Yes I know it is a hard question, and I am also aware that there are other 30cal cartridges out there, but which is your favorite? Feel free to post why.
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Yes I know it is a hard question, and I am also aware that there are other 30cal cartridges out there, but which is your favorite? Feel free to post why.
The 'o6 has more flexability in loading , the smaller 308 ,while a fine cartridge seems to run out of case cap with some of the slower powders I have used. Both are more than accurate enough for my uses and my 308 is prolly my favorite rifle, but I started with the '06 and really like to load for it. my.02
John
I voted for the 308 however that only applies to cbs and plinking. I personally prefer to fill the case as much as possible and feel the 308 capacity is more suited to cb velocities. With J word bullets the gap closes quite a bit. However, I prefer the 30-06 for an all around hunting rifle. I hunt in areas where 100 yds is a long shot and I prefer a heavier, slower boolit. I am sure others will disagree but that is my humble opinion. So I guess my real answer is it depends on the desired use.
i'll have to go with the 308 just due to the fact that i have had extensive training with it and it is more familular and comfortable to me// but to each his own
mule
Man tough choice since I have both and like both. Had to go with 06 over 308 though. I've had 30-06 since I could hunt and know the cartridge pretty well, I've only owned 308's for about 15 years. Pretty hard to beat the 'ole ought-six in my mind.
If I had to hump ammo all day and needed as much as I could carry to stay alive then the 308 wins.................
It's good that this is a question that's easy to answer: Which do you like ? If it was "which is better?" there is no real answer. Since everybody is different, there is a different right answer for everybody. Also, if you sat down with 2 identical rifles loaded with max loads and 165gr boolits, but didn't know which was the '08 and which was the '06, could you really tell the difference ?
I like the 308. Originally the thing that decided me was the availability of cheap and plentiful military brass. Another thing is that the government does a lot of research to pick good cartridges, and once chosen, they rarely become obsolete.
I now buy new commercial brass; known history, larger capacity and no primer crimp are well worth the greater cost. Cast boolits give me great results easily. The short action is lighter and faster, and cartridges are lighter. It kills deer like a hammer. Bullets from 100gr to 200gr all work well. I even load 55 gr 0.224 bullets in sabots for home brewed Accelerator loads, which are no longer available from Remington.
The .308 was my second centerfire rifle, and I killed my first Elk with it. I still own that rifle.
Over the years, I've owned three 30/06's, and ended up selling or trading off all of them. I just haven't found anything the 30/06 would do that the the .308 wouldn't.
I like the '06- good enough for two world wars, and can take out anything in North Am short of a Griz.
My vote goes to the .308. I purchased my first one in 1961 and have always had at least one. At present, I have four. Yep, it's about 100fps slower than the .30-06, but the critters don't seem to notice the difference plus the accuracy always seemed better.
I own 1 of each but I dont know enough about either to make a valid remark. I have been loading for the .308 and have been having fun.
The 30-06 will shoot heavier bullets to a higher velocity than the 308. Maybe the speed difference is academic, but it does exist.
I've only owned one .308. It was a circa. 1973 Winchester Model 70A (no hinged floor plate) that I bought via the Navy Exchange for my wife to use as a deer rifle. She was the first to shoot it and complained about the recoil. So I shot it. I found out what she was talking about. That #&))&@# rifle kicked like a mule! Shooting 150 gr bullets from it was like shooting 180 or 200 gr bullets from any of the 30-06s I've owned. Now, I know it was the design of the stock, not the cartridge, but since I have '06s that suit my needs, I've never had the urge to buy another .308. I may be missing something by not having one, but I'm not sure what. I would buy an M1-A if I could scrape up the $$ for it. I'm not against the .308, I just don't have much use for it.
Regards,
Stew
Voted .308.
Basically almost identical performance in a shorter package! This means handier rifles like Savage 99's and carbine length bolt guns. For most game in the 48 states the 308 will get it done.
If I ever plan on being some place I got to deal with Griz I have a Marlin Model 95 in 45-70!
30/06
Call me nostalgic but one of my favorite hunting rifles is an open sighted Husqvarna bolt gun in '06. Look at all of the different variants it has spawned 25/06, 270Win, 280Rem, 35 Whelan and a host of others. If the parent case wasn't near perfection than how would wildcatting it be so prevelant?
Went with the .308 simply 'cause the both my .308s shoot better with case...which accounts for better than 90% of my ammo these days...than either of my .30-06s. On the other hand, for heavy (180-200 gr) JBs at upper-end velocities, I'll go with my Douglas-barreled FN Mauser every time.
Bill
Because it is an age old classic and I am fast getting to a similar age. The .308 is good also but I LIKE the '06 and it will do everything I need it to. Store bought ammo from 55 gr. to 220 gr. and reloads can offer even more choices and everything in between.
Blacksmith
In all actuality, I think it is just about a coin toss... I have '06s because that is what my dad reloaded and I learned to shoot... I love the 94 lever guns, but that is a different subject... I have a couple Garands too... so, if I am going to reload, I like to keep it to a few cartridges rather than a bunch of different ones...
I love both of them, but I have to pick .308 due to the availability of once-fired brass.
I picked the 06 because of the availability of surplus brass.
308 for me. I have 3 of em. Love that short action &performance. Yes, if someone said "Mike, we're going big bear hunting in Alaska" I would get me a 30-06 & load up some 200 odd grain bullets and stuff her full of slow powder. But by golly,that hasn't happened yet!! Certainly, they're both teriffic cartridges. enjoy Mike
.30-06 cause i have only shot and loaded for it.
A 308 is a 30-06 light.
There us nothing my 30-06 cant do, that a 308 can.
How ever I can use 180-240gr boolits in a 30-06 where they will preform inferiority
to the 30-06.
I can push a 180gr as fast or faster than a 308 can fire a 165.
In fact I can match most short mags, and the lower end of the win mag speeds.
The 308 cant even touch any of these.
I bought 100s to surplus LC 06 cases years ago. I have enough to last several lifetimes.
I have a CZ '06 and a Garand. In a serious pinch I can put my chamber adapter in either one and shoot .308. Done it, it works fine. It's the type I believe the Navy used for the same purpose with Garands. It stays put, you use a broken shell remover to take it out. So I like the '06 because it's more versatile, in more ways than one.
308 please. I do not use uber heavy boolits/or bullets in any of mine so 308 it is. If I need a bigger boolit/bullet....I have a Whelen for that. [smilie=f:
30-06 is just in the middle of everyting. If you already own a 30-06 its pointless to buy another 308,270 or even a 300mag.
If starting over I might have a 308 and a 300 Win mag. And then the 30-06 would be pointless.
Thats my dilema.
I have both and have extensive experience with both for hunting and target shooting. For target shooting out to 600 yards I choose the 308 as it is easier to make good loads for and is a very accurate cartridge. Beyond 600 yards I choose the 30-06 as it will handle 190 and 200 gr bullets better and at higher velocity than you can get with the 308. For hunting anything in the lower 48 states there is not enough difference between them to make any difference to the animal at all. The 30-06 may have a slight edge if you are talking large bears but then a 30 cal rifle would not be my choice for them anyway.
got to love them both. THe 06 is a bit better large game round but the 308s will usually outshoot about any big game caliber rifle.
I say that it really depends more on what you want the gun to be. If you want to built a handy, light rifle, then the 308 is going to get you there easier and still have 1/2" more bullet travel than the longer case.
A shorter barrel needs a shorter action to look in proportion, especially if you build a mannlicker.
If you want to build strictly a hunting rifle, then you are in the wrong bore diameter.
30-06 as it has a longer neck making it easier to load cast bullets. Great classic round as well!!!
I do not think you could go wrong with either the 308 or 30-06, but as other posters have pointed out, the 30-06 is more versitile and can do things the 308 cannot do. For many purposes, perhaps the differences are not significant, but I think the 30-06 gets the knod.
Lead Fred: Your avatars are always intriguing. I especially like the "purple Chinese girl" with the rifle!
I like both! I chose the 06 mostly due to the fact that years ago my brother in law got a 308 and he made the rest of us sick bragging about how good it was. Now I own several of each and am quite happy with them all.
I'm an '06 man all the way having 6 of these a couple months ago & 4 now. BUT if I was starting from scratch now I'd go with the 308. It's a great round especially for cast............Creeker
Dry Creek Bullet Works
Dry Creek Firewood
When I started out I had an 06.
As I was in the military and had access to 06 brass(which I collected ever time I found it) it was easy to reload and not worry.
Later I had to decide about the 06 brass that got damaged and decided to spend the time and check other rifles that you could size 06 brass to
Now I have 8mm ,7mm,308, and if you really want to go cheap 45 ACP.
All of those cartridges allow me to recycle my brass so I don't think I will ever have to buy brass again.
Best caliber?
undoubtably the 06 is the best all around.
It has been around a long time and is versitale enough to be around when all of the others are long gone..
Jim
Unfortunately, many of the exchanges do not sell firearms anymore. Some of the larger bases still have them. Exchanges operate like any business - they work on profit margins (exchanges say they don't but in reality they do). Many of the exchanges got rid of firearms because of low profits and those that didn't got rid of them because of political correctness and misguided base commanders. A good number of the ones that do still sell them sell for the same price I can get them for out on the local economy. Also, many of the exchanges that still carry firearms have a contract with local dealers to provide them with stock, so your selection and cost is pretty much the same if you are on base or off.
Personally, I am stationed in Kalifornia, so the exchanges have to follow Kalifornia's silly laws. That adds up to a limited selection and added costs. As an example, the local exchange can't/won't sell any handguns with a barrel of less than four inches and they don't carry ANY milsurps.
BTW - .308 is my preference. Simply because that is what I have more experience and comfort with.
30/06 because that is what the 1903 Springfield is chambered in. 311284's with 19 grains of 4759 hit just over the front sight at 50 yards when sighted for 240 Woodleighs 2inches high at 100. I also really like my 308 scout Rem 700 that takes stripper clips and holds 7 rounds down. Either one is a suberb rifle year round wether it is chasing coyotes in winter, bear and wolf protection or hunting.
The .308 was specifically engineered around a 150-grain jacketed bullet. The .308 runs a higher chamber pressure & outperforms the 06 with that bullet. the 06 has greater case capacity that allows for more slow burning powder & therefore performs better with heavier bullets. Either is a great cartridge for cast boolits. Either will push a .30 cal boolit about as fast as the alloy will want to let you go. With reeeeaaaaly heavy cast boolits, the 06 might let you do something that the .308 wouldn't, but you will need to look long & hard for that example. The .308 will give you the same velocity with the same boolit using a little less powder because of it's reduced case capacity. If you would like to tell us specifically which boolit you want to use, then maybe we can pick the better cartridge, but just asking which is better with no other info given, my answer will have to be - It Depends.
I've even had great luck with the "puny" little 30-30 using cast. I've gotten a 150-grain flat point up over 2300fps with better accuracy than factory ammo. If I can get that done with the .30-30, then either the .308 or the 06 should be a cake walk to get good performance out of. The selection of available .30 cal. boolits, from down around 100 grains to well over 200 grains gives you great versatility in any of these calibers.
Make mine a 308, have 2, bolt and a semi-auto. A 308 will suffice for most North American big game in a smaller package and with less recoil than a aught six. If I were to hunt bears I'd grab the 338 Magnum.
Winelover
Have and like both, but the 06 is my favorite due to being the chambering of the 1903, 1903A3, 1918A2, and the M1 also due to a M70 being my second deer rifle ( the first was a marlin 336 .30-30 at the ripe old age of 13)
7.62mmX51mm for service rifle loads hands down. Efficiency on the battle field, 43.5gr 748 for the .308 Win. or 47gr 748 in 30-06. If you really need a heavy bullet, over 170 gr. then yea, the '06. LC 7.62 NATO brass for loading. From http://www.gibrass.com/brass.html
While I love shooting my .308, brass has to be purchased, my Garands keep me stocked with LC brass for the '06's.
Also, during hunting season '06 and .270 brass are left on the range in abundance. I can't rememember ever finding a boxer primed .308 case at the range.
My favorite hunting rifle is my Sako .270 Model 75 Hunter. Very sweet, effective and accurate rifle, and I have about a bushel basket full of now sorted once fired brass that I picked up at the range.
Shooting my .308 is nice, but buying brass is distasteful. :-|