Which is the better round?
- Thread starter bspillman
- Start date
The question can't be answered without the OP defining what "better" means to him.
Accuracy:
With the best quality ammo and the best quality barrels the 2 are equal.
Power:
The 308 and the 30-06 are basic equals with 150 and 165 grain bullets. With 180 grain and heavier the 30-06 is a bit faster. But faster is not necessarily "better".
Better for what?
Deer? There will be no difference at all.
Moose? The 30-06 will fire the heavier bullet that may be beneficial if the game is over 900 pounds.
If target shooting is the main objective the 223 may be better then either one, just because you can shoot more for the same amount of money. Shooting more makes you a better marksman.
If rabbit hunting was the main purpose the 22 LR is better than either the 30-06 or the 308.
So those are examples to point out that "better" may not be the right way to ask the question.,
What exactly do you want to do with the rifle. Be more specific and you can get a better answer.
Accuracy:
With the best quality ammo and the best quality barrels the 2 are equal.
Power:
The 308 and the 30-06 are basic equals with 150 and 165 grain bullets. With 180 grain and heavier the 30-06 is a bit faster. But faster is not necessarily "better".
Better for what?
Deer? There will be no difference at all.
Moose? The 30-06 will fire the heavier bullet that may be beneficial if the game is over 900 pounds.
If target shooting is the main objective the 223 may be better then either one, just because you can shoot more for the same amount of money. Shooting more makes you a better marksman.
If rabbit hunting was the main purpose the 22 LR is better than either the 30-06 or the 308.
So those are examples to point out that "better" may not be the right way to ask the question.,
What exactly do you want to do with the rifle. Be more specific and you can get a better answer.
The 30-06 shoots the same bullets 100-150 fps faster with about 25% more recoil in rifles that are slightly longer and usually a few oz heavier. In practical terms a 308 does exactly the same thing a 30-06 does about 50 yards closer.
I'd have confidence in my 308's taking any animal in the lower 48 out to about 400-450 yards. My 30-06's would do the same thing at 450-500 yards. Inside of those ranges no animal will ever notice the difference.
In theory the 308 will be slightly more accurate, but with production rifles and from shooting positions in the field the difference will be small. And most of that can be traced to the fact that most people shoot better with a rifle that kicks them less rather than the difference in mechanical accuracy.
The 308 does fine with bullets up to 180 gr and is acceptable with 200 gr handloads. If you need to shoot heavier bullets the 30-06 or one of the 300 magnums handle the 210-250 gr bullets much better. If you need bullets that heavy the 308 is a handicap.
I hunted with 30-06 from the 1970's up until about 10 years ago when I picked up some 308's. I figure about 300-400 yards is as far as I can shoot anyway and I get a lot less recoil from my same weight 308's. OR... I can choose to hunt with a 6 lb Kimber (including optics) that kicks about the same as my 7 1/2 lb 30-06.
I'd have confidence in my 308's taking any animal in the lower 48 out to about 400-450 yards. My 30-06's would do the same thing at 450-500 yards. Inside of those ranges no animal will ever notice the difference.
In theory the 308 will be slightly more accurate, but with production rifles and from shooting positions in the field the difference will be small. And most of that can be traced to the fact that most people shoot better with a rifle that kicks them less rather than the difference in mechanical accuracy.
The 308 does fine with bullets up to 180 gr and is acceptable with 200 gr handloads. If you need to shoot heavier bullets the 30-06 or one of the 300 magnums handle the 210-250 gr bullets much better. If you need bullets that heavy the 308 is a handicap.
I hunted with 30-06 from the 1970's up until about 10 years ago when I picked up some 308's. I figure about 300-400 yards is as far as I can shoot anyway and I get a lot less recoil from my same weight 308's. OR... I can choose to hunt with a 6 lb Kimber (including optics) that kicks about the same as my 7 1/2 lb 30-06.
Don Fischer
New member
Have only hunted with one 30-06 in my life and only a few years. Have hunted a lot with the 308. I found that I like both but, I found my 308's definitely more accurate. The 308's were also shorter rifle's and a bit handier in brush, not a lot but a bit. Don't fire anything but 180gr bullet's in the 30-06 and nothing but 165's in the 308. Pretty sure there's not a lot of difference but I simply like what I like. 30-06 has a 24" barrel and most my 308's had 20" barrels. 308 I have now has a 22" barrel and all I shoot through it is cast bullet's.
603Country
New member
For hunting purposes, I don’t think accuracy favors either cartridge. The 06 gives you more powder, hence more power if you want to use heavier bullets. With that comes more recoil. Of course the 06 could be loaded down to 308 levels.
All that said, the 308 should give most hunters all they need in a cartridge.
Wyosmith said it best, so reread his comments.
All that said, the 308 should give most hunters all they need in a cartridge.
Wyosmith said it best, so reread his comments.
The difference with like bullet weights is about 100 FPS and a half inch of case length. Ballistically, they're identical. That being the whole purpose of the .308. Same ballistics as the .30-06 out of a shorter cartridge.
A .308 rifle will usually have a shorter receiver too. You wouldn't notice any difference in felt recoil.
"...Moose?..." No difference there either. Bullwinkle is not armoured. A 165 grain bullet will drop him and Bambi with no fuss. No matter how much bigger Bullwinkle grows.
A .308 rifle will usually have a shorter receiver too. You wouldn't notice any difference in felt recoil.
"...Moose?..." No difference there either. Bullwinkle is not armoured. A 165 grain bullet will drop him and Bambi with no fuss. No matter how much bigger Bullwinkle grows.
Jim Watson
New member
A target shooter who used to post here said the .308 was demonstrably more accurate.
Not enough to matter to a hunter, but a target shooter will take every edge he can get.
Not enough to matter to a hunter, but a target shooter will take every edge he can get.
As a target shooter, my 30-06 does better. As noted above, some 06 will be better than some 308, overall the 308 has (had now its 6mm and 6.5) the edge.
As a professional target shooter overall the 308 had the edge.
Both are equal hunting wise though the 30-06 will handle heavy bullets better.
The only case I would take a 30-06 over 308 would be Brown Bear, otherwise, max nix.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
The only difference between these two cartridges is the preference of its shooter? Short throw bolt verses long throw bolt.
Although a small velocity advantage does exist {100 fps avg.} the 30-06 has over the 308 in most bullet weights >other than the 220 gr.
Although a small velocity advantage does exist {100 fps avg.} the 30-06 has over the 308 in most bullet weights >other than the 220 gr.
The 30-06 is better because:
It shoots most bullet weights 90 fps faster. Handles heavier bullet weights better from it's larger case. Has a little more factory load options. Is even more popular then the popular .308.
The 308 is better because:
It's a more efficient cartridge and can use a stiffer shorter action which both help accuracy. Has a little less recoil. Uses less powder and also has ever so less throat erosion. The ammo it's self is slightly lighter and takes up a little less room. Gun platforms tend to be a little lighter and shorter when from the same manufacturer. That means you can use a barrel an inch longer than the 06 gun to achieve the same overall length. The additional barrel inch eats slightly into the 06's velocity advantage.
The reality is they are two peas in a pod and are more similar than not.
It shoots most bullet weights 90 fps faster. Handles heavier bullet weights better from it's larger case. Has a little more factory load options. Is even more popular then the popular .308.
The 308 is better because:
It's a more efficient cartridge and can use a stiffer shorter action which both help accuracy. Has a little less recoil. Uses less powder and also has ever so less throat erosion. The ammo it's self is slightly lighter and takes up a little less room. Gun platforms tend to be a little lighter and shorter when from the same manufacturer. That means you can use a barrel an inch longer than the 06 gun to achieve the same overall length. The additional barrel inch eats slightly into the 06's velocity advantage.
The reality is they are two peas in a pod and are more similar than not.
I can shoot a 240 gr Woodleigh PP bullet in a 30-06 and I can't do it in a 308 Win. One of my 30-06 rifles has a long throat.
So far, it punches thru paper just fine. I will let ya know when I bag some game with it.
Why you might ask?? Just because I can. It also has a little bit more recoil than a 150 gr.
So far, it punches thru paper just fine. I will let ya know when I bag some game with it.
Why you might ask?? Just because I can. It also has a little bit more recoil than a 150 gr.
Jim Watson
New member
Pretty close to a .318 Westley Richards, a very effective safari rifle.
FrankenMauser
New member
.308
...because .308 is more than -5.7?
.30-06
...because it's longer?
.308
...because its digits add up to 11?
.30-06
...because it's older?
bspillman, what is your intended application?
...because .308 is more than -5.7?
.30-06
...because it's longer?
.308
...because its digits add up to 11?
.30-06
...because it's older?
bspillman, what is your intended application?
Horsefeathers!
Not "can't", the correct word is "won't"!
Everytime someone says a .308 can't handle heavy bullets (and stops there) they are leaving off the rest of the statement, which is "and get the velocities I want"
Want is the key. Nothing wrong with not using a cartridge that doesn't deliver what you WANT, so long as you're honest about that, and not just saying the cartridge won't do something that it will do, just because it doesn't do it as well as you want it to do.
Saying the .30-06 will do it better, is true, if better = higher velocity. Saying the .308 won't handle heavy bullets isn't true, UNLESS you include your stated wants. The .308 will handle heavy (200gr+) bullets fine, it just won't launch them at the speed most people WANT today.
Heavy bullets in a .308 Win put you in the same power range as the .30-40 Krag, which has killed dead everything that walks on the North American continent, including the biggest elk, moose, and even some pretty big bears including grizzly. .
Saying a .308 Win can't shoot heavy bullets isn't true.
Saying a .308 Win can't shoot heavy bullets at 2600fps is true.
There's a difference.
stagpanther
New member
As soon as I figure out the meaning of life--I'll let you know.