Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 308 vs 30-06 vs 300wm - theoretical accuracy

Hint...............

Splitting hairs, fellows.

Stick...I’m gonna need that red white and blue stock from you when my hummer vudoo gets in the works.. just a friendly heads up so you can make other arrangements....
Obliged!

I'd like more Vuddo's in both Hummer and 17 Whizzum..................

Who gives a fugg. You want pictures go to National Geographic. Sheesh.

I've had all 3. I've never noted enough difference in accuracy to matter. I hunted with a 30-06 starting in the 1970's up until about 10 years ago when I started using 308. I've experimented with both the 300 WM and 300 WSM, but simply don't need the power.

Why do I now prefer 308 over 30-06? My 308 gives me 95-97% of the bullet speed of a 30-06 with the same bullets and 20-25% less recoil. That loss of bullet speed means my 308 does exactly the same thing at 450 yards that the 30-06 does at 500 and a 300 WM does at 600. I can't shoot well enough to be shooting at game much past 300 yards. Maybe 400 under ideal conditions.

Like you, I've never noticed enough difference to matter for what I do. Recommended a .308 to Daughter #1 when she was looking for her first bolt rifle, not because of any potential accuracy differences but because she is rather petite, doesn't care much for recoil and a .308 was adequate range-wise with 130-150g bullets. The ammo variety for a .308 was also a consideration.

FWIW, she shot her last critter with her hubby's .300WSM. When she starts looking for a longer range hunting rifle, I'm not at all sure what to recommend. The availability and options for factory ammo will be far more important than any potential differences in accuracy - those differences are swamped by other factors including differences in rifle, trigger, barrel quality, chamber dimensions and so on.

The only thing I know for sure is it will be another lefty, which limits rifle options considerably. May end up with a semi-custom built from parts.

I read someplace (!) Sierra now chambers their 30 caliber rifles for 300 WSM to test quality control.
With the focus on long range bullet performance, higher velocity testing, that seems likely.
(In barrel life, common sense would favor the .308 for high volume shooting...Sierra must be pretty flush now a days)
Can anyone confirm the 300 WSM for QC @ Sierra?

Very well done. Enjoyed reading..

The OP may also be interested in German Salazar`s thoughts on both the 308 and 06. He can go to the "Shooters Forum" for more info.

the 6 BR is alot more fun to use at all distances and with very little recoil. 6 BR also is extremely accurate at distances out to 1000 yards. after many years of using 30 caliber cartridges for target competition recoil from bigger guns is no longer fun and has very little advantage. now days i either use a fast twist 223 or a 6 BR both shoot fantastic at 600 FTR class and at 1,000 yards its surprising how well a 6 BR does. but if i go elk hunting i will use my 300 Win.Mag always.

Bullets matter way more than headstamps. Hint.

There is nothing inherently "redeeming" in the 300 Win Mag and doubly so,less citing the action and bullet. Hint.

The 6BR doesn't induce bad recoil management habits,has enough ass to stay transonic a fair piece,is bolstered by exceptional componetry(brass/dies/reamers) and will skirt atmospherics suplizingly well,if boolits are given a thunk.

Making mechanical fhuqking sense,ALWAYS makes fhuqking sense.

Hint.................

The old ‘06 has won more events than all the others combined!!

For years the military choice for long range was the 300wm. Now they have even better long range sniper rifles and it ain’t a 223 or 6 br. Not talking paper but real life stuff. Ed k

From 1906 on the 30-06 was the military round and what most competitors used until the 308 became the military round. There have been more improvements in components while the 308 was the military round, so they evolved faster accuracy wise and the shooters all ready had the improvements made during the 30-06's time. Back in the reign of the 06 it is what everyone and his dog shot and not all of them were great shots. Not all the 308 shooters were Lones Wigger either. Now the military uses a fast twist 5.56 with heavy bullets for its matches, it's not a 1000 yd cartridge though, while the 300 Mag is and in many military snipe systems developed for extreme accuracy at LR. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm betting the a match prepped 30-06 with the latest components and well made rifle would be very competitive by your better shooters. Just like that dude in the You tube vid whacking steel at 2800 yds with the 30-06. MB

6.5 Creedmoor checks all those boxes...

John

The 300WM is replacing the 338 Lapua due to its inherent agility to keep the right bullet supersonic much farther that the 308 or 06, and nearly as far as the Lapua with much less rifle.
Damn few of us regular humans are capable of taking advantage of what any of them can really do when fully optimized. None of us hunters need to.
I'm a fan of 30 cal rifles, and believe the 300 Savage is the most underestimated deer caliber out there. Not much I would not hunt, confidently, with a Savage, 308, or 06.

Too late. Got her a 22" barreled lefty Rem M700 chambered for .270 Win. Loaded up some 150g LRAB to 2910fps. Recoil is mild, accuracy is great,

One of the goals I had for Daughter's rifle was the ability to deliver 2000fps and 1500fpe to 600 yards at 7000 feet altitude. The .270/150LRAG @ 2910fps meets these admittedly arbitrary goals out to 680 yards. The 6.5CM/140LRAB @ 2670fps (22" barrel) drops below 1500fpe @ 440 yards. At 600 yards the .270 has a calculated 13.7" less drop, an additional 180fps and 345fpe and an inch less drift. Granted, the 6.5CM will do it with about 70% of the recoil, but the .270 load is only 2 ft-lbs heavier than her .308 load - meaning it is easily in her comfort range.

Oh geez. Now ya went and done it. It’s blasphemy to compare a lowly 270 to a creedmooooor. Ed k

COElkChaser,

Personally, as a former/long-serving US Army Rangemaster & elder brother of a world-class competitive shooter, I don't think that one of those three calibers is better at long range than the other two. There is just too great deal of the difference among. firearms, shooters, componentss & a host of other factors to say which round is BEST
All three, in the hands of a great shooter, will do the job, out well beyond 1,000M.

just my OPINION, tex
"Certified OF"

Though I don’t currently own one, the .270 is one of my all time favorites. Have more DRT kills with a .270 than any other cartridge. So, good choice, in my view, provided she can handle the recoil ok. Would love to see manufacturers start producing them with an 8” twist... FWIW, you might be able to do a little better on the velocity of the 140gr from the Creedmoor. Just a few days ago I got 2886 with 147gr ELDs pushed by 7828ssc from my 24” barrel...

John