Gonna start a war, but this is a serious question

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armoredman

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Is there anything the 30-06 can do that the .308 can't do, given the firearms made for them, the wide variety of loading components and ammo?
Just looking to see if people think the .308 can be loaded to do what the 30-06 can do.
 
30-06 can shoot heavier bullets and will get 100-150 fps more with lighter ones. What does that mean in over all relevance is the real question.
 
yup the 308 is as powerful as an o6 which is as powerful as a 7mag which is as powerful as a 300 mag which is as powerful as a 338mag. So if that logic is followed a 308 is as powerful as a 338. Short answer NO! the 06 is more powerful and ive shot enough game to know that it does hit harder then a 308 when both are loaded to the same pressures.
 
If there s a special blend of powdes someday, .308 could outdo the .30 06.
 
If there s a special blend of powdes someday, .308 could outdo the .30 06.
Based on that idea, you could also use a special new blend of powder in the .30-06 and still outshine the .308.


It really is a simple cycle; with a 180 gr bullet, the .300 WM outperforms the .30-06 which outperforms the .308, each by about 200 fps greater than the next one in line.
 
You re right, its all in how far you shoot . All can kill within their killing distances.
 
Unless you are in the top 1% of hunters of shooters, they are esentially the same in what they can do.
 
I'm no expert but I think something shot with the 30-06 will be slightly deader than something shot with the .308.

;)
 
If I'm not mistaken, the .308 was developed out of the Army's pet 150 grain loading for the Garand. So, it is essentially like a middle-of-the-road .30-06. However, like Zane said, the .30-06 can push the same bullet slightly faster and can handle a greater variety of bullets.

However, just try to find a .30-06 battle rifle with a detachable mag! Like most things, your caliber choice depends on what you're doing with the rifle....
 
Unless you are in the top 1% of hunters of shooters, they are esentially the same in what they can do.

+1

My answer would be, you can get 3-5% more muzzle energy for about 24% longer casing.
 
the 06 is the prettier, leggier sister...the .308 well...shes cute i guess.....:p

Seriously the 06 isnt alot better then the .308 till you get into the 168+ bullet weights. At that point the 06s really has an advantage. Hot loads will drive a 180 as fast as the .308 will drive a 165.
 
Yes, since you are considering handloads the 30-06 will always slightly outrun the .308 since it is a higher capacity case shooting the same diameter bullet.

And don't argue it doesn't outdo it by much, facts is facts as they say. It does it, cut and dried.
 
Beyond a wider variety of projectiles and in some instances a greater efficiency in the use of propellant... it fills a Garand clip with significantly more style and looks just like a mini ma deuce round. For me - though being un quantifiable - that counts for something.
 
Practically speaking i don't think one is better than the other. Unless you are hunting moose or grizzly or something like that.
 
30-06 can shoot heavier bullets and will get 100-150 fps more with lighter ones. What does that mean in over all relevance is the real question.
That is basically it, that and the rebated rim of the .308 offers more advantages than does that extra 100fps I think.
 
In a bolt gun I'd take a .30-06. If you want a semi then go with the .308.
Then I'd rather have a short mag than a '06. It has the rebated rim, is beltless, and gives you a velocity increase over the '06. All this without moving up to a bigger action.

Face it, the '06 is really an obsolete cartridge that was just part of an evolution in a tree to what we have today. Not that it isn't good or useful, it is, but it isn't something I'd pick a new rifle in. Not today.
 
It really is just very basic: More case capacity + same bullet.

If you're handloading ammo you can squeeze something between a handful and a few hundred fps more out of the '06 than you can the .308, using any given bullet. This really starts to shine in the heavier bullets, esp. over 200 gr.

What does that mean to you? Don't know. If you're hunting large animals or shooting long range, it may be important. Or not.
 
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