.308 vs. 30-06 vs. 300 win mag, not just ballistics??

I am shooting Hornady 208's out of my 24" Savage 10FCP at 2565 fps. This is a mild load compared to what others are loading out of their Savages. Some guys are getting an extra 3 grains of powder in the case. Guys using Rem 700's (which have longer factory throats) are getting 2600+ fps using 47-51 gr RL17.
 
I remember reading, somewhere, that the 6.5x55mm Swede is the most used round for moose in Scandinavia. Also seem to remember that some of those places have a range with a "running moose" setup, and you are required to shoot & pass a certain score before you get your license for moose.

the Swede has incredible penetration, particularly with 140-160gr bullets that are designed for controlled expansion.

That being the case, I have no issues with any of the .308-06-300Mag rounds being "enough gun".

If you are just looking for something different to use, (and a good reason to get a new rifle), you might consider the Swede. Particularly in a new made rifle capable of taking handloads above what's good for the old Swede military rifles. Its a really good round, and amazingly flat shooting, even without stepping up the original load levels.

On the other hand, if commonality with the wife's .308 is a factor, you certainly aren't going to be under gunned with the .308, even for moose.
 
A 308 will shoot 200 gr bullets just fine. Just a little slower than a 30-06 or 300 mag, but if it imapcts a moose at 2000 fps (which is more than enough speed and energy for any moose ) from any of them how is the moose going to know which gun it was fired from.

Using 200 gr Accubonds in my handloads

A 308 drops below that threshold at just under 400 yards.
A 30-06 at just below 500 yards
A 300 mag somewhere around 600 yards.

At these ranges energy numbers wll be almost identical. Choosing between the 3 is all about the ranges you anticipate shooting. I have all 3 and wouldn't say any is a bad choice. I will say that my 308 is getting in more hunting time because it is almost 2 lbs lighter than the other choices, is more accurate, and provides all the power I need at the ranges I plan on shooting.
 
From (mostly) the Nosler reloading guide:

200 gr. Accubond b.c. .588 (not even listed in the Nosler guide for .308)

.308: max muzzle velocity 2374 fps: 2,000 fps at approx 250 yards*

30-06: max mv 2688 fps: 2000 fps at approx 480 yards

.300 win mag: max mv 2972 fps: 2000 fps at approx 625 yards

Sorry: I see that as a huge disparity. I didn't even calculate energy.


*Used Barnes 200 gr. TSX data for muzzle velocity
 
A 308 168 gr Barnes TTSX will go through a full size elk lengthwise. Unless your moose has vitals more than 6 ft in, the 308 will be enough for a stalking type hunt distances. If you're planing on sitting in a blind overlooking 5 square miles of swamp, get a 300 WSM or 300 RUM. Lead sled optional.
 
My Wyoming moose fell down approximately 10 yds. from where he was shot. Total distance was 124 paces. Rifle was a Ruger RSI International in .308 with a 168 gr. bullet. Sorry I don't remember the specifications, it was 30 years ago, but my gun has always liked 165-168 gr. factory ammo.

The caliber of the rifle is not nearly as important as the quality of the shooter. I have always liked compact, short action, lightweight rifles, so the .308 has always been my choice for more than 40+ years.
 
A 308 168 gr Barnes TTSX will go through a full size elk lengthwise
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1. why would you want this in the first place?

2. what range?

3. why are you shooting at an elk lengthwise?

4. gut shot animals stink.
 
@myfriendis410
I'll stick with my .300 win mag, thank you. It will do anything the .308 and the 30-06 can do, do it better and stillmakea better"when you absolutely have to killsomething" round. I can load a 130 gr. Barnes TTSX to over 3,600 fps which when sighted in an inch high at 100 is right an inch low at 300. I can load a 200 gr. Accubond (which has a nice high b.c.) to 3,025 fps which ought to deliverthek.e., at300 yards, of a .308at the muzzle. I've shot prairie dogs with it at 400 yards, deer beyond 300 when I have to, elk WAY out there and big hogs that need a lot of killing.

For moose, I'll take the .300 any day of the week.
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What powder are you using with that 130g? That's 200 fps faster than I can get.
 
A 168 gr. Barnes TTSX out of a .300 win mag WON'T go through a big hog broadside. Haven't shot a moose with a .308 but shot lots of big hogs with that load.
 
Actually a 308 starts to shine bright when you get up to 190 or heavier bullet. Only reason there not used in target shooting is recoil. As all others have said,Shoot the one that you are best with. All will drop a moose.
 
A 168 gr. Barnes TTSX out of a .300 win mag WON'T go through a big hog broadside. Haven't shot a moose with a .308 but shot lots of big hogs with that load.
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I'm just curious, why do you think the 300 WON'T shoot through a hog broadside? What part of the country are you in?

Of the about two dozen Northern California hogs I've shot or seen shot with a 150g RN 30-30, over half of them went clean through. If they didn't hit a bone they went to clean through.

... and every hog I've seen shot with a 30-06 was a shoot thru.

Boomer wonders?
 
Watch how fast a 30-30 dumps this big moose. Hunters have been killing moose with the 30-30 since 1896. Its almost disturbing how new hunters question the lethality of certain calibers effectiveness. Like all of a sudden our big game now wears Kevlar vests....:D


Goto 24:45 if you don't want to watch the entire hunt.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6xZsgwPlLM0
 
Though I prefer the .300 win mag for the tough jobs, the .308 has a higher level of performance than the venerable .30 wcf and it's probably killed more animals in North America than anything else. So obviously it'll do the job if the user takes care.

I hunt hogs on VAFB and I should be clear: the 168 gr. TTSX handload I use, as well as the 200 gr. TSX I used to use, WILL on most occasions shoot through an average hog. But if you plug one of the big hairies with a 2 1/2" plate on him, and hit both front leg bones doing it; you will recover a beautifully mushroomed copper bullet. Been there, done that. More than once.

IIRC I was using RL22 for the 130 gr. TTSX load. I no longer use it for fear I'm gonna erode the throat of my rifle. I shot a nice 3 X 4 with that load several years ago at a ranged 325 yards, quartering, and it was simply ridiculous what it did to that deer.
 
IIRC I was using RL22 for the 130 gr. TTSX load. I no longer use it for fear I'm gonna erode the throat of my rifle. I shot a nice 3 X 4 with that load several years ago at a ranged 325 yards, quartering, and it was simply ridiculous what it did to that deer.
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I hear that. That's one hot load. The best I've done is just under 3400 fps with a 130g in the 300. My 7mm mag gets up to 3225 fps with a 139g SST. Both with IMR 4350.

Boomer
 
Good reading ( article) I am puzzeled by his projections though. He states a 165 or 168 is pushed at 2600 fps. My 168's have a muzzel velocity of 2875 fps plus ( give or take a few ). Now that is a target bullet,so maybe a hunting bullet is different?. Now I know the 308 can't compeate with a 30-06 or a 7mm for sure,but it is better than the article leads you to believe. But than again I am a 308 lover:D
 
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there is also a difference between handloads and factory loads... I was under the impression that 2600 was the average factory velocity for 165-ish grain bullets? I'm too lazy to read the article, what was the ammo used?
 
4runnerman said:
Good reading ( article) I am puzzeled by his projections though. He states a 165 or 168 is pushed at 2600 fps. My 168's have a muzzel veocity of 2900 fps plus ( give or take a few ). Now that is a target bullet,so maybe a hunting bullet is different?. Now I know the 308 can't compeate with a 30-06 or a 7mm for sure,but it is better than the article leads you to believe.
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2900 FPS is a little hot for a 168 gr .308 load, but not unordinary. They are probably publishing slower loads for liability reasons rather than to make the .308 seem anemic.

For hunting, however, an animal won't know the difference between a bullet that left the muzzle at 2,900 FPS and one that exited at 2,700 FPS.
 
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