Is a .308 too much gun for a deer??

Winger · #1 07-19-2011, 08:17 PM

Hi Guys,

This will be my first year hunting big game and only own a .308. It was a gift from my Uncle a few years back. I haven't even shot the gun yet.

I am getting it sent out from home and am wondering if this gun is too big of a caliber for a WTD?? I am getting it sent out anyways because I plan to continue with my draws for moose and elk. One day I'll get a moose tag....

Thoughts?

Winger

buckbrushoutdoors · #2 07-19-2011, 08:20 PM

perfect for deer! perfect for everything we have in Alberta!

Homesteader · #3 07-19-2011, 08:22 PM

It's all you need, find some ammo you, and the rifle like, and start getting to know it. Then enjoy your venison.

nick0danger · #4 07-19-2011, 08:23 PM

yup good round. buy a couple different boxes of ammo to see what your gun likes and take some time to practice so you can hit your target when you want too.

mudbug · #5 07-19-2011, 08:25 PM

Simple answer No it's not too big. It's a great all around caliber so just go for it

cmdalexander · #6 07-19-2011, 08:26 PM

There have probably been more deer and mooseshoot in Canadawith the .308 then all other calibers combined, save the 30-06.

It will be a fine rifle to start with - matched with a good quality 150grain bullet.

You can always upgrade to a newer rifle later.

That's my opinion.

Winger · #7 07-19-2011, 08:32 PM

Well that didn't take too long! Thanks guys. Those were my thoughts as well but my brother thought otherwise.

bowhunter9841 · #8 07-19-2011, 08:43 PM

Dropped 2 whitetails with my .308 last fall! Hit my doe at 180-200 yards, and my buck was 120 yards! Neither one went more than 40 yards before they dropped! The shells are easy on the wallet and the recoil is more than manageable! If I don't get my moose with my bow this year, I'll be chasing it with the .308!

wolf308 · #9 07-19-2011, 08:58 PM

ubetcha

catnthehat · #10 07-19-2011, 09:07 PM

PERFECT cartridge!
Cat

So Nova *!% · #11 07-19-2011, 09:09 PM

fills my freezer!

duffy4 · #12 07-19-2011, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmdalexander

There have probably been more deer and mooseshoot in Canadawith the .308 then all other calibers combined, save the 30-06.

It will be a fine rifle to start with - matched with a good quality 150grain bullet.

You can always upgrade to a newer rifle later.

That's my opinion.

I reckon the 30/30 and the .303 brit have killed a heap of deer and moose in Canada. I don't know if I would say the .308 has killed more than ether one of them.

Over time the .308 may go ahead of them as it is a very popular round and deservingly so. Pretty well all types and makes of "big game rifles" are chambered in it.

bluetick · #13 07-19-2011, 10:03 PM

Best all around gun for all you will ever hunt with the same results as any other like a 30.06 or 270,s .i killed over 100 deer ,2 bear a 2 moose and 2 wolves with mine and thats been my best gun for 30 plus years.
Unless you plan on hunting mountain goat and shooting 500 yards I wouldnt shoot anything else.

ACKLEY ABE · #14 07-20-2011, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmdalexander

There have probably been more deer and mooseshoot in Canadawith the .308 then all other calibers combined, save the 30-06.

It will be a fine rifle to start with - matched with a good quality 150grain bullet.

You can always upgrade to a newer rifle later.

That's my opinion.

Might be forgettin the .303 and 30/30. Been around a lot longer than the 308 and taken more animals than Carter has pills.

Meanwhile: Yes 308 is a fine cartridge.

oops...sorry Duffy4...Guess I shoulda read all the posts before I spouted off.

demolition101 · #15 07-20-2011, 06:50 AM

.308 is great with 150gr for deer. Carry some 180gr's if your hunting in grizz or black bear country...

Dick284 · #16 07-20-2011, 07:38 AM

Kinda like asking if you can have a girl too pretty, or a car too fast.

FWIW get a good shooting 165gr. load and use it for everything, no need to do the 150gr. to 180gr. dance anymore.

Mike_W · #17 07-20-2011, 08:19 AM

308 WIN is a great cartridge defidently not too big for deer. Some may consider it a little small for elk and moose but it is fully capable!!!!
My grandfather shoot a 308 loaded with federal fusion 180 grains (great conststant moa load) In the last two hunting seasons he has taken two bull moose one at 300 yards and one at 200 and two wt bucks with the same load. All animals were complete pass throughs and nothing went more than 50 yards!!!!

200 Yard 50 inch bull ....biggest bodied moose I have ever seen.

Yeah thats my 3/4 tonne Chevy

fish_e_o · #18 07-20-2011, 09:19 AM

i shot my first deer at almost 200 yards with a 308. it stood there for a bit then just keeled over.

Speckle55 · #19 07-20-2011, 09:38 AM

Great Gun i have 2 .308 just make sure u have a .308 and not a .308 Norma Mag. a friend was shooting .308 shells in a .308 Norma mag and could not figure out why the casings were collapsing. lucky for him it didn't blow up

Mike_W · #20 07-20-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speckle55

Great Gun i have 2 .308 just make sure u have a .308 and not a .308 Norma Mag. a friend was shooting .308 shells in a .308 Norma mag and could not figure out why the casings were collapsing. lucky for him it didn't blow up

You witnessed this? I dont even know how it would fire!! Pretty stupid and dangerous!!!

catnthehat · #21 07-20-2011, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike_W

You witnessed this? I dont even know how it would fire!! Pretty stupid and dangerous!!!

it's easy enough to do if the case gets grabbed by the extractor, the firing pin will ignite the primer.
Saw a 280 come out of a 7mag once.
Cat

Mike_W · #22 07-20-2011, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catnthehat

it's easy enough to do if the case gets grabbed by the extractor, the firing pin will ignite the primer.
Saw a 280 come out of a 7mag once.
Cat

big difference between the 308 norma and 308 win though....280 and 7mm are almost the same length with the 308 it would be tough for the extractor to even grab the shell with nothing stopping the shell first. Extremely lucky if it did fire. With the length of the bullet depending on weight the bullet would leave the case before the ogive even touches the lands.

fish_e_o · #23 07-20-2011, 11:51 AM

way too much gun for a deer!!!!

it kills them every time

elkhunter11 · #24 07-20-2011, 12:49 PM

Quote:

There have probably been more deer and mooseshoot in Canadawith the .308 then all other calibers combined, save the 30-06.

Given that the 308win,30-06, and the 30-30 are all the same caliber, that is likely a very safe assumption.

Mike_W · #25 07-20-2011, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Given that the 308win,30-06, and the 30-30 are all the same caliber, that is likely a very safe assumption.

Technically yes all 30 caliber/ .308" shoot the same .308" lead however. I do belive we can all see this fellow is meaning specifically the 308 Winchester.

elkhunter11 · #26 07-20-2011, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Technically yes all 30 caliber/ .308" shoot the same .308" lead however. I do belive we can all see this fellow is meaning specifically the 308 Winchester.

All three cartridges use the same caliber bullet, making them the same caliber, and I would agree that more moose and deer may have been killed using that caliber than all other calibers combined. However, I doubt that more moose and deer were killed with the 308win cartridge than all other cartridges combined, leaving out the 30-06 cartridge..

J-hawk · #27 07-20-2011, 05:44 PM

The only problem with a 308 as your first rifle is that it is hard to find a reason that your significant other will accept, to buy another rifle. I got mine in 1968 and didn't get another caliber until 1983 - bought her a 6 mm.
Seriously, the 308 will work well for everything from coyotes through big game. If I was going after brown or grizzly bear I would want something a bit larger, but if confronted in the timber the 308 will do the job. They say to beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it. THe 308 is light enough on the recoil that you will shoot it enough to shoot it well. Mine will still put three into an inch at a hundred yards after several thousand rounds. I use 130 grain bullets for coyotes and coastal deer and 165 grain for anything bigger. The 180's drop too fast for long range work in my opinion and I hunt in the plains primarily.
Get into reloading and you will enjoy the 308 for many years.

bowhunter9841 · #28 07-20-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-hawk

The only problem with a 308 as your first rifle is that it is hard to find a reason that your significant other will accept, to buy another rifle. I got mine in 1968 and didn't get another caliber until 1983 - bought her a 6 mm.
Seriously, the 308 will work well for everything from coyotes through big game. If I was going after brown or grizzly bear I would want something a bit larger, but if confronted in the timber the 308 will do the job. They say to beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it. THe 308 is light enough on the recoil that you will shoot it enough to shoot it well. Mine will still put three into an inch at a hundred yards after several thousand rounds. I use 130 grain bullets for coyotes and coastal deer and 165 grain for anything bigger. The 180's drop too fast for long range work in my opinion and I hunt in the plains primarily.
Get into reloading and you will enjoy the 308 for many years.

Well said! I definately love mine! My buddy is all about the harder hitting cartridges, but I don't see the point in it! I don't like squeezing the trigger just to feel a donkey kick to the shoulder! My first gun was a 300 wsm that I won in a raffle. It shot fast and straight, but not with me holding it! I would flinch every time! Now with my .308 I'm a lot more comfortable shooting it! I still miss, but that's adrenaline, and buck/doe fever! The only reason I will get rid of this gun would be to buy a nicer model, in the same caliber!

catnthehat · #29 07-21-2011, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike_W

big difference between the 308 norma and 308 win though....280 and 7mm are almost the same length with the 308 it would be tough for the extractor to even grab the shell with nothing stopping the shell first. Extremely lucky if it did fire. With the length of the bullet depending on weight the bullet would leave the case before the ogive even touches the lands.

It's actually a lot easier to do thatn one would think.
If the cartridge is simply chambered singlly by hand all it has to do is lay against the bolt and there is enough static friction to holds the case against the bolt and let the striker ignite the primer if you have a 308 win. in a magnum chamber.
As far as the different cartridges go, I was once told by someone who proffesed to be an expert that he could shoot 7X57cartridges out of his 7 mag because they were actually 7 mauser and that is what he owned !!
When I looked at his rifle, it was in fact a 7Mag on a '98 mauser action

No amount of explaining could convince him of anything except that I was an idjit.
Cat

Mike_W · #30 07-21-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catnthehat

It's actually a lot easier to do thatn one would think.
If the cartridge is simply chambered singlly by hand all it has to do is lay against the bolt and there is enough static friction to holds the case against the bolt and let the striker ignite the primer if you have a 308 win. in a magnum chamber.
As far as the different cartridges go, I was once told by someone who proffesed to be an expert that he could shoot 7X57cartridges out of his 7 mag because they were actually 7 mauser and that is what he owned !!
When I looked at his rifle, it was in fact a 7Mag on a '98 mauser action

No amount of explaining could convince him of anything except that I was an idjit.
Cat

LOL wow so he was constantly shooting 7mm mausers out of his 7mm rem? the clinking of the shell when he walked didn't tip him off? lol