I don't think,it matters how much powder you use,as long as you fill up the case.Does that mean a 300WSM is more accurate than a 300WM,but then the 300WM is used by a lot of LE-Agencies and in the Military as a sniping round?I know the 300WM is not supposed to be better,but on the other hand i have not seen a Sniping rifle built for Military or LE in 300WSM.Look at the 338 Lapua,according to you it would not be good at all with all that powder getting wasted,might as well neck up the 08 i.e.338Federal and use it instead.There are trends and individual predilections and when those two happen to be in accord,you get something like a 308.We can argue until the cows come home,but to me it really does not matter what cartridge one uses,since modern technology in rifle making can easily compensate for a cartridges shortcomings.downwindtracker2 said:
.308 vs 30-06 accuracy
- Thread starter mr00jimbo
- Start date
I haven't read anything said here, so pardon me if this has been said:
.308 ammo generally uses much faster burning powder, and you can safely hotload a .308 to a higher velocity than the .30-06. But you know what, since this is in the hunting rifle forum and not in a benchrest forum, who cares? I guarantee you most of us here can't shoot so steadily and consistently from common hunting positions to even see a miniscule difference. Pick the cartridge you'd prefer for hunting. I'd personally go with a .308, because I just like the cartridge better.
-Rohann
.308 ammo generally uses much faster burning powder, and you can safely hotload a .308 to a higher velocity than the .30-06. But you know what, since this is in the hunting rifle forum and not in a benchrest forum, who cares? I guarantee you most of us here can't shoot so steadily and consistently from common hunting positions to even see a miniscule difference. Pick the cartridge you'd prefer for hunting. I'd personally go with a .308, because I just like the cartridge better.
-Rohann
Hi-Standard
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Newfoundland
No doubt .308 Winchester is accurate, but I have also seen some pretty darned accurate 30-06 Springfields. When I was looking for a new hunting rifle and a part time plinker, I chose a Remington 700 SPS in 30-06. My thinking was this, as a handloader I can always load down to .308 velocities or less for target shooting and for my son or wife to hunt with. On the other hand, with an action as strong as the Remmy 700, I can handload a 30-06 to just about the ballistic equivalent of a factory loaded 7mm Remington magnum, with the added advantage of a huge selection of 30 calibre bullets, in the range of 110 to 220gr. This is where the 30-06 has the biggest advantage, handloading. Factory offerings of 30-06 are neutered for all of the 100 year old actions out there, so the ballistic difference to a non-handloader is minimal, and in that case I would probably go with a 308 and the short action.
Long distance cartridges are a balance of accuracy and velocity,for reach,thus a 300WM ,however Benchrest cartridges are just accuracy,so you have a 6mmPPC.My 338WM is more accurate than either of 30-06s,what does that mean,only that Sako builds a better rifle than either Remington or Winchester.
powder burner
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
who actually sets out to make little cloverleafs on the animal before they fall anyways?
Pure Energy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A river runs through it.
If your just go out a buy a .308 or .30-06 the only thing thats going to make a huge difference on the accuracy of one or the other is the type of gun you buy, the optics you put on it, and how much time you spend setting it up. I shot my first buck with an 06 at 100 yards through a bunch of scrub brush and trees. All I had on it was an Aimpoint 1000. Then again, many a deer have been shot with a .308 at our camp too.
I cant really comment on complete precision, then again this is hunting and not the precision rifles section.
I cant really comment on complete precision, then again this is hunting and not the precision rifles section.
- Location
- WMU247 near Edmonton
30-06 as gatehouse points out can do everything the 308 can do and more
but it has a longer action, and I don't think thats really a problem.
I have a 308, and a 300 WM, the 30-06 falls in between them, so its going to be hard explaining to the wife why I think I want another rifle in 30-06, even harder when the 7mmRM is sitting in the vault not getting a lot of range time.
but it has a longer action, and I don't think thats really a problem.
I have a 308, and a 300 WM, the 30-06 falls in between them, so its going to be hard explaining to the wife why I think I want another rifle in 30-06, even harder when the 7mmRM is sitting in the vault not getting a lot of range time.
All else being equal, the difference in accuracy between off the shelf rifles wether in 308win or 30-06 will be marginal if any at all. Like it or not, It takes match barrels, tight chambers and properly aligned bores to chamber to receiver to bolt face with minimum headspaceing and tight necks. Then there is the stock and all of the things that go with it to keep things in place. Then let us not forget the scope base alignment and fit to the receiver then proper lapping of rings if needed and a decent clear scope with good focusing and AO. Then of course comes the bullet, are the jackets of uniform thickness and at what velocity or better yet what load do the bbl harmonics become consistant from shot to shot. If you get a good gunsmith like Nobby Uno or others as good, putting rifles together, then compare accuracy levels, you may have something to compare properly. I've heard a lot of rumors about sharp shoulders, short casese provideing more uniform burn rates etc. like it or not the above statement is true. Then of course there is the rifle that is a tack driver right out of the box, we all want one and they occur a lot more regularly than is believable, but it's like winning the lottery to get one. bearhunter
