.308 or 30.06 ?

I went through a similar scenario when I finally bought my first new hunting rifle (been using milsurp and 303 sporters or borrowed rifles for 20 years)

I went 30-06 mostly because I like the history of the cartridge (yes, that matters to me for some reason), and because it has more room to play with reloads especially with 180gr plus bullets.

The downside is heavier recoil and longer action. The long actiononly really matters if you get a savage (like me) as they have an excessively long action and will require extension rings with most scopes. Although it runs, as mentioned previously here, up to 100fps slower, the 308 will do anything a 30-06 will do, just with a mostly insignificantly steeper trajectory and energy, bullet for bullet. And another bonus is a few less grains of gunpowder each round... but I still prefer 30-06
 
I have to agree with northman999, aside from recoil the difference between the two wouldn't be noticed by the average hunter. So really the question should be what type of action you want. Go try some out, comfort/fit and the style of hunting you will be doing should determine the type of rifle. I don't think you want to slug a 26" barrel with a bolt action through the woods when you won't be shooting more than 100 yards, or use a carbine out on the prairies.

Nothing can replace time on the trigger, when you do settle on one, get a whole bunch of the same ammo (manufacturer, grain, & bullet type) you will be using to hunt with and practice practice practice. If you google shooting fundamentals you will find some great stuff to read to help you.

Good luck dude, and most of all, have fun!
 
Wally said:
The US military dropped it for a reason. .308 is a superior design. .30-06 was developed in 1905 and .308 was developed in 1952 AS A REPLACEMENT.... you do the math.
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Yep, and they largely replaced the .308 with the .223 ................
Using your logic that makes the .223 a better cartridge.




M995 Swiss said:
So go with the .30 cal
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You are kidding eh? Or do you really not understand both the 308 and 30-06 are 30 calibre cartridges?
 
yea, a 3 degree increase in shoulder and a half inch shorter is real superior- WHAT REALLY HAPPENED was that the POWDER technology advanced, and they found that they could produce the same velocity with a somewhat shorter case- of course nobody BOTHERED to look at the stats for the 300 savage-
 
I have used .308 and 30-06 regularly i prefer 308 simply because i do a lot of shooting at the range and the recoil isn't near as bad on it, also if you plan on doing a lot of target practice 7.62 military ammo is available for cheap sometimes. I wouldn't recommend military ammo for hunting but its great for target practice. Either way you will be happy with those calibers they have both been proven deadly for hunting.
 
Back to the original poster ....................

In the real world no animal will ever notice the difference between the 308 and the 30-06. In factory form the ammo from both provides near identical performance.

If you ever decide to try hand loading the 30-06 can provide a small advantage in performance over the 308 especially with heavier bullets.
 
I have had both. First I had a 30-06 in a light hunting rifle. I sold that and now have a .308 in a heavier target setup. I think the .308 V.S. 30-06 debate is best answered not by ballistics or by price of ammo since those factors are very similar. How you plan to use the rifle along with your own comfort is what I would look at. Hunting the edge probably goes to 30-06 where as target the edge probably goes to .308. Not to say that is the only answer though. For example I would rather be at the range all day with a heavy gun Vs a light one. As for hunting give me the light gun regardless of it being 30-06 or .308. As for hunting the animal does not know the difference. Think about it this way. If a guy snuck up on you while you were eating dinner and then punched you in the face would you be able to tell if he was 6'2" and 200 pounds or 6'1" and 210 pounds? No you would be face down in a plate of lasagna. That is the real world difference between a .308 and a 30-06. Don't mind that last bit it is just my way of trying to keep these re-occurring caliber battle questions interesting.
 
'Boo said:
Yep, and they largely replaced the .308 with the .223 ................
Using your logic that makes the .223 a better cartridge.
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Good point

We collectively agree that you should get a .223

:p They didn't drop the .308 though and they also adopted the .223 for a different purpose. The .308 still has it's place. Oranges and Apples.
 
Think I should get my head checked - am agreeing with Wally :p

May make more sense to pick based on weight, stock material, stock shape, barrel length, internal/removable mag, bolt lift...

Issues such as recoil also influenced by overall weight, stock material, stock shape.

Unless thinking of a different class such a .223 or .300WM, .375HH... think neither will be a bad choice.

In addition to the advancements in powder, there have also been advancements in bullet technology (TSX...)

Personally had both and then standardized to .308.

Just to throw something else out there - 7mm/08? Perhaps not as readily available but can always pack ammo.
 
Ballistically, the 30-06 has the edge, but it's a fine one. I'm still kicking myself that I sold my 30-06 BRNO. Either one will serve well, but you can use a .308 in lever like a Savage 99, so I think the .308 is more versatile, but just.
 
Breaker61 said:
You can't go wrong with either. Both are equally matched in power and the price of factory ammo is the same. I prefer the .308 because i own a couple of Browning BLR's and it takes a shorter stroke to cycle the action.
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That's a big 10-4! I use both cals, I don't much like long actions, not one bit, and I'm a lefty too boot, so my 30-06 is in a Ruger No.1A and my 308's are all in lever actions, Finnwolf, Browning BLR, and Win 88 carbine. You may want to read up on the 7mm-08, you just might find that it out performs the 308 in some aspects!
 
t-star said:
yea, a 3 degree increase in shoulder and a half inch shorter is real superior- WHAT REALLY HAPPENED was that the POWDER technology advanced, and they found that they could produce the same velocity with a somewhat shorter case- of course nobody BOTHERED to look at the stats for the 300 savage-
Click to expand...

But with modern powders you can get the '06 going faster as well.
Cat
 
spenom said:
I have had both. First I had a 30-06 in a light hunting rifle. I sold that and now have a .308 in a heavier target setup. I think the .308 V.S. 30-06 debate is best answered not by ballistics or by price of ammo since those factors are very similar. How you plan to use the rifle along with your own comfort is what I would look at. Hunting the edge probably goes to 30-06 where as target the edge probably goes to .308. Not to say that is the only answer though. For example I would rather be at the range all day with a heavy gun Vs a light one. As for hunting give me the light gun regardless of it being 30-06 or .308. As for hunting the animal does not know the difference. Think about it this way. If a guy snuck up on you while you were eating dinner and then punched you in the face would you be able to tell if he was 6'2" and 200 pounds or 6'1" and 210 pounds? No you would be face down in a plate of lasagna. That is the real world difference between a .308 and a 30-06. Don't mind that last bit it is just my way of trying to keep these re-occurring caliber battle questions interesting.
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That's pretty funny, point noted. I will be doing a fair bit of target shooting to get comfortable with my new rifle and then use primarily for hunting after wards.

I know a few ppl with both caliber rifles. I will have to get a couple boxes of each ammo and see if they would like to go target shooting. I am so torn between both calibers my head is spinning. I like the idea one poster had to just flip a coin but I will wait and see.

Now, I need to figure out a good bolt action to get once I pick out the caliber. More research to do:)
 
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