I made a post on Facebook yesterday about stretching out a 308 Winchester to a bit more than 300 yards on a blesbok here in South Africa. In the post I mentioned that I’m not fond of long range shooting when hunting, but, became of the work I do, sometimes stretching the distance is necessary to see how things like bullets perform. I was using the 308 Winchester Buffalo Bore 150-grain Supercharged load that utilizes a Sierra Game King bullet.
The reason I wanted to reach out a bit with this bullet is because a lot of modern hunting rifles now come with shorter barrels to make them more compatible with a suppressor. This reduces velocity, which in turn can hinder terminal performance at distance. So, it’s important to know if the bullet you’re using will work at an extended distance and up close when the time comes to make the shot. This load performed exceptionally well on the blesbok at 329 yards for several reasons.
The first reason is that the Sierra Game King is a very good bullet, even though by modern standards it’s somewhat antiquated in design. The second reason is that out of the 18-inch barrel of the Stag Arms Pursuit rifle, this bullet has a muzzle velocity of 2890 fps. This is complements of the Supercharged Buffalo Bore loading. And the third reason the bulelt worked was because it hit the right spot. I’m not bragging about my shooting, I’m just simply stating a fact. Bullets placed well tend to work better than bullets that are not, even if their terminal performance is not what many consider exceptional.
At 329 yards this bullet impacted at about 2050 fps, which is about ideal for a bullet of the cup and core design like the Sierra Game King. Again, this is a benefit of the Supercharged Buffalo Bore loading. Some 308 Winchester 150-gain loads struggle to find even 2700 fps out of a longer barrel. (I’m talking actual velocities, not advertised.) The remaining question now is how this bullet might work at ultra close range like 50 yards, and I intend to find this out in the next couple of days.
What actually prompted this article was a comment on Facebook from a reader, and I quote:
“329 isn’t pushing at all, actually that’s the wheelhouse for the .308. The distance thing is very subjective. Take a 6.5x284 Norma with good load data and a proven ballistic solver with an accurate rangefinder you will have the same result at 3x that distance. The trick is putting in the range time and proving your data.”
All this talk about data and hitting a target has a tremendous application in target shooting. However, I’m of the opinion that when you’re hunting big game animals shots much beyond 300 yards — which is about the maximum practical range for most modern and old cartridges — are more risky than necessary. If you need “data” to make your shot, your shooting — not hunting.
Now, if that ruffles your feathers, as my grandfather used to say, “Tough shit.” It is my opinion. But if that’s how you get your kicks, fine. I’m not telling you how to hunt, I just telling my thoughts on the matter. Anything over 300 yards “stretches” the 308 Winchester in terms of a no “data” trajectory, and with the terminal performance of some bullets.
For me I want to hunt close enough so that the shot is driven by skill more than data. Past 300 yards, animal movement at the moment of the shot — which is out of your control — and the wind — which is also out of your control — become critical. Why would you want to risk wounding a big game animal and then have to deal with the assorted levels of the potential shit show that follows, when it could have all been avoided by just stalking — hunting — closer. Or maybe you should have passed on the shot to begin with.
There’s a reason dangerous game hunters work to get close. It’s so than can have more assurance on the shot, and then not end up as leopard shit after following a wounded cat into the bush. Just because you’re not shooting at something that might kill you does not mean you should not try to, hunt your way, to a sure shot. Countless hunts have ended disastrously due to shots made at a distance someone might consider in the “wheelhouse” for a certain cartridge. It is NOT about the hit, it’s about the KILL.
I’ve written here before about long range hunting and you might be tired of me preaching about it. That’s OK with me, if you don’t like my sermon, find another preacher. The problem however seems to be that too many are preaching for it, and convincing others to do it. Others who don’t have the necessary skill to get it done with at least a moderate level of certainty. A hunter with me on this safari took a zebra today at more than 500 yards. It worked out well and he is happy. But shots like that have a high potential to be hunt — or safari — nightmares. Here in Africa you must pay for what you wound whether you ever see it again or not.
I know sometimes longer shots are necessary, most specially when shooting at a wounded animal. If and when those instances occur, you need to know your bullet will work. My question for those long range hunting aficionados is if they do actually know exactly how their bullet will work at the distances they hope to poke it into a big game animal?
Gunwriter Chronicles, 2024 Episode 8
The 308 Winchester, Africa Capable