Benefit of .308 over .223 ? ?

[PointBlank]

What are the main benefits of a .308 over a .223 for long distance shooting? I want a bolt gun that I can shoot at 100-600 yrd. ranges. Will a .223 work for that purpose? I do not need the extra penetration for anything as it will be a range gun only.

Will a 24" AR upper shoot close to the same groupings as a Rem. 700 chambered in .223?


Never had a bolt gun before....so kind of new territory for me.
Thanks in advance,


Derek

[PointBlank]

Nobody can help me with this question ?

Trying to make the decision of buying a remington 700 in a .223 or .308 and really just want to know if the increased cost of ammo is really worth it.

[rob_s]

In a bolt action, I'd go with a .308.

[jmart]

Do you reload or are you looking to shoot good factory? Or are you looking to shoot just milsurp ammo?

[Alpha Sierra]

From personal experience I can tell you that a 223 match load with a good 75 - 77 gr BTHP bullet will drift and drop about the same (within 1/2 MOA) a 168 gr 308 load at 600 yards. The difference is that obviously 223's recoil will be much less.

There are also more aerodynamic Very Load Drag bullets in both calibers (80 and 90 gr for 223, 155, 168, 175 gr for 308) if you need less drift and drop and can roll your own.

I made Master in NRA HP with an AR Service Rifle, shooting first Hornady 75 Amax and later Berger 80 VLDs at 600 yards.

As to whether an AR upper will match or exceed a Mocel 700's accuracy, it depends on the quality of the AR's barrel and on Remington's quality of manufacturing the day they made each of the components of the rifle and the day the put it together.

Personally, I would take a bolt action over a semi-auto whenever precision work is necessary.

[PointBlank]

I do not reload, so I will be looking at good factory ammo.

Alpha, you kinda told me what I needed to know. If its possible, than thats what I was looking for. I feel more comfortable with a black rifle and was hoping to keep it that.

Thanks guys,
Derek

[Alpha Sierra]

I do not reload, so I will be looking at good factory ammo.

Alpha, you kinda told me what I needed to know. If its possible, than thats what I was looking for. I feel more comfortable with a black rifle and was hoping to keep it that.

Thanks guys,
Derek

Hornady makes 223 match grade ammo loaded with their excellent 75 grain BTHP and Federal makes it with Sierra's equally good 77 grain Match King.

[Sid Post]

Factory match ammo all costs pretty close to the same. Federal Gold Match, is Federal Gold Match. Heck, even my Lapua 6.5 Grendel costs within a few penny's what my .308 Federal Gold Match does.

.308's will buck wind better but, you will suffer through more recoil if you shoot long strings all day. 600 rounds out of a 308 stock Remington bolt gun is a little hard my shoulder at my age after years of hard use and a couple of car wrecks.

If you are shooting a standard rack grade Remington, cheap Wal-mart ammo will work for most shooting. If you are serious about precision and you are buying a great rifle, you will feed it expensive ammunition to get the performance you paid for. You wouldn't run your exotic supercar on the cheapest no name gas at the local Quickee-Mart would you with oil changes using the $1 a quart stuff.

[Alpha Sierra]

.308's will buck wind better

Not necessarily. With an 80 grain VLD, 223 will hang with a 175 or a 190 out of a 308. The speed difference makes it so.

[Sid Post]

Not necessarily. With an 80 grain VLD, 223 will hang with a 175 or a 190 out of a 308. The speed difference makes it so.

I don't have any experience with 80gr VLD stuff so, I'll take your word for it. Not too long ago I did a search for a friend in the military looking for some .223 ammo. Factory loaded Federal Gold Medal .223 was the best thing I could find.

Match .308 is a whole lot easier to find in a factory box on short notice then .223.