What ya think and why?

What's the intended use?

Shoot'n groundhogs, 223

Shoot'n deer, 308.

context is key

deer 308 all day

but range , intended target and use all need to get asked.

if I could have only one 308 , it can do everything the 5.56 can do for terminal and then some

modern guns get the weight of the 308 rifle down to nearly 5.56 but ammo weights about 2x ad much a round

One gun for everything 223. Won't destroy the small stuff, ball ammo designed for anti personnel, heavy monolithic can handle bigger stuff even if not ideal. Low recoil allows multiple hits if need be.

If small stuff not on the agenda then 308 the better option for most bigger stuff if you can live with the recoil and weight.

Get one of each that way you can collect useable ammo that UN and other invading troops leave behind...

But our guys just switched to a 6.8 hybrid cased round. Makes you wonder why.

Both. And lots of mags and ammo.

only sort of , as much as they said this will be for everyone , they only bought enough for them to be DMRs

also the spear rifle is just a barrel swap from being 308 , modular 308/277 back and forth

if they are leaving you ammo the might be leaving you rifles as well, not that you should ever count on what some one else leaves as your primary game plan in anything.

277 Sig Fury aka 6.8x51

why

because you basically get 308 performance in a 14 inch barrel with a can for a total length of a 308 minus the can

it is all about the velocity to defeat body armor in a shorter package

Get all of them is my motto then add others. But you should have a 308 and at least one 5.56 / 223 at home and a 5.56 / 223 in the truck. Once the 6.8 becomes more popular with armed forces, get one of them as well.

If “only” one, I’d go with .308. I have multiple of each so my next will be 300BO just for hogs and extremely quiet suppressed.

Another vote for both.

.223 all day. But would also have to depend on what I'm doing exactly
That being said if I can hand load and run a rifle I like and have it preform the way I prefer. Shot placement like your poaching head and CNS shots for days. Low recoil cheap fun.

My choice is .308 If you buying ammo it seems to be easier to find. Reloading might change that a bit.

Big difference between what can be done and what should be done.

The original question did not specify which.

OK Mando are you going to give us the context of the question?


places 223/5.56 over 308/7.62x51

if it is your wife's bed room gun , a home owners job in a home invasion is cell phone and gun either stay in the master bedroom or get to the kids room and close the door , take defensive position and initiate 911 call on speaker holding gun on door.

pros of the 223/5.56 more rounds in mag ,less recoil , marginally less blast , faster follow up using the correct round less over penetration

this is where you could also make a good argument for 300blk / 7.62x35 because it has all the same attributes but can be a little less blasty yet from the 16 inch barrel because it uses a faster burning powder that is much more burned up by 16 inches.

really any indoor use or close range use the 223/5.56 or 300bkl/7.62x35 are better tool than 308 unless there are extenuating circumstances.

is rounds in mag a huge factor? if one gun is 20 and the other 30 , 20 was probably enough rounds.

if you have ever let a round from either of these go indoors , wow that is loud , and the muzzle blast is a lot

it wouldn't hurt to have hearing protection , if you could hang a set of electronics next to the gun , grab gun , toss sling over body , put a round in battery , toss on hearing protection turn on , grab phone move to position, that is just a lot of steps , but could have them hanging there adjusted for size and if you don't get to them , you don't get to them.

electronics because you can hear the creak of the floor , the juggle of a door knob but also the cut out on the shot.

in an ideal world everyone would have a suppressor but , it isn't an ideal world and you can have 3-4 good pair of electronics or the cost of the restrictive tax on a suppressor.

Yes, absolutely.

easy, .308, it can do everything the little guy can do but the little guy can't do everything the big guy can.

While .308 might not be best it is adequate for any and all N. American big game.

that being said there is such a thing as overkill too, a .458 Win Mag would be a good example.

for one gun there is a sweet spot in the middle right around .30 caliber.