# Talk to me about the .308



## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I've never shot this cartridge before and I just picked a .308 up on a whim because the price was so low that I figured "What the heck...I'll try it out." My gun is a CVA Elite Stalker single shot, break action, stainless Bergara barrel. 

Has anyone shot this particular gun? 

What grain/brand bullets do you like for your .308? I'm not really into target shooting other than for sighting in the gun. Mine will be used more for back country hike-in hunting, coyotes, perhaps deer or antelope, etc.


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## RBoomK (Feb 10, 2011)

I haven't owned or shot the CVA, but you did excellent on your choice of caliber. It doesn't get praised as much as all of the new "latest and greatest" calibers out there, but there is a reason you can find it in a million different models of rifle. My Rem 700 really likes the 168 grain bullets.


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## buglehimin (Jan 15, 2012)

My dad has toted the same Winchester model 88 in the 308 since before I was born. I have shot it, my brothers have all shot it and one of them still shoots a 308. You really cannot go wrong with the 308. Bullets light enough for vermin and heavy enough for moose or bear. Years ago it was one of the top 5 elk cartridges and the military still uses it for a sniper round..


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Those Spanish Bergara are suppose to be some fine barrels. I don't own any but I've sure heard alot about them lately. The .308 is an inherently accurate round. I'll bet you have a real shooter there when you work up a good load. I haven't bought factory rounds for probably over 20 years so I couldn't recomend any. I do however have some excellent handloads you can try. I only have three .308s so I can't give you a lot of loads. 
44.0 Varget, 180 Nosler BT, Win brass, CCI 200 primers, OAL 2.900
45.0 Varget, 175 Sierra MK, Win brass, CCI 200 primers, OAL 2.800
43.6 IMR 4895, 168 Sierra MK or HPBT, Lapua brass, CCI 200 or Fed GMM primers, OAL 2.887

All loads are OCW for each gun but work quite well in each other. Each load is .010 off the lands which is where I usually start with hunting guns, (as opposed to a touching or jammed into the lands on my bench guns). I haven't messed with the OAL since I settled on these loads. Maybe I could squeeze a little more accuracy out of them. I trim my necks so I get .003 neck tension in all three guns and I haven't had any problems with bullets creeping out.
If you try these loads, please let me know how they shoot.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

My daughters .308 is my favorite gun to shoot. We have worked up a few loads with 125gr Speer SP as well as 130gr Barnes triple shock and 150gr Speer BTSP. Her gun has a 20" barrel which really seems to like IMR 3031. I have been able to put loads together for each of the mentioned bullet weights that are sub MOA at 100 yards.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I don't know anything about the CVA rifles but can comment on .308 rounds.

I have shot more elk with the .308 than any other round, mostly because I hunt elk out of a backpack and I like to carry the Remington Model 7 to save weight. For it I use 180 grain Nosler Partitions, IMR 4064.

I do 150 grain Partitions too, 4831 powder usually, same as 30-06 150 gr Partions. use 150s in semi-auto and pump .308s but the powder and OAL is different than what I load for bolt actions.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

I don't have experience with CVA rifles, but I love the .308... it's an awesome cartridge. My Rem 700 loves 150 and 165's. I think it's a very easy caliber to reload for as well. I'm new to reloading, but I found pretty good success without having to mess around too much.
I used 165 Barnes TSX with Varget and it was an awesome combo in my rifle.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks for the information, guys, and thanks especially to longbow for the offer. I don't reload so factory rounds are what I am after. Cabela's had the Federal Premium 168 MK BTHP's on sale so I bought some. We'll see how it goes with this round and go from there. Thanks again.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

My dad has used a 308 for decades and has done very well with it.m I shot my first elk with it; the second shot made a nice clean hole in the ear and the second one took out its back from about 150 yards.


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