American Hunter and the .308 v .30-06

It is just another controversy and turmoil article. Gunwriters have created very profitable careers by expanding what are infinitesimal differences, into huge differences, between essentially identical small arms cartridges.

Yes the 30-06 is longer. Yes the 30-06 is a little faster, all things being equal. So what's the difference on target? If lethality is dependent on the crush space a bullet makes, the depth of the hole, at the velocity at point of impact, then, what's the difference between the cartridges?

I doubt there is very much difference in terms of lethality between a 308 and 30-06 out to 300 yards. Somewhere past 300 yards the bullet slows down enough that it won't expand, and then, what's the difference between one 30 caliber hole and another?

If the goal is to shoot 180gr+ bullets the 30-06 is better. That's about it for me personally.

I prefer 308. I like reloading for it, prefer short actions, love the LC brass availability, shoot 150 gr and below bullet weights, etc.

I mean, realistically, does anyone have any personal experience (from the last 20 years) where they can say the 30-06 was more effective than their 308?

All 7 of my bolt actions are 7.62 bores, .308, 3006, 300wsm. 30 caliber stuff generally "pole axe" our whitetail deer. I find a rifle I like and usually end up with either .308 or 3006.....I like consistency in brushes and jigs....any of these calibers is going to be overkill as I generally hunt woods.

Who cares. Use what you want to. They both get the job done.

Ya know, the 1991 F-150 was a far better truck than the 1993 model. The 1997 was better than the 1993 too, but I had it with a 351 instead of a 302, so it’s not really fair to talk about the difference in towing and payload capacity. Obviously my 1999 F-350 with the 7.3L diesel would outhaul any and all of those. I did get a lot better gas mileage in my 1985 Chevy S-10, and it hauled nearly as much weight. All of the above did the job getting me around the US, hauling half-ton friendly loads.

Anyone else have some absolutely irrelevant comparisons they’d like to make in 2019?

I bought a 30-06 in 1975. That rifle was the only rifle I used for years,and along the way I picked up a couple more 30-06's. You will never hear me say a negative thing about 30-06. But about 10-12 years ago I gave 308 a chance in a lightweight Kimber. The Kimber CAN weigh UNDER 6 lbs scoped if I choose the scope carefully. It is just a hair over 6 lbs with the scope I have on it. Recoil at that weight mathematically works out exactly the same as my 1.5 lb heavier 30-06. And to my shoulder feels the same. I've since added other 308's and the 7 1/4 lb 308 has about 25% less recoil than the slightly heavier 30-06.

My 308 handloads match, or slightly exceed traditional 30-06 speeds with bullet weights up to 180 gr. I can still get 150-200 fps more speed with 30-06 handloads. In the real world my 308 loads fall below the velocity threshold where expansion is reliable at about 400-450 yards. The 30-06 loads add another 50-100 yards to that effective range. I'm convinced that no animal will ever know the difference out to at least 400 yard. Plus I've found that I shoot the 308's a little better. And about 400 yards is the limit of my skills.

I have the option to carry a rifle 1.5 lbs lighter and deal with the same recoil, or a rifle 1/4 lb lighter and deal with about 25% less recoil. I hunted one day with one of the 30-06 rifles this fall for the 1st time in years.

Once you get into 200+ gr bullets the 308 starts to fall farther behind 30-06. If I really need 200-240 gr bullets I'd load them in my 30-06, but that is about the only scenario where I see me ever using the 30-06

I like my 30-06 so much......I made into a 338-06 and kept the 308 as is.....

I have used both to take Whitetails ...The 308 and 30-06 are very close using 150 gr bullets .. With 165-180gr bullets the 30-06 pulls away ....
The 308 works well with 20 inch barrels ... Alot better than the 30-06 ...

I use the 270 Win at this time ...

If I switched to another caliber it would be between the 6.5 Creed or
308 Winchester

A 20 inch barreled light 308 Winchester with a good quality 150gr bullet
Would be hard to beat in the Appalachian Mtns

If you like short actions.........308.
If you like long actions............30-06.
Could go Ruger #1 and make that a non issue

Want heavy bullets..............30-06.

Was in this boat recently, and looking at a #1 too..........but said screw it and went synth .30-06 bolt rig.

.30 cal bolt deer gun.............pick one in a platform you like.
It's no big deal either way.

I don’t put any stock in what almost all gun writers have to say. Objectivity is a thing of the past. Wayne van Zwoll and John Barsness are the only current writers I give credence to though there may be others I’m not aware of. I believe Craig Boddington is a good bit more objective than he used to be but he still has definite prejudices.

Oh I forgot another writer I like, Dave Petzal.

Petzal has some bias but is abrasive enough to be enjoyable.
He likes what he likes, and actually uses the stuff, IIRC on his own dime too.

Used to read Layne Simpson stuff.
All the others have just faded.
Lost interest.
Do read the mag section at store occasionally.
Deer and Deer Hunting............I think they started that "harvest" thing.
Was done with em soon after.

I make good shots, kill stuff.
There no apology coming from my end.
Fully intend to run my .30-06 on elk down the road.
Not worried about the rifle one bit.

Just for amusement I keep a little list of all the western big game cartridges from quarter bore to .338 sorted by how well designed and supported they are. There's currently 59 cartridges on the list. The .308 is tied for #36. The .30-06 is tied for #43. In other words, both are junk and they deserve each other, but the .308 is slightly better. A "vs" article is like the cartridge special olympics.

IIRC according to Petzal, w today's bullets the .270 win is the way to go, up to elk, if not going new wave 6.5 CM.

Is your support list that of factory ammo only?

Just about every serious rifleman I know reloads.

Llama Bob said:

Just for amusement I keep a little list of all the western big game cartridges from quarter bore to .338 sorted by how well designed and supported they are. There's currently 59 cartridges on the list. The .308 is tied for #36. The .30-06 is tied for #43. In other words, both are junk and they deserve each other, but the .308 is slightly better. A "vs" article is like the cartridge special olympics.

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Is this list your opinion? Are you the creator of said list?

Im an 06 fan. But if the 308 is your preference, then have at it. Both kill very good. And that is the final goal.

cdb1 said:

Is this list your opinion? Are you the creator of said list?

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I absolutely created it, but it has very little to do with opinion. It simply catalogues the failings of various cartridges which are primarily matters of engineering fact, not opinion. The .308 and .30-06, having numerous problems, find themselves near the bottom of the list.

Bullets skip to and bounce off deer, unless you shoot as 6.5 Quagmire.

I've had great luck killing things dead with less than perfect cartridges.
Engineering success.............designing something easy to make that doesn't cost much.

Do some cartridges offer longer case life?
Do some offer longer barrel life?
Are some more efficient?
Do some offer less recoil/blast?

IMHO the platform is as important as the cartridge.
I simply like some rifles better than others.

And some cartridges just look nicer to the eye.
To me, the .303 Savage and .30-30 win, and others of similar look........are hideous.
Do think a .300 Savage and a .35 Rem to be nice enough.
Theyre not as hot as others.

Don't care.

They kill stuff dead.

Big whoop dee do.

If I want a deer laser for out west, I'll get a .257 Weatherby magnum.
In a wood stocked Mark V.
Because I like the looks of it....and the cartridge.
Let a sweet 7mm Mark V pass not long ago.
Want the .257

And why I haven't bought a .25-06

Engineering problem.
Like the short neck of the .300 winmag?
US mil finally woke up and went to heavier bullets for better BC and did a propellent change and extended the range of that cartridge.
Polished a turd did they?

Im not married to a Victoria's Secret Supermodel chef with a billion dollars in the bank.

Sucks to be condemned to run engineering disaster rifles and cartridges on top of that.

Llama Bob said:

I absolutely created it, but it has very little to do with opinion. It simply catalogues the failings of various cartridges which are primarily matters of engineering fact, not opinion. The .308 and .30-06, having numerous problems, find themselves near the bottom of the list.

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As usual your opinion is opposed to just about everyone else.

Llama Bob said:

I absolutely created it, but it has very little to do with opinion. It simply catalogues the failings of various cartridges which are primarily matters of engineering fact, not opinion. The .308 and .30-06, having numerous problems, find themselves near the bottom of the list.

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There is almost nothing in the public literature on cartridge design, so I am always interested in learning what others consider important cartridge features and why.

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Llama Bob said:

The .308 is tied for #36. The .30-06 is tied for #43. In other words, both are junk and they deserve each other

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Those are heretical thoughts, and maybe even communist!

Kidding aside, I’d like to see your list and how you came to your rankings