30-06 or 308?

[rob-c]

I wasn’t going to say it but since others already did, I third the 7-08 my wife loves hers. 

[Dinsdale]

7 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

There isn't a bear walking in NYS that can stand a 80gr Barnes TTSX in the boiler room or shoulder.  All I've killed with the .243 and that load are deer in NY and PA but all have been one shot kills.........

That said, today I took a few pokes with my 300WSM and it shoots lights out like all my guns.  I only have 17 bullets (handloads) left for it but that should get me through Opening day if I choose to carry it and I just might.

 

100%

Discussion about a cartridge failure is useless to point out without knowing bullet type and why I specifically stated a quality all copper round as Lawdwaz uses.

My first 30 cal was a 300 RUM. <<< go big or go home.

Spectacular performance on 500 lb + game, full traverses from front shoulders though rear hams. (180 gr trophy bonded bearclaws) 26" barreled fire breathing sledgehammer, on both ends. 7 lb rifle. LOL

Good luck with NULA.

[DirtTime]

Those are all but the same round. The differences are not enough to really make a difference here in NYS on deer or bear. It's like comparing an orange to a peeled orange. But, If I was only looking at those two, the .308.

 

I was looking at rifles the other day when my wife and I stopped so I could grab a couple more boxes of slugs, it crossed my mind on what I would choose if I bought another big game rifle. Two calibers came into my head instantly, the .270 and the 7MM. Rem Mag. I would take a .270 over an /06- just about the same stats with the .270 coming in just a wee bit flatter shooting. The 7MM Mag? Great round and just because.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I bought a new rifle a few years back. I wanted a 6.5creedmore but the dealer I was buying from didn't have one, so my next choice was 7mm-08, which was also n/a. After a pile of research I flipped the coin and went 308. ( Yes Gman, specifically because I can't handle the recoil of an o6 ). Only killed one deer and[mention=5278]The_Real_TCIII[/mention] can verify it was effective. It's also put down some fur. It's the savage lightweight hunter. I went for it ( the gun, not the caliber ) because it was crazy light and comfortable to shoulder.

Here's the point. It's 2020 and gun makers have overloaded the market with fantastic whitetail rifles and ammo geared towards big game. Find a rifle that's comfortable to hold, and fits the budget. Forget caliber.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

Can confirm. And nothing had a flatter trajectory than me to my truck when it came time to drag


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Daveboone]

You cant go too far wrong either way. I love the .308. It, the'06 and 270 all have very similar ballistics. Advantages of each.....308 short action/case, giving pretty much the same ballistics as the 06 with bullet wts from 180 down. .270 amazing flat trajectory and lighter recoil. 30-06  has the ability to handle much heavier bullet wts if going for BIG big game...big bears, heavy bodied animals, etc. I went with the .308 due to the shorter action and the rifle being fully intended for NY deer and bear, and it has worked outstandingly. Worse case scenario for you ....pick the action /gun you want first, then if you find it in one round or the other you are well handled no matter what. There are alot of newer calibers out there, but really they are just trying to reinvent the wheel. (forty or so deer for me with my .308 all one shot kills).

[Buckmaster7600]

The problem with these questions is that other than a very few on here most on here haven’t killed 10 deer with a rifle. I’m not putting anyone down but unless you’re in a few small areas most likely you’re only killing 1 or 2 deer a year with a rifle. And a large portion of the state has been shotgun only until not that long ago.


That being said both the 30-06 and 308 have been around a long time and are both fine choices for deer/bear in New York as well as anything else that walks on North America other than maybe a costal brownie.

Me personally I own both and have killed deer with both. They both do it all very well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Don_C]

I shot my first deer in November of 1978 at the age of 12, in Westmoreland county PA with a 30-30. It died.

Since then I have shot them with a 30-30, 270, 270WSM, 308, 30-06 and a 338WM. They all died. I am no expert on rifles, but it is my experience that choosing the correct bullet is far more important than the caliber.  For the last few years I have used 30-06 Hornady American Whitetail 150gr. InterLock. They too kill deer and are exceptionally accurate in my rifles.

[Gencountyzeek]

Ive shot whitetail and caribou with a .308, my mother has shot deer, black bear and a newfoundland moose with her 308. The way i look at it, they are very similar ballisticly, so why choose a long action over a short?  Ive also shot deer with a 30-06  so ive handled both. My longest kill shot came from my remington 788 in .308 on a whitetail at 365 yards.

[Robhuntandfish]

1 hour ago, Gencountyzeek said:

Ive shot whitetail and caribou with a .308, my mother has shot deer, black bear and a newfoundland moose with her 308. The way i look at it, they are very similar ballisticly, so why choose a long action over a short?  Ive also shot deer with a 30-06  so ive handled both. My longest kill shot came from my remington 788 in .308 on a whitetail at 365 yards.

All I know is that your Mom is awesome!

[Gencountyzeek]

1 hour ago, Robhuntandfish said:

All I know is that your Mom is awesome!

Yea, her and my dad have gone on some amazing hunts. Buffalo in S.Dakota, newfoundland moose, stag in New Zealand, i forgot what they went for but they hunted austria a few years ago. Desert mullies. And many many more.  All on a machinist and cooks wage. 

[Modern hillbilly]

17 hours ago, Skillet said:

Believe it or not, I have never owned a rifle. Always hunted deer with a shotgun or muzzleloader. I'm ready for something new. 

I've narrowed it down to these two calibers.

 Planning on buying a bolt action.

Any pros or cons to either? Which one should I pick? Any input appreciated. Thanks.

Like others have said it's mostly a toss up. The .308 is cheaper to shoot. For distances most shoot deer at they(the deer) won't know the difference.If you want to split hairs carrying 06 would be slightly heavier? 

 

The 06 is antiquated because if you want something with more oomph than a 308 there are much better options than an 06. It doesn't have a niche to fill like it used to. There are awesome short action cartridges that make the 06 look silly.

For what it's worth People have been long range hunting big game with 6mm for a long time now.

If I was looking for a whitetail/black bear cartridge it would be 6.5 creed/260 if I had some distance to cover id use a 7saum or one of the many 6.5s like the PRC.

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Modern hillbilly

[Enigma]

For your intended purpose and between those two rounds the .308 would be my choice. I currently run 150 gr hand loads out of my .308 and it's ideal for me for whitetails. Personally I've never like the resulting mess after a deer takes a 180 gr 30 caliber (30-'06) that a lot of people shoot.

@TreeGuy nailed it. Shop around and find the rifle that fits you first, then pick a caliber. Pick them up, shoulder them, put a sling on one and walk around the shop. If you don't like the way the gun "feels" when you handle it you probably won't shoot it well and the choice of caliber becomes almost a moot point. Whatever caliber you do end up with just be sure to shoot quality and properly constructed bullets. 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Enigma

[Skillet]

Thanks guys!

[squirrelwhisperer]

The preferred round for the Marine Snipers is the .308 or .50...just sayin 

[Will_C]

Find the rifle you like. I have killed deer with .243 (7) 250 Savage (4), .25-06 (1) 7mm-08 (13).308 (3) and .30-06 (19). Many of years of killing 1 or 2 deer in Pa., and we have been rifle here since 2004.Not a one that was hit well lived through it! 

[Hock3y24]

.308 strictly based on ammo surplus

[cdbing]

I went through a similar decision last year and chose the 308. I plan(ned) on only owning 1 centerfire rifle. I am an occasional rifle hunter (I primarily bowhunt) and had only shot borrowed 243, 30-06, .357 & 30-30 previously. I narrowed my choice to 7mm-08 or 308 based on a planned mule deer hunt in CO, but also wanted a rifle that could be used for a variety of non-dangerous game, should I get more into rifle hunting once I can no longer bowhunt.

I am happy with my choice. Factory ammo is (or was) widely available at reasonable cost and in a variety of bullet weights suitable for hunting at reasonable distances for a number of North American game species.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Pygmy]

38 minutes ago, cdbing said:

I went through a similar decision last year and chose the 308. I plan(ned) on only owning 1 centerfire rifle. I am an occasional rifle hunter (I primarily bowhunt) and had only shot borrowed 243, 30-06, .357 & 30-30 previously. I narrowed my choice to 7mm-08 or 308 based on a planned mule deer hunt in CO, but also wanted a rifle that could be used for a variety of non-dangerous game, should I get more into rifle hunting once I can no longer bowhunt.

I am happy with my choice. Factory ammo is (or was) widely available at reasonable cost and in a variety of bullet weights suitable for hunting at reasonable distances for a number of North American game species.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 

A person could hunt  any non-dangerous game  on the continent, including moose and elk with a .308 and be well armed...

Of course, the same thing can be said about probably twenty   ( or more)  other chamberings also...

[Buckmaster7600]

Personally I've never like the resulting mess after a deer takes a 180 gr 30 caliber (30-'06) that a lot of people shoot.

I’m confused by how you think a 180gn 30-06 makes more of a mess than a 150gn 308? The 150 from a 308 is traveling 150ish FPS faster, if you’re using the same bullet and shot placement the 308 will be more messy every time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[steve863]

Making a "mess" of things all depends on where you hit the animal.  If you pass any bullet thru the ribcage there won't be much of a mess at all.  If you hit the front shoulders then you will have more of a mess and again it probably won't make much difference if you are shooting a 150 or 180 grain bullet out of something like a .308 or .30-06.  

 

 

[Robhuntandfish]

i went with a 30-06 cause the guy i hunt with uses a .308 and i didn't want us to look stupid. 

I once shot a buck straight on in the front shoulder and found the bullet in the back quarter.  165 grain at 50 yards.  I did a ton of damage but the deer sure dropped in his tracks.  

[ATbuckhunter]

I shoot a 30-06, but that ws because my grandfather shot an 06. If he was shooting a .308, I would have gotten a .308. I doubt ill ever get a .308 because its so close to a 30-06 so why get a gun so close? I am going to get either a 7mm-08 or a 6.5. You'll do well with either caliber and I doubt most guys will be able to tell much of a difference between the two on deer. They'll both kill just as quick. 

[Enigma]

12 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I’m confused by how you think a 180gn 30-06 makes more of a mess than a 150gn 308? The 150 from a 308 is traveling 150ish FPS faster, if you’re using the same bullet and shot placement the 308 will be more messy every time.

I think it because I've seen it. It's purely anecdotal on my part, just an observation over time that's all. A lot of deer that I've seen shot and butchered it just always seemed like the deer that were the most messed up were shot by someone shooting 180gr from an '06. Nothing scientific about it. Just a personal opinion that 180gr on a 100# NYS doe is a bit much. Especially when they're shot more than once.

I agree with you that speed kills lol, but a 150gr 30 cal at 2,600 fps actually has less KE than 180gr 30 cal at 2,450 fps (2,250 vs. 2,400 ft-lbs). Please correct me if I'm wrong. If higher KE equals a bigger 'mess" than the 180gr would be more devastating.

[wolc123]

2 minutes ago, Enigma said:

I think it because I've seen it. It's purely anecdotal on my part, just an observation over time that's all. A lot of deer that I've seen shot and butchered it just always seemed like the deer that were the most messed up were shot by someone shooting 180gr from an '06. Nothing scientific about it. Just a personal opinion that 180gr on a 100# NYS doe is a bit much. Especially when they're shot more than once.

I agree with you that speed kills lol, but a 150gr 30 cal at 2,600 fps actually has less KE than 180gr 30 cal at 2,450 fps (2,250 vs. 2,400 ft-lbs). Please correct me if I'm wrong. If higher KE equals a bigger 'mess" than the 180gr would be more devastating.

The most meat damage I ever saw on a deer was a 2.5 year old 8 point that my neighbor shot two years ago (2) times with his .243.  Both shots were broadside, the first to the hip and the second, to the shoulder.  Neither bullet exited the carcass.   He gave me that shot-up buck and a neck-shot doe fawn, which field dressed less than 70 poinds and yielded almost the same amount of usable meat. 

I have hit many deer in the shoulder and several in the hip with 16 and 12 gauge slugs and never had near that much meat damage.  That tells me that speed is the main factor in meat damage, and a heavier, slower bullet causes less.

[Lawdwaz]

On 9/8/2020 at 5:18 AM, rob-c said:

I wasn’t going to say it but since others already did, I third the 7-08 my wife loves hers. 

But wait, are you calling it a "ladies" gun?!?!?!