A respectful look at an old friend
There are some cartridges that have become so iconic that it is nearly blasphemy to even questioning their use.
One of those iconic cartridges is the .30-06.
Now - Before everyone pulls out the tar & feathers allow me to say that I believe the .30-06 is a fantastic cartridge with an amazing history of success and it continues to serve well. However, I also believe that the reverence or the "ought six" is based more on reputation and familiarity than it should be.
We all know the history of the cartridge and we all know its performance is well established. However, there's a tendency to shun other cartridges in favor of the old .30-06 and maybe that familiarity is preventing people from seriously looking at other cartridges. Again, please refrain from vilifying me for even suggesting that other cartridges may be a better fit for the job than our old friend the 06.
When the .30-06 was adopted, long range fire was an accepted military convention and the case capacity of the .30-06 reflects that desire to achieve those ranges. After two world wars and the Korean conflict, the conventional wisdom had changed and the short action .308 was seen being a bit more in line with the needs of the real world.
There's NOTHING wrong with the .30-06 but there are alternatives to the old 06. The massive amount of rifles chambered for .30-06 and the availability of cheap ammunition may have led to the love for the 06 but it may also lead to some bias against other cartridges.
The .30-06 can launch a heavier bullet at useful velocities than a shorter case 30 caliber cartridge and gives the .30-06 a real edge at the extreme end of the performance envelope. But really? How often does a rifleman need that extra performance at those extreme ranges? The useful upper limits for bullet weights in the .308 top out around 170-180 grains where the .30-06 can take advantage of bullets in the 200+ grain range.
Target shooters have long expressed that the shorter .308 casing is more efficient than the longer .30-06 casing. The evidence is strong that in terms of accuracy the .308 is every bit the equal of the .30-06 out to about 600 yards and there is some evidence that the .308 may even beat the .30-06 at ranges below 600 yards. We've certainly seen some amazing performance from the short/fat casings of cartridges like the 6mm PPC and the newer short magnums. Unless you really need that extra case capacity, there are some very good reasons to use a shorter casing when possible.
Again, not saying that the .30-06 is a bad cartridge in any way ! Just saying that there are alternatives.
Please don't tar & feather me.