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Posted: 5/18/2009 6:30:24 PM EDT
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How much more recoil does the .308 have than the .223? I have never shot the .308? I am fixing to buy an AR with 6 poistion stock and need some help. I have been shooting bolt .270's and 7 mags for 25 years. But I would like a fun gun that I can use to hog hunt with but also be comfortable shooting a deer with.
Or is the answer carrying my .270 to the stand to shoot deer and carrying a .223 to shoot hogs? |
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Well a 6.8SPC should kill deer and hogs very well.
But a 308 would sure do the trick. As for recoil, I trimmed my 308 down to 8lbs. Thats near the lower limits wight limts without getting too creative. Recoil is not bad at all. Follow up shots are slower than .223 but I don't think thats a surprise. I do run a break, a DNTC 308 (from PWS). A good brake will make the rifle much more fun to shoot. There are many choices there, the BC brake from JP, the PWS FS30 DNTC 308 and PRI QC etc. All are much more useful than a birdcage flashhider. PWS |
| I put 80 rounds down the tube of my LAR-8 Varmint this past weekend and loved it. It was not punishing at all. Granted, the LAR-8 Varmint is a HEAVY rifle, so that probably helps recoil. I am shooting with no brake, just a crowned barrel. Follow up shots are slower than 5.56, as is to be expected. I imagine a brake or suppressor would help with follow up shots. |
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Your .270 win and 7mm magnum will kick much more than the .308 win, I'm pretty sure. .308 felt kind of .30-30ish to me, which was somewhat tame. Felt recoil is subjective though, I can't seem to get enough of it? Having a lot of fun with 12 gauge slugs lately. Big +1. Recoil is VERY subjective. I think that the 308 is a pussycat, but then again, I shoot my 300WM rifles a lot more than my 308s. As for follow-up shots...you'll be slower with the 308 than you will with a 223, but any 308 semi-auto will be MUCH faster than a 270 or 7mm Mag bolt gun. With my AR-10 20" barreled rifle (.875" diameter barrel) using an Ops Inc brake, Magpul PRS stock and a total rifle weight of around 11lbs, I can spot my shots at 100 yards and beyond without any trouble at all, so follow-ups are NOT an issue. YMMV. |
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So now I am sure that I do not want the .223. So now down to the 6.8 or 3.08. I think I would like the 6.8 since it is still interchangeable with the .223.
Has anyone taken any deer with a 6.8 at 100 yards or more? I was looking at the balistics charts today and it looks like the .308 and .270 that I am used to shooting are just about the same. I know that I will loose some velocity with the .308 ar in a 18" or 20" barell since the test were all based on 24" barell length but would it be that much of a loss? |
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The .308 has recoil similar to your .270, assuming similar weight guns, etc. You would get a bit of a felt recoil reduction from the semi-auto action you are aiming at vs the bolt gun you are used to. The .223 has about half the recoil, give or take, depends on loads, etc.
That said, what exactly is your question? A gun for hogs and deer? A .223 will do that. On the light end for deer, so you'd have to use a decent bullet, pick your shots well and pay attention to local laws, which may not permit the .223 for deer. But hogs are often as large or larger than deer, and built tougher ... The .308 is good for deer, hogs, elk, bear, moose, whatever. It is a whole different platform than the .223 guns, though. Heavier and more expensive than otherwise equivalent AR-15. If you go to that platform, you might want to look into a .260. That will perform as well or better than the .308 for your applications, and offer a bit less recoil. Sticking with the AR-15, there are several alternate calibers that will do fine on hogs and deer. Big bores (45-50 caliber) and med bores (24 to 30ish caliber). Which is best for you would laregely depend on what kind of hunting you tend to do. .450BM, .458 SOCCOM, .50BW, 7.62x39, .300 Whipser/Fireball, 6.5 G, 6.8 SPC are all available commerically. There are other more 'wildcatish' cartridges available with varying degrees of support. The 6.8 would certainly kill a deer with more leeway than a .223 and less recoil than a .308. |
| The .243, .260, and .308 are all on a platform that has several variants. One of which is the AR-10. Another is the SR-25. Another is the DPMS. There are more. Unlike the AR-15, there isnt a single standard for the long actions. Some parts interchange. Some dont. |
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so the 243 260 and 308 are all on the same platform which is the ar-10? And more: 6.5Creedmore 7mm-08 300SAUM 338 Fed those are just the production calibers. Wildcats add even more! Just go get a DPMS AP-4 308. You'll like it. Find someone close by, and shoot theirs. Hell, you're in TX, if you get to Llano county, you can shoot my 308! |
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The 308 is a great round that is more than capable of taking medium-size game (deer of most varieties, hogs, etc.). Some people will tell you it is overkill, but I have used a 308 on prarie dogs, groundhogs, and other "vermin" with great success over the years. Of all the AR-10-based rifles (Armalite, Stoner/Knight's, DPMS, etc.), the 308 is arguably the best caliber in terms of performance across the board and, pehaps most importantly, the availability of a huge variety of ammo that can be had almost anywhere in the world. The 308 ammo is also cheaper than most of the other AR-10 based rifle cartridges like the 260 Rem, 7mm-08, 284Win, 300SAUM, 325WSM, 338 Federal, etc. just to name a few. The 308 in an AR-10 (whether it be an Armalite platform or a Stoner/DPMS/etc. platform) is my recommendation for a great all-around performer.
If you want higher performance than a standard .223/5.56 can offer in a lighter, more compact package than an AR-10, look into the 6.5 Grendel which is based off of the standard AR-15 lower platform. Awesome ballistics, more than suitable performance for long-range target, hunting (deer and similar-sized game), etc. The only drawback to the 6.5 Grendel is: 1) cost of getting into one (although not much if any worse than an AR-10); 2) the cost/availability of ammo and the likely necessity of reloading; and 3) not being able to drop into any Wal-mart, K-Mart, generic sporting goods store, etc. anywhere in the world and buy a box of ammo if you need one. |
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Trying out a DPMS 308 tonight after work at a buddies. Hopefully my questions will be answered. My current 270 will be given to one of my 3 kids that are approaching hunting ages within the next 1-5 years. I will then purchase 2 more 270's or put them behind an AR if I like the results of this purchase. I just want to make sure that this gun purchase does not let me down. I want it to perform like my 270, but based on the ar style platform.
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Trying out a DPMS 308 tonight after work at a buddies. Hopefully my questions will be answered. My current 270 will be given to one of my 3 kids that are approaching hunting ages within the next 1-5 years. I will then purchase 2 more 270's or put them behind an AR if I like the results of this purchase. I just want to make sure that this gun purchase does not let me down. I want it to perform like my 270, but based on the ar style platform. I think you won't be disappointed - report back. 
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Shit!!!! That was fun. Started off with 3 rounds through the Rock River AR-15 .223 at about 45 yards. That was sweet . Shooting at a 5 gallon bucket of old paint. Good shooting. Minimal recoil. Exit holes were smaller than a pencil. Then switched over to the Remington R-25 .308. WOW. That packs a little more punch. Blew the back side out of the bucket. The recoil was not bad, but probably more than I would want one of my kids to learn to start shooting with.
So. I need more than the .223 and up to the .308. Looks like it might be the 6.8. Worst case is I don't like how it handles on taking down the hogs, so then I will go get a 308. Look out world. One more AR nut on the way. Now where can I find one of these in stock? Maybe at the end of the rainbow with the pot of gold. |
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did the R-25 have a muzzle break on it? as was mentioned earlier, a good break will significantly reduce felt recoil.
you can also upgrade with one of Slash's heavier CAR-10 buffers (and an AR10 spring cut down 2-3 coils if you run a DPMS lr308 AP4). Don't know about R-25s...but AP4 buffer springs seem a bit weak from the factory, and the stock buffer a bit light. Of course, it will require some more muscle pulling the charging handle though... |
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