Thoughts on a Shorty 308

[Worzel_]

I'm researching a first CF stalking rifle. I'm in Devon but plan to, at some point, relocate to Kerry, Ireland. Devon is Fallow/Red/Roe and Kerry is Sika.

Knowing Sika's hardy reputation I decided to go 308.

My main reason is I think all of my shooting will be <200m, more likely <150m. At those distances I figure it would be nice to have a short barrel 308, maybe 16 or 18 inch barrel.

Is there anything I'm missing here? I'm a noob on ballistics so what should I research here, is a specific twist rate required for the shorter barrel?

What rifles, aftermarket stocks & moderators lend themself to this build? (have a healthy budget, under £2.5k would be nice)

 

[HonestJohn]

.308 and 7-08 both can go to 16” without specific twist rates., but, I’d personally not go shorter than 18”

 

[Worzel_]

.308 and 7-08 both can go to 16” without specific twist rates., but, I’d personally not go shorter than 18”

Another consideration is that home reloading is not permitted in Ireland.

 

[j500app]

Check out a Ruger Gunsite Scout well worth a look

 

[Worzel_]

Check out a Ruger Gunsite Scout well worth a look

That looks cool. I have an image in my head that American stuff doesn't match up to European (Tikka, Mauser etc) -- dunno how true that is.

 

[long_range_rob]

.308 RPA Woodland Stalker

 

[HDShark]

Remember you're losing velocity for every inch you remove, and you'll want every bit of energy you can get if shooting sika in forestry. A 20" barrel really doesn't feel very long and suits the 308 well.

 

[Sika98k]

243 is probably the most popular cartridge over here. Yes, people use lots of others but the best selling CF round is 243. I’d have a look at the Proctor 243 in Holts unsolds . At £390 I would be very tempted.

 

[njc110381]

.308 is a great short barrel cartridge. £2.5k is a reasonable budget to build one too. I'd think you could get it done for a lot less to be honest - pick a nice rifle that you like the look of and have it shortened, job done. I handled an RPA Woodland Stalker like Rob mentioned above, it felt nice.

 

[Motul1974]

My 308 dropped all of 60ft per second when I I took it from 22" to 18". Got slight bit louder with slight bit more muzzle flip, but no regrets. Switched to a big Stalon 149 moderator and it's now a pussy cat to shoot pushing 2600ft/sec with 150grn super hammerheads.

 

[Loler UK]

18" is plenty, 16" will want a decent custom load to prevent excessive muzzle flash & additional noise

.338 fed is much a much better option if you want a shorty

 

[SikaSeeker]

18" is plenty, 16" will want a decent custom load to prevent excessive muzzle flash & additional noise

.338 fed is much a much better option if you want a shorty

A .338 is a restricted firearm in Ireland and you’d need a very good reason to own one, anything above 30.06 and you need a very good reason.

 

[Taff]

Very common here with a 16 inch barrel, noise is no different with a suppressor, good to 300 mtrs,so common Tikka call there’s a bush pig, also available from browning, howa.
Shortest we have done is with a dpt suppressor about 10 mm from the stock, generally used by cullers in the bush on reds, sika and fallow and the occasional pig.

 

[spanj]

That looks cool. I have an image in my head that American stuff doesn't match up to European (Tikka, Mauser etc) -- dunno how true that is.

Steyr scout

 

[NP435]

That looks cool. I have an image in my head that American stuff doesn't match up to European (Tikka, Mauser etc) -- dunno how true that is.

In my not so humble opinion Ruger is top notch, I am a Savage fan, as for Remington not a fan, nor Winchester. Given the oddities of Tika seen in this forum I would hesitate before spending money. Modern Mauser does not really interest me. I have old ones my most accurate one is a custom 22-250 on a 1935 Mauser action 30 inch barrel 1.25 inch straight taper. Pure old school varmint gun, Lyman Target Spot 10x30 optic and double set trigger.

 

[Sdoc]

Anything above 308 is restricted here in Ireland. Min barrel length for a CF is 50cm, 20 inch. If it is your first application in Ireland,.and it's a CF, and it's in Kerry, Kerry supers can be tricky, Id stick to unrestricted till you have the first license sorted.

 

[CBH Australia]

.308 and 7-08 both can go to 16” without specific twist rates., but, I’d personally not go shorter than 18”

I have both in Tikka CTR models with 20”

The compact Tactical Rifle (CTR) is slightly heavier than hunting models due to a medium weight threaded barrel but I would still consider it light enough to hunt unless you want a lightweight.

I love my 7-08 but if I were back to factory ammo and one rifle .308 would be it. Add the restrictions you have it just makes sense.

.308 is very common here in Australia and the only reason I have other more niche chamberings is because I can.

.308 is common as muck and doesn’t have any prestigious reputation but it sure works.

 

[Worzel_]

Anything above 308 is restricted here in Ireland. Min barrel length for a CF is 50cm, 20 inch. If it is your first application in Ireland,.and it's a CF, and it's in Kerry, Kerry supers can be tricky, Id stick to unrestricted till you have the first license sorted.

That's good to know, I am being licensed in Devon not Ireland. Plan to move there but I'm picky on property in a small locale and not much comes up... so could be a few years yet.

(6) It is an offence for a person (except a registered firearms dealer) to possess without lawful authority or reasonable excuse—


(a) a shot-gun the barrel of which is less than 61 centimetres in length,


(b) a rifle the barrel of which is less than 50 centimetres in length,

So these factory Blaser R8s would not be permitted in Ireland? R8 Silence - Blaser GmbH

Permitted firearms​

Statutory Instrument No. 239/1977, Wildlife Act, 1976 (Firearms and Ammunition) Regulations, 1977 provides that the minimum legal requirement for hunting wild deer in Ireland is a rifled firearm delivering a bullet weight of not less than 55 grains and a muzzle energy of not less than 1700 foot-founds of energy; effectively the .22/250. However, the minimum calibre recommended by the National Parks & Wildlife Service and relevant deer organisations is a firearm delivering a bullet weight of not less than 100 grains and a muzzle energy of not less than 2100 foot-pounds of energy; effectively the .243. Rifled firearms in the range .22 to .308 of an inch are described as “Unrestricted”. Calibres greater than .308 are described as “Restricted” and require special authorisation.

Great to know that, thanks

 

[C&K Suffolk]

Had my howa 1500 cut down to 16” with a short Hausken moderator. Lovely to swing about and made little to no difference out to 200m

 

[Sdoc]

So here's the thing wrt barrel length, there has been a lot of discussion here whether factory issued barrels fall under this, it would take a court case really to sort it out, but it's like asking an official question...I have seen plenty of rifles here under 20 inch barrel, it's all what you personally are willing to take on, I would go for a Bergara BA13 if I wanted a shorty, I handled one in 243, really liked it.