To keep a rifle?

[clfergus]

I bought a .308 Savage 111 last year. Awesome walnut stock. I thought it might come in handy one day for SHTF long range protection as well as hunting in SHTF scenario.

I am wondering if I really need this. I am wanting a new deer rifle that I would actually use. I have a AR as well.

Thoughts?

 

[Disposable Heart]

Expands your capability (if you have more folks around) and ammo compatibility (one more launcher that can take different ammo). If its a good AR, then a longer range .308 is debatable.

Depends on what you want to do!

 

[orlandosam]

a rifles are good

I read the Boston Tea Party Gun Bible book and he is in love with 308. You can reach out and touch someone from 500 to 800 meters with a Savage. They are supposed to have great accuracy and triggers. BTP book is intense but in it he describes a time when the SHTF. If the people coming your way are using 5.56 and 5.45, you will have a tactical advantage with 308 aka 7.62. Snipers shots per kill hover at 1.5 per kill in almost all conflicts. The number of rounds fired per kills with modern assault weaponer continues to climb. No wonder the advice is to stock pile ammo.

 

[clfergus]

I read the Boston Tea Party Gun Bible book and he is in love with 308. You can reach out and touch someone from 500 to 800 meters with a Savage. They are supposed to have great accuracy and triggers. BTP book is intense but in it he describes a time when the SHTF. If the people coming your way are using 5.56 and 5.45, you will have a tactical advantage with 308 aka 7.62. Snipers shots per kill hover at 1.5 per kill in almost all conflicts. The number of rounds fired per kills with modern assault weaponer continues to climb. No wonder the advice is to stock pile ammo.

I guess this is prob the right logic. Use the .308 to pin the approaching bad guys down. That will give time for me and the couple of family members to try and slip away in another direction.

 

[rtfisher1]

Is .308 the same at 7.62 X 51?

 

[Dr Falken]

What's the phrase, ".30 caliber turning cover into concealment since..."? I've been wanting to get a .308 or 30-06 for awhile, just not sure what platform, be it a bolt gun or an AR10 or a FAL type rifle, but if you got one, good deal. You definately have something to "reach out there". But if it came down to needing a deer gun, which you could use now, and having to decide one or the other? I might lean toward the deer rifle...but you only have a week and a half left. So, I'd say, keep the .308 and save up for next year for a deer rifle (I'm assuming not a shotgun). I good deer rifle would give you a better return in my mind.

 

[Go Devil]

Is .308 the same at 7.62 X 51?

Close, kind of like .223 is to 5.56 NATO

You would do well to take this question to an ammunition discussion forum.

 

[Z350Godfather]

I would say that a variety is always good. However at the same time, I kept thinking of how many times I would need a long range weapon compared to a tactical. So I have a long range with some ammo, but most of my ammo is 223 for the AR because I think if the SHTF, I'm going to find myself in most conflicts within 60-40 yards.

 

[Zoub]

I guess this is prob the right logic. Use the .308 to pin the approaching bad guys down. That will give time for me and the couple of family members to try and slip away in another direction.

If someone is 1/4 to 1/2 mile away you should be able to slip away without ever shooting. I have "slipped away" from people after they have almost stepped on me.

Inside 300 yards and really 200 yards for the average person, a .308 is going to do some major damage and it is good to have one. For me, I just think a semi auto serves a more versatile role. My cheap Saiga ($300 when I bought it) does just fine with a scope.

If you mean a rifle you can hunt deer with in Indiana, good idea. I enjoy hunting for deer with AR's in KY. Other game in Indiana. Hunting with a gun is a great way to get to know it. Plenty to choose from and be legal here but none are really .308. Some heavy hitters like an AR in .458 SOCOM but damn, they are not cheap.

Multi purpose rifle for a generalist in Indiana, a .44mag lever gun is a good choice. Cut down to 16-18" they are very handy. Marlin made one that way from the factory but it is discontinued. I have wanted one for a long time.

Keep your bolt if you can, if not, plenty of choices out there but reality is inside 200 yards.

 

[bblicharski]

.308 gets my vote because rounds are plentiful, the power is adequate, its been around for quite some time, its ballistics are well known. .308 is an all around great round. If i was looking for a survival around a .308 would be my choice. There are alot more "exotic" choices, but when the shtf and you cant source ammo the weapon has very little value. Keep the .308 IMO

 

[fireball168]

I bought a .308 Savage 111 last year.....

.....I am wanting a new deer rifle that I would actually use.

You've already got a great platform for a switch barrel setup.

The Savage rifles are like Tinkertoys, even on your first try - most folks can rebarrel and headspace in less than 30 minutes.

On subsequent change overs, it isn't difficult to do it in 15 minutes or less.

I usually have 45 Winchester Magnum, 458 BFG(SOCOM) and 358 Gremlin Savage barrels in stock - all of which are legal for Indiana whitetail as a "pistol caliber rifle".

You'll need a barrel nut wrench, an action wrench makes things a little easier, headspacing gauges and a little bit of time. I rent all the tools for $40/week.

 

[Zoub]

Assuming the barrel is already scoped and zeroed, does it hold zero when reassembled?

Could be a good use for used beater rifles too, grab a second barrel for deer season.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

I'd keep it. Would be easy to change out a barrell for deer season as fireball168 has said. The savage rifles are a good platform and easy to work on, doesn't take a full gunsmith to do work to it like the 700. Plus as said above "30 cal turning cover into concealment since..." I've got 3 bolt guns in a .30 cal of some sort. They are very useful. Sure maybe not legal for deer but that's what my muzzleloader is for. Frankly I"m wanting to buy another bolt .30 cal. This time in a savage in 30-06. Would give me more room to do mods to in the way of swapping calibers, and its a caliber I've already got.

 

[irishfan]

I have started getting rid of rifles and pistols I don't use or have a use for. I still have an M1A which is .308 and it will not be going anywhere. Since I have become more aware or prepping I have evaluated what I have and what I need so as to focuse my funds to needs that will serve me rather than toys that entertain me. Savages are great rifles and as mentioned give you the ability to switch out parts to give you much more use out of them. Great rifle!

 

[fireball168]

Assuming the barrel is already scoped and zeroed, does it hold zero when reassembled?

Very little chance of that.

 

[rocky]

My two cents is that the 308 is a great round but by far not the best. You have other calibers with flatter trajectories and more knockdown power. The 308 has a higher chamber pressure than a 30-06 but fails compared to the 300 win mag, 7mm rem mag, and others like the 338 lapua. You have more recoil but less compensation on bullet drop. I am a 7 mm rem mag guy myself. The 308 is a great caliber but in my opinion not the best.

 

[Dr Falken]

I'd keep it. Would be easy to change out a barrell for deer season as fireball168 has said. The savage rifles are a good platform and easy to work on, doesn't take a full gunsmith to do work to it like the 700. Plus as said above "30 cal turning cover into concealment since..." I've got 3 bolt guns in a .30 cal of some sort. They are very useful. Sure maybe not legal for deer but that's what my muzzleloader is for. Frankly I"m wanting to buy another bolt .30 cal. This time in a savage in 30-06. Would give me more room to do mods to in the way of swapping calibers, and its a caliber I've already got.

Interesting comments. I guess another advantage with 30-06, is the availability of surplus and general availability in a SHTF situation/prepper weapon. Being able to re-barrel the Savage seems to be a real plus. As I mentioned, I'm looking to get something in either .308 or 30-06, and had thought about the Remington 700, but perhaps the Savage is a better way to go. If a person got into the CMP, getting ammo would be cheaper (as well as getting a Garand!). I'm sure other calibers might be flatter shooting, but from a prepper standpoint, seems like a .308 or 30-06 is a good way to go.