# .308 as a long range rifle



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Hey, I need a little help from you guys that actually know. I was reading a bit on another site and found this comment:

"To qualify myself, I was qualified in the Army as a Sniper shooting the Barrett .50 BMG, but never got into the single shot bolt action weapons. I know how to shoot, I know about ballistics, I just don't have an extra 10K in cash laying around to buy what I'm used to!!"

The person was asking if the .308 was really a 1000yd cartridge. Is it possible to be qualified as a .50cal sniper, but not know about the .308? I thought this was kind of odd, but having no military experience I didn't want to say any thing until I heard from people who actually know about it.

Any thoughts?


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## Ambush Hunter (Jun 29, 2009)

"_I know how to shoot, I know about ballistics"_

It is odd. I am no expert but this comment alone raises the flag. Those who know how to shoot and know ballistics won't try to "prove" anything on the web-forum. If he knows ballistics then he should know that the right load will reliably reach 1000 yard mark (the longest recorded kill with .308 was I believe right at 1250 yards). Palma shooters reach to 1000 yards but they have to use 155gr pills and 30"+ barrels to stay supersonic. The right rig/optics/ammo/shooter combo should have no problem reaching to a 1000 with 175gr bullets. Is it a stretch for .308? It sure is. But it's been done before.

Another problem here I see is that what possible reason he had NOT to qualify with .223 or .308/7.62 or .300WM? It seems strange that the only weapon he had available to "qualify" was a big .50. Not knowing or unable to shoot .22 and .308 is a recipe for a disaster if one thinks he or she can jump straight to the big bore without must-have fundamentals built in and learned.

And what's up with a "single shot bolt gun"? Is he talking about military competitions? Otherwise all M40s are magazine-fed...And why does it have to be $10,000? There are plenty of big bores for much less than that. And what about a custom .338LM that you can custom build for around $5000?

:beer:


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I would think he probably has never shot more than 100 or 200 yds. Last time I checked the USMC and the ARMY both trained with 308 rifles. The M40 series for the USMC and the M24 for the Army. The USMC with the M40a3 and M40a5 they claim those rifles will give 1,000yd accuracy. The M24 is claimed to 800yds. We all have read where both ARMY and USMC shooters have taken and connected at ranges farther than their rifles accepted max range.

Shooting a 50 only makes 1,000yd shots easier to take. Back when I had one hitting rocks at around the 1k mark was almost easy. Then I sold it and had to shoot my smaller rifles. You have to be on your game to continually make good hits at 1,000 with a 308. A real kick to the pants is some bullets will not make it to the 1,000yd mark accurately. The 168gr SMK is one of them. Great bullet for 800 and less but some place past 900 it goes to hell.

I like how he commented about the 10,000 laying around. If you can find a newer Barrett for about that you are lucky. Sure there are tons of them around with the SLAP chamber around but they are not known for accuracy. Then you have scope cost. That is a couple grand. Why put a chap scope on a long range precision rifle? Sure you can get away with it under 1,000 but once you start going past that mark the better glass is what the Dr. ordered.

Ambushhunter hit the head on the nail with learning on the cheaper 7.62. If you are good with a 308 then go to the 50BMG or a 338LM taking those extended range shots are so much easier. When I had a 50 it was $1.00 for the bullet $0.35 for the primer about 230gr of powder back then about $0.55 (yes that is only 30 shots per pound) then the casing. The consumables were a total of $1.90 a shot. At that time a few companies were selling loaded A-Max bullets for $10.00 a shot. I do not know what the Armed forces pays for its ammo but it is not cheap. So again why would a person learn to shoot on a 50 when a 7.62 rifle is so much more affordable?

Chuck Norris is widely predicted to be first black president. If you're thinking to yourself, "But Chuck Norris isn't black", then you are dead wrong. And stop being a racist.


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

i dont know but reading that would put my bs meter in the red.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

KurtR said:


> i dont know but reading that would put my bs meter in the red.


   

I can't comment on the military use of it, but I can't get accuracy out of it pushing 155 gr Lapua Scenars. Otherwise it's like someone else said about the SMK it'gs good to 800 yards. I unlike others can't push it further with the 175 gr SMK's.

Edit: can get accuracy out of pushing a 155 Lapua Scenar. I sure have been screwing up a lot lately. :******:


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

A big stinky pile of BS.

US Army snipers learn their trade on the M24. Basically, a Rem 700 chambered in 7.62x51 NATO (308). If he is a trained US Army sniper he knows the 308 round very well.

huntin1


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

yeah, he's so full of crap. They have to qualify with a 223/5.56 to even get to the sniper stage, they don't just let every tom, dick, and harry go to sniper school. but it sure seems like it on snipers hide. There is a lot of hot air on that site, don't always believe what you read on the internet.

xdeano


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Didnt there used to be a "BS flag" emoticon?? This would be a perfect time for it.

Army standard sniping platform is still the M24 in .308, with more and more .300WM's and a few .338's showing up.

Marine standard, to my knowledge is still M40A5 in .308.

Army calls the .308 a "800 yard effective range" round. Marines call it 1,000.

IF he was Sniper qualified he WOULD have done extensive training with a .30 cal. Unless thats all changed very recently, which I also doubt. Hell, even if he went through a PDM course he would have trained up on a .30.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

xdeano said:


> but it sure seems like it on snipers hide. There is a lot of hot air on that site, don't always believe what you read on the internet.
> 
> xdeano


Hahaha! As some of the REAL knowledgable guys over there say....."lots of mall ninja 'operators' on there".

Its the internet. EVERYBODY on the internet, either was, or knows a guy, or knows a guy whos sisters dog groomers cousins boyfriend was a sniper.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

See above head in posterior post of mine. 

Edit: can get accuracy out of pushing a 155 Lapua Scenar. I sure have been screwing up a lot lately. :******:


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

That's cause you're so ooolllddd. :rollin: :laugh: :laugh:

:beer:

huntin1


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

huntin1 said:


> That's cause you're so ooolllddd. :rollin: :laugh: :laugh:
> 
> :beer:
> 
> huntin1


Ya, no kidding. When you goof in the hot topics you get your rear roasted.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

we all knew what you meant, and the reasons why. oke: I'm still young and my mind is like a dull butter knife half the time.

xdeano


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Well I asked the individual on the other forum how it could be that he was a .50 cal sniper, but so clueless when it came to the. 308. To my surprise he responded with..............NOTHING. Hasn't posted back on that site in a week. Dang, I thought I was going to hear some good excuses!


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