Caliber 308 Win: reviews, specifications, and ballistics

Caliber 308 refers to a large group of military and hunting ammunition which has a very broad scope of the spread and use.This group includes a number of very similar in its technical characteristics of varieties of ammunition, developed on the basis of the thirtieth caliber ammunition, used in the US Army at the turn of XIX - XX centuries.Caliber 308 is versatile and is suitable for the army and for hunting.This cartridge is discharged almost all the major companies in the world.There are many different versions of cartridges for weapons 308 caliber bullets are different characteristics that have an impact on the scope and ballistic data.Lineup hunting rifles and combat weapons, using this caliber is very broad and includes, inter alia, domestic developments.This gauge is optimal in many respects, including the accuracy of the shot, smaller returns, more light weight weapons under this cartridge and extensive automation of charge.Domestic manufacturers of hunting weapons have long used the potential of the caliber of 308 and offers a wide range of ammunition caliber 308 at affordable prices, as well as developing new versions of rifles in line with the latest trends in the unification of hunting weapons, including versions with interchangeable barrels and shutter larvae.

Predecessors thirtieth caliber

History of American thirtieth gauge goes back to "government patron» 45-70 Government, production of which began in 1873.

It was heavy and low-power ammunition for the Army Rifle Springfield singly charged with the following characteristics:

1. Caliber - 11.63 mm.
2. Powder Charge - 4.54 g
3. Bullet weight - 26.2 g
4. Power - 3000 joules.

It was Chuck transition period when there was a replacement of black powder on smokeless pyroxylin views.Its ballistic characteristics and stops the effect is very similar to a bullet shot from a shotgun 16 caliber.At the turn of the century the US Army needed a new cartridge, a lightweight, smokeless gunpowder and smaller caliber rifles to multiply.So in 1892 appeared to 30-40 Krag cartridge rifles Krag-Jorgensen.It was the earliest member of the family of American thirtieth caliber ammunition, which had the classic bottle-shaped sleeves.The main difference between this round of the subsequent developments is projecting flange at the rear end of the sleeve.Its characteristics are as follows:

1. Gauge - 7.8 mm.
2. Length - 78.5 mm.
3. Bullet - 6-13 of
4. Initial speed - 883-820 m / s.
5. Muzzle energy - J. 2529.

It was a sharp jump upward range and accuracy of fire.At a distance of 200 meters when firing at flat trajectory the bullet goes down 2 cm. The military uses this cartridge was used for long, but for hunting large animals up to 250 kg is still used.

chief representative of the American thirtieth caliber

All rounds of this family have the same bottle-shaped sleeves as 30-40 Krag, but they have no protruding flange.

main representatives thirtieth caliber have been designed as small-caliber ammunition for the class of handguns.These cartridges are different length sleeves, which affects the amount of gunpowder, as well as form, mass and design bullets.Sleeve without protruding flange is a German development and is designed for rifles with box magazine type Mauser M 98. The first representative of the classic series of rounds of American steel thirtieth caliber ammunition for rifles Springfield, which are copies of the above-mentioned German rifle with box magazine and svobodnoskolzyaschim rotating bolt.In the early twentieth century there were two such ammunition.It gauges 30-03 and 30-06 Springfield.Both cartridge differ from each other in size and shape of the sleeve bullet.Caliber 30-06 has a shorter sleeve 1.77 mm, but the most significant difference is the design of the bullet.Caliber 30-03 has a heavy bullet weight 14.3 g with a round head.In this bullet turned out enough for high performance flatness of fire, but her excellent stopping properties.These characteristics have led to its brief military career and will soon move into the category of hunting ammunition.The last two digits indicate the year of designation caliber adopting these cartridges by the US Army.Caliber 30-03 - 1903 g. Caliber 30-06 - 1906 The adoption adopted a new cartridge caliber thirtieth just three years was due to a bullet.The Germans for their magazine rifles began to make pointed bullets that were lighter and had more accuracy.In the United States immediately reacted to the German innovation and adopted its own version of the cartridge with a pointed bullet weighing 9.7 polnoobolochnoy So there was a caliber of 30-06, which is still used as a military ammunition, it is considered the most common hunting cartridges in the world.

problem thirtieth caliber weapon selection

The fact that there are two main and most common option thirtieth caliber ammunition with virtually the same ballistic characteristics, but they require two different embodiment of the chamber and the size of the bolt group.This weapon is a caliber of 30-06 and a caliber 308 win.This is a problem constantly faced novice hunters, because they offer virtually the same gun for cartridges with the same ballistics, but the choice of weapons depends on binding to a particular type of ammunition.To this circumstance caused less embarrassment, you need to explain why this problem at all there.To blame the US military, as both cartridge designed for military weapons for the US Army.Cartridge 308 caliber is a shortened version of caliber 30-06.Short version emerged after World War II, when the military needs needed a new intermediate cartridge with a low-impact, on the basis of which it was possible to develop a new system of automatic weapons.The shorter sleeve makes it possible to create a compact automatic because of the short stroke of the slide, and the weakening of the muzzle energy creates the preconditions for even greater weight loss weapon.In the early 50-ies of the caliber 308 was adopted by the US Army and other countries - members of NATO.This cartridge is still used for machines, machine guns and sniper rifles in the West.On the weight of hunting weapons and ballistics change the size of the sample holder thirtieth caliber 1906 is almost not affected.That's why there are two cartridges of caliber, which are made by almost the same gun with a different stroke length of the slide.

How different caliber 308 win by 30-06 caliber with regard to hunting

Caliber 30-06 sample 1906 has the following characteristics:

1. Caliber - 7.62 mm (caliber practical - 7, 82 mm).
2. The length of the cartridge - 84.84 mm.
3. The length of the sleeve - 63.35 mm.
4. Possible weight range bullets - 6,54-16,2 of
5. Initial speed - 820-976 m / s.
6. The range of muzzle energy - J. 3200-4126.
7. Ability to manually fit the desired bullet cartridge and the necessary quantity of powder.

win Caliber 308 has the following characteristics:

1. Caliber - 7.62 mm (caliber practical - 7.82 mm).
2. The length of the cartridge - 71.05 mm.
3. The length of the sleeve - 51.18 mm.
4. Weight range bullets - 6,54-13, the
5. Initial speed - 800-950 m / s.
6. Muzzle energy - J. 3600.

minor differences and the difference in price

It cartridges have similar technical characteristics and their ballistic performance almost identical.Caliber 30-06 has the ability to equip heavier bullets, but the benefits to the 308 caliber muzzle energy is only possible with the appropriate length of the barrel with the appropriate use of special twist and sustained combustion of gunpowder.The most important difference of these weapons is their cost and availability of the Russian market.Imported 308 caliber for hunting is less than 30-06.But both domestic caliber cartridges, which are much cheaper than imported ones, are very different in quality.In the opinion of hunters, 30-06 caliber production Barnaul with steel case has a lot of complaints on the accuracy of shooting, the number of delays in shooting and the probability of jamming of the shutter.But domestic Caliber 308 has a much less satisfactory in quality.When choosing weapons for the thirtieth American caliber should take into account the great difference in the price of ammunition that exists between the quality of imported ammunition .30-06 caliber cartridges and national-caliber 308, it is also quite acceptable quality.In both cases, the difference in the ballistic characteristics is insignificant.Under the shortened version of the American patron thirtieth caliber hunting ammunition on the market there is a wider choice of models of weapons.

Ballistics

Balistika 308 caliber has some specifics.Loss of 308 caliber projectile velocity and its offset relative to the horizontal plane depending on the weight of the bullet, its type and capabilities of a particular cartridge.In the following table provides comparative characteristics of different ballistic bullets when shooting at a distance of 200 meters and a twist of 12 inches.

From the above table showsthat balistika 308 caliber cartridges at from different manufacturers may differ significantly due to different weight bullets used, their different shapes and different quality and quantity of gunpowder.The ballistic characteristics of ammunition caliber 308 domestic production of several inferior to foreign patrons, details of which are given in the table.

advantages of hunting weapons systems

308 caliber hunting rifle caliber 308 may be a multiply, automatic, semi-automatic as well as singly and combined with several trunks of all sizes.Self-loading and automatic rifles under the shortened thirtieth caliber hit precisely because of lower returns.Carbine 308 caliber for hunting has a number of other advantages.Single-shot carbines have a light valve with a short stroke that makes it possible to reduce the length and weight of the weapon without compromising accuracy.308 caliber cartridge is universal.Under it is possible to find a single-shot rifle like with a horizontal slide gate, and with a vertically sliding.Carabiner 308 caliber vertical gate particularly compact, lightweight and rechargeable silently, without delay, the spring and the shock they may be in the form of staples, instead of a spiral, making the system fail-safe.There are more benefits that a caliber 308 reviews hunters indicate that the failure of these cartridges are easier to store charge in the chamber by hand, one by one, and with longer cartridges such as .30-06 caliber and others, this technique is not as effective or not at allIt is impossible because of the length.And one more advantage.In shops for long guns cartridges more often the deformation of soft shell bullets for automatic movement of the chamber, which affects the accuracy of the shot.Far fewer complaints in this regard is the caliber 308. Testimonials positive view is 308 caliber in this respect than the longer versions of the 30-gauge.

308 caliber weapon systems with interchangeable barrels

caliber cartridge 308 has always been in line with modern trends in the development of hunting weapons.The increasing popularity acquire a universal system in which you can use some of the most popular calibers and their varieties.There are patterns that can be modified in the field at least in the 308-caliber carbine, carbine at least 30-06 hummingbirds, as well as change the caliber of the barrel.For example, a set of Browning MARAL includes interchangeable barrels and shutter larvae.Its mechanism is very similar to the mechanism of AK, but there is no gas operated device.This moment recharging is carried out manually by pulling the bolt back and forth.Among domestic developments with interchangeable barrels and shutter larvae can be called automatic carbine production VPO "the Hammer."This is a unique Russian-made hunting weapons is seboy fully automatic carbine with magazine venting mechanism, which can operate as a 308-caliber rifle and a carbine like 223 Rem and 20H76.That - and the rifle, shotgun and two types in a single system, issued on a single license.

Optimum twist for 308 caliber

There are several options for trunks with a twist 308th gauge, from 10 to 14 inches length of the barrel.Twist - a full rotation around its axis bullet, which she does with the movement in the barrel.Accordingly, the 10-inch twist - this is a full turn a bullet in the barrel, which makes the bullet after passing the ten-run on the trunk.The harder and longer shot, the shorter should be a twist.To determine the best twist for 308 caliber, you need to know the type of the bullet, which is mainly used in hunting.Standard bullet weight of 168 Grand Prix can be considered optimal by the caliber 308. Responses suggest that a bullet lowest possible twist will be 14 inches.Lighter bullets in this twist will perestabilizirovannymi, but ballistics remains within the tolerance.For heavy-caliber bullet 308 has needed a shorter twist.Many hunters say that 308 12-caliber needed twist.For example, the caliber carbine Chezet 550 308 in various modifications is often cited as an example.Czech rifles are universal gate for different lengths of ammunition caliber 308, which in itself is quite massive.To reduce the weight of the weapon, Czech armorers used special technology to produce thin-walled barrel, which greatly affects the ballistics due to momentary overheating of the barrel.For commercial hunting requires a thick trunk, a simple sight when you can quickly catch the aim rest, failsafe mechanism and the shutter for the cheapest 30-caliber cartridge, which is 308 caliber.Twist should be designed for maximum weight and length of the bullet.With all the pros and cons of hunting rifles caliber 308 you need to choose a 12-inch twist that will provide a reliable shot for domestic ammunition equipped with domestic bullets.In more than 308 caliber bullets hanging free choice at an affordable price, so 12 a twist - it's more a potential weapon.

Standard accuracy - 308 Remington caliber

Hunting weapons under 308 caliber from "Remington" has a very rich range of model variants.Rolling shutter basic models singly and magazine rifles of this company is based on a constructive Mauser rifle from the early 20th century.308 caliber allows you to create a wide variety of weapons, ranging from sports models to fishing weapons, typical for hunting in northern regions of the Americas.Precision Remington rifles under the 308th cartridge is unsurpassed.Within 3000 dollars can be found under the Remington 308 rifle caliber for almost any civilian purposes, including hunting, sport and defense.High accuracy is due to reliance on American weapons and tradition meets the NATO military weapons, where the cartridge 308 is one of the main weapons for machines and for machine guns.The short sleeve without flange at the 30th caliber gives an excellent opportunity for developers to create a weapon of high reliability and accuracy, focusing on the needs in the civilian sector.Cheaper options for domestic ammunition caliber 308 with similar with western counterparts ballistic characteristics increase the undeniable advantages 308 caliber for hunting in Russia.