30-06???

[CarRamRod]

I know a lot of guys shoot .308 for long range but hows a 30-06? I was going to buy a .308 but in searching around I found we have 2 30-06s so if I can put a good scope on it and shoot that I will. Any opinions? My dad said he thought that the .308 was a smaller lighter bullet but I was looking and you can get the same grain bullets in either or less or more just depending on what you get.
Thanks

 

[Bear2]

I have a stock Remmy Classic 30-06 with a Leup Vari X III. With the handloads I worked up, I am minute of angle, accuracy wise. Confidant with it to 500 yards, and you are not going to be harvesting game further than that with a 308. Others on this site shoot to 1000 yards with more sophisticated equipment, but I feel more comfortable at even 400 or less. The 30-06 used to win all the 1000 yard matches, but now I think it is the 308 or 300 Win Mag. I am happy with my 8.75# 30-06, but if I need more I have bigger bore magnums.
Bear2

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Worked up a load for my browning 30-06 last summer that held moa out to 750yrds with hunting velocity. 30-06 is a great caliber in my opinion. Run with it.

Steve

 

[britz]

A 308 win is slightly smaller than the 3006. The case holds less powder, but due to a very efficient case design, it looses little to the 3006 velocity wise. A 06 will handle heavy bullets a little better than the 08, but because the 308 is such an efficient cartidge it is generally preffered by comp shooters or many accuracy nuts.

With that said, accuracy is determined more by the quality of rifle rather than shape of the cartidge. The famous sniper C. Hathcock used a 30-06 rifle in Vietnam for many 800+ yard shots (supposedly one at over 1100?)... so it can't be all that bad a cartidge.

Now the trend for 1000 yard matches is leaning towards the 7mm, 6.5mm, and even the 6mm due to increaded technology in bullet making.

 

[roninflag]

other things being equal the 30-06 is 100fps faster. does either rifle shoot 3/4" groups at 100 yards ? how far are you shoooting ? what are you shooting?

 

[Michael Eichele]

The accuracy potential of the 308 over the 3006 more than makes up for the 100 FPS loss to it.

In this sport accuracy is everything.

Can an 06 be made to be shot accurately? Yes. Can the 308 do it easier and more concistently? Absolutely. She is much less finicky.

Anyone who would argue against these claims has never worked extensively with both side by side.

There is a reason major branches of LE and military use the 308 over the 3006. Any monkey with 1/2 a brain can do amazing things with a 308 with even minimal training.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

The accuracy potential of the 308 over the 3006 more than makes up for the 100 FPS loss to it.

In this sport accuracy is everything.

Can an 06 be made to be shot accurately? Yes. Can the 308 do it easier and more concistently? Absolutely. She is much less finicky.

Anyone who would argue against these claims has never worked extensively with both side by side.

There is a reason major branches of LE and military use the 308 over the 3006. Any monkey with 1/2 a brain can do amazing things with a 308 with even minimal training.

So it's the cartridge that is inherently accurate not the rifle?

Steve

 

[Michael Eichele]

So it's the cartridge that is inherently accurate not the rifle?

Steve

Dont get me wrong, it takes a quality rifle for ANY cartridge to be accurate. That said, some cartridges are more prone to accuracy than others. The 308 vs 3006 is such an example.

 

[roninflag]

rocky: both i have loaded for quite a few different cailbers and rifles.*** the .222 ; the 308 and the 300 win mag in that order;* i have found to very accurate and easy to find a good load in the factory guns i have loaded for.**** i have several rifles with kreiger barrels ; they ALL shoot 1/2 min or less. the question for ram rod is if he does not have an accurate 30-06. does he sell one and take the proceeds and rebarrel with a krieger or does he get a 308 or something else?*

 

[justgoto]

There is an article on the front page that can explain it better than I ever could.
What's Wrong With .30 Caliber?
But to summarize:
A smaller caliber is better because you can get better form factors and higher velocity.

Just to touch on the 308 vs 30-06 issue. They both shoot the same caliber projectile. The 30-06 can be loaded heavier, which equates to being able to propel the projectile at a greater velocity. Less drop and wind drift issues.

In my opinion, there is no question the 30-06 is better.

 

[steve smith]

Now the only difference between a 308 and 30-06 is powder capacity.

That's like saying that a 300win mag is inherently more accurate than a 300 RUM.

Both statements are inherently flawed!

More than anything, accuracy is dependant upon the quality of the barrel, squareness of the action, and the abilities of the shooter.

If you took 2 rifles of equal quality, with the same quality barrel, one in 308 and the other in 30-06, both with the same neck and throat dimensions and using the same components for ammo, the only difference between them would be velocity.

Having said all that. It is a known fact that the larger the powder charge a cartridge uses the less efficient the charge becomes. The more efficient the cartridge is the easier it is to tune a load during load developement. The less powder a cartridge uses the easier it is to get each shot (velocity) the same as the last, but the difference between the 308 and 30-06 is virtualy nil. Now when you start talking about the difference between the 308 and a 30-378Wby, you might could say something there, but at the same time, with custom actions and barrels on both the 30-378Wby probably won't be that much more difficult to find an accurate load in.

My personal opinion is that a rifles accuracy potential is made of the sum of the rifles and ammunitions components and how well they were put together, and not in the cartridges powder capacity.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Now the only difference between a 308 and 30-06 is powder capacity.

That's like saying that a 300win mag is inherently more accurate than a 300 RUM.

Both statements are inherently flawed!

More than anything, accuracy is dependant upon the quality of the barrel, squareness of the action, and the abilities of the shooter.

If you took 2 rifles of equal quality, with the same quality barrel, one in 308 and the other in 30-06, both with the same neck and throat dimensions and using the same components for ammo, the only difference between them would be velocity.

Having said all that. It is a known fact that the larger the powder charge a cartridge uses the less efficient the charge becomes. The more efficient the cartridge is the easier it is to tune a load during load developement. The less powder a cartridge uses the easier it is to get each shot (velocity) the same as the last, but the difference between the 308 and 30-06 is virtualy nil. Now when you start talking about the difference between the 308 and a 30-378Wby, you might could say something there, but at the same time, with custom actions and barrels on both the 30-378Wby probably won't be that much more difficult to find an accurate load in.

My personal opinion is that a rifles accuracy potential is made of the sum of the rifles and ammunitions components and how well they were put together, and not in the cartridges powder capacity.

If what you say is true then why shortly after the military adopted the 308, military match shooters broke every record the 30-06 held using the newly designed 308?

Accuracy has alot to do with barrels, action squareness yes. But it doesnt stop there. Case design is involved as well. Long skinny cases are less efficient and more finicky than short stocky ones. The 30-06 is conciderably longer than the 308 in porportion to its diameter. It isnt nil.

Anybody who claims a 308 isnt any more accurate inherently than the 06 has never spend much time using both side by side.

 

[roughneck]

I have a 300 savage that shoots 1.5 inch groups at 400 yds.... it's not about the cartridge.... apparently.

.308 Win. is a complete piece of junk when compared to almost any other short action 30 cal.

The ONLY reason the military adopted it is because it has soft recoil and everyone can handle it.

The only good things I can say about it personally is that it is a short action and its ballistics are very predictable. However, I can't like a rifle who's only options are a very poor ballistic coefficient or a bullet that drops like an 80 lb. anchor.

The 30.06 may be a bit overused, but it's a way more versatile gun because it will Really handle the 180-200 gr boolits.

TEX

 

[Michael Eichele]

I have a 300 savage that shoots 1.5 inch groups at 400 yds.... it's not about the cartridge.... apparently.

.308 Win. is a complete piece of junk when compared to almost any other short action 30 cal.

The ONLY reason the military adopted it is because it has soft recoil and everyone can handle it.

The only good things I can say about it personally is that it is a short action and its ballistics are very predictable. However, I can't like a rifle who's only options are a very poor ballistic coefficient or a bullet that drops like an 80 lb. anchor.

The 30.06 may be a bit overused, but it's a way more versatile gun because it will Really handle the 180-200 gr boolits.

TEX

The 300 savage is very close in design to the 308 win. Short and stocky. How is it not about case design?

The 300 savage has less capacity than the 308 but the 308 is an 80# anchor.

I am confused.