Still A Contender?

[fcsurvivor]

I know this topic is going to raise ALOT of controversy, but this has been nagging me for quite awhile.

My first precision rifle (that I still have and love) was a Remington PSS in .308. I cut my teeth on this gun and cartridge and still love it. I have since had the .260 Rem, 6.5X47 Lapua and 300 Win Mag. With the supperior ballistics of the 6.5mm and 7mm match bullets, has the 308 Win been outclassed by these to the point that it may not one day be the go to gun for medium capacity long range (out to say 1000yds)?
I would appreciate any and all revelent input on this subject from the real world shooters out there.

 

[Hunt4life]

The geometry of the flatter shooting cartridges is concrete. That said many matches have a .308 division. My take on it is simple, I just enjoy shooting and want to get better and before I went head first into reloading back when a major retailer liquidated all of their reloading supplies, the .308 and .223 were the least expensive options to buy over the counter so I own rifles in both calibers but mostly shoot the .308.

If I ever get good enough that I feel the gun is holding me back I will change, but the barrel life alone make the .308 still the very best option to train on. While the .223 offers a great option for working on form and technique.

 

[Graham]

Still A Contender?

Not a controversial topic at all: The .308 has never been a 1000 yard contender; it is not used by the military in this role; and it was never the 'go to' caliber for medium capacity 1000 yard competition, except in matches that specify use of .308 only.

That said, the opposite of what you are saying has happened: With better powders and higher BC bullets the .308 has experienced a revival. 155 Scenars at 3000fps and 180 JLKs or 185 Bergers at 2700fps make the .308 more predictable at longer ranges and, although not ideal, it is now a viable 1000 yard round.