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Hunting & Fishing Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

B

BenY 2013

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 23, 2012
1,296
16
29
SW Arkansas
I am considering cutting the barrel of my .308 to 20", I would like to hunt with it as well. Planning on shooting 155gr Lapua Scenars in it. Will this combo be enough to handle deer say
5-600 yards if I can do my part and put the bullet where it needs to be? Is this a bad idea? Any experience or advice here would be much appreciated. Thanks
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Nothing wrong with that. Deer are not hard to kill. It's not like a Deer is going to shake off the bullet and laugh at you saying he shoulda never cut down that barrel...
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Deer may not be hard to kill but allot of people sure do manage to f it up.
20" is fine barrel length doesn't matter much until velocity really starts dropping off. I'd say you might consider a different bullet but at 600yds out of a 308 most aren't going to expand much if at all, so find the one that shoots the best, and put it where it needs to be.
Live game is not the place to learn distance shooting, which is kinda how your post sounds, if you're talking doing your part it sounds like you don't all the time at that distance. It takes a long time for a bullet to make 600, even without wind an animal can start to move and cause a bad shot or miss in the time between pulling the trigger and the bullet arriving.
Mind you I'm not horribly opposed to long range hunting, but I believe in making the best attempt at an ethical kill, your rifle and ammo combination should be capable, make sure you are.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Totally agree with Beef. A lot of things can change in the position of the deer between 0 and 600yds. If I were going to be shooting game at 600yds I think I'd want something a little faster for the sake of bullet performance. I do believe I have seen pics on this site of people shooting deer with the Scener 155's so the bullet will do the job. Good Luck.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

I killed several deer with the 155 scenar at various distances. It's a great bullet for deer.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

I'm not 100% certain that will be my hunting bullet, but I will be sure that I can hit what I am shooting at. I am planning on practice on steel and be 100% confident that I can make the shot at hand. Plus down here is SW Arkansas it would be a stretch to find a 600yd shot so that would be the absolute longest shot I would take. 400 and under is a more realistic range. thanks for the input!
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

A decision to cut to 20" will have zero affect on terminal ballistics unless it is cutting into the minimal velocity threshold for expansion.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Alright thank you guys, I think my decision has been made! The 20" will make the rifle much easier to move around as well! Thank you for the replies!
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

We took 20" SPR A5M's to 1200 at asc with a lot of hits going on at a grand using the lowly 175smk. Your goal of 600 yards with that rifle and bullet(155's) is very doable if your skill is commensurate.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

I have a 20" LTR that I have hunted with on and off for a few years.

Unless you have really fast barrel I think you will be hard pressed to push the 155s fast enough to get them to shooter flatter / less wind drift at 500 yards than the 175s going slower..
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

178 Amax for deer. I shoot a 22" model 7 remington in 308 for hunting.
Rob
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Thanks for all the replies guys. I will hopefully be cutting it shortly!
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

I was running 155's in mine and just swapped out for a150 gr. Nosler ballistic tip for a hunting round. Accuracy was excellent. That's what SW Ammo uses for their hunting load as well.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BenY 2013</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for all the replies guys. I will hopefully be cutting it shortly!</div></div>
You won't regret it. A shorter rifle makes for much easier and quieter handling in the stand. I switched from a 24" barrel last season to a 20" and that little bit of difference makes for a much better handling rifle. The deer all still fell down just as fast:)
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

My 20" 308
It is a GREAT hunting rifle
I have a few fantastic long actions hunting rifles with 24"'barrels but I do really love the compactness of the smaller gun..
Rem-LTR-with-SB.jpg
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Nice, im fixing to cut down my savage from 26" to 20". Will make hauling it around easier as well as being a shorter overall setup with my new Archangel can when it gets here. Cant wait till deer season.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

I use a Rem LTR in308 for my deer rifle, range out to 500yds.
I shoot the Sierra GK 150grn bullet over 46grn of Varget.
The rifle handels great with the short bbl. and no flinch adds to the accuracy.
I have gotten good bullet expansion on shots to 400.
Good Luck

Coach
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Your LTR obviously shoots 150s well
I tried a few 150g loads in mine but couldn't get any 1/2 way decent groups
165 and 175s will shoot 5 you can cover with a dime at 100 and .5 center to center at 300 and I have shot clay pidgins at 1k a few times with 175s

I usually run 165 Accubonds for hunting but may try some Berger hunting 175s
My gun shoots my 175 and 165s to the same point of aim at 250 which is nice.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

Read Beef's post again. I don't support long range hunting, but if you must take that shot, you owe that animal the dignity of a clean harvest. Don't rely on luck. Happy Hunting.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

My main deer hunting rifle the last 2 years has been a Savage 10 PC with a 20" barrel. I consider it near bout ideal for the type of hunting I do. It's certainly capable of longer range shooting, but my comfort zone for shooting at deer is 300 yds and under for the most part. I really like the portability of the barrel length. I run 165 g SGK's through mine with great results.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Defcon424</div><div class="ubbcode-body">might as well get it threaded while ur at it
smile.gif
</div></div>

If I cut it down it most certainly will be
grin.gif


But then I might need a suppressor....anyone wanna send me a lot of money?
whistle.gif
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

I hunt with a BLR in .308 Win. This is a great deer woods to open area hunting rifle. Only draw back is a rather larger muzzle blast if you us ball powders such as 748 or blc2.
DSC06727.jpg

DSC06771.jpg

vboar18.jpg
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

What cal do you like to run there in alaska? And bullet choice for what species? Thanks.
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

I can't imagine a better deer rifle out to 600. The 168 Nosler BT should do the trick.

This rifle is under 8 lbs all up.

DSC_0293.JPG
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?


This 10 shot group is roughly 2.5" at 300 yards. The little stick can git-r-done.

DSC0701.jpg
 
Re: Deer hunting with a 20" .308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BenY 2013</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Defcon424</div><div class="ubbcode-body">might as well get it threaded while ur at it
smile.gif
</div></div>

If I cut it down it most certainly will be
grin.gif


But then I might need a suppressor....anyone wanna send me a lot of money?
whistle.gif
</div></div>

sorry after I pay for this thunderbeast I'll be about cashed out but I'll def post pics of my first deer shot suppressed
laugh.gif
 
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