This is true! My first rifle was a .308, and I’ve been using it and I’ve never had whitetail get away. Most just drop it their spot or they run 20-30 yards and then drop
No one ever said it doesn’t work. People who are “down on the 308” will claim there are other cartridges that also drop animals just as well but have better trajectory, BC and the same or less recoil, which is true judging by the numbers.
@oblivionpro69 you may think I'm full of shit but for deer within 75 yards 556 is as effective as 308, if you use decent ammo, at least where I live anyways because the deer aren't that big and you don't get really far shots. I think the furthest I have ever taken a deer here in Easter NC is right at 100 yards give or take a little
The 308 is fine for most hunting in North America. It has great efficiency and delivers performance right alongside your 3006, with much less blast and recoil. The 308 also seems to perform well in shorter barrels.
I've used my 3006 for the first 30 yrs of hunting whitetail. My collar bone got broken 5 years ago, so now im recoil sensitive and hunt with my new 308. i love less recoil, and it performs equally.
Your patience with internet know it all's is as astounding as it is humbling. I appreciate your even keeled manner. It's part of the reason I stick around.
Thanks DW. I discovered years ago that it is useless to argue with a fool. But I also know that people on the internet behave worse than they would in real life. Plus, none of us is perfect and we all have bad days, etc. So, basically, I assume the best for everyone, try to understand their situations, and cut them some slack. Most of us are a mix of good and bad, so the more we focus on the good (or potential for good) the more good we engender. Cheers and thanks for sticking around!
Truly enjoyed your comments on this one I’m 100 percent for hunting not sniping grew up on win 94 in 30-30 I have used archery deer & elk until my shoulder gave out. Never have taken a deer or Elk over 400 yds. I hunt for meat and it’s all about the hunt.
Watched your video mostly to see what you had to say about the .308 Win. I bought a Model 88 lever gun in or around 1971 and I forgot long ago how many deer and coyotes I've taken with it. I've never had to shoot a deer more than once to down it and I've never had to track one. It just works. At 68 now, and not in the greatest health I no longer hunt deer but years ago I bought a 110 Savage in .270 Win. and if I had it all to do over again that's what I would have bought in 1971 and never looked back. Both will get the job done and do it well, but that .270 is very hard to beat as a hunting rifle. Enjoy your video's and get a lot of useful information out of them. Keep them coming.
It is useful to know that since copper is less dense than lead, a copper/copper-alloy bullet is significantly larger than a regular lead-cored one of the same weight. That means that in Ron's example of a 180 grain lead core bullet vs a copper bullet, the 150 grain copper bullet will be about the same size and shape a the lead-cored one. A 165 grain copper bullet is actually getting pretty big for a 308 since it will be about as long as a 195-200 grain cup and core.
@@daviddavey1727 What grain bullets did you typically shoot? I have some time and can hunt around to see if anyone has made a compatible lead-free bullet.
@@daviddavey1727 The typical tactic is to make the copper bullet the same length as the lead-core (just lighter) so I will look to see if anyone has come out with a something around an 80 grain.
I’ve never used anything but the 308 and 8mm. I don’t take shots over 400 yards and I don’t like exit cavities. For me I don’t think there is a better caliber than the 308 for hunting big mule deer or elk close up. Close up I mean under 200 yards. Bullet energy usually stays within the carcass, rarely ever blows out the other side. Ammunition is everywhere and it’s usually cheap. I just want to be practical about hunting and I don’t need a magnum. People take game all day long with a bow and arrow and I guarantee you that you don’t need 3,000 fps unless you’re taking long shots and that is something everyone should avoid
My dad's favorite for short distance was a mod94 and 32 win spl. Longer distance a 30-06 with silver tips. First deer I saw him take with the 06 using 220gr Silvertips it pulverized his shoulder. My 16th birthday present was a 308 though.. The comment about lever guns... for the off season my dad shot groundhogs with his mod94 in 32 win spl with open sights. Many 200 yard hits. I like anything on the 308 case. Great video again.
Yes, there were a bunch of 1895's sold to the Russians - BUT those were chambered in 7.62x54R (standard Russian cartridge). Their soldiers really appreciated the guns because you can see pictures of soldiers still using them on the front lines throughout WW2. The 95's chambered in 7.62x54R are quite rare now - not because limited numbers (close to 1/2 mil), but simply because they were USED "long and hard" if you get my meaning. The 30-03 did, indeed, only last 3 years. It was supposed to replace the 30-40 Krag but delivered nearly identical ballistics. And yes, the 95 was chambered in it with very limited numbers. The Springfield rifles in 30-03 were mostly factory refurbished into 30-06, so only a very few 95's are around in 30-03. What is the difference? The 30-06 is one millimeter shorter. It used a Spitzer bullet of 174 grains vs 220. It launched that bullet at 2800 fps vs 2450. And it used a different powder that burned "cooler" and reduced throat erosion. That was the difference between the two, and the reason the 30-03 was so short lived. Annealing can extend case life exponentially. The hand held torch is enough. How long? Stop the moment the flame changes color. Some rotate with a drill. Some with a motorized disc. Some with a pan of water. The pan of water works. Unlike steel which gets very hard when quenched in water, brass and copper return to their "soft" state. This is good for cartridges if limited to the neck and shoulder. You WANT the base to remain hard and tough (thus the water bath for a heat sink). Place in water to 1/2 the length of the cartridge, heat with a torch until the flame changes color, tip over into that water and viola, annealed cases. No personal knowledge, but have heard of a 45-70 shooter who claims he anneals every time and also claims 100 reloads prr case. This number of reloads is actually unbelievable, but nobody else anneals every use either - so, maybe?
Noreen BN36x3 long rang is a AR/A10 type platform in 30-06 made here in Montana, it is based off the M1 Grand. The BN36x3 has a very very very reduced recoil, thanks to it's muzzle break, buffer, barrel length of 22" & overall weight. Shoots sub MOA & with very little effort, you can reacquire the target, putting 3 shots on top of each other in less then a minute. It has a gas adjustment screw that allows you to adjust the flow of gas for different loads, or you can shut it all the way off & operate it as a bolt action. Since it is a 30-06, not only is it great for the rang, but also hunting & since it is designed for long rang shooting, it lends its self well for long rang hunting past the average 300 yrds. It is a little pricy coming in at about $2800, but that is a lot less then similar type semi auto 30-06 on the market, that come in around 6000-8000 dollars. Noreen also chambers them in many other calibers such as 223 & the 308. Unlike other firearms companies that are basically just assembly plants, Noreen manufactures all the parts themselves, except for the triggers. If you are looking for a high caliber semi auto, that's 100% manufactured in the US, look into getting a Noreen, located in Belgrade MT.
Mark me in the 'Sissy' column. I'm 73, with a bad right shoulder (which makes drawing a bow impossible), and no longer want to hump 20 miles. I'll take my rifle (or handgun), day pack, and have a leisurely stroll to my chosen hunting ground.
I’m quite suspicious about Keith’s 20 mile hump with a 30 lb pack and a bow. So, once he shoots his quarry how does he retrieve the meat? Does he add 40lbs of meat to his 30lb pack and hump it 20 miles back? Or does Keith just do a faux hunt for the ambiance?
Thank you for reading my comment. You are correct about the 30 ar but for all intents and purpose it’s dead. Most AR cartridges are limited to about 28 grains of powder and the bigger cartridges 300 Hamr, 6.8 SPC, 6.5 Grendel all travel in the 2400-2500 fps range. The Hamr’s sweet spot is in the 200 yard range where it velocity and frontal mass make it superior. 2” high at 100 is 2” low at 200 with the 1000 foot lbs that is recognized as the minimum for big game. I came to the Hamr after disappointing results with a 24” Grendel. The Grendel is flatter and a bit faster but it just didn’t seem to hit nearly as hard as the Hamr. Thank again for recognizing me!
Many of us must consider skeletal limitations, retinal issues, shoulders, etc. when shooting. 308 is easier on the user's end than 300 magnums. 7mm-08, 260 Rem, and various 6.5s even better. Concentrate on bullet selection and shot placement and you'll do just fine. Best of luck Wrangler!
Ive never hunted anything past 300-350 yards, most is less than 200. I prefer keeping it simple, easy to get, and cheap. So I myself have , with the exception of a 22-250 (I love this round) and a 30-06 1903 springfield I inherited, I only have 22lr, 223, and 308. These 3 will do everything I need for hunting and ammo and reloading supplies (exclude 22lr for reloading) are usually easy to find and cheap.
Hi Ron, I commented and you responded a few months ago, and I was bemoaning the fact that the 6.8 western wasn't readily available in budget minded rifles. Well long story sort I bought the most budget friendly rifle available, (in 2023 budget is around $650?!) and I have been pleasantly surprised. Rifle shoots sub moa easily, closer to .75 moa, the trigger breaks like glass, the recoil isn't too bad, and is a laser beam at 500 yards and I'm no long distance shooter by any means. All this in a fairly attractive rifle the winchester xpr. Quickly becoming my favorite rifle and I hope this cartridge sticks around for a long time. Ballistically, it hangs right in there with the 7mm prc, in a lighter recoiling manner, outperforms the 6.5prc, and according to my ballistic charts, hangs right in there with my 300 weatherby. Quite the accomplishment with a 277 caliber bullet in my opinion.
Can't miss with a Winchester, Remington and Ruger. All make fine firearms at a price us average Joe's can spend and still maintain sub moa at 100 yards.
We all love 308. It is mote than adequate for most game at sensible ranges, including black bear, with proper bullet selection. The 1895 Musket was chambered in the standard 7.62x54R Russian cartridge. I believe it had a 30" barrel, and it had a full length forend with barrel bands, and a bayonet lug. It also had a stripper clip guide milled in. They seem to have been intended for second line and hine guard type troops, but in the way if militaries everywhere, i am sure sone found their eay into the trenches. I think a consignment of them was refused after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, and got sold slowly on the market into the mid 1920's. I think i even remember mention that Westinghouse was involved. Maybe Winchester contracted them because they did not have sufficient capacity. Military arms history is always very interesting.
Thank you for telling the truth about the 17 HMR. My hunting buddy tried it. We both tried the 17 HM2 which was wat better, but still explosive from time to time.
The .375 Weatherby Magnum has the radiused shoulders like the other Weatherby cartridges. The nice thing about having a rifle chambered in .375 Weatherby Magnum is it will fire .375 H&H Belted Magnum just fine and the fired cases turn into .375 Weatherby Magnum cases suitable for reloading as such. The best of both worlds!
Ron the 95's that were sold to Russia were chambered in 7.62x54r not the 3003 although the 95 was chambered in many cartridge like 3006,303 brit, and a few others and maybe in the earlier 3003
My dad used the 30 06 . It's what I was raised with and I love the power. I've had a 308 or three and I just never got the "kick" out of it that I get with 30 06. There are some very fine rifles out there that are chambered in 308 but I don't have any use for a cut down 30 06 . IMO 303 Enfield is more useful than 308. Love me that ought six . Thanks for all the great videos.
Although i disagree on some non important factors about cartridge choice, I do like that you sometimes focus on the bullets and not the cartridge. The bullet makes the cartridge good or bad for many different task. I think it is greatly underestimated how universal a cartridge can become when paired with the appropriate bullet for the given task.
Hey Ron, pertaining to the 277 Sig Fury high-pressure load, it is out and available and it’s on the shelf at my local Murdochs. 150 grain Accu bond, can’t remember the exact velocity but I think it’s somewhere around 2750 from a 16 inch barrel And in the neighborhood of 3000 ft./s from a full length barrel.
I must confess, the old school 72yrs old is right. I’ve hunted and still do with firearms but, I started with a home made bow and arrow 🏹. Thanks b grandpappy. We’re soft the last two gens
👍 I'm now a sissy too... I don't think I want to pack an elk out 20 miles though. Makes my feet and back hurt just thinking about it. (squirrels, maybe...)
If you consider the .338 win. mag. and the .375 H&H if you go to a 300 grain bullet there tends to be quit a difference between the two. I do believe, but don't know certainly, that in some of the countries that require a .375 also have a bullet weight restriction.
Hi Mr. Ron thank so much for talking about the passion we all enjoy . love your show. I have shot animals from Antelope to Elk and see some calibers just shock the animals and go down quicker. Better than others while hitting the sweet spot on all caliber's. 22-250 , 270 are a few that does a great job hitting a close to longer range. Have you seen the same results on certain cal. or is it just me. Have over the last 50 years, Hunting with family and friends and getting out and shooting is, more fun than the actual hunt.Thanks
Yes, Mike, I've seen some of that debated "shock effect," but never consistently. I killed instantly a running whitetail with a 75-gr. varmint bullet in a 6mm Rem. Just a chest shot, but dead instantly. Then again, I shot another with a 300 Win Mag three times in the chest before it expired. In short, I've seen it all with everything from light/hyperfast bullets to slow, super heavy bullets. They can all kill quickly or not so quickly. The one constant is vital tissue damage. Hemorrhaging. Any animal can function for several seconds without a heart of lungs, but soon the brain is starved of oxygen and the animal dies. They tell me it takes 10 min. for brain cells to die without fresh oxygen supply. But animal is unconscious long before that.
The .308 w/150grn bullet is just a hot rimless version of the 30/30 150grn. Heavier bullets in either gun just don't make the grade, so if you like the 150 for your hunting, you'll like the 308
Jim, so that readers don't get the wrong idea, allow me to clarify. Yes, the 308 Win shoots the same .308" diameter bullets as the 30-30 Win., but it is not the 30-30 case with the rim turned off. The 308 Win is a shortened 30-06 case with a head diameter 0.0508" wider than the 30-30 case. The 308 case has about 10 grains more powder capacity. As for "hot," max. av. chamber pressures for the 308 Win is 62,000 psi, the 30-30 just 42,000 psi. The 308 Win handles 165-gr. and 180-gr. bullets nicely, driving them about 500 fps faster than can the 30-30. Cheers
A guy that I hunted with, used the Speer 235gr. bullet in his 375 H&H rifle for elk. J.D. Jones told me once that Speer bullet was a pretty tough bullet. Based on the hole that I saw in the elk that I friend shot.... I can agree... the Speer 235 grain bullet IS a tough bullet.
On annealing brass, it is not necessary to quinch it. It is done only to reduce the heat to handle it. Sometimes they use a method of using a bath as not to overheat the lower case while annealing the neck where the brass is actually in water and sometimes tipped over after annealed. I use an annealer that just does the neck automatically and the brass rolls into a pan where I let it cool. If you quinch you have to deal with drying the cases before reloading.
According to info on Africa Hunting website 9.3x62 is legal for the big dangerous game in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and some provinces of Republic of South Africa. Zimbabwe requires 5300 Joules of energy which is 3900 ft lbs. 9.3x62 can do that depending on bullet weight and velocity. Norma makes a 325 grain Oryx for the 9.3. Woodleigh make a 310 grain. .375 minimum in Botswana, Zambia and Tanzania. Possibly some others. The 9.3x62 was grandfathered in a lot of countries because it was well known to be effective on the big dangerous game long before a lot of the new regulations were written.
On that subject of a kneeling your brass,, the best temperature detection system doesn't require some fancy dyes from a case manufacturer or reloading supply, I work with these metals regularly for a living, and it's kind of strange that you can take your simple sharpie permanent marker and paint your cartridges with it, as you are heating, when the sharpie disappears you have reached your temperature. It works.. you can do this with brass, silver, and copper as well as karat gold..
9.3x62, I think the .35whelen just as well. All this lg hunting and bc emphasis is mute. Well constructed bullet, within range, all more important than BC. Btw as a history buff bc gots a whole different perspective
I also don't know what people are on about 308...as a South African I've been hunting with a 3006 since I can remember. I'm on a Howa 1500 in a STG chassis at the moment. From small, medium to large game with Interlock. In all fairness, I do go headshots and don't take animals over 400m. My 100th animal will be next winter. 308 is to 3006 what the kiwis are to the springboks 😂
Long Range Lazy Hunter: Learn how to reload. Learn how to glass bed a scope base and stock. Work two jobs to buy a quality scope. Wake up at 4:30AM and go to the desert to get a 1000 yard group less than 1/4moa. Make your own altitude density chart with temp and altitude that gives less that a 3" deviation all the way out to 1000 yards. Learn how to thread on a Savage barrel and make your own go, no go gauge. Teach you friends how to reload their 270WSM when there is no 270WSM ammo to be found. Study internal and external ballistics till you have PHD(just kidding). Hunt 10 days in the rain without seeing a shooter buck only to see a shooter buck at 710 yards across a canyon on day 11. Learn how to cast a way point 710 yards with a Garmin GPS and be within 2 yards. Yup, I'm lazy.
12:10 They were chambered in 7,62x54R Mosin round. And transition to spitzer bullets in russian arsenals was ongoing since 1908, so it's very unlikely that 1895 Winchesters for Russian Imperial Army would be made in .30-03.
I recall one of the gun writers (now gone to the great hunting grounds in the sky) who, when asked "What is the best all-around hunting rifle?" answered: "There are plenty of all-around hunting rifles. Where are the all-around hunters?"
FYI. The Russian contract 1895's were chambered in 7.62x54R. Also its highly unlikely that soldiers in WW1 fought with 30-03 rifles, I won't say its impossible but the US fully adopted the 1906 pattern 30-06 in 1908 and had converted/rechambered the very few 1903's (roughly 75,000 produced by the time the new cartridge was adopted) and even fewer machine guns chambered in both the 30-01 (1901) and 30-03 (1903) pattern cartridges.
unlike a arrow if your bullets are passing completely through the animal you are loosing knock down power a bullet that comes out of the meat on the far side and stops before exiting the skin has expended all of its energy in that animal. I saw a friend of mine shoot a big eight point whitetail deer with a 220 grain 30-06 Springfield rifle at a little over 100 yards and the bullet went right through both lungs and continued on and the buck ran off like it was never hit and we followed the blood trail for three hundred yards and lost it because the bullet didn’t expend enough energy or shocking power into the body if he had hit a rib maybe it would have expanded more and made a difference
The 22-284 is not new in fact wildcatters have been playing with this caliber since 1963. There is a Guns and Ammo article (August 1964) written by Bob Hutton where he and the G&A team was able to push the 22-284 to over 6,500 fps with very lightweight steel projectiles before over pressure signs appeared. This would be a fantastic cartridge to use newer, longer, high BC projectiles with modern twist rates. There are multiple articles online about the 22-284 if you are interested and RCBS makes dies for this caliber.
Surely it'd had terrible barrel life though? I mean the .22 Creed shooting 70-95gr bullets at 3000-3400fps is expected to only last around 800 shots, naybe 1200.
@@marcmoore4115 Barrel burning is not such an issue today as ordinance steels are of better quality than they were back 60-80 years ago, plus you can get the inside of the barrel chrome lined and cryogenically treated to resist effect like throat burning.
Hi Ron, Another finely done video. Just wanted to drop a note regarding the 1895 Winchester. The largest number of them are muskets chambered in 7.62x54R (R is for Rimmed not Russian) built for the Russian Army. Just under 300,000 of these were built and few are in the US. Russia used these in WW I, until they withdrew from the war at the time of their revolution. The next highest production was in the 30 US. Those stamped 30 US are actual in 30-40 Krag not 30-03 or 30-06. The 1895 was chamber in the 30-03 and 30-06, but 30-03 production ended when the 30-06 was introduced. All very confusing because the 1895 was available in the 30-40, 30-03 and 30-06. One of the 1895s that President Theodore Roosevelt took to East Africa was in 30-03. Naturally the other was in 405 Winchester. That's the one he referred to a Big Medicine or Lion Medicine. Of course he and Kermit had many rifles and shotguns along on that journey. I believe UMC still loaded the 30-03 until sometime in the 1930s. As a side note the US ARMY rechambers all of their 03 Springfield rifles to 06 shortly after the 06 was adopted. There may have been a few that were untouched because of who had them. Imagine telling John "Blackjack" Pershing to turn in his rifle? No thank you. Keep well and keep the videos coming. Cheers, Jeff
You're welcome Ron. I really enjoy the videos. I of the things that are so nice about your videos are that they are not over edited. It shows so much more of the fun, pleasant and human side. Great job by you and the gang. Cheers, Jeff
Funny you mention the Remington 30 AR. I recently found this round in a reloading manual and decided it would be a nice round in an AR15. Then come to find out it is discontiued. I am still looking for a used though.
In Europe a .308 is sufficient for all deer running around here😂. I use a Brenner Br20 (in US branded as Savage 334 i think) and a CZ Alpha.... Both with short Barrels. Cheers and greetings from good old Germany (black Forest region - southern Germany) 😊 cheers🍀🌿💪🏻👋🏻
One minor correction, and I'm pretty sure others have already mentioned it, but the 1895 Winchester as sold to the Russians was chambered in 7.62x54r, not .30-03 Government. I'm not aware of anything having been chambered in that cartridge. It's possible the commenter meant .303 British.
Hey Ron this is in regards to the 70 year old Superman that hikes 20 miles a day and thinks those who hunt with guns are wussies , I do both BUT some should not I’ve shot deer and antelope with a bow and have thought about hunting elk, but out of the roughly 25 elk I’ve taken two of the had broad heads in them the first had two one in the rear quarter and one in the chest way high and back and it left a big pus inside the chest cavity,and the one in the rear quarter left this poor elk with Gangrene I wasn’t able to salvage any meet total waste. The first was a smaller 5x5 the second was a great big 5x5 and all the meet was fine but he had five broad heads in him and had lost his right rear at the first joint just above the hoof, don’t know if it was shot or if it got hooked on fence wire, all of its wounds were totally healed up I didn’t find the last two broadheads until it was in the grinder,anyway my point is that not everyone should be slinging arrows especially at such large tough game, elk are so tough I made a bad shot and just clipped a lung on a bull elk that ran a couple hundred yards through the woods and went after it to soon do to the fact it right at dusk when I shot him and he heard or winded me and he got up and ran another 50 yards before he went down,and that was with my 300 win mag.
The right bullet is made by Nosler. You're very hard on Nosler and I don't know why. I can only assume they're not a sponsor giving you free bullets and I agreed Nosler ammunition and nosler are horribly expensive. But they work. my 2023 elk hunt. This your cost me $2,000 between fuel lost wages, food, upgraded camping gear etc. What's a $75 box of bullets that I handload and that scheme of things?
Ron...I've got a hand load that "by the book" pushes a 25 caliber 100 Grain Ballistic Tip to 3490 FPS out of a 24"test barrel. It's my favorite White Tail load! It shoots flat, hits hard and utilizes Nosler's Ballistic Tip design to it's full potential. It's extremely accurate in my rifle and out to 300 yards drop them like a lightning bolt fifty percent of the time, the other fifty percent stumble /slow walk about five paces. Another up side is very low recoil. So why is this such an overlooked cartridge ? By the way I really enjoy your channel , and learn a lot too! Mac
Sorry Ron, it’s a Browning A Bolt 25-06 22” barrel and the load is 54.0 grains of IMR 4831 at 84% load density. It’s out of the NOSLER number three Reloading Manual. Quoted at 3490 fps out of a 22” Hart test barrel. I may have said it was a 24” barrel in the comments before. The longest distance I’ve taken a dear with this load is 250 yards, as my dad used to say “You pole axed him son”. The dear was 175 lbs on the hoof and a perfect four point on one side and a towering palmated beam that curved to almost touch the normal beam. To top it off he was in a hurried doe chase! We’ll I guess I’ll let you go looks like a lot of mail to answer. It’s always a pleasure to watch your shows. Mac 😎
I have decided to use for all western game [antelope, mule deer and Elk] my 180gr Accubond nosler 300 RUM. Some might say it is too much for an antelope. What are your thoughts? Thank you!
That is enough cartridge, velocity, and bullet for any N.A. game and most African. Yes, way more than needed for antelope or whitetails or mule deer or even caribou, but with the right bullet in the right place (gehind shoulder) it isn't going to tear any in pieces. If you shoot it well and enjoy carrying it, why not?
Thank you Ron! I appreciate you! I have had a Blaser R93 for over 20 years and it is an extension of my arms. :) I have tried a 243, 300 wm, 308 barrels, but after I had a gunsmith in New Zealand make me a brake for my 300 RUM I never looked back - I do, however, warn anyone standing next to me to move before I shoot! :) The recoil is definitely not an ultra mag, but a hot 308! Thanks again!@@RonSpomerOutdoors
I’m not against a walk to find game but in my neighborhood it’s what’s smarter the game or you. When the game starts seeing everyone going deep. Hunt the edges. I’ve seen many people walk on by while the game stays just inside the game lands. The people going in aren’t looking yet and easily go walk on by them. They then lie down and wait for everyone to go home. They may be game but they aren’t stupid and they outthink hunters.
Speaking of .308 v 6.5 CM, I won a Sig Cross in a charity auction, and am now being told that I can choose a 6.5 CM or .308 version. Ron, would you choose a 16inch 308 or an 18 inch 6.5 CM as your next hunting rifle, if your main query is mule deer, black bears and prong horn on the northern CA/NV boarder?
If those were my only choices... tough call, but I'd likely go CM for potentially better long range performance on deer and pronghorn. Black bear, however, suggests 308 Win. Neither round benefits from such short barrels, but adding a suppressor makes for a nicer shooting experience.
I wish people would remember that .30-06 (.30 M2) is ballistically identical to .308 Win. (7.62x51mm Nato). .308 was developed as such for that reason, with slightly smaller size and weight. Yes, you can load '06 hotter, but that wasn't the point.
Right Shawn, but folks might appreciate a bit of clarification. The original "308" military load did indeed match the MV of the 30-06 military loading of the WWII era, but both civilian cartridges today are different. Most commercial (factory) loads today have the 30-06 shooting on average about 100 fps faster than the 308 Win loads.
@@RonSpomerOutdoors Ron- with just 100fps separating the .30-06 from the .308, are you also “down on” the ‘06? If not, could you provide a list of the game animals that would notice that extra 100fps? Love your show; keep up the great work!
@@RonSpomerOutdoors 100fps has little to no effect down range. Most of that number is due to manufacturing tolerances. I've seen bigger swings than that out of the same box.
Why am I down on the .308 to this very day? Because as a young teenager in elk hunting camp I knew it couldn't match 30-06 ballistics. The .270 vs 30-06 campfire debates were much more interesting to me. My grandfather shot an ought 6, my dad shot an ought 6 and that was my first elk rifle as well. Then this new fangled cartridge called the 7mm mag came out and I never looked back....lol
06 can actually hold its ground pretty well on every using a 210 grain accubond long range bullet at distance of 600 yds it produces 1748 ft lbs of energy ..flatter shooting at distance doesn't mean much as long as you know your hold over from 400 500 and 600 even 700 yds . The heavy accubond in 06 is a long distance hammer
I like listening to you but I have gotten a 6.5 Creedmoor for shooting up to a 1000 yards . And it is not for being a sniper but to just be able to shoot targets at that range. And to try and make fill good that I can do it . I use Hornady ELDX 143 grain ammunition. And I am 72 years old . Do you have any suggestions for me ?
None other than chronograph your loads, build your trajectory tables, and work with those numbers. You're shooting a good bullet for that work. Good luck and have fun.
I don't understand why people like copper bullets only reason why they are even talked about nowadays is because California won't allow people to shoot lead bullets
Interesting topic on most versatile. The only thing the .308 holds over any other round, which is the fact that it is cheap and cheap to reload, and the versatility of different bullet weights. Performance it gets the job done, but it's bland. 6.8 western is arguably the best round ever designed. There is a reason why the .270 was the it cartridge for decades. I have a theory: Why has the 27 calibur not been played with as much as others. Designing ammo is a business. If everyone buys one ammo because it is the best, it is not much of a business anymore. Keep consumers thinking and arguing over what cartridge is the best. This is why I think the 6.8 western is being shut out.
I scraped a 270 and replaced it with a 308. Because 270 has chamber pressure issues and no better ballistic caricaturistics then 280 or 308. And 308 has a better bullet selection then 270 or 280.
Thanks for the great info in all of your videos! Question: I’m new to hunting and I have .308 savage. I would like to add another bolt action rifle. I only hunt deer and maybe I’ll get into bigger game but not as much as deer. Someone recommended.270 what would you recommend please? Thanks
I've spent time in all the Northwest to Alaska, and in Alaska I would bet 308 and 3006 would be the firearms,,rifles you would see most. I would shoot, in self defense a 308 at a brown bear in a charge but ,I can shoot and not crap my pants at the same time. Even a 3006. If actually hunting for something that big and had a choice, it of course would be 338 mag and up.
If you're Ron Spomer and have access to every rifle, and can hand load specifically for every situation. I'm sure. 308 sucks something awful compared to literally everything else. But for your average joe Shmoe, that maybe has a couple of rifles, the .308 would be a good all around hunting rifle. That's not really a dig, and yeah I'm a bit jealous. :) But there is some biased here that wouldn't apply to an average dude.
The 308 is the perfect balance to me. Enough power without insane recoil.
The .308 just plain works and always has. Never had a game animal walk away with it, provided I didn’t miss.
This is true! My first rifle was a .308, and I’ve been using it and I’ve never had whitetail get away. Most just drop it their spot or they run 20-30 yards and then drop
No one ever said it doesn’t work. People who are “down on the 308” will claim there are other cartridges that also drop animals just as well but have better trajectory, BC and the same or less recoil, which is true judging by the numbers.
@oblivionpro69 you may think I'm full of shit but for deer within 75 yards 556 is as effective as 308, if you use decent ammo, at least where I live anyways because the deer aren't that big and you don't get really far shots. I think the furthest I have ever taken a deer here in Easter NC is right at 100 yards give or take a little
The 308 just flat out works, and I grew up with the 30-06 and owning the 308 and a couple of magnums, the 308 just does the job
The 308 is fine for most hunting in North America. It has great efficiency and delivers performance right alongside your 3006, with much less blast and recoil. The 308 also seems to perform well in shorter barrels.
@@jimparker7778 Yes it does
I've been hunting with a 30-30 for 45 years. I have gone home most of my hunts with success. The 308 is good as well. So is my 8mm Mauser.
I use to be pretty hard on the 308, but I’m slowly coming around. It has it’s place and it’s purpose. Hard to beat that ammo availability!
I've used my 3006 for the first 30 yrs of hunting whitetail. My collar bone got broken 5 years ago, so now im recoil sensitive and hunt with my new 308. i love less recoil, and it performs equally.
Your patience with internet know it all's is as astounding as it is humbling. I appreciate your even keeled manner. It's part of the reason I stick around.
Thanks DW. I discovered years ago that it is useless to argue with a fool. But I also know that people on the internet behave worse than they would in real life. Plus, none of us is perfect and we all have bad days, etc. So, basically, I assume the best for everyone, try to understand their situations, and cut them some slack. Most of us are a mix of good and bad, so the more we focus on the good (or potential for good) the more good we engender. Cheers and thanks for sticking around!
Truly enjoyed your comments on this one I’m 100 percent for hunting not sniping grew up on win 94 in 30-30 I have used archery deer & elk until my shoulder gave out. Never have taken a deer or Elk over 400 yds. I hunt for meat and it’s all about the hunt.
Watched your video mostly to see what you had to say about the .308 Win. I bought a Model 88 lever gun in or around 1971 and I forgot long ago how many deer and coyotes I've taken with it. I've never had to shoot a deer more than once to down it and I've never had to track one. It just works. At 68 now, and not in the greatest health I no longer hunt deer but years ago I bought a 110 Savage in .270 Win. and if I had it all to do over again that's what I would have bought in 1971 and never looked back. Both will get the job done and do it well, but that .270 is very hard to beat as a hunting rifle. Enjoy your video's and get a lot of useful information out of them. Keep them coming.
It is useful to know that since copper is less dense than lead, a copper/copper-alloy bullet is significantly larger than a regular lead-cored one of the same weight. That means that in Ron's example of a 180 grain lead core bullet vs a copper bullet, the 150 grain copper bullet will be about the same size and shape a the lead-cored one. A 165 grain copper bullet is actually getting pretty big for a 308 since it will be about as long as a 195-200 grain cup and core.
The mandate to non-lead bullets really retired a lot of great old slower twist rifles like My .:250-3000 Savage with the 1:14 twist. Such a shame.
@@daviddavey1727 What grain bullets did you typically shoot? I have some time and can hunt around to see if anyone has made a compatible lead-free bullet.
@@jfess1911 100 gr .257 pointed soft points for my .250. Copper equivalents are too long and won’t stabilize.
@@daviddavey1727 The typical tactic is to make the copper bullet the same length as the lead-core (just lighter) so I will look to see if anyone has come out with a something around an 80 grain.
@@daviddavey1727 Hammer has a 67gr bullet designed for 1:14 twist. Barnes has a 80 gr TTSX that might work. Good luck!
I’ve never used anything but the 308 and 8mm. I don’t take shots over 400 yards and I don’t like exit cavities. For me I don’t think there is a better caliber than the 308 for hunting big mule deer or elk close up. Close up I mean under 200 yards. Bullet energy usually stays within the carcass, rarely ever blows out the other side. Ammunition is everywhere and it’s usually cheap. I just want to be practical about hunting and I don’t need a magnum. People take game all day long with a bow and arrow and I guarantee you that you don’t need 3,000 fps unless you’re taking long shots and that is something everyone should avoid
Your acknowledgment and appreciation for fireside stories really resonates with me. It is an endangered part of the hunt and male initiation.
Agreed. Everyone should read the 2 The Old Man and the Boy books by Ruark
I have 1 rifle. An older Remington 700 adl in 308 with a Leupold VX2 scope. It easily gets from 1/2 to 3/4 inches!!!
I back that rifle up with either a 4 inch Smith 686+ or a 629 classic deluxe 44 mag with a 6.5 inch barrel.
And just put a hunter stock on it and it chirps it up nicely and change it to mag system with new action and stock
My dad's favorite for short distance was a mod94 and 32 win spl. Longer distance a 30-06 with silver tips. First deer I saw him take with the 06 using 220gr Silvertips it pulverized his shoulder.
My 16th birthday present was a 308 though..
The comment about lever guns... for the off season my dad shot groundhogs with his mod94 in 32 win spl with open sights. Many 200 yard hits.
I like anything on the 308 case.
Great video again.
Yes, there were a bunch of 1895's sold to the Russians - BUT those were chambered in 7.62x54R (standard Russian cartridge). Their soldiers really appreciated the guns because you can see pictures of soldiers still using them on the front lines throughout WW2.
The 95's chambered in 7.62x54R are quite rare now - not because limited numbers (close to 1/2 mil), but simply because they were USED "long and hard" if you get my meaning.
The 30-03 did, indeed, only last 3 years. It was supposed to replace the 30-40 Krag but delivered nearly identical ballistics. And yes, the 95 was chambered in it with very limited numbers. The Springfield rifles in 30-03 were mostly factory refurbished into 30-06, so only a very few 95's are around in 30-03.
What is the difference? The 30-06 is one millimeter shorter. It used a Spitzer bullet of 174 grains vs 220. It launched that bullet at 2800 fps vs 2450. And it used a different powder that burned "cooler" and reduced throat erosion. That was the difference between the two, and the reason the 30-03 was so short lived.
Annealing can extend case life exponentially. The hand held torch is enough. How long? Stop the moment the flame changes color. Some rotate with a drill. Some with a motorized disc. Some with a pan of water. The pan of water works. Unlike steel which gets very hard when quenched in water, brass and copper return to their "soft" state. This is good for cartridges if limited to the neck and shoulder. You WANT the base to remain hard and tough (thus the water bath for a heat sink). Place in water to 1/2 the length of the cartridge, heat with a torch until the flame changes color, tip over into that water and viola, annealed cases.
No personal knowledge, but have heard of a 45-70 shooter who claims he anneals every time and also claims 100 reloads prr case. This number of reloads is actually unbelievable, but nobody else anneals every use either - so, maybe?
Always great content.
Noreen BN36x3 long rang is a AR/A10 type platform in 30-06 made here in Montana, it is based off the M1 Grand. The BN36x3 has a very very very reduced recoil, thanks to it's muzzle break, buffer, barrel length of 22" & overall weight. Shoots sub MOA & with very little effort, you can reacquire the target, putting 3 shots on top of each other in less then a minute.
It has a gas adjustment screw that allows you to adjust the flow of gas for different loads, or you can shut it all the way off & operate it as a bolt action.
Since it is a 30-06, not only is it great for the rang, but also hunting & since it is designed for long rang shooting, it lends its self well for long rang hunting past the average 300 yrds.
It is a little pricy coming in at about $2800, but that is a lot less then similar type semi auto 30-06 on the market, that come in around 6000-8000 dollars.
Noreen also chambers them in many other calibers such as 223 & the 308. Unlike other firearms companies that are basically just assembly plants, Noreen manufactures all the parts themselves, except for the triggers. If you are looking for a high caliber semi auto, that's 100% manufactured in the US, look into getting a Noreen, located in Belgrade MT.
Like have info on this rifle
Mark me in the 'Sissy' column. I'm 73, with a bad right shoulder (which makes drawing a bow impossible), and no longer want to hump 20 miles. I'll take my rifle (or handgun), day pack, and have a leisurely stroll to my chosen hunting ground.
Inspiring, I hope to be doing same at 73! Im 60 now and just got my first big game rifle...... a 308
I’m quite suspicious about Keith’s 20 mile hump with a 30 lb pack and a bow. So, once he shoots his quarry how does he retrieve the meat? Does he add 40lbs of meat to his 30lb pack and hump it 20 miles back?
Or does Keith just do a faux hunt for the ambiance?
Thank you for reading my comment. You are correct about the 30 ar but for all intents and purpose it’s dead. Most AR cartridges are limited to about 28 grains of powder and the bigger cartridges 300 Hamr, 6.8 SPC, 6.5 Grendel all travel in the 2400-2500 fps range. The Hamr’s sweet spot is in the 200 yard range where it velocity and frontal mass make it superior. 2” high at 100 is 2” low at 200 with the 1000 foot lbs that is recognized as the minimum for big game. I came to the Hamr after disappointing results with a 24” Grendel. The Grendel is flatter and a bit faster but it just didn’t seem to hit nearly as hard as the Hamr. Thank again for recognizing me!
308 works for people like me, who have screwed up backs!!! It doesn't tear my back up, and can take any game even elk within reasonable range.
Many of us must consider skeletal limitations, retinal issues, shoulders, etc. when shooting. 308 is easier on the user's end than 300 magnums. 7mm-08, 260 Rem, and various 6.5s even better. Concentrate on bullet selection and shot placement and you'll do just fine. Best of luck Wrangler!
Ive never hunted anything past 300-350 yards, most is less than 200. I prefer keeping it simple, easy to get, and cheap. So I myself have , with the exception of a 22-250 (I love this round) and a 30-06 1903 springfield I inherited, I only have 22lr, 223, and 308. These 3 will do everything I need for hunting and ammo and reloading supplies (exclude 22lr for reloading) are usually easy to find and cheap.
When you take the .308 to the rifle range all questions about a .308 is ancwered.
Hi Ron, I commented and you responded a few months ago, and I was bemoaning the fact that the 6.8 western wasn't readily available in budget minded rifles. Well long story sort I bought the most budget friendly rifle available, (in 2023 budget is around $650?!) and I have been pleasantly surprised. Rifle shoots sub moa easily, closer to .75 moa, the trigger breaks like glass, the recoil isn't too bad, and is a laser beam at 500 yards and I'm no long distance shooter by any means. All this in a fairly attractive rifle the winchester xpr. Quickly becoming my favorite rifle and I hope this cartridge sticks around for a long time. Ballistically, it hangs right in there with the 7mm prc, in a lighter recoiling manner, outperforms the 6.5prc, and according to my ballistic charts, hangs right in there with my 300 weatherby. Quite the accomplishment with a 277 caliber bullet in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Shane. And continued success with your 6.8 Western.
Can't miss with a Winchester, Remington and Ruger. All make fine firearms at a price us average Joe's can spend and still maintain sub moa at 100 yards.
We all love 308. It is mote than adequate for most game at sensible ranges, including black bear, with proper bullet selection.
The 1895 Musket was chambered in the standard 7.62x54R Russian cartridge. I believe it had a 30" barrel, and it had a full length forend with barrel bands, and a bayonet lug. It also had a stripper clip guide milled in. They seem to have been intended for second line and hine guard type troops, but in the way if militaries everywhere, i am sure sone found their eay into the trenches. I think a consignment of them was refused after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, and got sold slowly on the market into the mid 1920's. I think i even remember mention that Westinghouse was involved. Maybe Winchester contracted them because they did not have sufficient capacity.
Military arms history is always very interesting.
Thank you for telling the truth about the 17 HMR. My hunting buddy tried it. We both tried the 17 HM2 which was wat better, but still explosive from time to time.
The .375 Weatherby Magnum has the radiused shoulders like the other Weatherby cartridges. The nice thing about having a rifle chambered in .375 Weatherby Magnum is it will fire .375 H&H Belted Magnum just fine and the fired cases turn into .375 Weatherby Magnum cases suitable for reloading as such. The best of both worlds!
Agreed. I read the same in Hornady's reloading manual.
Ron the 95's that were sold to Russia were chambered in 7.62x54r not the 3003 although the 95 was chambered in many cartridge like 3006,303 brit, and a few others and maybe in the earlier 3003
Thanks Ron.
My dad used the 30 06 . It's what I was raised with and I love the power. I've had a 308 or three and I just never got the "kick" out of it that I get with 30 06. There are some very fine rifles out there that are chambered in 308 but I don't have any use for a cut down 30 06 . IMO 303 Enfield is more useful than 308. Love me that ought six . Thanks for all the great videos.
For what I hunt, the 6.5 Grendel is fantastic. Never had a deer run over 30 yards with the hornady cust 123gr sst
Although i disagree on some non important factors about cartridge choice, I do like that you sometimes focus on the bullets and not the cartridge. The bullet makes the cartridge good or bad for many different task. I think it is greatly underestimated how universal a cartridge can become when paired with the appropriate bullet for the given task.
Ditto! Mac
Hey Ron, pertaining to the 277 Sig Fury high-pressure load, it is out and available and it’s on the shelf at my local Murdochs. 150 grain Accu bond, can’t remember the exact velocity but I think it’s somewhere around 2750 from a 16 inch barrel And in the neighborhood of 3000 ft./s from a full length barrel.
I would choose it but it's slow to come to my area. So I may settle for 6.5CM in the meantime.
thanks you for all the info. and love that hat of yours!!!
The russian 1895s where chambered in russian 7.62x54r and made to take standard mosin nagant stripper clips. They where used for quite a long time.
I must confess, the old school 72yrs old is right. I’ve hunted and still do with firearms but, I started with a home made bow and arrow 🏹. Thanks b grandpappy. We’re soft the last two gens
👍 I'm now a sissy too... I don't think I want to pack an elk out 20 miles though. Makes my feet and back hurt just thinking about it. (squirrels, maybe...)
If you consider the .338 win. mag. and the .375 H&H if you go to a 300 grain bullet there tends to be quit a difference between the two. I do believe, but don't know certainly, that in some of the countries that require a .375 also have a bullet weight restriction.
It's not a RESTRICTION It's a REQUIREMENT your thinking of.
Hi Mr. Ron thank so much for talking about the passion we all enjoy . love your show. I have shot animals from Antelope to Elk and see some calibers just shock the animals and go down quicker. Better than others while hitting the sweet spot on all caliber's. 22-250 , 270 are a few that does a great job hitting a close to longer range. Have you seen the same results on certain cal. or is it just me. Have over the last 50 years, Hunting with family and friends and getting out and shooting is, more fun than the actual hunt.Thanks
Yes, Mike, I've seen some of that debated "shock effect," but never consistently. I killed instantly a running whitetail with a 75-gr. varmint bullet in a 6mm Rem. Just a chest shot, but dead instantly. Then again, I shot another with a 300 Win Mag three times in the chest before it expired. In short, I've seen it all with everything from light/hyperfast bullets to slow, super heavy bullets. They can all kill quickly or not so quickly. The one constant is vital tissue damage. Hemorrhaging. Any animal can function for several seconds without a heart of lungs, but soon the brain is starved of oxygen and the animal dies. They tell me it takes 10 min. for brain cells to die without fresh oxygen supply. But animal is unconscious long before that.
The .308 w/150grn bullet is just a hot rimless version of the 30/30 150grn. Heavier bullets in either gun just don't make the grade, so if you like the 150 for your hunting, you'll like the 308
Jim, so that readers don't get the wrong idea, allow me to clarify. Yes, the 308 Win shoots the same .308" diameter bullets as the 30-30 Win., but it is not the 30-30 case with the rim turned off. The 308 Win is a shortened 30-06 case with a head diameter 0.0508" wider than the 30-30 case. The 308 case has about 10 grains more powder capacity. As for "hot," max. av. chamber pressures for the 308 Win is 62,000 psi, the 30-30 just 42,000 psi. The 308 Win handles 165-gr. and 180-gr. bullets nicely, driving them about 500 fps faster than can the 30-30. Cheers
I'm not a .308 fan but I'm a fan of the 7mm08, and the .243. Thanks for your reply Ron@@RonSpomerOutdoors
A guy that I hunted with, used the Speer 235gr. bullet in his 375 H&H rifle for elk.
J.D. Jones told me once that Speer bullet was a pretty tough bullet. Based on the hole that I saw in the elk that I friend shot.... I can agree... the Speer 235 grain bullet IS a tough bullet.
On annealing brass, it is not necessary to quinch it. It is done only to reduce the heat to handle it. Sometimes they use a method of using a bath as not to overheat the lower case while annealing the neck where the brass is actually in water and sometimes tipped over after annealed. I use an annealer that just does the neck automatically and the brass rolls into a pan where I let it cool. If you quinch you have to deal with drying the cases before reloading.
This may be a dumb question but, do you anneal each time you reload that particular case or is it a one and done kind of thing?
9.3 x 74 or 9.3 x 62 are the ones that are allowed in South Africa I believe and a couple other places.
9.3x64 minimum
According to info on Africa Hunting website 9.3x62 is legal for the big dangerous game in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and some provinces of Republic of South Africa. Zimbabwe requires 5300 Joules of energy which is 3900 ft lbs. 9.3x62 can do that depending on bullet weight and velocity. Norma makes a 325 grain Oryx for the 9.3. Woodleigh make a 310 grain. .375 minimum in Botswana, Zambia and Tanzania. Possibly some others. The 9.3x62 was grandfathered in a lot of countries because it was well known to be effective on the big dangerous game long before a lot of the new regulations were written.
I will be sticking with my 257 Wby or 25-06.
Have a good day
On that subject of a kneeling your brass,, the best temperature detection system doesn't require some fancy dyes from a case manufacturer or reloading supply, I work with these metals regularly for a living, and it's kind of strange that you can take your simple sharpie permanent marker and paint your cartridges with it, as you are heating, when the sharpie disappears you have reached your temperature. It works.. you can do this with brass, silver, and copper as well as karat gold..
I like the 6.5 Grendel in an ar15 platform for game.
9.3x62, I think the .35whelen just as well. All this lg hunting and bc emphasis is mute. Well constructed bullet, within range, all more important than BC. Btw as a history buff bc gots a whole different perspective
I also don't know what people are on about 308...as a South African I've been hunting with a 3006 since I can remember. I'm on a Howa 1500 in a STG chassis at the moment. From small, medium to large game with Interlock. In all fairness, I do go headshots and don't take animals over 400m. My 100th animal will be next winter. 308 is to 3006 what the kiwis are to the springboks 😂
More popular? 😂
In an AR platform the 308 is hard to beat. The hammer can’t come close if it’s just outperforming the 30.30.
Long Range Lazy Hunter: Learn how to reload. Learn how to glass bed a scope base and stock. Work two jobs to buy a quality scope. Wake up at 4:30AM and go to the desert to get a 1000 yard group less than 1/4moa. Make your own altitude density chart with temp and altitude that gives less that a 3" deviation all the way out to 1000 yards. Learn how to thread on a Savage barrel and make your own go, no go gauge. Teach you friends how to reload their 270WSM when there is no 270WSM ammo to be found. Study internal and external ballistics till you have PHD(just kidding). Hunt 10 days in the rain without seeing a shooter buck only to see a shooter buck at 710 yards across a canyon on day 11. Learn how to cast a way point 710 yards with a Garmin GPS and be within 2 yards. Yup, I'm lazy.
12:10 They were chambered in 7,62x54R Mosin round. And transition to spitzer bullets in russian arsenals was ongoing since 1908, so it's very unlikely that 1895 Winchesters for Russian Imperial Army would be made in .30-03.
I recall one of the gun writers (now gone to the great hunting grounds in the sky) who, when asked "What is the best all-around hunting rifle?" answered: "There are plenty of all-around hunting rifles. Where are the all-around hunters?"
Both are made, not born.
FYI. The Russian contract 1895's were chambered in 7.62x54R. Also its highly unlikely that soldiers in WW1 fought with 30-03 rifles, I won't say its impossible but the US fully adopted the 1906 pattern 30-06 in 1908 and had converted/rechambered the very few 1903's (roughly 75,000 produced by the time the new cartridge was adopted) and even fewer machine guns chambered in both the 30-01 (1901) and 30-03 (1903) pattern cartridges.
unlike a arrow if your bullets are passing completely through the animal you are loosing knock down power a bullet that comes out of the meat on the far side and stops before exiting the skin has expended all of its energy in that animal. I saw a friend of mine shoot a big eight point whitetail deer with a 220 grain 30-06 Springfield rifle at a little over 100 yards and the bullet went right through both lungs and continued on and the buck ran off like it was never hit and we followed the blood trail for three hundred yards and lost it because the bullet didn’t expend enough energy or shocking power into the body if he had hit a rib maybe it would have expanded more and made a difference
Awful
They got the 300win mag in an AR now that’s the best AR platform
The 22-284 is not new in fact wildcatters have been playing with this caliber since 1963. There is a Guns and Ammo article (August 1964) written by Bob Hutton where he and the G&A team was able to push the 22-284 to over 6,500 fps with very lightweight steel projectiles before over pressure signs appeared. This would be a fantastic cartridge to use newer, longer, high BC projectiles with modern twist rates. There are multiple articles online about the 22-284 if you are interested and RCBS makes dies for this caliber.
6500fps... WHAT! That's crazy!
Surely it'd had terrible barrel life though? I mean the .22 Creed shooting 70-95gr bullets at 3000-3400fps is expected to only last around 800 shots, naybe 1200.
@@marcmoore4115 Barrel burning is not such an issue today as ordinance steels are of better quality than they were back 60-80 years ago, plus you can get the inside of the barrel chrome lined and cryogenically treated to resist effect like throat burning.
@@marcmoore4115 I know. I had to read the article so I found that back issue on eBay. Very impressive
Hi Ron,
Another finely done video. Just wanted to drop a note regarding the 1895 Winchester. The largest number of them are muskets chambered in 7.62x54R (R is for Rimmed not Russian) built for the Russian Army. Just under 300,000 of these were built and few are in the US. Russia used these in WW I, until they withdrew from the war at the time of their revolution. The next highest production was in the 30 US. Those stamped 30 US are actual in 30-40 Krag not 30-03 or 30-06. The 1895 was chamber in the 30-03 and 30-06, but 30-03 production ended when the 30-06 was introduced. All very confusing because the 1895 was available in the 30-40, 30-03 and 30-06. One of the 1895s that President Theodore Roosevelt took to East Africa was in 30-03. Naturally the other was in 405 Winchester. That's the one he referred to a Big Medicine or Lion Medicine. Of course he and Kermit had many rifles and shotguns along on that journey. I believe UMC still loaded the 30-03 until sometime in the 1930s.
As a side note the US ARMY rechambers all of their 03 Springfield rifles to 06 shortly after the 06 was adopted. There may have been a few that were untouched because of who had them. Imagine telling John "Blackjack" Pershing to turn in his rifle? No thank you.
Keep well and keep the videos coming.
Cheers, Jeff
Thanks Jeff, and thanks for the details.
You're welcome Ron. I really enjoy the videos. I of the things that are so nice about your videos are that they are not over edited. It shows so much more of the fun, pleasant and human side. Great job by you and the gang.
Cheers, Jeff
The 300 Hammer guy should check out the 6.5 Grendel, it will blow the 300 Hammer away. Speed,distance, and accuracy.
Funny you mention the Remington 30 AR. I recently found this round in a reloading manual and decided it would be a nice round in an AR15. Then come to find out it is discontiued. I am still looking for a used though.
Honestly because 30cal bullet strong punch
400ft 556 vs 400ft .308 against any target.
Thank you
In Europe a .308 is sufficient for all deer running around here😂. I use a Brenner Br20 (in US branded as Savage 334 i think) and a CZ Alpha.... Both with short Barrels. Cheers and greetings from good old Germany (black Forest region - southern Germany) 😊 cheers🍀🌿💪🏻👋🏻
Hi Ron. We need to get you a couple of ARs in 22ARC and 6ARC. Greetings!
One minor correction, and I'm pretty sure others have already mentioned it, but the 1895 Winchester as sold to the Russians was chambered in 7.62x54r, not .30-03 Government. I'm not aware of anything having been chambered in that cartridge. It's possible the commenter meant .303 British.
I have a yearning for a Savage 99 in .300 Savage.
Hey Ron this is in regards to the 70 year old Superman that hikes 20 miles a day and thinks those who hunt with guns are wussies , I do both BUT some should not I’ve shot deer and antelope with a bow and have thought about hunting elk, but out of the roughly 25 elk I’ve taken two of the had broad heads in them the first had two one in the rear quarter and one in the chest way high and back and it left a big pus inside the chest cavity,and the one in the rear quarter left this poor elk with Gangrene I wasn’t able to salvage any meet total waste. The first was a smaller 5x5 the second was a great big 5x5 and all the meet was fine but he had five broad heads in him and had lost his right rear at the first joint just above the hoof, don’t know if it was shot or if it got hooked on fence wire, all of its wounds were totally healed up I didn’t find the last two broadheads until it was in the grinder,anyway my point is that not everyone should be slinging arrows especially at such large tough game, elk are so tough I made a bad shot and just clipped a lung on a bull elk that ran a couple hundred yards through the woods and went after it to soon do to the fact it right at dusk when I shot him and he heard or winded me and he got up and ran another 50 yards before he went down,and that was with my 300 win mag.
The right bullet is made by Nosler.
You're very hard on Nosler and I don't know why. I can only assume they're not a sponsor giving you free bullets and I agreed Nosler ammunition and nosler are horribly expensive. But they work.
my 2023 elk hunt. This your cost me $2,000 between fuel lost wages, food, upgraded camping gear etc. What's a $75 box of bullets that I handload and that scheme of things?
🎉awesome video not a hunter but enjoying video
The Winchester 1895 was also chambered in 7.62x54R for the Russians.
Are there better calibers than .308? Probably. Is .308 a solid, reliable option? Absolutely!
Ron...I've got a hand load that "by the book" pushes a 25 caliber 100 Grain Ballistic Tip to 3490 FPS out of a 24"test barrel. It's my favorite White Tail load! It shoots flat, hits hard and utilizes Nosler's Ballistic Tip design to it's full potential. It's extremely accurate in my rifle and out to 300 yards drop them like a lightning bolt fifty percent of the time, the other fifty percent stumble /slow walk about five paces. Another up side is very low recoil. So why is this such an overlooked cartridge ? By the way I really enjoy your channel , and learn a lot too! Mac
Sounds good Mac, but you never mentioned what cartridge you are loading. 25-06 or 257 Wby. or ??
Sorry Ron, it’s a Browning A Bolt 25-06 22” barrel and the load is 54.0 grains of IMR 4831 at 84% load density. It’s out of the NOSLER number three Reloading Manual. Quoted at 3490 fps out of a 22” Hart test barrel. I may have said it was a 24” barrel in the comments before.
The longest distance I’ve taken a dear with this load is 250 yards, as my dad used to say “You pole axed him son”. The dear was 175 lbs on the hoof and a perfect four point on one side and a towering palmated beam that curved to almost touch the normal beam. To top it off he was in a hurried doe chase! We’ll I guess I’ll let you go looks like a lot of mail to answer. It’s always a pleasure to watch your shows. Mac 😎
I don't want to kill anything. However, I enjoy your videos because you focus on ethics.
The Model 95 sold to Russia was the 7.62x51R not the 30-03
"Keith" walked to school in the snow 3 miles uphill both ways I bet.
Lol
I have decided to use for all western game [antelope, mule deer and Elk] my 180gr Accubond nosler 300 RUM. Some might say it is too much for an antelope. What are your thoughts? Thank you!
That is enough cartridge, velocity, and bullet for any N.A. game and most African. Yes, way more than needed for antelope or whitetails or mule deer or even caribou, but with the right bullet in the right place (gehind shoulder) it isn't going to tear any in pieces. If you shoot it well and enjoy carrying it, why not?
Thank you Ron! I appreciate you! I have had a Blaser R93 for over 20 years and it is an extension of my arms. :) I have tried a 243, 300 wm, 308 barrels, but after I had a gunsmith in New Zealand make me a brake for my 300 RUM I never looked back - I do, however, warn anyone standing next to me to move before I shoot! :) The recoil is definitely not an ultra mag, but a hot 308! Thanks again!@@RonSpomerOutdoors
Keep up the good work! Thank You!
I’m not against a walk to find game but in my neighborhood it’s what’s smarter the game or you. When the game starts seeing everyone going deep. Hunt the edges. I’ve seen many people walk on by while the game stays just inside the game lands. The people going in aren’t looking yet and easily go walk on by them. They then lie down and wait for everyone to go home. They may be game but they aren’t stupid and they outthink hunters.
Speaking of .308 v 6.5 CM, I won a Sig Cross in a charity auction, and am now being told that I can choose a 6.5 CM or .308 version. Ron, would you choose a 16inch 308 or an 18 inch 6.5 CM as your next hunting rifle, if your main query is mule deer, black bears and prong horn on the northern CA/NV boarder?
. 308
If those were my only choices... tough call, but I'd likely go CM for potentially better long range performance on deer and pronghorn. Black bear, however, suggests 308 Win. Neither round benefits from such short barrels, but adding a suppressor makes for a nicer shooting experience.
Go 6.5…do your homework yourself.
I wish people would remember that .30-06 (.30 M2) is ballistically identical to .308 Win. (7.62x51mm Nato). .308 was developed as such for that reason, with slightly smaller size and weight.
Yes, you can load '06 hotter, but that wasn't the point.
Right Shawn, but folks might appreciate a bit of clarification. The original "308" military load did indeed match the MV of the 30-06 military loading of the WWII era, but both civilian cartridges today are different. Most commercial (factory) loads today have the 30-06 shooting on average about 100 fps faster than the 308 Win loads.
@@RonSpomerOutdoors Ron- with just 100fps separating the .30-06 from the .308, are you also “down on” the ‘06? If not, could you provide a list of the game animals that would notice that extra 100fps? Love your show; keep up the great work!
@@RonSpomerOutdoors 100fps has little to no effect down range. Most of that number is due to manufacturing tolerances. I've seen bigger swings than that out of the same box.
Ron I need help finding information about my winchester model 70 need 300 win mag need to know year was made
Go online with the serial number and it will tell you what year
Hay Ron what part of Idaho you live north south just wondering so if i need to keep my eye open when shopping would be a honor to meet.
Can you make a video about winchester model 70 300 win mag
Some dont realize how far the latest rifles shoot , climb a tree & shoot downward .
Know your backstop at all times. Period. And common hunting rifles are not shooting any further than they did 100 years ago.
Either the 9 hole reviews or Forgotten weapons channel actually did an episode of that russian rifle you were talking about!
Why am I down on the .308 to this very day? Because as a young teenager in elk hunting camp I knew it couldn't match 30-06 ballistics. The .270 vs 30-06 campfire debates were much more interesting to me. My grandfather shot an ought 6, my dad shot an ought 6 and that was my first elk rifle as well. Then this new fangled cartridge called the 7mm mag came out and I never looked back....lol
06 can actually hold its ground pretty well on every using a 210 grain accubond long range bullet at distance of 600 yds it produces 1748 ft lbs of energy ..flatter shooting at distance doesn't mean much as long as you know your hold over from 400 500 and 600 even 700 yds .
The heavy accubond in 06 is a long distance hammer
Gotta luv your "customized" YT plaque! Did it come like that from YT?
I upgrade it after every 100,000 new subscribers, Ron. We're about to punch a 40-caliber hole in it to celebrate 400,000! Stay tuned.
I like listening to you but I have gotten a 6.5 Creedmoor for shooting up to a 1000 yards . And it is not for being a sniper but to just be able to shoot targets at that range. And to try and make fill good that I can do it . I use Hornady ELDX 143 grain ammunition. And I am 72 years old . Do you have any suggestions for me ?
None other than chronograph your loads, build your trajectory tables, and work with those numbers. You're shooting a good bullet for that work. Good luck and have fun.
I don't understand why people like copper bullets only reason why they are even talked about nowadays is because California won't allow people to shoot lead bullets
Have you seen the microscope view of the lead left in your game meat ? Copper works really well
Not a negative bone in your sissy ol' body! Keep the positive reinforcement rolling ron. Ya sissy!
Interesting topic on most versatile. The only thing the .308 holds over any other round, which is the fact that it is cheap and cheap to reload, and the versatility of different bullet weights. Performance it gets the job done, but it's bland. 6.8 western is arguably the best round ever designed. There is a reason why the .270 was the it cartridge for decades. I have a theory: Why has the 27 calibur not been played with as much as others. Designing ammo is a business. If everyone buys one ammo because it is the best, it is not much of a business anymore. Keep consumers thinking and arguing over what cartridge is the best. This is why I think the 6.8 western is being shut out.
I scraped a 270 and replaced it with a 308. Because 270 has chamber pressure issues and no better ballistic caricaturistics then 280 or 308. And 308 has a better bullet selection then 270 or 280.
In my high school days in the 60s, the 375 HH was one of the most popular elk rounds in Montana
😎😎😎😎
It was a blistering warm late July in Montana summer of 1966. My buddies and I were in the parking lot outside Great Falls Visitors center.
Thanks for the great info in all of your videos! Question: I’m new to hunting and I have .308 savage. I would like to add another bolt action rifle. I only hunt deer and maybe I’ll get into bigger game but not as much as deer. Someone recommended.270 what would you recommend please? Thanks
270 Win. is a classic deer cartridge and adequate for elk and moose, too. It has a slight advantage in range over the 308 Win.
@@RonSpomerOutdoors thank you sir! I’ll add that to my collection for sure. Appreciate it! 👊🏼
Mosezen feed striper clips I want a 95 lever musket really bad.
Ron my name mike, an I have a 308 howa at a 100 yard it will shoot in sama hole some times,but why they not make 308 magnum please answer 😊.
Ron
Was on Pateron and could not find you on there. Typed it a bunch of ways.
You can get there by going to www.patreon.com/RonSpomerOutdoors. Thanks for wanting to join!
I've watched you for years and you never mention the 338 Lapua for large game. Why not?!
I reviews a CZ M550 rifle in 338 Lapua many years ago. Should be on my YT channel.
@@RonSpomerOutdoors Gotcha. Thanks.
Plus, the 17HMR is way too loud compared to a 22 subsonic.
The Winchester model 95 rifles sold to the Russians, more than 400 thousand rifles were clambered in 7.62x54R. Not .303 or 30-03.
I've spent time in all the Northwest to Alaska, and in Alaska I would bet 308 and 3006 would be the firearms,,rifles you would see most. I would shoot, in self defense a 308 at a brown bear in a charge but ,I can shoot and not crap my pants at the same time. Even a 3006. If actually hunting for something that big and had a choice, it of course would be 338 mag and up.
Ron why do they never make 308 magunum rifle,but I know you don’t like 308 !!
The 308 works especially well in an Ar 10 platform. And you’ll love it when you need it which may be soon!!
If you're Ron Spomer and have access to every rifle, and can hand load specifically for every situation. I'm sure. 308 sucks something awful compared to literally everything else. But for your average joe Shmoe, that maybe has a couple of rifles, the .308 would be a good all around hunting rifle. That's not really a dig, and yeah I'm a bit jealous. :) But there is some biased here that wouldn't apply to an average dude.