# 308 or 30-06



## squirrel sniper101 (Nov 13, 2006)

*308 or 30-06*​
3082558.14%30-061841.86%


----------



## squirrel sniper101 (Nov 13, 2006)

what would you choose
whats you opinion


----------



## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

i had to vote 06, come on let me have it. :stirpot:


----------



## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

.308. Hands down, it can do anything an 06 can and then some.


----------



## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

close, but not quite. itll pretty much duplicate an 06, but you can still squeeze a couple more grains powder into the 06 case. i love em both, but i stand by the old battleax.


----------



## squirrel sniper101 (Nov 13, 2006)

honestly i would go with the 308


----------



## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

It may be possible that we have talked about this before. Can't remember for sure though. :wink: There is a "kool" function on the home page, its call a "search." Just a guess but if you type in .308 and/or 30.06 I think you may get all kinds of info.


----------



## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

weasle414 said:


> .308. Hands down, it can do anything an 06 can and then some.


 And then some what? Sure the 308 gets close to '06 velocities with lighter bullets but once you get to 180s and above the '06 walks away from the 308.


----------



## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

clampdaddy said:


> weasle414 said:
> 
> 
> > .308. Hands down, it can do anything an 06 can and then some.
> ...


Who cares!! That is when you buy a 300.  8)


----------



## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

i care.


----------



## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

The 30-06 just does not have that much more velocity over the .308 to make a huge difference. IMO the short action more than makes up for any velocity difference.

Gotta agree with Jiffy, if you want more velocity with bigger bullets go with the 300WM.

huntin1


----------



## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

clampdaddy said:


> weasle414 said:
> 
> 
> > .308. Hands down, it can do anything an 06 can and then some.
> ...


Well, the short action is always a plus. The 30-06 doesn't have that big of an edge velocity or trajectory wise to make that big of a difference. They'll both stop the same animals out to about the same distance. So why go with the long action when the short will work just as good? It's all a matter of personal oppinion, if you like the 06 that's great, but I love .308's.


----------



## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

I'm not prejudiced tward either cartridge as I don't hunt with either one anymore, I just think that as an all around hunting round the 06 is a better choice. I'd say that for medium game the 308 is close enough to call them equals but if large bear or moose are on the menue some extra bullet weight and velocity is never a bad thing. Sure you could go up to a 300 mag since you're already carrying a long action but the same arguement applies to the 308 in its short action, you could get a 300 short mag. Short actions are nice and all but the day I start complaining that my rifle weighs to much because the action is a little longer is the day I hang up my hunting boots.


----------



## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

It ain't the weight, it's the shorter bolt throw and stiffer action. Aahh hell, for most people it don't matter.

huntin1


----------



## CrashinKona (Mar 5, 2007)

I love the 06 :beer:


----------



## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

I've read thet the .308 is an inherantly more accurate cartridge than the .30-06. Is this true because of the shorter stiffer action that the .308 is usually fired from? Are there other reasons? I do not own a .308, but the 22 inch barrelled 7mm-08 in my gun cabinet is even more accurate than my .22-250 and that really impresses me. If I didn't want a black rifle in .223 so badly, a .308 would be next on my list. Burl


----------



## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

although the bolt length can help, i still feel that they are two equaly capable cartridges accuracy, and otherwise. shoot a critter with a good bullet out of either of them in the right spot, and its still going to die.


----------



## flytier231 (Nov 1, 2005)

Burly1,

I read an article a year or two ago about the .308 family of cartridges, one of which you own. (.308, 7mm/08, Rem.260, and .243) They are all based on the .308 case, and all are known for being very accurate. The article talked about the shorter fatter case allowing the powder to burn more rapidly and consistently, therefore the better the accuracy. Kind of like the reason behind the short magnums that have appeared recently. The .308 was like the precursor (granddaddy?) of the short mags. The article was along those lines.

That said, I own several '06's, and no .308's. But I do now own that Rem.260! That's why I was researching! Light, soft shooting, and very accurate.

Bottom line though, as long as it's enough gun, shot well enough to kill quickly, it's a good caliber. Of course then we'd have nothing to argue about!!


----------



## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

My question was hinting at the short-fat theory. I have heard and read about it, but my experience being so narrow, was hoping for more input. Thanks for yours, flytier. As to good game cartridges, I, as others have quipped, doubt that any game animal would detect a difference between the '06 and a .308, when shot right behind the shoulder. There must be a discernable difference though, when punching paper at long range. Since the advent of the .308, long range marksmen have abandoned the '06 in favor of the .308. The .300 Win Mag is used to great effect as well, but it seems thet the .308 is indeed the long range darling. Perhaps some of our long shooting friends would care to enlighten us as to their preferences and why.
I'm going to go fishing now, but will check back later. Burl


----------



## flytier231 (Nov 1, 2005)

I agree on several points Burl: the animal wouldn't know the dif; we'd need more input from long shooting experts, and it's early trout season here in WI. I've tied some tiny little things that need to get wet, and slimey I hope!

I do recall an article also stating that the .260 carries more energy at a greater distance that the .308. Maybe it was past 400 yds. It was due to the ballistic co-efficient (I think) of the .264 (6.5mm) bullet compared to the wider heavier 30 cal. bullet. It hardly matters to me as I don't see deer at that distance in WI anyway. Don't think I'd try that shot either without a lot of practice at longer ranges. A trip out west is maybe needed!

Hope you caught something. Which reminds me, have you ever been asked after a hunting trip, "Did you catch anything?". How do you gently explain that there's not a lot of "catch and release" going on with a successful hunting trip? I do some "miss and release", but... .


----------



## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

shortfats are supposed to be inherently more accurate. this is why the ppc's and 22 and 6mm br are the leaders at the benchrest shoots. that said, i stand by my theory that with proper tuning, and quality components, any caliber can be made to shoot 1 hole groups. i believe the shortfats are supposed to be more accurate becouse of the burn rate, as you said, and they headspace better due to the sharp, wide shoulder, anyone correct me if im wrong. i read an article about a new cartridge that has a curved shoulder, it supposedly directs the blast from the primer back into the charge column more evenly, igniting the powder more thoroughly. it was a 5mm smc something. id like to here more on it, if anyone knows what im talking about.


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

Having a short action will help with your receiver flexing. This can really be a problem when you hang a big tube on it. The Army in uses the M-24 SWS and the M-24 for the ones that have not been upgraded this gun has a long action. The reason for this is they can switch back and forth between 7.62 and 300WM. The only down side I have read about this weapon is they have some feeding problems using 7.62. The Remington states 800M for maximum effective range for this gun. The USMC using the M40A3 they are claiming 1,000M range with their gun. So maybe there is something to having the shorter action. If you are going to be shooting deer or other big critters at these extended ranges you should go with the larger calibers.
What I have read about the short fat rounds is the powder burns more consistently. The way I understand is this pushes straighter on the bullet. Every one knows that the more straight you can start a bullet the better it will shoot at range. 
The 308 is used at long range extensively in many different shooting disciplines. The 6.5-284 is also a real winner at 1,000 yd matches. The higher BC of the slugs help maintain velocity at the longer ranges.
It is true that most any cartridge can be made to shoot one hole groups at 100yds but with some it will be very difficult.


----------



## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

My opinion, the 284Win is the grand-daddy of all "short-mags"

There may be something to the "inherent accuracy" of given cartriges, but you need to be firmly entrenched into BR equipment and techniques to separate inherent accuracy between cartriges.

The whole "inherent accuracy" argument as it applies to hunting means exactly SQUAT (save for the guys using their long range BR equipment from blinds or stands). The conditions of any particular shot while hunting are too difficult to reproduce to make any assessment of "inherent accuracy" as it applies to hunting.

Now, everybody "knows a guy" who is the exception to the rule, and there are a couple of posters on here who actually are the exception to the rule. They are however in the VAST MINORITY.


----------



## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

Horsager said:


> My opinion, the 284Win is the grand-daddy of all "short-mags"


I'm pitchin' my vote for the 300 savage as the grand-daddy of the short mags. It didn't have the fat case/rebated rim, but it was a sharp shouldered/min. taper short action cartridge designed to do what was being done by the big dog 30cal long action cartridge of its day. 
:beer: 
John Barsness recently conducted an experiment in which he used the same barrel chambered/tested and then rechambered/tested in 300 H&H and 300 wsm to test the short/fat accuracy "advantage" and basicly there was no advantage with the shorter case. If anything the ol'Holland super thirty showed a slight edge when all was said and done.


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I think the people that are so strongly for a particular cartridge were fortunate enough to acquire and outstanding rifle and the cartridge I think was secondary. People mentioned inherent accuracy, and that is true, but as Horsager mentioned it isn't often field noticeable. 
I have a heavy 308, a 300WSM, and a heavy 300 Winchester Mag. If I had to choose one I would stick with my 300 Winchester Mag. If I had none of them and could have one rifle, it would perhaps be a good 30-06. It would do better than the 308 with bullets over 180 gr., and the rifle burning less powder would last longer than a 300 Win mag.

In competition the 308 has relegated the 30-06 to retirement. The 308 is more accurate, but you will only see the difference off the bench, with a very good forward and rear rest. You will also need a reptilian nervous system when you pull the trigger or you will never know the difference.

They say you need 1000 ft/lb delivered to the target for deer and 1500 ft/lb for elk. However, many people shoot revolvers that don't have that energy at the muzzle. I remember one outdoor writer one month said a 357 mag rifle should not be shot past 50 yards for deer. The following month he said a 357 revolver with 6 inch barrel was good to 100 yards. Go figure. With this in mind I will use my 308 (with my reloads) to 800 yards (1012 ft/lb) for deer, and my 300 Win Mag (with my reloads) to 1200 yards (950 ft/lb). The 30-06 should be good to 900 yards. I am slightly under the magic 1000 ft/lb,for my 300 mag, but I have no doubt they are going down. The point of this last paragraph is just to say to each their own, at 100 yards not many animals will know the difference. If you like it you're the only person you need to keep happy.


----------



## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Good post you old coot........ :wink:


----------



## squirrel sniper101 (Nov 13, 2006)

lol


----------

