16" barrel .308 not good for hunting?

[bigtex2010 0]

I am thinking about getting rid of my 16" saiga and going with a 21" version or just gettin a bolt gun. The blast and noise are too much for a hunting rifle, and i have read that the 21" version doesnt hold group because of barrel wobble. i would like to hear what the guys that hunt with saigas think???

[csspecs 1,987]

My groupings with the 21 inch are comparable with what others have posted for their 16s

 

I've shot a friends bolt action .308 next to my saiga, there does not seem to be that much difference... They are both deafening.

[BrutalGardener 205]

I am thinking about getting rid of my 16" saiga and going with a 21" version or just gettin a bolt gun. The blast and noise are too much for a hunting rifle, and i have read that the 21" version doesnt hold group because of barrel wobble. i would like to hear what the guys that hunt with saigas think???

 

Because of the rather thick barrels on S308s, I don't think that wobble is an issue. It could be an issue with 20" barreled Saiga 7.62x39 and .223s, which have much thinner barrels.

[RobRez 1,895]

The blast and noise did not seem to bother this deer on Saturday. The Bullet didn't seem to agree with him though. Any deer that can react to a blast or boom, before the bullet hits him is some kind of Super-Buck!

Always nice to shoot an awesome "Group" at the range, but in the field you don't need a Group...just one reliable shot. I swear I didn't even hear the boom myself. Adrenaline is a wonderful sound muffler!

16" barrel seemed to be enough. Great lung shot, he dropped right where he stood.

What more do you need? What more will you gain?

[cw3sting 12]

RobRez;

 

Awesome hunting, but please more info. What cartridge? What range?

 

Thanks.

[RobRez 1,895]

Shot him at 100 yards with Federal 150gr. soft point bullet. Nothing fancy, just the blue box, $16 for 20 rounds. Red dot sight w/ no magnification. the bullet broke ribs on both sides and was recovered inside the hide on the opposite side. It made a cartoon style bulge on the side of the Deer. Destroyed both lungs and missed both shoulders! (whew!) Good shot for saving the meat!

My buddy used a bolt action hunting rifle in .308 and took another 5 pointer at about the same distance and his bullet was also recovered the same way. That leads me to believe that it is a caliber issue and not missing 5" of barrel length with the bullet not exiting. Could be the cheaper ammo as well.

edit. I will use a larger caliber for Elk hunting. Probably a good 'ol 30.06.

Edited October 28, 2010 by RobRez

[BrutalGardener 205]

Shot him at 100 yards with Federal 150gr. soft point bullet. Nothing fancy, just the blue box, $16 for 20 rounds. Red dot sight w/ no magnification. the bullet broke ribs on both sides and was recovered inside the hide on the opposite side. It made a cartoon style bulge on the side of the Deer. Destroyed both lungs and missed both shoulders! (whew!) Good shot for saving the meat!

My buddy used a bolt action hunting rifle in .308 and took another 5 pointer at about the same distance and his bullet was also recovered the same way. That leads me to believe that it is a caliber issue and not missing 5" of barrel length with the bullet not exiting. Could be the cheaper ammo as well.

edit. I will use a larger caliber for Elk hunting. Probably a good 'ol 30.06.

 

Tell me if I am wrong, but isn't a good hunting (or defensive) round supposed to NOT exit, expanding all of its kinetic energy on the intended target and not wasting it on something that's behind the target?

 

Any way, great kill, man. Congrats. I haven't had a chance to go out hunting yet this year. Hopefully this weekend...

[RobRez 1,895]

I have always felt that a good exit wound carries body bits and blood with it aiding an a good blood trail ( if you should need to track the animal). I want that round to keep on trucking and suck that stuff out the other side and get a good flow of blood out of the exit wound. In a defensive situation you would want the bullet to exert all of it's energy into the target, making the Target fall backwards not toward you. Bullet goes through= falls forward, bullet stays in= falls back. Handy if the target has a knife of something.

[Floyd9 30]

Its just fine. Have a POSP 2-6x24 scope on mine, have killed 2 deer with it, no problems with accuracy or losing the deer. .308 won't let em get too far if you make a decent shot.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Shot him at 100 yards with Federal 150gr. soft point bullet. Nothing fancy, just the blue box, $16 for 20 rounds. Red dot sight w/ no magnification. the bullet broke ribs on both sides and was recovered inside the hide on the opposite side. It made a cartoon style bulge on the side of the Deer. Destroyed both lungs and missed both shoulders! (whew!) Good shot for saving the meat!

My buddy used a bolt action hunting rifle in .308 and took another 5 pointer at about the same distance and his bullet was also recovered the same way. That leads me to believe that it is a caliber issue and not missing 5" of barrel length with the bullet not exiting. Could be the cheaper ammo as well.

edit. I will use a larger caliber for Elk hunting. Probably a good 'ol 30.06.

 

After watching guys kill 10 to 12 foot gators with a ruger 22lr I am beginning to rethink this whole thing about caliber.

[TackDriver 1]

After watching guys kill 10 to 12 foot gators with a ruger 22lr I am beginning to rethink this whole thing about caliber.

 

Nice.