Talk me into getting a .308 Win barrel and why

[nitesite]

Ok, I have a couple ARs, a .270 Win Handi Rifle, a .357 Magnum Handi, a .243 Winchester bolt gun, a 7.62x39 rifle..... OK you get the point.
 
But I am a reloader/handloader and am sitting on a lot of .308 once-fired brass.  I keep running thru my brain that for some dies and bullets and a hundred dollars I could have a new barrell fitted to my SB-2 receiver and shoot the three-oh-eight..
 
But WHY should I bother?
 
Meet and discuss...........

[hoytcanon]

You should get a .308 barrel because you can... and because you can do it cheaply... and because it is a tremendously versatile round... and because it is ballistically stable and lends itself to extreme accuracy... and because you KNOW you're going to buy something... so why not a .308 barrel! 

[Deerhunter#1]

Because if you dont then you will spend the money on something else and will kick yourself after you get home and say.
"I should have just got the 308"

[quickdtoo]

But I am a reloader/handloader and am sitting on a lot of .308 once-fired brass.  I keep running thru my brain that for some dies and bullets and a hundred dollars I could have a new barrell fitted to my SB-2 receiver and shoot the

Just an FYI.... A factory fitted barrel will cost closer to $200 after shipping both ways, tax and fitting fee, the $96 barrel price is only about half the actual cost.

Tim

[mcwoodduck]

I am a big fan of 308 Win.
I remember articles in the 80's where a guy took a 308 and hunted everything on the east coast with it.
From 110 grain bullets for rabbits and squirrels at slow speeds  to 180 grain soft points for Moose and bear.  I think he used everything fro 125 grains for varmints to 165 for deer just to show range.
But there are more 308 factory loads available than any other caliber out there.  There are more projectiles made of .308 in a wider range of bullet designs than any other.  From Pistol round projectiles made for 30 Luger to 220 grain heavy weights made for lion in Africa and everything inbetween.  I think I have tried every factory loading.  I liked the 125 Sp by Win in the mid 80's and was sad to see them go.  Did everything a 243 could do with a slightly heavier bullet.  So far I have seen a lot of deer hit.  And I find that a 308 with a soft pointed 180 grain bullet knocks them down and keeps them there.  The up side, the down side is the deer usually run for the field and make the drags shorter to the truck.  If 30-30 is a great deer round the 308 Win is better.  Same Over all Length same bullets and 150 to 200 feet faster.  Speed means flatter shooting over distance and more energy when it gets there. 
Besides you have a bunch of brass.

[OSOK]

You reload. You have the brass. You would be hard pressed to find a more versitile and handloading friendly round than the .308...so do it.
If you just want or have to, do the factory accessory barrel...just tell the wife it was $96 and keep the rest to your self!
I would think long and hard about just getting a new Handi in .308. Just a little more money, and you have a dedicated rifle, no switching. Locally a new Handi with the Handi-Grip stock is going for $275, and I really like how it feels.

[Bugflipper]

The accuracy has already been mentioned. The only other advantage I can think of is more energy than a 270 with heavier bullets if you want to go after bigger game. The main advantage of the 308 is cheaper mil surplus ammo for getting trigger time in. With reloading a 308 costs pretty well the same as every comparable cartridge. If you aren't going to shoot bigger critters, don't really care about bench rest or long range shooting and not really interested in shooting milsurp ammo: Then maybe just sale the brass or size it down to .243.

[Sourdough]

Just go and buy a complete Handi in .308.  Then you don't have to mess with changing barrels. 

The .308 is a good round, I carried one for 14 years, it was the only rifle I owned back then.  165gr bullets are the optimum in my opinion, for big game.  125 and 110gr bullets work great for varmits.  180gr is OK if you are close.  200 and 220gr are just too heavy.  I took Mulies, Whitetail, Antalope, Coyotes, Moose and Caribou, with it.   Then I got an 06.  .308 hasn't been shot since, it's been a vault queen now for 27 years.   Now that I think about it, think I'll clean it up and give it to my oldest son.  Time to start downsizing.

[OldSchoolRanger]

Because with the .308, you can make "magic" bullets, you can load them hot or you can download them.  It's also one of the most accurate calibers on the market.  Plus the added benefit that you have all that .308 brass just laying around, so why not use it?

But instead of just ordering a new barrel from H&R ($96 plus S/H, fitting, etc.), I agree with Sourdough, and suggest that you just go and buy a complete brand new Handi in 308.  If you have a Dick's in your area, they have a special sale going on for Handi's.  They are selling for $149.99 and include a cheapo 4-12scope, and rings.

See the links below, you can thank Busta, for posting the information.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,248363.0.html

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,248528.0.html

[quatroclick]

I never had much use for 308 until I actually had one.  It doesn't really stand out in any respect except possibly accuracy, but it does almost everything acceptably or better.  One of the best of the all-arounders.

The best part is being informed by people carrying their 300 magnum of the week that the 308 is ok for a close range cartridge, but not really enough for elk.

[nitesite]

I've decided.
 
I can get an entire 'nuther brand new rifle in .45-70 or .308 Win for just $259 from several sources.  It seems that the $96 barrel price at H&R doesn't include a "fitting" charge or the return shipping.  IOW, I can just buy another rifle for only a few dozen dollars more than simply requesting a fitted barrel on my existing action.
 
Thanks for the thoughts and replies!  I really do appreciate what you added to this thread!
 
I'm going to continue to shoot the hell out of my .243 plus shoot some Cowboy/Youth loads of Trailboss in the .270 and call it all fun!

[jeremybeaner]

Well Iv shot 30-30,30.06,.308, and 300 wsm and 300 rum, and i can honestly say that the .308 is my favorite caliber, on a good day i can put 3 touching each other with this round and still be ready to shoot all day long, This bullet is only a few fps less than the .06 and hits just about as hard with half the recoil. Shells are dirt cheap you can buy a box of 20 fmj's for less than 10 bucks. This round is very very versatile and the popularity has seemed to die out for most north american hunters except for alot of the old timers.  It doesnt take alot to appreciate this round its very forgiving and is my round of choice for all hunting. Id say its deffinantly worth it to but a .308 in any format.

[twoshooter]

forget the 308, ream the 357 out to 358 winchester, resize the 308 into 358 brass, live happily ever after.

[abolt-fan]

My hunting partner and I happened to both shoot bucks the same morning several years ago in New Hampshire.  When we checked them in at the state line store we were asked what caliber we used as part of the state survey.  My buddy was checked in first and replied to the above question with .308.  When I answered the question with .308 the clerk says "what's with you guys and .308s".  I said what do you mean.  He says "I've checked in 10 hunters this morning and 7 of you used .308s".  My reply was "you've answered your own question, they work".

So my reason would be because you don't have one.

[kaveman]

Just picked up a complete rifle in .308 from Dicks for 149.99 thanks to the heads up from bubba , I bought it for my sons first deer rifle and will also serve as  his coyote gun, came with realtree synthetic stocks and 4x12 scope tried to buy two but I got the last one in my area, if you have Dicks nearby check it out
                                                         Kaveman
                                                             

[OldSchoolRanger]

Just picked up a complete rifle in .308 from Dicks for 149.99 thanks to the heads up from bubba , I bought it for my sons first deer rifle and will also serve as  his coyote gun, came with realtree synthetic stocks and 4x12 scope tried to buy two but I got the last one in my area, if you have Dicks nearby check it out
                                                         Kaveman
                                                             

I already have one in 308 (with wood stock), but I would do the same if they had one in 308 in my area.  Might buy the one in 22-250, for the heck of it.