Why Everyone Needs a 308

Back in 2019, Someone I knew was just getting into guns, and just getting into hunting. I told him to get a 308 rifle for hunting because it was a very common round. He listened to the person working in the local gun store and got a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle instead. 2020 came and he could never find ammo for his gun that year and the year after that. 308 and 7.62x51 however, could still be found on the shelf of my local gun store even in the midst of the pandemic.

I am a native German speaker, Swiss German to be precise, but I very much like that expression Eric uses quite often "you wanna scratch that itch for...". It is so wonderfull that we are different in many ways, each with their unique own special little features but it is also extremely very valuable to have a common language so we can understand each other, learn and, most importantly, have fun together. Greetings from Switzerland to all of you, US gun culture rocks!

The 308 didn't become a military sniper round for nothing!!!! It is and always will be a relevant round in the world of long range shooting and hunting. You just have to know its limits as well as your own. Fabulous round - period.

Over here in Sweden 308 is the most used cartridge for hunting by far. We hunt everything from roe deer up to moose/brown bear with it. It does it all without any problems.

You’re right. 308 rifles are versatile. Its cartridge is a general purpose.

I always recommend everyone gets at least one thing in as many calibers as they can get, so they can always find ammo for something of theirs.

The backup is a totally valid point. This year I took my normal bolt action 30-06 and the optic malfunctioned. Luckily I had taken my trusty AR10 in .308 and put some venison in the freezer.

here in the UK the most popular deer cartridge is without doubt .243win closely followed by the .308win, personally I hand load for my .308 but you will always find shop ammo for these two cartridges, I have taken many deer with my .308 from 40lbs to well over 350lbs at ranges out to more than 250yds and never recovered a bullet, that says to me that the .308win is probably as good as it gets for any deer species at non deer sniper ranges

Your truly correct everyone needs a 308

Just completed my big 3 battle rifle collection. FAL, G3, and soon to be M1A.

great content: personally .308, 5.56, & 9mm are my favorite calibers as well as probably the most common calibers obviously besides 12 gauge .45, 7.62x39 and .22lr

Everything you said in this video is true, especially about the availability over most ammunition in podunk stores like in my area. I've been using the same 1985 Win. M70 carbine (20" barrel) in .308 since 1986, it's never let me down outside operator error. Keep up the great vids!

Inside of 600 yards, 308 is the best performance to value cartridge that’s available everywhere. It’s not going anywhere and will cover 95% of all civilian applications. It can go out to 800-1K if needed but it’s just not as effective as the newer cartridges like 6.5 Creedmore. If you constantly chase the best performance you will never be able to stockpile ammo unless you are a millionaire. Training is far more important and knowing your rifle, optic and dope.

The 30-06 is my bigger-than-5.56 choice. This is also because I did most of my shooting fundamental training with an M1 Garand.

In Canada, I used my .303 Lee Enfield for decades. It was with the full military stock (never sporterized) and iron sights; it never let me down and put a lot of venison in the freezer. As I got older, for some reason the rifle got heavier so I decided to finally spend some money and get a modern deer hunting rifle (Tikka T3). Being an old soldier, I decided on my old trusty 7.62x51 round as this is what we used in our FN C1s and C2s. I knew the .303 could ethically and humanely dispatch anything I hunted, and the .308 would do the same. Where I got to really appreciate having a .308 was during Covid and the subsequent ammo shortages. At places like Canadian Tire, they would be sold out of 6.5 Creedmore, .303 British and the like, however .308 was available in both 150 and 180 grain from various manufacturers. Consequently, I haven’t seen any .303 on the shelf for over a year now.

Years ago I was doing some hunting in Mississippi and stopped a little store to pick up supplies. I took several rifles with me but this little store in the middle of nowhere had probably 3 boxes of 32 Winchester Special. I inherited that particular rifle from my grandfather and I bought them all. They said there was an older fella there that shot that particular rifle but he had died and they'd been on the shelf since.

I’m a huge fan of the .308, its availability during the recent shortage was just another reminder of its versatility. I have 4 .308s, 2 military style and 2 hunting style rifles (which matches my number of 5.56/.223 rifles).

.308 is the get it done caliber. Huge selection of ammo and it’s available and inexpensive.

Growing up hunting in PA, we pretty much used .308, 30-06, 30-30. All were great guns and calibers to use around the fields and woods. Ranges anywhere from under 100 yds upwards to 300 or maybe a little further. Definitely would recommend someone having a .308 and the 30-06 in the mix

The only.308 I own is a Howa 1500. Works like a charm for these piggies out here in Texas! I enjoy the cartridge and never have problem finding it in store as y'all have clearly mentioned. Very utilitarian.... period