Cant Decide :(

[briandg]

It's not your question, but if you are looking at the 300 magnums, skip the big magnum and use the wssm, IMO. If you reload, once you get past the cost of the brass, it won't cost much more than the first two.

 

[Pathfinder45]

I voted 30-'06. Would that be for informal target shooting or some kind of competition? Not being in the competiton game, myself; if I was going that way I think I would probably enjoy vintage service rifle competition the most. So I would be looking for a correct 1903A3 for that. Plus, it would make a good hunting rifle without sporterizing it. It's probably a great wilderness survival rifle, too. Darn it, now I gotta get one..........

 

[briandg]

I honestly feel that the 06 isn't the king of the cartridges anymore. The .308 is very capable in lower bullet weight range. 06 is better in heavier. .308 has short action and lighter weight, 06 is heavier in long action.

You can't say that either one is better, there are tradeoffs, and both do the job well, but you have to know what your goals are before you choose. I'm not taking it after elk so my choice between those three would obviously a .308 with 150-165 grain boat tail tips to keep velocities up if I pass 200 yards on deer.

 

[amprecon]

I've been undergoing the same grueling decision as of late also, however I had a different primary use in mind than you. I decided that I would not be getting a magnum caliber, not wanted or necessary IMO. I wanted something I could possibly use in AK if I ever got the opportunity, but would also not be overkill in the lower 48.
I looked hard at the .338-06, .338 Federal, .358 Win and .35 Whelen...and I liked them, I was almost settled on .35 Whelen when I considered the price of ammo, it's lack of popularity and availability.
I have been told that the .30-06 has taken virtually every game animal in N.A. and with some success overseas, within it's limitations of course.

So, as much as I felt the .35 Whelen would be the perfect non-magnum AK hunting rifle caliber, the consideration of ammo availability funneled me back to the venerable .30-06, with most hunting bullet weights ranging from 150gr.(?) to 220gr. it is sufficient for elk and moose within it's limitations with good placement.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

I voted for the WM... I reload, so ammo cost is not an issue for the most part, and I just simply like the WM's for some reason. More than most people need? Sure. But I don't believe in having options limited by quantified need, so long as one can be proficient with a given cartridge and not wound animals with poorly placed shots induced by recoil intolerance.

I take nothing away from the capability of the .308 and -06 though. Both are very versatile and very capable, that cannot be denied.

 

[old roper]

I have couple 30-06's and couple 30 cal mag's and don't own 308 so I'm pretty well set on 30 cal.

 

[RC20]

So, as much as I felt the .35 Whelen would be the perfect non-magnum AK hunting rifle caliber, the consideration of ammo availability funneled me back to the venerable .30-06, with most hunting bullet weights ranging from 150gr.(?) to 220gr. it is sufficient for elk and moose within it's limitations with good placement.

__________________

When all is said and done you have to have decent placement for any of them to work.

Hunting bullets for 30-06 (and 308) range from the 125 and some even smaller up to 220 gr (maybe a couple bigger)

30-06 is a standard for Moose, not sure why people feel elk need Magnum.
My step dads father shot em all with a 30-06 (and brown bear)

As noted, you can always get ammo for it and you can always find a wide range of bullets.

Not sure there is a minus other than more powder, used but you also can crank up past 308 velocities.

I continue to chuckle as people used to convert to Akley Improved for a few FPS (some claim none) when all you need to do is stretch it out with modern powders.

Sometimes someone really does it right, and while I do not disagree that the 8mm Mauser started it and is its equal on the high end, nothing has surpassed it in the overall it does and the extreme wide availability.

there is a reasons there are more 30 caliber bullets available by far than any other, 30 caliber turned out to be the perfect overall size.

 

[smee78]

I love both 30-06 & 308 but I voted for the 308, there is just a lot more options/platforms out there in that caliber then the tried and true 06.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

I think it would be interesting to look at the ages of responders. I'm 31. If I buy a rifle I am expecting it to be in use for about 50 more years(hoping may be more like it). The entire time i have been purchasing guns new factory rifles were more available in 308 than in 30-06, at least it always seemed that way.

 

[979Texas]

Ballisticly, .30-06 is superior to the .308. I mean its the exact same bullet just seated in a larger cartridge with a decent bit more powder capacity. So I really don't know why when it comes to ballistics that the .308 is better then the .30-06, or even equal to it. I guess with all that much less powder charge the .308 will have higher velocity and energy than a larger powder charge fueling the exact same bullet?. I know that the .308 has some advantages over the .30-06, but the cartridge itself does not except that its smaller and lighter and has less recoil, and can be chambered in a short action. It's almost like comparing a .40 cal. to a 10mm, it's the exact same bullet just different cartridges with different powder capacities. There's no way in hell that a fully powered .40 cal cartridge will out perform a fully powered 10mm cartridge. It's the exact same case with the .30-06 and the .308. Yet why people still debate cartridge performance on these two calibers just blow my mind.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

but the cartridge itself does not except that its smaller and lighter and has less recoil, and can be chambered in a short action.

Which to most hunters and shooters is much more relevant than 100 FPS that is pretty much only gained by hand-loaders as most factory ammunition isn't pushing the limits anyways.