The constant debate - .30-06 .308 (or a .300WM on sale?)

[jjduller1946]

I was amazed at the unified response, is the .308 just that much better? Personally I feel the 06 is a fine time-proven cartridge, and is something I can setup for varmints, deer, bear, and even elk/moose with the proper bullet weights and powder.

Dust 101,


I find these discussions full of old war stories (better than old wives tales I guess) but with tidbits of commons sense sprinkled in.

The 30-06 generates 100 fps more muzzle velocity with exactly the same 165 grain bullet compared with 308. So the 30-06 generates a slightly flater tragector and a little more fp lbs of energy. See the pic here of the two rounds showing Muzzle Velocity.

If you check the choices of ammo in the Federal Balistics tool http://www.federalpremium.com/default.asp?br=1 you find 20 choices from 125 to 220 gr bullets. The same tool shows 15 308 rounds ranging from 150-180 grain bullets.

Of course the 308 is a little shorter resulting in a shorter through for a bolt action rifle.

Both of these rounds were developed for the US Military. The 308 Nato round has the advantage in machine guns as the shorter round is less likely to jam in your belt-fed machine gun.

I had a 270 in Montana years ago and failed to pack my recently reloaded ammo for the trip. While my buddies were blasting away at elk I was driving down the highway stoppping at homes asking to buy a box of ammo. Of course they had 30-06 and 308 and 30-30. I did not find 270 ammo until I got to Seely Lake. They had one old dog-eared box of 130 gr ammo. I little light for elk but I was glad as hell to be headed back to the Mountain. Sometimes it is a good thing to be shooting a reliable and fairly common round.

You will not be dissappointed in the 30-06!

 

[Smokey Joe]

The final word...

The great Col. Townsend Whelen said it best: "The .30-'06 is never a mistake."

 

[MCgunner]

The main advantage the .30-06 has, as mentioned, is it will handle bullet weights over 180 grains and the .308 won't. Don't bother me, but it's an advantage. Some folks like those 200+ grain loads, especially on heavy stuff like Moose. I've never even seen a moose outside the zoo in Texas and only in a national park out of state. LOL!

I do hope to hunt elk someday and the one in that thread about not having a truck that's strapped to the top of a compact car, well, when you're used to shootin' 100 lb bucks, that's rather impressive looking!... Someday I WILL get an elk hunt, though, someday. I hope I'm still young enough to spot and stalk when I do get the money and the chance, though. :banghead: I feel that I already have the tools, just need to make the money (first things first), then book the hunt.

 

[chemist308]

My friend owns a 30-06; I own a 308. We went to the range a while ago. He had about a box and a half of ammo ($30 worth). Because of the ammo prices, he shoots it so infrequently that he got magnum eye (bloody eye from leaning too close to the scope). I brought a $40 battle pack (200 rounds of mil surplus). Needless to say, he spent more and was done shooting well before I was. And if you don't practice with it, you won't effectively hunt with it...

So, if you reload go ahead and get the 30-06. It's a solid choice. But if you don't reload, give serious thought to the 308. It's just as capable as an 06, and even with the holy war going on over oil...it can be shot for cheaper.