This isn't really a caliber war thread. I am interested in a bolt action rifle for deer hunting and mostly target shooting. I know these two calibers have pretty much equal ballistics. What would be the better choice for target shooting? I will be reloading these so I have heard 30-06 might have the edge here. I tend to favor the military rounds due to availability, price and selection but it seems 30-06 is pretty much equal here to. This will also be the largest rifle caliber I own.
Bolt action - 308 vs 30-06
- Thread starter Blitzo
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If you want something that can be loaded up to magnum energy/velocity, get the .30-06. The .308 is not its equal, when the .30-06 is loaded to its potential.
However, when hunting on foot, I curse my big, heavy .30-06. I wish for a nice little short action lightweight.
For target shooting, .308 is a great round. But if the intent is for this to be the largest caliber I owned, .30-06 fills this niche better. It will take 220 grain bullets and still launch them at a good clip.
However, when hunting on foot, I curse my big, heavy .30-06. I wish for a nice little short action lightweight.
For target shooting, .308 is a great round. But if the intent is for this to be the largest caliber I owned, .30-06 fills this niche better. It will take 220 grain bullets and still launch them at a good clip.
When I finished high school in '63 my dad got me a Win Mod 70 featherweight 30-06. Even with a 4x Leupold it is light weight.
You might try one of the Ruger #1a( I think) light rifles in '06. if you want light weight, but it probably will recoil heavily.
Neo-Luddite
Member
The .06 ammo is a deal right now. You will have a broader range of loadings in .06 than in .308. That said, there is little net differance unless you get into the extreme ranges of escoteric knowledge of the two calibers.
Bartkowski
Member
That extra 1/4 to 1/2 of action weight has never bothered me, and I am not a very big person. I would go with the 30-06 because it outperforms the .308 and you say that the price and selection are equal where you are.
ID_shooting
Member
I have both, my target rifle (Win M70 National Match) is in 30-06. Way fun and accurate, I can drop down to varmint calibers and tag yotes/chucks or 168 match rounds and punch paper out to 1000 (I am not that good, but I hit every now and then) or up to over 200 and have no fear hunting very large game.
The .308 I have (old Savage 110 carbine) is my fav woods rifle though. 18 inch barrel, 4x scope, nice light weight to pack around all day.
For your planned usuage, it all boils down to if you want short or long action. .308 is OK for target, not as vaired as 06, but fun none the less.
The .308 I have (old Savage 110 carbine) is my fav woods rifle though. 18 inch barrel, 4x scope, nice light weight to pack around all day.
For your planned usuage, it all boils down to if you want short or long action. .308 is OK for target, not as vaired as 06, but fun none the less.
Smokey Joe
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Mutually exclusive!!
Blitzo--you said
Also, the sights, whether optical or iron, for best performance, will be much different for target as opposed to hunting use. A target 'scope will have much higher magnification, and be longer and heavier, than a hunting 'scope. Target iron sights will be highly adjustable peep sights, with apertures too small for effective use in the woods. You could switch out the sights, whether iron or optical, for the 2 usages, but then we're back to the fact that the optimum rifles for the 2 usages will be different.
Now, if by "target" you meant informal range shooting, and plinking, then by all means get a hunting rifle, a good one, and it will also be good enough for these uses on the range. In that case I'd shop around, and get the best deal for the rifle that fits you best, that you like the looks of, and is relatively light and handy. Whether it is a .308 or a .30-'06 will not make a great deal of difference in this case, especially if you will be reloading for it.
Blitzo--you said
You want 2 rifles. A decent target rifle will be too heavy and unwieldy to lug around in the woods. A rifle light and short enough to be handy in the woods will never get you much of anywhere in competition.
Also, the sights, whether optical or iron, for best performance, will be much different for target as opposed to hunting use. A target 'scope will have much higher magnification, and be longer and heavier, than a hunting 'scope. Target iron sights will be highly adjustable peep sights, with apertures too small for effective use in the woods. You could switch out the sights, whether iron or optical, for the 2 usages, but then we're back to the fact that the optimum rifles for the 2 usages will be different.
Now, if by "target" you meant informal range shooting, and plinking, then by all means get a hunting rifle, a good one, and it will also be good enough for these uses on the range. In that case I'd shop around, and get the best deal for the rifle that fits you best, that you like the looks of, and is relatively light and handy. Whether it is a .308 or a .30-'06 will not make a great deal of difference in this case, especially if you will be reloading for it.
one-shot-one
Member
both are great cal's but my frist .30 cal. rifle was/is a .308 and it will always be my favorite, and yes i own both. unless you plan to hunt moose or brown bear i would go with the .308.
if the big boys are on the menu and you don't want an excuse to buy another "bigger" rifle go with the -06.
if the big boys are on the menu and you don't want an excuse to buy another "bigger" rifle go with the -06.
glockman19
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I choose the .30-06 for hunting and went with a Remington 700 CDL. Great action, very accurate, not heavy with scope rings & sling it comes in at about 8.5 lbs.
Mauserguy
Member
I like the '06. In a deer rifle, it will do everything that a 308 will, but it allows you to load to levels that a 308 just can't go, if you choose. There really isn't much of a downside except that some actions may be a bit longer.
Mauserguy
Mauserguy
PS 2: It is 00.40 am in my country
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
In my opinion, unless you are into specialty applications, it's a wash. For a long time I favored the .308, and have a hunting rifle (Rem Model 7) and a target rifle (accurized Rem 700 VSSF) in that caliber. The Model 7 has taken a fair share of deer, and it's an excellent lightweight woods gun. The 700 VSSF has punched many holes and dinged many gongs over the years.
That said, I just acquired a 700 BDL in .30-06 because ... well, every safe ought to have at least one .30-06 bolt action rifle!
You can't go wrong either way, for either hunting or target shooting. So handle a lot of rifles and buy the one you like best, whichever caliber it comes in.
That said, I just acquired a 700 BDL in .30-06 because ... well, every safe ought to have at least one .30-06 bolt action rifle!
You can't go wrong either way, for either hunting or target shooting. So handle a lot of rifles and buy the one you like best, whichever caliber it comes in.
USSR
Member
Having LR precision rifles in both chamberings, let the bullet weight and distance you intend to shoot determine it. If you intend to use 168-178gr match bullets and shoot inside 800 yards, then go with the .308. However, if you intend to use 190SMK's or larger, and can forsee some 1,000 yards shooting, then by all means go with the .30-06.
Don
Don
Blitzo said:
In that case the .308 is perfect and all you need. Why worry about the extra case capacity of the .30-06 for paper punching? Unless you like to waste money on burning more powder and going through more expensive brass that is.
(And yes, I too own and load for both.
)fastpat
Member
I have a Ruger RSI, the Mannlicher stocked carbine, in .30-06 which gives me the power I want when I want it most times. It allows me to shoot .30-06 ammo when it's cheap, but keeps the power level well above a .308 Win. The rifle which is on Ruger's long M77 action, is about 1/2 inch longer than the same rifle in .308.
USSR
Member
If the paper is 1,000 yards away, the extra case capacity matters.
Don
I think it's really six of one, a half dozen of the other. Ballistically the two cartridges are very similar. The 30-06 can be marginally more powerful and the .308 can be marginally more accurate, but unless you're using very hot loads you won't notice the difference in power and unless you're shooting a tricked out target rifle off a bench you won't notice the difference in accuracy. The .308 is about a centimeter shorter and that helps out a little bit with the weight of the action, but it too is rather trivial.
Right now there is more affordable 30-06 surplus out there than .308, but nearly half the world's militaries still use the 7.62 NATO and I don't know of any that still use the 30-06, so I wouldn't bet on things remaining the same as they are now. Wars don't last forever and there will be plenty of 7.62 to liquidate in the future.
Right now there is more affordable 30-06 surplus out there than .308, but nearly half the world's militaries still use the 7.62 NATO and I don't know of any that still use the 30-06, so I wouldn't bet on things remaining the same as they are now. Wars don't last forever and there will be plenty of 7.62 to liquidate in the future.
USSR said:
I just knew someone would toss this out on the floor...
...and I could very well be wrong but my "gut" reaction to his post about punching paper told me no, this guy's most likely not talking about 1000 yd shooting... so, lets ask the original poster...
Blitzo, please tell us... At what ranges(s) will you most likely to be shooting at paper for us to better address your situation.
Doug Kennedy
Member
For what it is worth. I agree with USSR (Don)
aspade
Member
From a deer hunting perspective, dead is dead.
From a target perspective, if you're shooting far enough out for 200fps to matter the answer isn't the .30-06 it's the .260 or 6.5-284 over either.
The .308 fits in a shorter, lighter rifle, kicks a little bit less, is cheaper to load for, and current crunch to the contrary will have more and cheaper factory and milsurp ammo in the long term.
From a target perspective, if you're shooting far enough out for 200fps to matter the answer isn't the .30-06 it's the .260 or 6.5-284 over either.
The .308 fits in a shorter, lighter rifle, kicks a little bit less, is cheaper to load for, and current crunch to the contrary will have more and cheaper factory and milsurp ammo in the long term.
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