What Is Better .308 or 30-06?

[Beatrizdbrown]

Which one is better cartridges for log rang shooting ".308 or 30-06?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

.30-06 , .30-06 and .30-06 again .

No offense to the .308 Winchester. It's a fine one too . But the .30-06 and I have a very special relationship . It's been my plains game rifle of choice , ever since 1974 . Especially with the 180 Gr and 220 Gr bullets . The latter of these two bullet weights basically allows you to down even bull elands with the " pedestrian " .30-06 . You'd have a pretty hard time getting proper muzzle velocity with 220 Gr bullets in the .308 Winchester . But the 30-06 Springfield can easily accomplish this . Of course , this isn't really a problem in the .308 Winchester unless you're planning on using the heavier bullets .

 

[Wyatt Smith]

30-06.

 

[mark-hunter]

Which one is better cartridges for log rang shooting ".308 or 30-06?

For plinking, or competion?
Basically 308 win is better.
If you go to comoetition under ICFRA f class rules then you have two disciplines, f open i ftr.
Discipline ftr (target rifle) is only for caliber 223 rem and 308 win.

F open is for any caliber, up to 8 mm.

So, if you want ti shoot 30 06, in long range they will put you in class f open, where competition is strong with better calibers such as 6.5 cm, 6 and 6.5br, 6.5x47 lapua etc.

For competiton in other long range associations, like prs etc, in competition with other calibers oh high ballistic performace 3006 has not been proven.

F class with specific ftr rules gives monopol to 308 win.
But in reality bullets in cal 30, due to cip and saami standars, are too short and too fat, to be too much competitive. Lower bc. On the other hand, class 6 and 6.5 is much more ballistic efficient, long and sleak bullets.

Anyway, to answer shortly, 308 win is for long rang shooting (and hunting) 30 06 is for hunting.
To shoot at longer distances at target, give 308 win 30 inch long bull barrel, to get some extra velovcity and you can strech it quite long.

 

[YancyW]

An expensive habit has developed in my life, when I have to choose, it is often all the above...

 

[PARA45]

For hunting the 30-06. For shooting paper 308. I used to shoot an M1A to for NRA High Power Rifle. Now, I believe everyone is shooting ARs in 5.56

 

[mark-hunter]

Apart from specific disciplines shooting and tecnical rules, the difference in recoil will not justify 30 06 for target shooting, as well.

 

[mdwest]

Unless you have a need to shoot 200gr or heavier bullets.. they're essentially the same IMO...

For me, I prefer the .308.. but thats really only because I spent a significant amount of my younger life in both the military and in law enforcement toting around precision rifles in 7.62x51 and became very familiar with the cartridge, its ballistics, and its capabilities (as well as its limitations)... and.. I had access to a lot of free training/practice ammo (paid for by Uncle Sugar).. so it made sense that my primary hunting rifle would be a .308 as well.. So thats what I have almost exclusively used as my "big game" caliber for the last 30+ years..

I've got big bores, magnums, etc. for special purposes (going after big/tough game.. going somewhere that I know shots might be long, etc..).. but 99.9999% of the time if I know deer/hogs/elk/African Plains Game/etc are on the menu.. a .308 loaded with either 168gr or 180gr ammunition is whats coming along for the ride..

In truth there is little to no difference in .30-06 and .308 when youre talking 150,165, 180 gr loads.. velocities are going to be similar.. and youre firing the same projectile.. with neither caliber being known for being inherently/significantly more accurate than the other.. both can produce clover leaf 5 shot groups at 100 yards out of the right rifle...

The only real limitation I see in the 308 is youre not going to get 200 or 220 gr projectiles to work well out of one... but.. for me, if Im hunting game that I think needs a 220gr projectile, Im just going to grab the .35 Whelen with a 225gr barnes TTSX..

 

[Shootist43]

Most of the answers given above are based on assumptions. Beatrizdbrown, what do you consider long range? As noted, whether being used for target shooting or hunting might elicit different answers.

 

[R.M.C.]

30.06

 

[shark_za]

In my opinion....

.308 for long range target shooting, .30-06 for all hunting.

 

[ActionBob]

For hunting, hands down 30-06. It really is essentially right there on the verge of being a magnum. It's logical that the extra couple hundred feet per second attainable out of the 30-06 will give you effective slightly longer ranges when hunting and hit that little bit harder.

 

[mark-hunter]

Beatrizdbrown, what do you consider long range?

Definition is following, but we will see what the OP will say.
100 - 300 short range
300 - 600 medium range
600 - 900/1000 long range

 

[Whitebear995]

I love the .308win but my last build was a 30-06 Ackley Improved. 9 twist barrel- I will be running 181gr Hammer Hunters.

I am not a good shooter but I’ve rung steel at 1k with a .308win and felt very proud to do it given my limited distance experience ...I wouldn’t feel comfortable on game that far for either chambering but I’d have more confidence in the 06 as ranges get farther, if I had more confidence in my own abilities to take shots that far on game that is. Maybe some day!

 

[colorado]

30-06.

+1

 

[Whitebear995]

I love the .308win but my last build was a 30-06 Ackley Improved. 9 twist barrel- I will be running 181gr Hammer Hunters.

I am not a good shooter but I’ve rung steel at 1k with a .308win and felt very proud to do it given my limited distance experience ...I wouldn’t feel comfortable on game that far for either chambering but I’d have more confidence in the 06 as ranges get farther, if I had more confidence in my own abilities to take shots that far on game that is. Maybe some day!

 

[krish]

30-06

 

[mark-hunter]

The OP was asking for "better long range shooting" caliber.
But, it is not really clear is he reffering to target shooting, or hunting.
Also, it would be helpful to define what is long range for him?

 

[HWL]

Which one is better cartridges for log rang shooting ".308 or 30-06?

Generations waited for this question!

HWL

 

[colorado]

Definition is following, but we will see what the OP will say.
100 - 300 short range
300 - 600 medium range
600 - 900/1000 long range

I used to think 400 to 600 yards was long range but as I get older my ranges that I'm willing to shoot game at have gotten shorter.

0 - 50 short range
50 - 200 medium range
200 - 400 long range