308 Winchester vs 30-06 - Which is the BEST?

Lately, I've been thinking or wanting a totally new rifle round. In the past I had wanted a .257 magnum revolver which doesn't exist so for a new rifle round I started there with the .257 and just found out the 25-06 uses the same projectile as the .257 Robert's but was wanting to make it into another blackout round but I believe the 300 blk has a shorter case than its parent , the .223 so in my mind I think I 86'd that idea but now are looking into doing an 6.66 mm with a 66.6 mm case . Just found out , as well , there is actually a 6.66mm round but its case isn't 66.6 mm(.262) long so I was wondering how hard would it be to have the industry make a gun and develop a totally new round ? Is it going to take a boat load of money or just a lot of running around on my part ? Also if I do decide to cram a .257 or 6.66mm bullet into an 5.56/.223 case what would that extra 10mm of case length give me over the 300 blk ; I know it probably won't be whisper quiet anymore but I don't use silencers nor do I care to be quite , anymore . Also would like to build a muzzleloader but in .308 so are wondering what the advantages of the .308 in a muzzleloader , other than being considerably cheaper ? Ps , I didn't have time to edit this so It may have grammar mistakes which I might edit later .

30-06 every hunt every year

Let me have a 308 if the longest shots at game are 150-200 yds. At those ranges the 06 offers no special advantage over the little brother.

I have used both cartridges. The 06 has a little more power than the 308. However the case design is much different the the design of the 308 produces a more accurate cartridge. And my own personal experience I can get less than a half inch group at 100 yards with the 308 nowhere near that with the 06. At my shooting range every single person with a 308 is driving tacks and the 06 is all over the place. I’m sure that you are aware that certain cartridge designs are inhearantly more accurate than others. It’s the design of the cartridge case vs. bullet diameter. From my experience accuracy is more important than power. Since both are very similar in power meaning the 06 has a bit more power it lacks in accuracy compared to the 308. And my dad was a sniper on WWll with the 06. My favorites are a 270 and a 22-250 . Both have similar case to bullet differentces. I put 5 rounds in the same hole with the 22-250. When in the army, using an M60 machine gun I put the entire 100 round belt of ammunition through a hole smaller than a quarter. The M60 uses a 308. Can’t do that with an 06.

The 30.06 kicks way too much for a slight percentage of gain at short distances. The 308 walks the 30.06 at every distance over 300 yards. We shoot pigs at 400 yards and the 30.06 barely reaches that distance without lobbing in the bullet and then tha accuracy is horrible. Sure, we hear the stories about the 06 taking people in the trenches at 900 yards, but I call BS. I can kill a human with a 5.56 at those distances and not have to carry a big bulky rifle that has too much recoil to be fun to shoot. No thanks, I'll stick with my 308 and hit my target without that recoil.

The year's I spent working on Alaska,the o6 was more common than any other. But there are 308s I'm talking South east Alaska. Not all Islands have brown bear. Same reason they are popular there is the same reason they are in tge lower 48, ammunition is easy to find.

The 30-06 is slightly better.

All you have to remember is the 308s prayer. Every night just before the 308 goes to bed he kneels down on his rim and prays to God that he will wake up in the morning just a little bit longer with Springfield stamped on his head

my opinion on which is better, which ever you can find for cheaper overall so that you are practiced enough to the point where one bullet is all that's needed when it counts, or choose of nostalgia for one reason or another

30.06 I used to shoot this as a kid all the time along with bow and t hoping knives and hatchet. I was good with a 30.06. Lately got a ar-10 and started to go long range. It's a different bullet for sure. Platform failed though so sticking with bolt action from now on..

these calibers are so similar that the most important is SHOT PLACEMENT i have seen moose shot with 416 and still run away and die later

I have a early 80’s Model 70 Winchester 30-06 light weight not a featherweight. Love my gun !

I use both of the to very good effect. Both are excellent rounds. I can't imagine any serious gun owner would not include both of these rounds into their collection. My very first center fire rifle was a Ruger M77 all weather with iron sights topped w/ 3x9 40mm scope in 30-06 caliber. Great rifle. My 308 is a Weatherby Vanguard Sporter topped with Leupold 3x9 40mm. Another great rifle. I like and use both 30-06 and 308.

Well, Mr. Spomer, you must be a glutton for punishment. Putting the .308 Win under your scrutiny, again. I guess it would depend upon your application. I am a hunter who spends most of his time back east. Given that I rarely shoot a deer at more than 75 to 100 yards at most you are really starting to split sections of a split hair when it comes to choosing between the '06 and the .308. I have taken a number of deer with both calibers, and I have yet to see the difference, to the deer, anyway. My dad kept us fed with a Model 88 in .308 and I know he had a box of cartridges he killed 19 bucks out of in that many years. He was a hunter, not a shooter. But, boy, could he shoot! That old lever action, topped with a Lyman peep and a snowball front bead was the terror of our old farm! I love both the '06 and .308. I usually toss a coin when it comes to which to hunt with today. I have both in Model 70 Winchesters. Both carry a 3X9X40 Leupold scope. And I do not feel one is better than the other for what I need; it really is the same thing when it comes to my needs. But that is just me.

I had a 300$ 30/06 savage axis years ago and it wasn’t very accurate with factory loads . Only load it would shoot accurately was a hand loaded 220 grain bullet . Other than that it shot patterns

Basically. Mo powder is, Mo better! My 06 is way more versatile as I am a hand loader and can make what works for me. Ron, if you had a longer barrel for the comparison, OR use the optimal powder for the barrel length the .308 will not even come close to equaling the .30-06. The only reason the 150 gn was so close was the powder choice for the 30-06 and barrel length used was wrong. Simple as that.

👍👍👍

I miss bronze points.

Ron, i truly enjoy these caliber comparison videos and learn something with each one. Thanks for putting them on.

My dad hasn't had a 30-06 since I was a boy cause he traded his for something else but I own both. I remember a year or two ago it was a couple weeks before deer season and we were shooting our .308's to make sure they were still zeroed and he shot first and was good and then it was my turn and I pulled a round from my box and said "that ain't gonna work" and then threw it to him. I had accidentally grabbed a box of 150gn 30-06 instead of 150gn .308. He just laughed and gave me a .308 round and I shot it and my zero was good and then a couple weeks later I dropped a fat doe with that same rifle.

You left out 300 win mag.

I miss my 1903 Springfield 😢I'm not the best shot at all but I did hit a man size target at 600yr like I send I hit it

The 30/06 case seems to last forever when you reload

I found that my 30-06 after 200 yards the bullet drop like a rock while my 308 keeps the direction much better for further.

cinder block been eating my strawberries them darn bastards

I’ll take the cheaper ammo and lighter recoil of the 308

Just use an accubond and shoot anything.

M1 Garand--30.06. "The greatest battle implement ever devised." Quote by General Patton. Need I say more?

any chance you will ever discuss the old 303 british? I have some Canadian buddies that praise this cartridge

They are both the best and superior to all others.

It should loud " wich one is the better". The best is the german 8 x 57 IS 😌

I like both an use both , both can be loaded to a credit of loads

You can load the 30 06 to the same pressure as the 308 or 270. it will out run the 308 by quite alot.

My answer would be .30-30 😊 but between the two rimless rounds I would take the 06 for flexibility.

I think it's worth mentioning that 308 is slightly more accurate than 30-06.

I think the reason for this misconception is that people don’t understand what 7.62/.308 is supposed to be.

It was intended to match the power and ballistics of M2 Ball .30-06 government ammunition (147-150 grain FMJ bullet at 2700-2750 fps) in a short action length cartridge. And and 7.62 NATO M80 Ball does that. The difference comes when you really load the .30-06 to it’s full capacity (150 grain bullet at ~2900 fps) or when you load heavier, longer bullets (165s at ~2800, 180s at ~2700, 200s at ~2600, and 220s at ~2500). The 7.62 NATO/.308 Win cartridge was never really intended for anything heavier than 150 grains. For the longest time our military was still using sniper rifles in .30-06 (well after it was no longer standard issue) because of the Aught Six’s capability to push those heavier match grade bullets faster than 7.62 NATO.

Now don’t let me rain on your parade. If the biggest thing you’re hunting are whitetail deer within 300 yards, go for the .308. It is plenty of power to take them on. If you’re going out west hunting Mule Deer, Black Bear, or Elk out to a quarter mile, maybe consider the .30-06 with the 175 grain bullets on up to the 200 grain bullets.

Yes

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Thank you Ron a 180 grain 2800 fps in 30-06 u cannot beat that with 308

went with a 308 for my Daughters first deer rifle considering i Reload and she was 12 so i loaded her some 150g sbtsp at a soft 2400fps and for 100 yard shots knock on wood she has not dropped one yet that was not on the ground with in 30' of were it was when she pulled the Triger most dropped on the spot and my thinking is it would be the only rifle she would ever need for north American hunting and something she can find ammo for just about any place in the world ..she may want other rifles but will not need any other rifle and so far she will not hunt with any thing but her rifle and it has a basic Leopold 4x12x40mm VX2 for her glass and she loves it

30 06 is not better than 308 as a battle rifle round because a 308 rifle can use 7.62 NATO ammo and that could be very important in a national defense situation because 7.62 NATO will be widely available to harvest from the invading forces we kill. That’s why I have a SCAR 17H in 308

THe 308 or 30-06 kills the same , price of ammo is not justified.

Ron shoots straight

White Tail .. don’t read ballistic charts …. 308 .. all day any day

Looking to the future, I'd love to see this comparison repeated with copper / lead free bullets.

Again, all depends on the knowledgeablshooter

Speaking of heavy bullet loads for .308 being mostly handloads, Techkrim has released a series of factory loaded heavy bullet .308 rounds. People generally enjoy them at the moment.

Not exact ballistics, but similar enough. For effect in war.
I lean .308 since everyone makes plenty of it, so there's more support for it meaning cheaper.

In military ball loadings they are virtually ballisticly equivalent. Hunting or reloads, loads 30-06 wins. You're welcome.