Having to mess around with a 308 AI and see no appreciable difference in ballistics over the standard is fool hardy. The 308 Win will always be useful in every way in the game field, the 30-06 will always be a bit more useful on the heaviest of game. Nothings going to change that. Going to an Ackley version in the 308 Win and saying it has the same ballistics as an 30-06 is hyperbole. The only non magnum short action .30 caliber that runs somewhat with the 30-06 is the 30-284. But just like all SA cartridges it will not achieve those goals in a 2.8-inch magazine when it comes to high BC .30 caliber length bullets seated deep. It is possible in a 3-inch magazine to achieve parallel ballistics with some bullet weights as the 30-06. If that was my desire I would never go AI as a wildcat when I could get 6.5-284 Norma Brass and utilize for the 30-284. It would achieve much more than an 308 AI with less pressure. I’ll just stick to the 308 Win, it simply lacks in nothing as a big game cartridge, same for the 30-06, which has proven itself over and over and is the benchmark of comparison for many hunters in the field.
