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  • DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    Following on what Brad wrote, I shoot 308 out of 16- and 20-inch barrels unsuppressed, and using the same ammo, I don't really notice any sound difference. I use good ear protection, and if anything, the 20-inch rifle is more unpleasant to shoot (lever gun that handles recoil less well). With ear protection and shooting outdoors, I don't find the sound report to be particularly bad. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if my Mini-14 (shooting 223/5.56) is nearly as loud.

    16-inch barrels are quite common for 308 rounds. It's true that one doesn't extract the fullest potential of the cartridge but the combined power and ballistics are still superior to 5.56 and 7.62x39 in the combat arena and excellent for medium game hunting in North America (e.g. superior to the common 30-30 cartridge used for the same game). As Brad pointed out, it's a compromise. 308 barrels are heavier (even if the width of steel is the same, it's longer path around a 308 vs a 223, so there's going to be more mass per length of barrel), so if not shooting from a bench and taking a rifle to the field, a difference between a 16- vs 22-inch barrel is easily felt. Despite the loss of power and some range by going shorter, if your game (or combat) is from 100-400 yards, a 308/7.62x51 round from a 16-inch barrel has much more appeal than a 5.56 round given the knockdown power at these distances.

    The ballistics (derived in part from aerodynamics) of the 308 bullet are so appealing that it's been incorporated in the 300 BLK cartridge (a Frankenstein round incorporating the larger 308 bullet into a trimmed 223 shell). Even with "optimal" barrel length (which is under 16-inches for this round), a 300 BLK round is not going to approach the energy of a 308 round fired from a 16-inch barrel. However the mass of the bullet results in increased energy and knockdown power vs 5.56, one that manifests over distance. Even if shorter (7.62x35mm), the 300 BLK is comparable to the 7.62x39 in knockdown power because the bullet has a better ballistic coefficient. As you probably know, the 300 BLK has become an increasingly popular deer hunting round because it has lighter recoil than a 308 (and probably 30-30) and with just a barrel change can be used in an AR-15 platform for which part prices are inexpensive due to economies of scale and modularity is supreme. Instead of the barrel length compromise when taking an AR-10 from 20-inches to 16-inches, in this case, the 300 BLK cartridge is the compromise, but the benefits derived offset the losses for its targeted use.

    For distance shooting (greater than 600 yards), it is debatable whether 308 is really the best option (with the primary appeal possibly being price ). Moreover it's more the realm of bolt gun usage vs semi-automatics given accuracy is paramount.

    Anyway, that's the understanding of the pluses and minuses of the 308 from difference platforms from my limited use. I'm sure someone with more practical experience could correct my misconceptions.

    I would have to say that you are on point, except that the 300BLK uses a standard .30 cal bullet, the same one that the 308 does. The ballistic coefficient for a 165 SGK bullet (insert bullet of choice) is the same, no matter if it is shot from a 308 or a 300BLK. The only real difference is the velocity and energy. The 300BLK is going to top out at 2400-2500 FPS with a 110gr bullet, yet have around 1500 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle, while a 308 with a 165gr bullet is going to go around 2700-2800fps with around 2100-2200 ft/lbs at the muzzle. The key difference is the weight of the bullet and the velocities and how much muzzle energy they have. If you are in tune with things properly, you can use a 300BLK out to 300 yards with good results, but you can use a 308 out to around 600 yards with good results for hunting.
     

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