30-06 trajectory, Accurate distance etc for say competition accuracy

[Team Roper]

Just bought another 30-06, got to thinking I have never really shot this caliber for anything long distance. Have always bought 30-06 for its versatility and I know there are great long distance rounds that competition shooters would use

But how does the 30-06 stand up.

and a tag question would be what would be a good/great scope for such shooting.
I may like to get into this competition shooting
Cheers

 

[PurdueRifleman2008]

If I remember "Marine Sniper" correctly, Carlos Hathock used his .30-06 M70 in Vietnam out to about 1200m. But it has been a few years since I read it so I could be misremembering.

 

[P.B.Walsh]

Good versatility, but (correct me if I'm wrong), but hasent the .308 beaten the 30-06 in BR competitions, and I love the 30-06, my second favorite .30 cartridges.

 

[jpwilly]

Here's my take. 30-06 it's an excellent long range round for handloaders and well built rifles. A couple hundred extra FPS for example over 308 in 26" bbls. Shooting the heavy 175 & 190gr pills. The extra case capacity can be quite handy in a stout modern rifle.

 

[Jim Watson]

There was a long thread on that here recently.
One poster said the .308 is decisively more accurate than the .30-06 when of equal quality.
The .308 is more developed and emphasized for target shooting because it is still a service cartridge. It is allowed in more events and even required for some.

Kind of depends what you mean by "this competition shooting."

Me?
I have a .308 for F-T/R shooting (bipod, scope, .308 or .223 required.) My .30-06 is pretty much retired.

 

[USSR]

...I know there are great long distance rounds that competition shooters would use

But how does the 30-06 stand up.

and a tag question would be what would be a good/great scope for such shooting.

Unfortunately, the only great long distance rounds for the .30-06 are made by handloaders. With somewhere between 60.0gr and 61.0gr of RL22, you will reach 2900fps with a 190SMK (.533 BC) in a long barrel, which will require only 30MOA from a 100 yard zero to reach 1000 yards. I have a Leupold 6.5-20X50LR M1 scope on my rifle, and am quite pleased with it. Anything more than 20 power is too much for LR shooting in this part of the country due to mirage. Hope that helps.

Don

 

[rcmodel]

We used the 30-06 for 1,000 yard NRA competition before somebody told us it wouldn't work.

Lots of records set with it between WWI and Vietnam.

About then, the M-14 / .308 took over for Service Rifle, and the bolt-guns soon followed.

rc

 

[Big_E]

From what I believe .30-06 and .308 are ballistic twins. Handloads will always be more accurate, but the concerns are the heavier recoil and it is in a long action (if that really matters...)

 

[rcmodel]

are ballistic twins.

the heavier recoil

If they were ballistic twins, the recoil would be the same.

The 30-06 will launch heavier match or hunting bullets faster then the .308.

In fact, it has about a 100 - 200 FPS edge across the board with any bullet weight.

rc

 

[homers]

For most uses, 308 and 30-06 are close enough that anybody won't notice a difference. That being said, the 30-06, with it's larger case, can shoot heavier bullets or can push same weight bullets faster than a 308. Whether or not the paper target or deer will notice the 100-200fps (an more energy) is up to somebody else to debate.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

The target or the animal will never know the difference

I'm looking at the Remington factory ammo catalog as I type, lets compare the .308 and 30-06 at 400 yards, for drop, energy, and velocity.

165 grain Remington Accutip Boat-tail in 30-06
B.C = .447
Energy at 400 yards = 1523 ft lbs
Velocity at 400 yards = 2039 fps
Drop at 400 yards = 22.8 inches

165 grain Remington Accutip Boat-tail in .308
B.C = .447
Energy at 400 yards = 1401 ft lbs
Velocity at 400 yards = 1956 fps
Drop at 400 yards = 24.8 inches

Based on what I'm seeing here, the difference amounts to piddle dink diddly squat. I'll take the .308, its very close, even at 400 yards, which speaks to its efficiency.

 

[USSR]

The OP mentions long range competition several times. Long range begins at 800 yards and extends to 1000 yards.

Don

 

[Redneck with a 40]

If I'm going for a 1000 yard gun, the 30-06 gets bypassed for the 300 winchester magnum, out of a 26 inch barrel, kicks the 30-06's ass all day long.

 

[pdd614]

redneck.
that 300 win mag also kicks our ass all day long. not much fun in my opinion.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

lol ppd, wear a recoil pad.

 

[Big_E]

What I meant was that their trajectories are similar the .30-06 having (barely) flatter trajectory. .30-06 is only better than .308 because it can shoot heavier bullets, I got a .30-06 for hunting purposes and because ammo is everywhere. I will get a .308, and a .260, and .243 and so on so on....

But to answer the TC's ?, yes the .30-06 is able to shoot long distances, but you are much better off with a 6.5mm cartridge (less recoil, .260 easily formed from .308 brass, excellent trajectory, etc.)

 

[pdd614]

nah redneck. i will stick with my 6.5. to each his own.

 

[ghoster]

o yea well my 338 can kick your 300's butt.--- puttem up, puttem up

dont realy have a 338 but do have a 06 and and hit a whisle pig at around 500 yd once. very satisfing shot and devestating round.

 

[USSR]

ppd614 brings up a good point. Recoil does have a cumulative effect when shooting in competition. Most long range competition is conducted from the prone position, which places the butt pad near or on the collar bone. There ain't a whole lot of "meat" in that part of the shoulder, and regardless of the recoil pad used, recoil during a long match does take it's toil on you. Even though my .30-06 tactical rifle weighs 16+ lbs., it's recoil is substantially more than my 6.5x55 match rifle (which shoots flatter than the '06). Guess which rifle I tend to use more?

Don

 

[akodo]

here's what i have garnered.

If the 308 is chosen, it is because it is the 'military standard' like the 30-06 is.

If for some reason you aren't going with the military standard 308 aka 7.62x51mm, you'd choose something a lot different than the 30-06 anyways. You'd go with the 6.5x55 swede for light shooting and great BC, or 300 winmag for it's great performance if you can handle brutal recoil time and time again

I think for competition shooting, 308 vs 30-06 is VHS vs Betamax. 30-06 might be a tad bit better, but VHS is a ton more common so it wins.

 

[R.W.Dale]

here's what i have garnered.

If the 308 is chosen, it is because it is the 'military standard' like the 30-06 is.

If for some reason you aren't going with the military standard 308 aka 7.62x51mm, you'd choose something a lot different than the 30-06 anyways. You'd go with the 6.5x55 swede for light shooting and great BC, or 300 winmag for it's great performance if you can handle brutal recoil time and time again

I think for competition shooting*, 308 vs 30-06 is VHS vs Betamax. 30-06 might be a tad bit better, but VHS is a ton more common so it wins.

There's another way this analogy is valid but in a way you may not like

both are also alike in that they're are completely obsolete today... Tried buying a VCR recently

*
the red is key to the context here though. Obviously for other purposes neither are anything close to obsolete

 

[TEDDY]

308/3006

from WW1 to WW2 targets up to 1000 yds were shot by the NG.my father was a top shooter and won the Winship medal in wakefield mass.using a star gaged springfield.I have watched many a rifle match shot at 1000 yds.best I have done is 600 yds with MI garand.47 out of 50. 5 point bull not 10.I have all my families medals and items from france including an iron cross my uncle took of a german he killed also the germans picture rather handsome young man.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

For the record, I don't have a 300 win mag, I've got a .308. Since I have a .308, I've got absolutely zero reason to buy a 30-06. If I were going to make a step up, it would be the 300 win mag. Being a smaller statured shooter, the .308 is all I want to handle for extended shooting sessions. Besides, I'll never go beyond 400 yards, with my 9x scope.

 

[Team Roper]

Ok I read them all and It looks like I lit a spark for a good discussion.
I will stick with the 30-06 till I learn different or get out shot by something better. Both the 30-06 and 308 seem to have there positives and negatives. I thank you all for your input and I got the answer I was looking for. I will post my results and opinion and may even try the 308 just to satisfy my on curiosity.
Cheers and Thanks

 

[essayons21]

.308 edges out the 30-06 in absolute accuracy because a shorter powder column in the .308 allows for more uniform ignition. Also the steeper shoulder on the .308 causes the casing to shift less in the chamber upon ignition.

However I prefer 30-06 because there is a wider range of reloading option available, and it will slightly edge out the .308 at extreme ranges. Also it seems that every tactical rifle is in .308, 300 Win mag, or .223, and I like being different.