I Need Help Finding A Rifle

[gezzer]

Savage, short action in 308 spare barrel in 243 covers big game and vermin, 1 Leupold 2x7 for both.

 

[rockstar.esq]

Froggy, your shoulder must be calibrated differently than mine. The .308 winchester and the 30-06 shoot the same bullet weights (for nearly the entire range of weights) at the same velocity (give or take 20FPS). That equates to absolutely no difference in recoil at all provided the rifles are comprable. If you're used to shooing a carbine 30-06 vs. a match .308 heavy weight you'd see a difference like you mentioned. Truly, I think the recoil analysis is way overdone for newbies. Yes there are academic differences in recoil impulse but the single most influential factor is mindset. The second is stock fit. If the stock fits like it should, recoil should not be a problem. I'm not trying to ignore that a checkerface steel buttplate doesn't magnify recoil because it does, but there just aren't too many rifles so equipped on the dealers shelves as of late.

Additionally the "holdovers" you mentioned are on the order of 1/10's of an inch difference with the aforementioned 20FPS difference. Sure you CAN handload the 30-06 to nip the heels of the .300 winchester magnum but lets not delude ourselves into thinking that the .308 Winchester is something it's not. Plus and this is significant, the .308 winchester is the single most popular caliber for long range marksmanship rifles. In fact the 1000yd bullseye at Camp Perry was reduced in size after the .308 Winchesters debut on the firing line!

The .243 Winchester is a frequent recommendation on the part of recoil sensitive and accuracy minded folks. Many will claim it's perfect for Deer, Elk and Mastadons. It is a common caliber however once again it isn't as popular as the 30-06, 270, or the .308 Win. It's not even as popular as the 7mm Rem magnum! The old advice that you can't go wrong with a 30-06 is more true today than when it was first uttered. The short action .308Win doesn't give up anything in utility to the 30-06 nor is there much of a price difference between them. If you want a flatter trajectory, a .270Winchester is a fine choice, just remember that bullet weights are limited and that larger game will require better shot placement.

The long vs short action thing is pretty opionion based. The idea that 3/4" of action length makes the reciever so much stiffer is one that I find hard to accept. If long actions needed stiffening, it seems to me that gunsmiths would've done something towards that end a half century ago. The speed difference in working the bolt is predictably negligable as well. The only setup I can't abide is the short chambered rifle with a long action reciever as is the case with all Tikkas. The magazine blocks the cartridges from bouncing around but the whole thing feels looser than it should. Please note that the Tikkas have a great reputation for accuracy despite the lack of short actions.

 

[Froggy]

Froggy, your shoulder must be calibrated differently than mine. The .308 winchester and the 30-06 shoot the same bullet weights (for nearly the entire range of weights) at the same velocity (give or take 20FPS). That equates to absolutely no difference in recoil at all provided the rifles are comprable.

Having never actually measured it myself, I'm using calculated recoil energy to rank the .30-06 as having "more" than the .308... about 4 ft/lbs difference. True -- it is calculated recoil, and we all know that "felt recoil" is what really matters, but for some people recoil is part of the decision criteria. In the OP's absence of practical experience with the cartridges in question, calulated recoil provides a basis for comparison.

The .308 winchester and the 30-06 shoot the same bullet weights (for nearly the entire range of weights) at the same velocity (give or take 20FPS).

We must be using different loads. In factory loads I like the Remington PSP Core-Lokt in 150 grains which gives:

- .30-06 -- MV 2910 fps (chart)
- .308 -- MV 2820 fps (chart)

... for a difference of 90 fps. Granted, the difference in bullet drop at practical hunting ranges is pretty small.

When choosing between the .308 and the .30-06, I put my money on the .308 but, Saturnine, you won't go wrong with any one of the "big three": .270 -- .308 -- .30-06.