.308 can produce those velocities exactly in a 24" barrel if you're willing to use RL-17. For example on the 180 partition, .308 SAAMi max depending on your exact case and primer is about 50.5gr and velocity is 2820 give or take. I'll be the first to say that RL-17 is a little on the temp sensitive side, but then again so are N204 and especially N205.
You lose 30 ft/s going to RL16 if you need temp stability.
If you're going to try to explain how the .30-06 is so wonderful relative to the .308, you might want to try an example that the .308 can't do The gap is MUCH smaller than most people think it is.
Alliant lists a max .308/RL-17/180g load at 48.7g/2641fps in a 22" barrel. For the .30-06 the max load listed by Alliant is 54.5g RL-017/2762fps in a 22" barrel. Alliant doesn't list pressures, which is one reason I prefer Hodgdon data.
Winchester 180g Power Point ammo gave me 2728fps when chrono'd out of the 22" Ruger American I had. Should be pretty close to 2800fps in a 24" barrel. Winchester's factory specs are 2700fps for the 180g .30-06 (X30064) and 2620fps for the 180g .308 Win (X3086).
Winchester also lists a 190g .30-06 load at 2750fps. Velocity and energy at 300 yards is listed at 2339fps/2309fpe with a 7.5" drop. There is no comparable .308 Win load, the 180g Power Point being the closest in terms of bulle weight but it only has 1971fps1553fpe at 300 yards with a 9.7" drop. In fact, as measured by retained energy, the .308 /180g load at 95 yards most closely resembles the .30-06 energy at 300 yards.
You're right, that is not a 100 yard advantage for the .30-06 - it's a 200+ yard advantage.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
The gap is MUCH smaller than most people think it is.
