Is the 308 the best rifle for all purposes

Just a side note...a world class human sprinter running the 100m will not breath during the 10.5 seconds or less it takes them, transfer this to an animal in the flight mode and 100m from point of impact is quite possible and if as others say in reach of thick cover can become a real PITA

So what?

From one of your previous posts you mention "bullet heads" there is no such thing, they are bullets. Please get a grasp of the lexicon.

SS
 
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Same zero but obviously the 243 is a lighter bullet.

Thats the whole point of a 243.

do they even do a 150g 243?

they do 100g 308 bullets and 125g which compare well with your 100g 243 bullets , apple to apples there is less in it than you would like to admit !
 
So what?

From one of your previous posts you mention "bullet heads" there is no such thing, they are bullets. Please get a grasp of the lexicons.

SS

that's a pretty poor response from you , I'm sure you can do better?
 
There is no "best" deer rifle. It is like comparing a champion heavyweight boxer to a middleweight, or a lightweight champion. I couldn't get by with just one .308, I like it so much. I never thought I would own a dozen .30-06s at one time, or four .270s, but I do. It is not just the cartridge, but the rifle and how you hunt. If I am going to ramble the woods, I might prefer my little Savage 99 carbine in .308, instead of a large .270 with scope, or even my large Steyr .308 or FAL.

As for deer not falling instantly, if you you shoot a deer with a .308 and it runs a little, I believe that same deer, hit at the same spot at that moment, with a .30-06, .270, .280, 7x57, or 7x64 would still have reacted the same way. The fact that not everything in hunting and fishing can be predicted is what makes it addictive.
 
tackb, that is some shooting.
I manage 3 deer max a day. After dragging them back to the car off the hill, getting them skinned and in the fridge the day is gone.

Marcbo,
don't take it that serious, the guy naming the parts on a cartridge must have been a politician.... head is where the arse should be.
The head normally sits on the neck which sits on the shoulder...so bullet head sounds right to me.
edi
 
There is no "best" deer rifle. It is like comparing a champion heavyweight boxer to a middleweight, or a lightweight champion. I couldn't get by with just one .308, I like it so much. I never thought I would own a dozen .30-06s at one time, or four .270s, but I do. It is not just the cartridge, but the rifle and how you hunt. If I am going to ramble the woods, I might prefer my little Savage 99 carbine in .308, instead of a large .270 with scope, or even my large Steyr .308 or FAL.

As for deer not falling instantly, if you you shoot a deer with a .308 and it runs a little, I believe that same deer, hit at the same spot at that moment, with a .30-06, .270, .280, 7x57, or 7x64 would still have reacted the same way. The fact that not everything in hunting and fishing can be predicted is what makes it addictive.

Southern,

What is wrong with you? Posts such as this will not create hate mail!

SS
 
LOL!

Hard to discuss with people that don't know the language, really a waste of time

BTW: 308 is really the best for general purpose.

SS

...but we all evidently have far too much time to waste going by the amount of nonsense that is posted.

.308 is a good all rounder and easy to get ammo for.
 
There is no "best" deer rifle. It is like comparing a champion heavyweight boxer to a middleweight, or a lightweight champion. I couldn't get by with just one .308, I like it so much. I never thought I would own a dozen .30-06s at one time, or four .270s, but I do. It is not just the cartridge, but the rifle and how you hunt. If I am going to ramble the woods, I might prefer my little Savage 99 carbine in .308, instead of a large .270 with scope, or even my large Steyr .308 or FAL.

As for deer not falling instantly, if you you shoot a deer with a .308 and it runs a little, I believe that same deer, hit at the same spot at that moment, with a .30-06, .270, .280, 7x57, or 7x64 would still have reacted the same way. The fact that not everything in hunting and fishing can be predicted is what makes it addictive.

I'd agree to most parts, if one looks at it from the perspective of a newcomer getting his first and for the time being only deer hunting rifle I would say a 308 would possibly be the best choice. Very closely followed by 30-06, 270, 7-08. Ammo/rifle availability being a factor to consider. Most deer being shot at under 200yds means ballistics might not be quite as important as knock down power. When shooting deer in Europe there might be more people watching us than possibly in the US/AUS/NZ as we have a high population density. This and the fact that we often shoot on smaller permissions that might have neighbours that would not allow us to follow a wounded animal on their property means that we might prefer to sacrifice a bit of meat for a quicker kill. Different parameters might favour a different cartridge.
edi
 
The drop on the 243 is 4.7" at 250 yards

From memory the drop on the 308 is 7.7"?

Um... this is a bit misleading.

.243 with 100gr, 100yard zero, drop at 250 is around 7.5".

.308 with 150gr, 100yard zero, drop at 250 is around... 7.5".

It's only when you use much lighter (ie. inappropriate for larher deer) bullets in .243 that you start to see substantial improvements to the trajectory.
S0 .243 with 75gr, 100 yard zero, drop at 250 is around 4.7. But I wouldn't be terribly happy using that on anything but roe (and even then, quite nervous).
 
tackb, that is some shooting.
I manage 3 deer max a day. After dragging them back to the car off the hill, getting them skinned and in the fridge the day is gone

we used argocats and then all mucked in at the larder , the game dealer takes them in the skin so no skinning required thank god , the cull target on that estate was 150 ish so if you got in on a bunch of them and could shoot fast and well then you did and got some on the floor before the weather turned.

I was reluctant to post the pictures because of the usual 'murder' comments you get etc but 10 ring riled me , it won't happen again.
 
Um... this is a bit misleading.

.243 with 100gr, 100yard zero, drop at 250 is around 7.5".

.308 with 150gr, 100yard zero, drop at 250 is around... 7.5".

It's only when you use much lighter (ie. inappropriate for larher deer) bullets in .243 that you start to see substantial improvements to the trajectory.
S0 .243 with 75gr, 100 yard zero, drop at 250 is around 4.7. But I wouldn't be terribly happy using that on anything but roe (and even then, quite nervous).

Mungo,

Are you championing the 308?

SS
 
Yes, but asuming you CAN hit what your aiming at is there any point in using a 308 over a 243 on small deer like Muntjack Roe and Fallow?

To me a 308 is just more recoil, worse balistics and more meet damage.

The deer seem to fall over just fine with a .243

If my purpose was just to kill the thing and I anticipated less than ideal shots then I could understand the need for a bigger calliber but I am happy in my dicipline to avoid such shots.

ATB

Chasey

Chasey, Do you own anyhing other than a 243?

SS
 
... if one looks at it from the perspective of a newcomer getting his first and for the time being only deer hunting rifle I would say a 308 would possibly be the best choice. - egj

I totally agree. From I what little I know of deer hunting in the UK from reading here, the .308 is about perfect for the UK: power plenty for the biggest red deer or boar, and can be loaded down with light bullets for the smallest roe deer or fox. The .30-06, fully loaded, is more than necessary, and if you don't load it up to potential, then it shoots just like a .308.

The .270 is really best at 200 to 400 yards. Under 200 yards, the 150 is less destructive, and shoots like a .308. The excellent 130-gr Speer and Barnes make a .308 shoot almost like a .270, out to 300 yards. There are just so many good .30-caliber bullets, that the .308 is a lot more versatile, and its capabilities cover a wider span, than it did in the 1970s.

Disclaimer: I hunt deer with .22 Savage, .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, 6.5x55, .270 Win, 7x57R, 7mm-08, 7x64, .30-30m .308, .30-03, .303, .30-06, .357, 8x57, 8x60, and .444.... and recurve bow with wood arrows.
 
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