Get a 6.5 Grendel upper, attach it to your lower

You're on a good plan with a .308 bolt action. No need to build one, just buy a Tikka CTR with a 20" barrel. That's a great hunting rifle.

This. I absolutely love my CTR in 308. It's already threaded for a suppressor, and the relatively short barrel length is handy. The stock isn't super awesome, but can be upgraded at a later date.

For factory ammo, be sure to try out the Federal blue box 150s.

For handloads, the 168 Gold Dot is a shooter with great terminal performance.

Pick up a Tikka T3 .308 and some good 150gr ammo like Rem CoreLokt, Fed Fusion or Hornady SST (NO Win Deer Season!!!) and shoot em on the shoulder, problem solved.

Get a 6.5 Grendel upper, attach it to your lower and go hunting. And a bazillion other options on guns and calibers. Park the 5.56 in the gun safe.

Quick backstory for the prompt:

Had a nice doe walk past my lane this morning and took a really clean shot at her broadside, maybe 1 o clock. Tucked high shoulder. She stumbled and took off. Couldn’t see where she went and very little blood at the impact. We tried to find and track her for hours and gave up.

I used a 5.56 62gr Barnes Vortx round. Rifle is zeroed and shot was clean so I know it was good.

Looking to get a .308 or 6.5 bolt gun, or maybe a nice 12ga. My property woods are pretty thick so I can’t see needing the rifle range anyways.

Only hunting deer right now, unsure if I’d hunt other game later. Don’t want to make that mistake again I wanted this setup to work as the AR is a very nice one and 1-8x glass and should have just shot her in the head knowing what I know now. See so many guys posting kills with 5.56 so I’m dumb founded.

Appreciate input! Thanks

That’s exactly what I did. After having a low percentage success rate shooting hogs with the AR in 223, I got a 6.5 Grendel upper. The dead hog success rate is near 100% now. Then I got a lower for the Grendel. The 223 is just for visitors to shoot targets and me to reduce the number of squirrels eating deer corn. I really like the 223 AR, but it just doesn’t do anything really well.

If you want the AR you already have get a 300 HAMR or 350 Legend barrel and put it on that setup or a Bolt, barrel and mags for my favorite AR round 6.5 Grendel. Any of those would be better than the 223. Or just get new upper in any of those and still have the 223 for other chores.

That’s exactly what I did. After having a low percentage success rate shooting hogs with the AR in 223, I got a 6.5 Grendel upper. The dead hog success rate is near 100% now. Then I got a lower for the Grendel. The 223 is just for visitors to shoot targets and me to reduce the number of squirrels eating deer corn. I really like the 223 AR, but it just doesn’t do anything really well.

try 77 TMK’s

Make sure you have enough barrell twist to carry that load.

I still want a .308 bolt gun, maybe I will do both.

Pick up a Tikka T3 .308 and some good 150gr ammo like Rem CoreLokt, Fed Fusion or Hornady SST (NO Win Deer Season!!!) and shoot em on the shoulder, problem solved.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! I'll also 2nd Wilson Combat's suggestion of 150 grain bullet suggestion with one caveat.



My current go-to deer rifle is a Rem 788 in 308. I load hornady 150 gr SST, and they are fantastic. I used to load 150 gr accubonds, but had to switch to SST when components were non-existent. The SST has done such a great job for less money that I might not switch back.

As for your choice of Tikka, I have been slow to jump on the Tikka bandwagon...well, technically, I have not jumped yet... but I have handled them at the store, and they sure are smooth. I've really been eyeballing a Tikka CTR in either .308 or 7mm-08. Unless I start to fancy something else between now and when I can afford a new gun, that will probably be my purchase.

IMO, Best all around Texas Whitetail rifle is a Tikka CTR, 20" in .308. Just go ahead and get one new, now. When you take the stock off to adjust the trigger go ahead and paint it before you put it back on.

Are you talking to me or the OP? LOL. Hard to justify dropping $4,000+ (rifle, scope, suppressor) on my dream rifle when I have $1000 invested in the 788 that does a fantastic job doing the same thing (but without the suppressor).

You. 4K? No way. You don't need a supressor on a .308, and a great scope is like $1,000-$1,500.00 (Leupold VX5 HD).