With so many AR rifles available in 5.56mm NATO, a demand is growing for the same platform but in more powerful calibers. The 7.62mm NATO/.308 Winchester remains one of the most common and popular calibers in North America. Both the military and law enforcement embraced the caliber decades ago. Because of its popularity, ammunition tends to be cheaper, and there are more .308 varieties than most other calibers. When looking for an AR-style rifle that is more powerful than an AR-15, the .308 remains a logical choice, particularly when you consider that Eugene Stoner originally designed the rifle in that caliber. Now Bushmaster has released the MOE .308 Enhanced ORC (Optics-Ready Carbine), which offers the big-bore power and traditional controls today’s shooters want with next-gen enhancements and tank-tough reliability.

The Bushmaster MOE .308 Enhanced ORC comes standard with Magpul’s MOE pistol grip and collapsible stock along with an aluminum, free-floating, low-profile Troy handguard. The handguard is modular, meaning users can install/move Picatinny accessory rails where they’d prefer, and the MOE .308 Enhanced ORC comes with three rail sections.

A two-stage trigger and a 16-inch, 1-in-10-inch-twist barrel made from 4150 steel help to make this rifle more accurate and more robust. The Picatinny rail that extends from the upper receiver to the front of the forend is ready for any number of different sighting systems.

I recently had the chance to test the MOE .308 Enhanced ORC with a long-range tactical scope from Steiner, a short range tactical scope from Nightforce and MBUS backup sights from Magpul during different trips to the range.

Check out the video to see some of the Bushmaster MOE .308 Enhanced ORC’s features and performance, and look for a full review in an upcoming issue of SPECIAL WEAPONS FOR MILITARY & POLICE. To subscribe, visit Tactical-Life.com/subscribe.