308 LA

[nicholst55]

I've thought long that the problem with most 308's is the 2.800" max OL limit because of magazine length calls it just a little bit too close. That's why the Army model has a 30-06 magazine length, which pretty much says it should have been that all along for all bolt actions and that the 2.800" idea was for M-14's, just to keep it from being called an M1 Runt or something else to challenge the morale of the ordinary GI.
Steyr Pro Hunter 308 pictured can shoot a 190 Nosler Custom Competition from .020" off the lands with an OL of 2.861" and still have 3/16ths" of air space past the nose of the bullet. Longer than normal magazine. Pictured is four at 400 yards this morning with 175 MatchKings and a close to max charge of IMR 8208 XBR.
The first two made the one mark on the right, then the middle mark was #2, etc.

The Army went with a long action 700 because they were initially planning on the rifle being a switch-barrel/bolt gun, in both .308 and .300 Win Mag - not so they could load long .308s into it. Then they realized what a cluster that would result in - soldiers deploying with the wrong barrel or bolt, barrels and bolts getting lost, etc. So, all the .300 Win Mag stuff was stored in a central location. Now, all of those .308 M24s have been converted to .300 Win Mag M2010s - which is what they should have done in the first place, IMHO.

 

[nicholst55]

If feeding was a concern to me, I would try it in that rifle by either getting a 308 dummy round or removing the cocking piece from the bolt a using some factory ammo. I'm not sure how far a 308 will go into an '06 chamber but depending on the chamber tolerances, I would bet it would go far enough to validate feeding.
nicholst55, you don't specify what action was the feed problem. There could be more than one reason why that rifle wouldn't feed.
Snipper338, I'll have to disagree with your admonishment of the 308. We all have our preferences. The 308 is one of the friendliest cartridges to get a good load for. For a rifle to just shoot a lot, the 308 provides much greater accurate barrel life than your suggestions. I have 4 308's and a 7-08. I have had other 308's and several other 7-08's which has become my favorite hunting rifle cartridge. Yes, I have had 280's and 6.5's but for a general purpose rifle cartridge for someone who just wants an easy cartridge to load and shoot, it's tough to beat a 308.

It was a 700 LA, originally a .30-06. Like I say, that's been a lifetime ago, and much of his problem may have been in his own mind, as far as I know.