Hypothetical question, please. Suppose that a 30-06 rifle is inadvertently loaded with 308 cartridges- if that is even possible. Assuming that the cartridge will fit into the chamber, the bullet will fall short of the barrel. Is this mixup possible and if so, what are the expected results if the round is fired?
Ammo mixup
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SurplusShooter
New member
There was a post on here a while a go about that and the chambered and fired but I would not suggest it at all.
.308 will chamber in a .30-06. Both rounds headspace off the shoulder so the sorter .308 round will be loose in a .30-06 chamber and the only thing that would hold it in place against the bolt face would be the extractor so it may not even fire, although it probably would.
If it fired, the bullet would have about 1/2 inch to travel before it encountered the leade. When it hit the leade the bullet might enter smoothly and engage the rifling well centered and pass as normal.
If it was off center the bullet could damage the leade and erode the throat or shave off part of the jacket. The damage wouldn't be certain from doing it just once, but repeated firings would cause excessive throat erosion. It wouldn't be catastrophic. It would blow out the neck and shoulder of the spent case and might not extract.
If it fired, the bullet would have about 1/2 inch to travel before it encountered the leade. When it hit the leade the bullet might enter smoothly and engage the rifling well centered and pass as normal.
If it was off center the bullet could damage the leade and erode the throat or shave off part of the jacket. The damage wouldn't be certain from doing it just once, but repeated firings would cause excessive throat erosion. It wouldn't be catastrophic. It would blow out the neck and shoulder of the spent case and might not extract.
Geezerbiker
New member
A .308 round won't chamber in a sporting '06 chamber, the shoulder is larger in diameter than the the shoulder on '06 cases. It will stick about 2/3's in. On the other hand, in a sloppy military chamber in an Enfield or Springfield, it will go in all the way.
There's no excuse for putting the wrong rounds in a rifle. I used to shoot with a guy that tried to force 7.7x58 rounds for my Arisaka into my .308 custom Mauser. I was tempted to hit him with the but stock from the Arisaka but instead, I never went shooting with him again...
Tony
There's no excuse for putting the wrong rounds in a rifle. I used to shoot with a guy that tried to force 7.7x58 rounds for my Arisaka into my .308 custom Mauser. I was tempted to hit him with the but stock from the Arisaka but instead, I never went shooting with him again...
Tony
Clifford L. Hughes
New member
Opinated:
With a controled feed rifle like a Modes 70 Winchester it is possible to fire a 308 in a 30/06 rifle. Most likely it would fireform the case into a cylinder. I once shot a 22-250 in a 243 Winchester chamber with no adverse effect except a fire formed case. I also shot a .264 in my 308 Norma magnum which fire formed the case to .30 caliber with no ill effects. Yes, when I was young I broke all safety rules.
Semper Fi.
Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
With a controled feed rifle like a Modes 70 Winchester it is possible to fire a 308 in a 30/06 rifle. Most likely it would fireform the case into a cylinder. I once shot a 22-250 in a 243 Winchester chamber with no adverse effect except a fire formed case. I also shot a .264 in my 308 Norma magnum which fire formed the case to .30 caliber with no ill effects. Yes, when I was young I broke all safety rules.
Semper Fi.
Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
I think you got that back wards. A .308 will drop right in a 30-06 chamber and get swallowed up. Like said above if the extractor grabs the rim and holds it to the bolt face it will shoot.
A 30-06 will not chamber in a .308, it would be to long.
A .308 will chamber in a .270 Win like it was made for it. I saw it happen at the range. No damage to the shooter or the rifle but sure made a funny report and a funny looking fire formed case.
the rifleer
New member
This is one of the reasons that shotgun shells are different colors.
Actually the .308 is .454 at the shoulder at a distance of 1.560 from the case head.
The 30-06 is .441 at the shoulder at a distance of 1.948 from the case head.
I have a Savage 114 in 30-06 sitting on my lap and I just pushed a .308 into the chamber with my pinkie and it went all the way plus a bit. This rifle does not have an over sized chamber. I had to bump the butt on the floor to get the round out, I could of pushed it in further if I pushed harder.
I guess different sources give different specs, but you are right. I was able to chamber a 308 round in my 30-06 rifle. It was a snug fit and was unable to extract the round without tapping on it with a cleaning rod from the muzzle.
My source, "Modern Relaoding" Second edition by Richard Lee also shows the 308 having a slightly larger diameter through the tapered section of the cartridge. You would think these differences should prevent accidental chambering and firing unless one really forced the issue enough to resize the brass.
My source, "Modern Relaoding" Second edition by Richard Lee also shows the 308 having a slightly larger diameter through the tapered section of the cartridge. You would think these differences should prevent accidental chambering and firing unless one really forced the issue enough to resize the brass.
I would have to go out and find my calipers but I am thinking if you measure a 30-06 round at a distance of 1.560 from the case head its going to be real close to .454 and keep tapering down to .441 at the shoulder.
I have not got ammo mixed up so far but I make it a habit not to have different calibers on the bench at the same time. One time I went yote shooting and took the wrong box of ammo but lucky me i was only 12 minutes away from the house.
I have not got ammo mixed up so far but I make it a habit not to have different calibers on the bench at the same time. One time I went yote shooting and took the wrong box of ammo but lucky me i was only 12 minutes away from the house.
Gunplummer
New member
It is hard to say what would happen. You may not get the same result every time. Like the other gentleman said, something with a claw extractor will allow you to fire a shorter cartridge than the chamber was designed for. I accidentally fired a 6.5x50 Arisaka in a 6.5x55 Swede chamber. The case fire formed, but was at the extreme limits of stretching. It lengthened the case about .200 and really expanded it also. I would not try doing that intentionally. Another one that comes to mind is someone loading a .300 Savage into 7.62x54R and firing it. The body diameters on the cartridges are way different, but the shoulder length is really close. I looked at the fired .300 case and it looked like the ones coming out of the 99 Savage that was there on the table. I guess the .300 factory ammo was so low pressure that the case could handle the pressure without forming to the chamber.
Usually nothing bad, possible you blow an extractor- ruin a chamber. This is one of the main reasons going to the bench with more than one gun/ammo combo at a time is a bad idea. I've seen more than one example of wrong shell/wrong gun/big bang/ face full of schrapnel/ wish I did'nt do that/preventable occurances.
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Well, I do know an AK will fire a .223 round.
You would not think the loader could do something so stupid, but he did.
Gun fine, case interesting bulge and it sure caught my attention when it fired.
Down side was I was loading for my brother who could have gotten hurt due to my incompetence. Ugh. Next worse would have been me.
Can't talk and load at the same time.
You would not think the loader could do something so stupid, but he did.
Gun fine, case interesting bulge and it sure caught my attention when it fired.
Down side was I was loading for my brother who could have gotten hurt due to my incompetence. Ugh. Next worse would have been me.
Can't talk and load at the same time.
A 308 in a 30-06 should be survivable in any modern firearm. I've seen 30-30 fired in a 308 chamber and it was very interesting (M98 action, the guy ran four 30-30's through it before the fifth one failed to extract after firing).
The real problem is when you put a 308 into something like a 270 Win. The bullet is way too big for the bore and you have a complete failure. In an M98 action I saw the aftermath of a 308 being fired in a 7mm Rem Mag chamber (how the thing even shot is beyond me) but the action held, blew the fore stock off the rifle and saved one dumb hunters life.
So, as long as the bore is the same (or larger) the rifle and shooter SHOULD be fine (one shooter had "crappy accuracy" from his 300 Win Mags which was traced to 7mm Rem Mag ammo being shot through the rifle).
But, always double check your ammo. Because even if the RIGHT ammo is put into a rifle, if it is out of spec it can blow up in your face. Case in point a Win model 70 where the owner was handloading by necking down 7.62x51 milsurp brass. He necked the brass down but didn't trim it to 243 spec and the thick neck brass "gripped" the bullet tighter than spec and caused a "kaboom" with the same failure as the 308 in 7mm Mag Mauser, the forestock popped off and the rifle was ruined.
Hope this clears some stuff up.
Jimro
The real problem is when you put a 308 into something like a 270 Win. The bullet is way too big for the bore and you have a complete failure. In an M98 action I saw the aftermath of a 308 being fired in a 7mm Rem Mag chamber (how the thing even shot is beyond me) but the action held, blew the fore stock off the rifle and saved one dumb hunters life.
So, as long as the bore is the same (or larger) the rifle and shooter SHOULD be fine (one shooter had "crappy accuracy" from his 300 Win Mags which was traced to 7mm Rem Mag ammo being shot through the rifle).
But, always double check your ammo. Because even if the RIGHT ammo is put into a rifle, if it is out of spec it can blow up in your face. Case in point a Win model 70 where the owner was handloading by necking down 7.62x51 milsurp brass. He necked the brass down but didn't trim it to 243 spec and the thick neck brass "gripped" the bullet tighter than spec and caused a "kaboom" with the same failure as the 308 in 7mm Mag Mauser, the forestock popped off and the rifle was ruined.
Hope this clears some stuff up.
Jimro