{"id":56496,"date":"2016-04-26T09:12:03","date_gmt":"2016-04-26T13:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=56496"},"modified":"2026-10-18T14:14:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T19:14:03","slug":"223-vs-308","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/223-vs-308\/","title":{"rendered":".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The .308 Winchester hits about twice as hard as the .223 Remington and is the better choice for deer and larger game. The .223 is lighter, cheaper, softer shooting and holds more rounds, which makes it the better choice for practice, varmints and home defense.<\/strong> Those are the trades in one line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A typical 55 grain .223 load leaves the muzzle around 3,240 fps with about 1,282 ft-lb. A typical 150 grain .308 hunting load runs around 2,820 fps with about 2,648 ft-lb. Here is how that plays out on paper, on the shoulder and in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-223-vs-308-ballistics\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">.223 vs .308 Ballistics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-recoil-weight-and-capacity\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">Recoil, Weight and Capacity<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-which-is-better-for-hunting\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">Which Is Better for Hunting?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-which-is-better-for-home-defense\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">Which Is Better for Home Defense?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-ar-15-vs-ar-10\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">AR-15 vs AR-10<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-which-is-better-for-long-range\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">Which Is Better for Long Range?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-ammo-cost-and-availability\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">Ammo Cost and Availability<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-watch-demolition-ranch-tests-223-vs-308\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">Watch: Demolition Ranch Tests .223 vs .308<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-faq\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"2\">FAQ<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-is-308-better-than-223\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"3\">Is .308 better than .223?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-can-a-223-kill-a-deer\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"3\">Can a .223 kill a deer?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-can-you-shoot-308-in-an-ar-15\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"3\">Can you shoot .308 in an AR-15?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-much-more-recoil-does-308-have-than-223\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" data-level=\"3\">How much more recoil does .308 have than .223?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-223-vs-308-ballistics\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">.223 vs .308 Ballistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Range<\/th><th>.223 Rem 55 gr FMJ velocity<\/th><th>.223 energy<\/th><th>.308 Win 150 gr SP velocity<\/th><th>.308 energy<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Muzzle<\/td><td>3,240 fps<\/td><td>1,282 ft-lb<\/td><td>2,820 fps<\/td><td>2,648 ft-lb<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>100 yd<\/td><td>2,874 fps<\/td><td>1,008 ft-lb<\/td><td>2,532 fps<\/td><td>2,134 ft-lb<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>200 yd<\/td><td>2,536 fps<\/td><td>785 ft-lb<\/td><td>2,261 fps<\/td><td>1,702 ft-lb<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>300 yd<\/td><td>2,222 fps<\/td><td>603 ft-lb<\/td><td>2,007 fps<\/td><td>1,341 ft-lb<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>500 yd<\/td><td>1,667 fps<\/td><td>339 ft-lb<\/td><td>1,557 fps<\/td><td>807 ft-lb<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Federal published data: American Eagle 223 Rem 55 gr FMJ (AE223) and Power-Shok 308 Win 150 gr soft point (308A). Your barrel and load will differ.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The .223 starts faster, but the heavier .308 bullet keeps far more energy at every range. At 500 yards the .308 load in this table still carries more than twice the energy of the .223.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-recoil-weight-and-capacity\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recoil, Weight and Capacity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>.223 Remington<\/th><th>.308 Winchester<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Bullet weights, common<\/td><td>40 to 77 gr<\/td><td>150 to 180 gr<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Recoil<\/td><td>Light, easy for new shooters<\/td><td>Noticeably heavier<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Typical rifle<\/td><td>AR-15<\/td><td>AR-10 or bolt action<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Standard AR magazine<\/td><td>30 rounds<\/td><td>20 rounds<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Ammo weight and cost<\/td><td>Lighter and cheaper per round<\/td><td>Heavier and costlier per round<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-which-is-better-for-hunting\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which Is Better for Hunting?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For deer, elk and hogs of any size, the .308 is the easy pick. It has a long record on big game and enough bullet weight to penetrate. The .223 shines on coyotes, groundhogs and other varmints, and with good expanding bullets some states allow it for deer. Check your state rules, keep shots close, and pick a bullet built for game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-which-is-better-for-home-defense\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which Is Better for Home Defense?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The .223 gets the nod. Lighter recoil makes fast follow up shots easier, you carry more rounds, and a short AR-15 is easier to handle in a house. The .308 works, but it is more gun than most homes need and it will go through more walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-ar-15-vs-ar-10\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">AR-15 vs AR-10<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The .223 runs in the AR-15. The .308 needs the bigger AR-10 pattern or a bolt gun, which means more weight, more recoil and pricier magazines. My take: buy the .308 when big game is the main job, and buy the .223 when you plan to shoot a lot of rounds and want the gun to stay cheap to feed. Shopping the bigger rifle? See our <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/best-ar-10-rifles\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\">best AR-10 rifles<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-which-is-better-for-long-range\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which Is Better for Long Range?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For paper and steel out to a few hundred yards, both work. Past that, the .308 carries more energy and its heavier bullets buck wind better than light .223 bullets, which is why it has a long record in long range shooting. A .223 with heavy match bullets can still ring steel far out, but it gives up energy fast, as the table above shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-ammo-cost-and-availability\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ammo Cost and Availability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both rounds sit on nearly every ammo shelf in the country, and both are loaded by every major maker. The .223 wins on cost per round and on weight. A few hundred rounds of .223 fit in a bag you can carry; the same count of .308 gets heavy quickly. That matters for practice, and practice is what makes either rifle work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more on the little round, read our <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/223-remington-history-specs-5-56-comparison\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\">.223 Remington history and 5.56 comparison<\/a>. For the .308 against other big game rounds, see <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/cartridge-showdown-308-vs-30-06-6-5-creedmoor-fluff\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" title=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\">.308 vs .30-06 vs 6.5 Creedmoor<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/search?keyword=AR-15\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\">&#x1f6d2; Check Current Price for AR-15 Rifles on GunsAmerica<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/search?keyword=AR-10\" campaign=\"223-vs-308\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\">&#x1f6d2; Check Current Price for AR-10 and .308 Rifles on GunsAmerica<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-watch-demolition-ranch-tests-223-vs-308\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Watch: Demolition Ranch Tests .223 vs .308<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want to see the difference on targets? The redneck scientist, aka Demolition Ranch, runs an experiment in this video to see which round is superior, the .223 or the .308.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-faq\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-is-308-better-than-223\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is .308 better than .223?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For big game and long range energy, yes. For practice, varmints, recoil and capacity, the .223 is better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-can-a-223-kill-a-deer\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can a .223 kill a deer?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a good expanding bullet at modest range, it can, and some states allow it. The .308 gives you much more margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-can-you-shoot-308-in-an-ar-15\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can you shoot .308 in an AR-15?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. The .308 needs an AR-10 pattern rifle or another rifle chambered for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-how-much-more-recoil-does-308-have-than-223\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much more recoil does .308 have than .223?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lot more. The .308 pushes a bullet roughly three times as heavy, so it kicks noticeably harder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The .308 Winchester hits about twice as hard as the .223 Remington and is the better choice for deer and larger game. The .223 is lighter, cheaper, softer shooting and holds more rounds, which makes it the better choice for practice, varmints and home defense. Those are the trades in one line. A typical 55 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":56498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"manual","footnotes":""},"categories":[244,7,25,216,240],"tags":[132,122,101],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":["post-56496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-2nd-amendment-r2kba","category-gunsamerica-authors","category-current-events","category-s-h-blannelberry","category-this-week","tag-buzz","tag-r2kba","tag-video-2"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.7 (Yoast SEO v28.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>.223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which Rifle to Choose<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\".223 vs .308 compared: velocity, energy and drop from factory loads, recoil, ammo weight, hunting and defense uses, plus AR-15 vs AR-10 rifles.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/223-vs-308\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\".223 vs .308: Ballistics, Recoil and Which to Choose\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The .308 Winchester hits about twice as hard as the .223 Remington and is the better choice for deer and larger game. 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