Thread: so who has shot a deer with a .308

Originally Posted by Tahr

Son's 308's victim in the Ruahine's this morning.

Its seems to have killed it. He said about 80 yards.

Attachment 174806

I dunno. I'm suspicious thats about to jump up and bolt...

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Nosler BT projectiles with their solid copper boat tail really perform in the 308

Yes, a few. No problems.

Have owned/used .308's since 1977. Have shot examples of every NZ available cloven hoof animal and some other species. This includes shitloads of red deer, goats and pigs. So yeah, I must have had a lot of luck on my side using such a useless short range ballistically inferior caliber as the .308 Winchester/7.62 NATO cartridge.

I've shot a few with my 308 along with several other calibres including 223 which has accounted for the most to be honest. The 308 has gone and is replaced you a 3006. Nothing I ever shot with the 308 ever got up to complain so I guess it works ok. Customer feedback is important after all.

I've shot reds, fallow, whitetail, pigs, goats, wallaby, hares, rabbits, cats & a stoat. Remington adl, model 7 & t3.

Is it even ethical to use a .308 on a deer???

Originally Posted by DCN808T

Is it even ethical to use a .308 on a deer???

According to someone on here it most probably is….cos the recoil is too much for the shoulder that the butt rests against. Maybe hold it like you’re meant too n not like a(insert word of choice )


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Yes I have I think most people in nz have
Just because you have used one before doesn’t mean you like it but it does mean you’re speeking from experience when you’re say you don’t like them yes I have shot deer and goats with a 308
Would I choose to use one in nowadays?... no
Give me a 6.5 or 7mm any day of the week

So I chose two options on the poll the top one and the bottom

Yes, great cal..blr 81 and T3. Did everything I asked. Nothing ever got back up.
Went through a phase of trying new things, ended up with a 7m 18.5 blr and tikka 695 in 270 for open country. Thinking about it, if I could only have 1 gun. It would be the 270. They all work, bullet selection and shot placement.

Would like to know what happened to the ne that started it all….seems like I missed out on the action….


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@ Micky Duck here is a cautionary and timely tale about the 308

When we moved to level 3 and after a long period not hunting due to illness
I took off for a day hunt on private land as L3 allows
For some reason I took my 308 despite now knowing how unsuited to the task this would be
Anyway on my way to a remote likely spot on foot I decided to stop ( for a rest as 3 months since on the hill and L4 muffin top ) and glass a nice little ridge top in the last of the sun
Well only 5 seconds looking and a hind stands up and turns around and lies down again
It's 4pm and I'm nowhere near where I would have expected to see a deer on this property
Problem is she's 420m away and clearly way out of range for a 308
So then it struck me that I had brought a lemon of a rifle for this task
Do I go back to the truck, drive home and get my 300WSM and go back to shoot her ?
Or try stalking closer and stick with the hopelessly unsuitable 308
I chose to stalk closer and got to a spot where I thought I should have been able to see her
A short glassing session and then I realised that she was looking directly at me from behind a bush
I waited for about 20 seconds and she turned her head sideways and gave me a decent shot
Well I thought even a 308 should be able to drop a deer with a head shot
So I took the shot
Quickly reloaded and there was a deer standing right there seemingly unharmed !
So clearly the 308 is not even up to head shooting a hind at 120m
Well I'm not going to make that mistake again and I put the next shot just behind the shoulder because the chances of missing were lower

Short push through the bush and a bit of a scout around and there are two dead deer almost on top of each other
Rookie mistake to shoot the nobby that was sitting down unseen with his mother
Please don't take this as me in any way advocating the use of a 308 for deer shooting

Got bloody lucky there mate, risky business that 308 shooting

Havent yet, but i just brought a 308 so its on the cards hopefully.

So @akaroa1 when are you putting that 308 on the for sale page? You might want to delete that post or you'll end up having to give it away.

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