Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .30-06 or .308; any real reason to choose one over the other these days?

Hey, you can never be sure on here. I've seen some of the stupidest stuff ever posted on this forum in complete seriousness (ever read a Savage_99 post?) so if you don't use a sarcasm smiley I commonly take you serious unless I know you.

Not for my purposes. People talk about shooting 180s and heavier bullets being an advantage for the '06 but personally I don't have a need for them.

It may be an advantage, but I wonder how many people actually use bullets larger than 180 grn in the -06?

Among campfire members, probably a lot. Among most people, probably not many, and they probably use store-bought 220's.


Okie John

Very few.

The problem I see with that is "larger than 180".

A lot of 06 users like 180s and there's where the advantage starts.

Jerry

180's and 30 caliber just go together.

Brad comes close to being our 308 expert and he says the 06 handles the 180s better.

Jerry

A 180 at 2,600 is all I need or ever will need................

Yes, that will do rather nicely, for most game. No doubt about it.

I've hunted a lot with the 30-06, but also appreciate the 308 Win. It's a sweet shooting cartridge. Literally wore out a few 308 Win barrels. I like both cartridges.

Guy

For years I reloaded the 30-06 with H4350 and 180 Interlocks. When I got a chronograph I learned my standby load generated 2,600 fps. It didn't bother me any. That load didn't seem underpowered either.

It wasn't meant as a jab but once we started heavy in Afghanistan the 7.62 was a much better mousetrap at the distances we were engaging in. The rifles themselves didn't change much either being on the SCAR platform.

Yes, the 30-06 handles 180's "better" than the 308 (i.e., 150 fps faster).

BUT, a 300 WSM handles 180's "better" than a 30-06 (i.e., 150 fps faster).

And so on into pointlessness.

The larger point in CONTEXT is/was 2,630 (or whatever) fps is "plenty" with a 180. I defy anyone to show that somehow an additional 150 fps will make a meaningful difference at "normal" hunting ranges. As long as a bullet has enough velocity to open, it will work just fine.

*PS* I am no "expert", despite having taken nearly equal amounts of game with both the 30-06 and 308. And unlike some who seem unable to not have an opinion about everything and anything, I try to limit my comments to things I have personal experience with, and sit back quietly and learn from others in areas I have no experience. It's a practice that has served me well in life.

I didn't take it as a jab. I know why they went 5.56 but I always thot the 7.62 was the better mousetrap.
No problem S.

Jerry

Brad, I'm not going to delete so much so ....

A. The thread is about 06 vs 308 >>>>>no larger.

B. I never sad NOR thot of you as an expert, I said, "Brad comes close"...
no cigar.


Jerry

That's may not be the dumbest post I'v seen on the fire but it's dam close......

The whole "but the 30/06 handles heavy slugs better" argument is moot to me unless one is going to hunt in Grizzly country.
And then frankly a heavier 180-200g Partition bullet load in an '06 would be a little more comforting.

Me? I'm hunting in CO this year with my RAR .308 this over my '06..

Its a full pound lighter and more accurate. And , I shoot it well.

And 155g Scenars at 2,850FPS will do anything I need done to an Elk inside 500 yards if I steer the rifle correctly.

I started out with the .308 so I've never seen a reason to get a 30-06 and if I'm going to tote a rifle built on a full size action I'd opt for either the .300 or .338 win mag. That said, if I'd started out with the -06 I'd see no reason to get a .308.

I think on game performance will be indistinguishable if shot placement is proper.

A true and good way to end this discussion.