Is the 308 so much more available than the 30-06?

C

corsara

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Hello,

Newbie here, trying to choose my first centerfire rifle. Looking for something I'd use at the range, and maybe someday for some hunting. I want to get either the 308 or the 30-06.

Being on the cheap side, I like the Savage 111 FXCP chambered for 30-06. However, a little browsing through our sponsors shows that there is so much more choice of 308 rounds than the 30-06.

My question to you: is the 30-06 ammo really so hard to find these days? Because if it is, I just wasted 2 hours researching the Savage 111, and I'm back at square one now as it doesn't come chambered for 308.

Thanks in advance.
 
"...researching the Savage 111..." Long action. The Savage 11's come in .308. Same rifle with a shorter action.
Like weldboss says, both cartridges are readily available everywhere.
 
you can get a wide variety of both 308 and 30-06 everywhere.
That goes for both hunting ammo and FMJ.

Back when I needed a rifle to get me back into hunting in Canada I bought a Savage 111 in 30-06 package. Just out of school, mortgage, debts that's all I could do back then. Many deer later I still got the gun which has been great for me. It has a much better scope now but the cheap one worked for several years.

Savage 111 in 30-06, great choice IMO.

good luck
 
Both are very capable and available where 30-06 is pretty much a magnum.
I got Savage 111 FCXP in 30-06 and am very happy with my choice. Factory package scope was replaced with a better one thou.
 
Actually, performance wise there is very little difference between the 308 and 30-06. With hand loads, the 308 equals the 30-06.

If you are looking to buy factory ammo, and you want the most accuracy you can get, then a 308 would be the better choice as there is a great deal more factory match ammo on the shelves than in 30-06. To be honest, i have not seen 30-06 match ammo on anyone's shelves, but readily admit I have not been looking for it either.

When it comes to honing shooting skill, I believe recoil is a bad thing. This is where the 308 is again, a better choice.

Buy what YOU want and what YOU can afford, but if it were up to me, I'd go 308 - no question.
 
I had the same question when it came to my first centrefire last year. I priced it out between the two calibres, and except for about 2 types of ammo where the .308 were more, they cost virtually identical. I went in person to several stores and looked at their inventory, and most offered more variety and more in stock of the .30-06, which is the opposite of what I was expecting. In some smaller stores, .308 wasn't even an option. In the end I chose a .30-06 because I could find it everywhere in any town I'd likely be travelling, it's priced OK and the ballistics are supposed to be similar to the .308. I don't regret it, unless I see a really nice rifle in .308 that doesn't come in 06, and I forget that I can't afford it anyway.
 
Wait a minute...hold the phone... Did I hear correctly...you can buy ammo that someone has loaded for you?!?!? Who would have thought. I guess that is why it's called reloading. In all seriousness and all joaking aside,if you are going to shoot for any kind of accuracy reloading is the only way to go. The projectile is the the same for either of the firearms you listed. choice made go with the 30.06
 
I've just put the order for the Savage 111 in 30.06. Thanks for all your comments, and thanks also to the guy above who suggested the identical Savage 11 in 308. However, the 308 is not in stock at the place I shop, so I got the 30.06, especially after realizing that availability of the two kinds of ammo is the same. Thank you all! CGN once again has proven to be a super great place to ask questions and learn!
 
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