How many of you guys use a 308 Winchester for hunting?
Dan Ekstrom and I plan to go to the edge of the Bighorns, just north of Buffalo, outside of a little town named Story later this week to attempt to fill some doe tags.
We will be still hunting...Doing the sneaky sneak, and then in the afternoon, we will hunker down on the ground somewhere in what each of thinks will be an area where deer will be moving.
Not sure which handgun Dan will use, but I plan to take my center-grip 308 Winchester XP-100 and use some factory ammo I have one hand: Hornady TAP 168 grain (A-Max), which has a MV of 2445 fps.
I have shot this XP out to 1000 yards on steel, so I figure it should do fine to the close distances I will be hunting-Under 250 yards, with most shots closer to around 100 yards.
I set all of my pistols up with a 100 yard zero.
It will drop 5 inches at 200 yards or I could dial or use the FFP reticle at 2.5 MOA for a spot on kill.

It has a reworked stock, and it has been bedded.
I bought this off of Gunbroker as a rear grip set-up at a good price, and it turned out to be a gem.
Someone had set it up for IHMSA, so it is a lightweight XP-100, with a 14.5" fluted barrel.
Glenn (a friend from church) helped me rework a flawed stock and bed it.
They kept the original recoil lug, when chambering/fitting the custom H-S barrel, which was designed for the center-grip trigger, so all I had to do was grab a spare trigger linkage, which I had, remove the trigger that was on it, put on the center-grip trigger, and I was set!
Mac's Gunworks added one of their solid-bottomed brakes, and Chuck did some adjustment work on the trigger as well.
H-S Precision did the metal work on it, with their name on the barrel, so I am guessing they built this before they started making their HSP/pistol action.
Scope is a Burris XTR-II 3-15 with the SCR MOA reticle.

I've hunted with a .308 Win for close to 50 years. I actually won a Winchester Model 100 .308 Win. in a trapshoot when I was 13. I started shooting the .308 in a handgun when the Encore was introduced - and have hunted with XPs, MOA, H-S handguns chambered for the round. I've been fortunate to take a lot of game with this cartridge from many species in Africa, sheep and ibex in Asia, not to mention many others.

Both factory ammo and handloads have been shot, mainly 150 - 165 gr. bullets. While the .308 Win. is not the fastest, sexiest, or most trendy -- it performs extremely well on the range and in the field. I would not even take a guess at how many head of big game I've taken with this round. Good luck on your hunt.

I was hoping you would chime in Mark.
I know you have killed a lot of critters with various 308's.
I agree. The 308 Winchester is not fastest or most popular, but it is very reliable and it kills great, as you well know.

One of my favorites. Probably taken more game with the .308 than any other cartridge. Love the reliability of performance. It just works. And there are exceptional Bullets out there. Good stuff.

Good luck!

I had a Encore 308 14" Full Bull barrel. Shot several deer with it. Only shot it out to 450ish yards.
I shot 150&125 NBTs and 155 Berger VLD Hunting bullets in mine mostly.

Not really in the same zipcode as the XP. Gun was plenty good for my needs.

Sold it several years back. Do not even own an Encore platform any longer.

http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1546

What are some of your favorite 30 cal bullets?

I HAVE USED A 15 INCH ENCORE AND A 14 INCH RPM XL IN 308 TO TAKE SEVERAL DEER, AND SIMILAR SIZED EXOTICS, ALL WITH 150gr FACTORY AMMO, AND THE 308 HAS WORKED VERY WELL FOR ME.

Mine is a Savage Striker 116 S.S.with factory brake. I shoot 165 gr Sierras s.p ,it doesn't like the 165 Sierra HP. Speer 165 sp's shoot as well as the Sierras as do the Rem 165 gr sp. IMR 4895 powder is used. Speer 130 gr HP bullets also shoot very well,although they are a bit fragil for deer up close.

i have a magnum research ssp-91 in 308 and have killed a couple deer and a bunch of prairie dogs with it. i shoot the nosler ballistic tips 150's. seems to work really good.

Recently acquired a Wichita MK40 in 308 Winchester. Looking for a handgun scope to get it setup and let the fun begin

Well, that?s a ?loaded? question. Because you know the answer. 😁

Contrary to unpopular belief........I love A-Max and ELD-Match bullets for shooting and hunting. Perfect medium game bullets for what I need.

Also like the Sierra HPBT-Game King.

I knew about the Hornady offerings already, with countless dead critters.
Just curious if you had found any new joy.

Nah. Ain?t broke.........don?t fix.

Besides........I got a bunch. 😁

Yes, you do

My post disappeared from last night!!
I have a HS .308 fluted barrel. It's extremely accurate with 150 gr. BTs and 115 gr. Lehigh Chaos bullets. They wouldn't shoot the same originally, but I experimented and found 2 different powders that allow them to shoot at the same point of aim. I've taken deer and groundhogs with both out to 400 yds. with my 3-12BPlex. The tiny Lehigh causes a surprising amount of damage for its size.

The .308 will pretty much do it all in a handgun. I have it in a
Striker, Lone Eagle, and an Encore. They each perform great with the 150 Ballistic Tips.

I ran/drove out to Chuck's today to drop off a Joy-Pod, and pick up my 25 PRC XP. I grabbed my 308 Win XP just to make sure everything was on. There was a couple of guys and a gal shooting when I got there. The guy was shooting of all things, a bolt rifle in 308 Winchester. I knew the guy that was spotting for them (Dave L), but the other two were a first time acquaintance. Since Dave was there, I asked him if he could spot for me at 500 yards. Originally, I was going to shoot paper at 100 yards and then a 5" steel at 200, and 10" steel at 300 yards, from a seated position and some double kneeling.
But since he was set-up for 500, I told him I would start there.
At the last minute, I decided I would shoot it double-kneeling with the Bog Gear and PSR top and small field bag.
Dialed 13.5 MOA (168 grain TAP ammo) and dialed 1 MOA left for the wind.
Took me awhile to get steady at 500 yards, but smacked it first shot.
Reloaded, and moved hastily to 300 yards (5.5 MOA), again double kneeling, and saw the cross-hair drop at the shot.
I called it just low and Dave confirmed it-Rats!
Then, I moved to the 5" 200 and smacked it from the same position.
Hunting this week will likely involve a sitting shot with my back resting against a tree-Tripod will be lower and more stable than double kneeling.
Don't tell anyone, but I enjoy shooting this XP.
Talked Dave into shooting it from the bench (Harris bi-pod and small field bag) and he nailed the 300 yard steel first time.
the 308 Win XP is ready to go!

any time you can hit out to 500 you are ready to go. good luck and post pics when you score!

Cool-I didn't know you had a HSP in 308 Win.

In three different SP platforms-Which one do you enjoy the most?

A long time ago, I had a Encore barrel in 308 Winchester too, but I sold all of it too.

That is one SP type I have never used.

So, your actual barrel length is close to 13-13.5"?

Is that a center or rear grip?

The prairie dog part sort of surprised me. I have used the 150 grain NBT on deer and elk with good success-Larger 30 cal cartridge though.

I did miss at that 300 yard diamond target...

The XP shoots just fine, even beyond 500 yards, IF, I do my part.

At one point I had 3 rifles chambered for .308 and consider it a wonderful cartridge. .308 always seemed to anchor deer where .270 and '06 didnt. Just my experience.

It is a center grip. What scope would you recommend?

Does it have or will it have a muzzle brake?
What type of hunting?
My guess would be one of the 26, 2-7, 2-8 LER scopes.
Assuming it has a sporter type barrel contour?

A good 4x fixed pistol scope Leupold would work great too!
You can figure out the plex/post subtension, and use it for a second aiming point.

Thanks. No muzzle break, it is as it was originally built.

Hunting out to what distances, typically?

200 to 300 yards

Fixed 4x or the 2-7 class variable LER's will be plenty good for that.