.308 or 30.06 ?
- Thread starter Jive Turkey
- Start date
westcoaster
CGN Regular
- Location
- Central BC
I am a newbie to guns and hunting So please be gentle lol. I am trying to decide which caliber to get for an all around meat gitter (White tail and Moose mainly) and .308 and 30.06 are what I have narrowed it down to. Which ammo is cheaper and more readily available throughout Canada. More readily available is what really matters especially if price is close.
I did a search and didn't find the answer I was looking for.[/QUOTE
Both will do the job on most North American game. As has been stated previously the 3006 has the edge in velocity and lended energy at the price of a bit more kick.
The assertions of "inherent accuracy", short action blah, blah, etc (fill in your favorite old wives tale here) is a bunch of rifle thread masturbation.
For me it is 3006 all the way because I can weaken the load until it shoots like a 308.
Of the two, it doesn't really matter which. Both are great and proved in the field. If I had to choose it would be the .06 with a nice 3-9x and away you go to the range/field.
A new friend of mine suffered from the same problem you have now. He decided on the .06so he could hunt everything. The only thing is it was his first center fire rifle. That is fine and all, so long as you can handle the cartridge. I don't know your scenario, but in this case he has only fired a box or two and has developed a brutal flinch and can't hit the broad side of the proverbial barn. He says he can handle the recoil, but he doesn't understand yet that he has to control it, not just handle it. I hope to correct this for him but it has put a mental block in his head that he has to jump the trigger and anticipate the recoil.
So if you are going to get into hunting a little more I would suggest finding a small or intermediate cartridge to build your shooting skills and confidence. If you are only going to get the one and only one, I would say get the 308. (most who get into this always get more than one
)
A new friend of mine suffered from the same problem you have now. He decided on the .06so he could hunt everything. The only thing is it was his first center fire rifle. That is fine and all, so long as you can handle the cartridge. I don't know your scenario, but in this case he has only fired a box or two and has developed a brutal flinch and can't hit the broad side of the proverbial barn. He says he can handle the recoil, but he doesn't understand yet that he has to control it, not just handle it. I hope to correct this for him but it has put a mental block in his head that he has to jump the trigger and anticipate the recoil.
So if you are going to get into hunting a little more I would suggest finding a small or intermediate cartridge to build your shooting skills and confidence. If you are only going to get the one and only one, I would say get the 308. (most who get into this always get more than one
)I doubt that any game bagged with the.30-06 or the .308 Winchester would ever know the difference.Both are quite capable of doing the job.
The .308 has a shorter case so it can be used in a short action rifle.This can help in manufacturing a lighter rifle.
The .308 has a shorter case so it can be used in a short action rifle.This can help in manufacturing a lighter rifle.
I've got a secret to share with you... If you are a shooting junkie, recoil isn't much of an issue especially the difference between those two calibers. You're picking fly $hit out of pepper.
As for the rest of the thread ie velocity difference, length of stroke and mass of the projectile... it's all personal preference. What ever you need to get off a good shot.
My suggestion is, if you have it narrowed down to two calibers and the type of action you want, walk into a gun store and start fondling rifles, until you make up your mind.
As for the rest of the thread ie velocity difference, length of stroke and mass of the projectile... it's all personal preference. What ever you need to get off a good shot.
My suggestion is, if you have it narrowed down to two calibers and the type of action you want, walk into a gun store and start fondling rifles, until you make up your mind.
The solution is easy as both will do the job so it's makes sense to buy both. The 30-06 will handle a 180 gr very close to what a 308 will handle a 150 gr.
Shop around and buy which ever one is found in the rifle of your desire for the best bargain. When you can afford it, start looking for the other caliber. Sometimes the hunt is as much fun as the score.
When I hunt in the interior of B.C. for deer, I generally use the 30-06 with the 308 as a back-up rifle. On Vancouver Island I do the opposite. 180 gr. Silvertip is my 30-06 round and 150 Silveretip is my 308 round. On Vancouver Island, in closer quarters, I use 180 gr. in the 308. If hunting in real thick forest, I like to handload the 180 gr. down a tad for the 308.
For moose and elk, I like the 338 WM and the 375 H&H. The 270 works good on deer as well as the 257. This is all for another story, but you can see where I'm going here, as my method justifies owning as many more firearms as you can think of a need for. In fact, I'm heading out the door now for the afternoon hunt with my 308. Life can be as interesting as you make it. .
Shop around and buy which ever one is found in the rifle of your desire for the best bargain. When you can afford it, start looking for the other caliber. Sometimes the hunt is as much fun as the score.
When I hunt in the interior of B.C. for deer, I generally use the 30-06 with the 308 as a back-up rifle. On Vancouver Island I do the opposite. 180 gr. Silvertip is my 30-06 round and 150 Silveretip is my 308 round. On Vancouver Island, in closer quarters, I use 180 gr. in the 308. If hunting in real thick forest, I like to handload the 180 gr. down a tad for the 308.
For moose and elk, I like the 338 WM and the 375 H&H. The 270 works good on deer as well as the 257. This is all for another story, but you can see where I'm going here, as my method justifies owning as many more firearms as you can think of a need for. In fact, I'm heading out the door now for the afternoon hunt with my 308. Life can be as interesting as you make it. .
Jordan Smith
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Calgary, AB
The biggest difference between the two, for a factory-ammo shooter, is in the rifle itself. Go to the gun shop and handle a rifle in the short action configuration and in the long action configuration. Decide which one you like better with regards to fit, balance, length, and action feel, and get the cartridge that comes in that action length. You will never notice a difference between the two cartridges when you are shooting game animals.
canadaman30
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Far from the City
Basically when it comes to useing factory ammo the only differance of these two calibres is about 100-150 ft/s differance with the 06 the bit faster. Basically no advantage. I have had a few 308's and love them.
Bittermansbro
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Calgary, AB
30 ought 6 all the way!
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
The cartridges are pretty equal performace wise, unless you want to use 200 grain bullets. The 308 is maxed out at 180. It can't compete with the '06 in the 200 grain class.
That said, there isn't much you can't put down with a 165 grain bullet.
That said, there isn't much you can't put down with a 165 grain bullet.
It ain't the gun, it's the gunner... either one will bring down anything you point it at within 300 metres. Assuming you are not ex-military, you most likely be shooting within 300 metres. If you are a long shooter, or hunting bush, the -06 with the right bell ringer will do anything you ask it to. I have owned both, and obviously prefer my 'aught'.
8 pages of answers to the question that has been asked since the .308 or it's military version 7.62x51mm were introduced in 1952 and 1954 respectfully. Which is better, which is cheaper, which is more accurate, etc... You could not go wrong with either. The 06 gets the nod for heavier bullet capabilty, ie 180 grains for moose type creatures.
Get the rifle that fits you and that you can shoot comfortably. That is the one to get. If it is in .308 or .30-06, that won't matter much....
Get the rifle that fits you and that you can shoot comfortably. That is the one to get. If it is in .308 or .30-06, that won't matter much....
Both of them are awesome rounds but this is your first hunting rifle. I don't know how big you are, but if you haven't grown up shooting then you might be a bit surprised at the recoil of the 308 or the 30-06. I grew up shooting but it was all rimfire and upland bird. I'm not a big guy (170 lbs soaking wet) and a few months before my first deer hunt about 10 years ago I borrowed my cousin's 308. I put a few boxes of shells through it but could not get used to the recoil and always felt uncomfortable with it. Happened upon a good deal in a used Browning A-bolt stainless stalker in 270 two weeks before my hunt and never looked back. I know the difference in recoil isn't huge but it was significant for me and I've taken a lot of deer (two at 300 yards) with that rifle. If you don't develop good shooting habits and feel comfortable with the rifle it doesn't matter what you are shooting, you aren't going to fill your tag. Heck, I only put a 70 grain load of 777 in my 50 cal Omega in part because the gun is accurate with that load but more because I'm comfortable with that level of recoil. The last deer I got at 119 yards with it really didn't care if the 240 grain slug was traveling at 1400 fps or 1700 fps. He still died instantly. Unless you are dead set on going moose hunting your first year I'd even recommend a 243. Then you have an excuse to buy another gun next year
I guess this is just a long way of saying that within reason, the best round and rifle is the one you are comfortable with and can shoot accurately.
I guess this is just a long way of saying that within reason, the best round and rifle is the one you are comfortable with and can shoot accurately.
