So I bought this old .308
- Thread starter taylorce1
- Start date
BornFighting88
New member
I like single piece scope mounts, as I believe they are stronger, too. They bridge the receiver gap, and more importantly, I find that it keeps a single line for the scope and rings. How true that actually is (receiver holes could be drilled and tapped just a dash off kilter), I don’t rightly know. But having a single line of mounting rings, immediately sold. I don’t spend a lot of time top loading rounds (CRF action) so having something spanning the open top is no loss to me.
Well the rifle is all put together, and I got a chance to fire a few rounds through it at 150 yards. Groups weren't great using cheap PPU 150 grain ammunition, but I think there is some potential here for a great shooting rifle. I didn't shoot much as it was nearly 100⁰ outside and was just using a bipod and shooting on BLM ground in UT while out looking for areas to hunt elk this fall.
Top group was the first, and bottom was the last group I shot once on paper.
Top group was the first, and bottom was the last group I shot once on paper.
I spent about an hour at the range, wished I would have left the house sooner as it was 90⁰ when I arrived. I spent about 1.5 hours the range with set up and tear down. I only shot 23 total rounds today over chronograph to try and get some data.
Hornady American Whitetail 150 grains didn't do to bad today from 110 yards. 10 shots with not much cool down went right 2". 2623 FPS average with an ES of 46 and SD of 15.
I shot up the remaining eight rounds of the PPU ammunition I originally tried. It wasn't great at all. 2667 FPS average with an ES of 85 and SD of 28.
I also tried some Remington "Peters" Blue Tip 165 grain. The bullets sure look like Hornady SST and I actually had some hope for this ammunition, but I was really disappointed and only shot one group of five shots. 2555 FPS average with an ES of 79 and SD of 28.
Hornady American Whitetail 150 grains didn't do to bad today from 110 yards. 10 shots with not much cool down went right 2". 2623 FPS average with an ES of 46 and SD of 15.
I shot up the remaining eight rounds of the PPU ammunition I originally tried. It wasn't great at all. 2667 FPS average with an ES of 85 and SD of 28.
I also tried some Remington "Peters" Blue Tip 165 grain. The bullets sure look like Hornady SST and I actually had some hope for this ammunition, but I was really disappointed and only shot one group of five shots. 2555 FPS average with an ES of 79 and SD of 28.
Went to the range before work today and shot a few rounds again, wanted to confirm POA/POI with the Hornady American Whitetail ammunition. Pulled off a pretty decent group for having three cups of coffee.
Then I tried some 130 grain TTSX loads, first five shots didn't go well. My rifle didn't like the free recoil off the bags. I adjusted my hold on the rifle and the next group shows potential. I think a little tweaking and I'll have it dialed in on the 130s.
Then I tried some 130 grain TTSX loads, first five shots didn't go well. My rifle didn't like the free recoil off the bags. I adjusted my hold on the rifle and the next group shows potential. I think a little tweaking and I'll have it dialed in on the 130s.
Don Fischer
New member
Stock came in ½ ounce over advertised weight.
One major problem with that stock for me. Someone might see you with it and it is really butt ugly!
Well the .308 and I got it done a couple weeks ago. 265 yards and two 130 grain TTSX into the left shoulder anchor a small five point bull for me. He wasn't the one I was really going for, but some cow hunters were on the same herd, and they shot before I could sort out the biggest bull. When everything settled down, this was the last bull in the sage on the morning of the last day. Still I had a blast hunting this bull, however I never want to solo hunt elk again.
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ligonierbill
New member
Solo!? How did you get him out? Well, congratulations. Did you recover either of those bullets? I have a good load for those 130 TTSX, and I'd be interested in their performance (beyond the obvious fact that they killed the elk).
ligonierbill said:
Yes solo, I had two friends that were going to help me but had last minute conflicts and couldn't come. One got a Montana pronghorn tag last minute, and the other got called away on a work emergency.
I got him out by using the gutless method in game bags. It wouldn't have been a bad pack out, there was a road I parked to recover my elk was within ½ a mile from where he was. However, the cow hunter drove in with his Polaris RZR and hauled my game bags and head out for me in one trip instead of five.
I didn't recover either bullet, one was an exit. The second shot was at a different angle and I imagined the bullet was somewhere inside the chest cavity or paunch. The left shoulder came off in two pieces, and I did find one of the blue tips but lost it in the pack out load up. It was approaching the high 60's and I wanted to get the meat into some shade, so I didn't autopsy my elk.
Scorch said:
I pretty much knew what I was getting into. However, I haven't killed a big game animal since 2014. Shattered my leg in 2015 and then focused on my daughter and her hunts after I recovered. I just realize how much work an elk is when you're all by your lonesome. That elk kicked my butt to say the least during the field dressing.
Great story thank you for sharing. If I read the story correctly that is a Utah elk? The last time I hunted elk over 20 years ago was behind Ephraim UT. Beautiful country, and opening day I had a 5 point bull stand broadside to me at 15 yards. The only problem was I was hunting a spike only area. The memoires are easier to drag then the animal would have been. 
Congratulations on a successful hunt.
Congratulations on a successful hunt.
@kenny53
I hunted in Colorado, I set up camp on the Utah side of the border. It was easier for me to access public land in Colorado by going in through Utah. Where I hunted (Glade Park) has a lot of public land that access is blocked by private property on the Colorado side.
I hunted in Colorado, I set up camp on the Utah side of the border. It was easier for me to access public land in Colorado by going in through Utah. Where I hunted (Glade Park) has a lot of public land that access is blocked by private property on the Colorado side.