Today I've been thinking about giving my Winchester Featherweight Compact in .308 (which, for those who saw my question about the VX-2 1-4, I've decided to just keep it's 2-7 Vortex Viper on it rather than replacing it with a lighter, less powerful 1-4 scope) to my considerably younger sister as I'll finally admit that I prefer a bit more LOP (I know that problem can be solved with slip on recoil pads or plastic spacers, but on blue and walnut M70, that just wouldn't look right) and because I want her to be happy.
This got me thinking about what I would replace my trusty carbine with. I thought maybe a rugged, reasonably cheap, and surprisingly light Ruger Hawkeye Standard (only has a half inch more LOP that the Compact 70, but when I replace the silly, thin, red pad from the factory with an appropriately thicker pad everything will be just about perfect) might just be the ticket once I have the barrel sawed down to 20". But if I go with a Hawkeye, I'll have a choice I didn't have with the Featherweight: 30-06 or .308.
For normal rifle I'd always go with the .30-06 when given the choice, but short barrels make things more confusing. I understand that the .308 is better suited to shorter barrels and while I can find velocity charts for the .308 out of a 20 inch tube, I can't for the 06.
Any personal reports/chronograph results from an 06 of of a 20 inch tube? I've been told that it loses enough to make the velocity differences between it and a .308 out the same length barrel meaningless. I don't necessarily believe that, but would like to hear some real world reports.
The other concern is blast. I'm well acquainted with the blast of a .308 out of a 20" (and it isn't bad) but my 06s all wear longer tubes. Basically I just want to hear how bad you think it is, a personal comparison between the two is even better.
If I decide that I prefer the 30-06, I might splurge and get a M70 Sporter and saw some barrel off of that.
Thanks for any comments.
This got me thinking about what I would replace my trusty carbine with. I thought maybe a rugged, reasonably cheap, and surprisingly light Ruger Hawkeye Standard (only has a half inch more LOP that the Compact 70, but when I replace the silly, thin, red pad from the factory with an appropriately thicker pad everything will be just about perfect) might just be the ticket once I have the barrel sawed down to 20". But if I go with a Hawkeye, I'll have a choice I didn't have with the Featherweight: 30-06 or .308.
For normal rifle I'd always go with the .30-06 when given the choice, but short barrels make things more confusing. I understand that the .308 is better suited to shorter barrels and while I can find velocity charts for the .308 out of a 20 inch tube, I can't for the 06.
Any personal reports/chronograph results from an 06 of of a 20 inch tube? I've been told that it loses enough to make the velocity differences between it and a .308 out the same length barrel meaningless. I don't necessarily believe that, but would like to hear some real world reports.
The other concern is blast. I'm well acquainted with the blast of a .308 out of a 20" (and it isn't bad) but my 06s all wear longer tubes. Basically I just want to hear how bad you think it is, a personal comparison between the two is even better.
If I decide that I prefer the 30-06, I might splurge and get a M70 Sporter and saw some barrel off of that.
Thanks for any comments.