308 vs 30-06

It won;t really make a difference to the game you shoot which one you use and both will kill stuff further away than most people should be shooting, so pick the one you find most appealing for other reasons. Both kill stuff when the bullet lands in the right spot.
 
350tracker said:
The problem is eliminated when you have one of each as I do...
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That has been my experience as well over my shooting and hunting career and I solved it as you have done by having rifles chambered in both 308 and 30-06. There is no practical difference between the two rounds for the AVERAGE shooter when it comes to availability of rifles, ammunition and components or performance in the field, in my opinion. I thoroughly enjoy loading for and shooting both numbers.
 
308 for me, the amount of extra powder to get up to maybe 200fps more, is diminishing returns.

308 does it with less powder and less recoil. Just a bit slower which makes no difference on game.

30-06 if you want to use over 200gr projectiles and you handload. I have heard the 06 called a 'modern magnum' when loaded with todays powders. But at that point why not go to something like 300 winmag?
 
Know this will open a can of worms with the "it can't be dead enough" crowd .... but in many cases we use too much gun for the task.

I see far too many hunters in my region using .300 wm and they really don't need it. For some game and some distances it might be needed but not around here generally. I have a .300 wm as well but if I don't need it I don't carry it.

I certainly see the thinking in having enough gun and and having a little more than you need is generally better than being under-gunned. But there's a lot of overkill going on.

FOR ME .308 is a great middle of the road, get the job done tool. If I really do need something bigger I'll use it or get it, but around here all the .300 wm craze is not needed. Increased recoil, cost and weight is wasted and near pointless imo.

Now if I lived in Grizzly country or were shooting across great open plains at Bison this would be an entirely different conversation.
 
madashell said:
Know this will open a can of worms with the "it can't be dead enough" crowd .... but in many cases we use too much gun for the task.

I see far too many hunters in my region using .300 wm and they really don't need it. For some game and some distances it might be needed but not around here generally. I have a .300 wm as well but if I don't need it I don't carry it.

I certainly see the thinking in having enough gun and and having a little more than you need is generally better than being under-gunned. But there's a lot of overkill going on.

FOR ME .308 is a great middle of the road, get the job done tool. If I really do need something bigger I'll use it or get it, but around here all the .300 wm craze is not needed. Increased recoil, cost and weight is wasted and near pointless imo.

Now if I lived in Grizzly country or were shooting across great open plains at Bison this would be an entirely different conversation.
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***There are a lot of guys here that think a 223 is all you need. I am not one. I am one of the old guys that wants close to 1000 lb of energy to do the job clean every time. I lost a WT and it made me near sick. As for 308/3006, both carry lots of energy and are both good killers. My pick has been 308 with 165s for Deer & 180s for moose. I have an 06, it seldom gets shot.
 
What rifles have you looked into? Maybe start with a rifle you like and fits and buy which ever calibre they have in stock at the time. I've bounced around a bunch of different rifles and calibres in the last 10 years or so and recently settled into the Ruger 77 line up. Got me a Ruger Scout in 308 and really love the platform and followed it up with a beauty Ruger 77 in 257 Bob.
 
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