 6.5 CM : )
and youre very right about the .300WM. it takes a better than average joe to handle it correctly.

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

I just bought the Howa 308 , with 20 inch barrel last summer , first rifle I've ever bought , i bought the rifle rifle because i was a fan of OYOA and Fresh Tracks after watching randy and the guys harvest animals all over the west its was on my radar and when i found one in the local stores i pounced. before i found those shows on you tube , i had never herd of HOWA rifles and was wanting a tikka 7mm, my HOWA came in a package deal, i have added nothing to it , the pick is how it came from store. I shot a Blacktail Buck Nov 1 2016 at 150 yards ,with 1 shot buck dropped where he stood, when i got to my deer , i did have to do a finishing mercy shot , but the animal was still laying where he dropped. then last week on Feb 9 2017 , I shot a Roosevelt cow elk weighing around 700 lbs at approximately 250 yds , downhill with a 20 plus mph crosswind , with 1 shot the Elk dropped in the scope and died within 60 seconds give or take , I used 150 gr bullet for the deer and 168 gr for the Elk , I love my Rifle and would recommend to anyone

 

[Aaronmp]

I didn't have time to read all of the posts so I hope that I'm not repeating something said previously. If it was I do apologize.

There are several things to remember about picking any rifle or any caliber for that matter. First is that the caliber while important is secondary to shot placement. Then add the factor of being comfortable shooting that caliber with whatever load. Personally I like the 7mm mag. .308 is a great round. So it is the .300 win mag. Calibers and guns are like finding a spouse; they're all different but match up with the right one and things go so much easier.