Brace yourselves. The date is March 8, making it 3/08 or, more appropriately for us, .308 Day. This is not an article about the hip and trendy 6.5 Creedmoor and other even newer high-performance rounds on the market. Rather, it’s about the decades-proven round that came before – the lowly, the steadfast, the .308 Winchester and its stunt double 7.62x51 NATO.
What is the .308 Win?
Introduced in 1952, the .308 Winchester is arguably one of the most popular, long-standing, do-all short-action rounds in the centerfire rifle world. Hunters respect its capability and relatively light recoil, though it lacks the horsepower of its predecessor, .30-06 Springfield, or the larger magnums. Longer-range shooters have used it for decades to win matches. Even the military has built generations of weapons around the chambering.
With a history on America’s battlefields, the .308 Win/7.62x51mm NATO found its home on semi-automatic small arms. While it is believed the military round came first, parent company Winchester actually launched its rifles to the civilian market prior to the NATO acceptance. Though often thought of as a spin-off of the .30-06 Spfld, the .308 Win is actually most closely related to the .300 Savage. It is built on a rimless casing with a large rifle primer topped with a 0.308-inch/7.8mm diameter bullet.
For those who want – or own – an AR-10 modern sporting platform, .308 Win/7.62x51 NATO remains the gold standard. For hunters bridging the gap between small, medium, and larger game, the .308 remains a legitimate contender. Even target shooters are likely to list the .308 as a short-list option, though several larger, faster, flatter-shooting rounds offer ballistic advantages at distance.
WHAT IS PUSHING FOR TOP BILLING?
Sit around any gun shop long enough and on every given day a hunter or paper shooter will come in to inquire about ordering a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle. Most won’t even mention the .308 Win. While it is true that in certain conditions the Creedmoor has its benefits, so do many other options. Many students of ballistics charts, as well as those who’ve been testing round performance in the field, would suggest said shopper grab an even newer round – the 6.5 PRC. Still others will ask, “Why not move right on to the fat magnum 6.8 Western?” While extreme distance shooters will likely step up to larger specialty rounds.
Regardless, every one of these rounds falls into a similar conversation, each with its own benefits and shortcomings. Given the correct projectile and shot placement, the .308 Win will – like every one of the challengers – do the job for which it was chosen. One grand benefit to the venerable .308 Win is its wide range of availability in just about every firearm platform, action, and style – not to mention greater availability of ammunition, even now when faced with unprecedented shortages.
SOLID CHOICES IN .308 FIREARMS
Though there are literally hundreds of options, here are some of our proven picks for firearms chambered in .308 Win. While long guns are by far the most common, multiple handgun options exist as well.
- Bolt Action: Winchester Model 70
- Lever Action: Browning BLR
- Single Shot: Henry Single Shot
- Handgun: Magnum Research Lone Eagle
- Modern Sporting Rifle: Armalite AR-10
- Long-Range Rifle: Ruger Precision
- Military Inspired: Springfield M1A
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Combo Guns: Savage Model 24 (12 Ga/.308 Win)
WHERE DOES .308 GO NOW?
There are sexier options, and more potent ones, too. Yet the .308 stands steadfast. Battlefield round – check. Deer bagger – check. Pronghorn, black bear, coyotes – check. Moderate-range target puncher – check. While it doesn’t do any one thing amazingly well, it does accomplish every task thrown its way. Accuracy is fine, reloading components many, and bullet weights vary from 130-180 grains.
It’s available as a chambering on just about every bolt-action hunting rifle built today, as well as all AR-10 sporting rifle. You can throw in single shots, lever actions, and pumps, too. Each major ammo manufacturer cranks out .308 hunting rounds, match-grade target options, and FMJ range ammo.
Besides, the .308 has progeny. Its casing has been necked up or down to create related offerings like .243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, and .358 Win, to name only a few. Love it, hate it, ignore it, or forget about it, but the .308 Win has long ago made its case and, no matter what else may come, is here to stay.
