I was wondering which (the 30-06 or 7.62 NATO) would be most accurate. I am under the impression that the bullet is .308 for both cartridges. I would guess the 30-06 would be better because of the larger case. But then again, I've never compared the two.

www.snipercountry.com/Articles/AccuracyFacts.asp

Interesting read!

308 is fine

Well, .308 is my choice, but .30-06 sure seemed to work for Carlos Hathcock in Vietnam.


Woody

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Quoted: Well, .308 is my choice, but .30-06 sure seemed to work for Carlos Hathcock in Vietnam. Woody

+1

Technically, the .30-06 will get a slightly greater range and higher velocity, about 200 FPS extra - most factory rounds don't take advantage of the increased case capacity.

Most times the .308 is used due to shorter actions and SLIGHTLY lighter rifles, but the .30-06 can touch .300 WinMag territory when handloaded, and still equal or exceed the accuracy of most .308s.

Personally, I'm a fan of the .30-06. It just gives you greater flexiblity. And hell, if you ever want to rechamber yer -06 rifle, you already have it in a long action and can adapt it to almost any cartridge imaginable.

The .308 is definitely the more inherently accurate of the two, but it really depends on the rifles involved.  But, in the same rifle, the .308 will nearly always win.   If you have any real doubts, go to a benchrest match and do a simple count.  You will see a lot of .308s, but probably wouldn't even see a .30/06!

308 winchester is "over bored" and by many considered to be a "specialist cartridge"  Dont know your status but for a beginner just getting started in long range and/or handloading, 30-06 is much more forgiving...speaking from experience...just my 2 cents...AK

Quoted: 308 winchester is "over bored" and by many considered to be a "specialist cartridge"  Dont know your status but for a beginner just getting started in long range and/or handloading, 30-06 is much more forgiving...speaking from experience...just my 2 cents...AK

What do you mean by that???  The 308 is an excellent round for long distance target shooting.  The 3006 has more recoil than a 308.  With hand loading the 308 is easier as you do not have to worry about primer up or primer down condition.  That means when the round is horizontal the powder covers the flash hole, making for a more uniformed ignition of the powder.  With a 308 you do not have to worry about that.  There are many more factors to be concerined with. The 3006 is a verry good round but for target or long distance shooting the 308 is better.   If someone is starting out I would suggest the 308.  
Matt

Quoted: 308 winchester is "over bored" and by many considered to be a "specialist cartridge"  Dont know your status but for a beginner just getting started in long range and/or handloading, 30-06 is much more forgiving...speaking from experience...just my 2 cents...AK

Umm. Yeah. Whatever

Overbored? WTH is that?

I will say that I think the .30-06 has much greater potential than .the .308 at longer ranges just because of the greater powder capacity and flexibility as far as heavy rounds go.

But there is nothing wrong with the .308. I don't know what all that hullaballoo was about.

Quoted: Technically, the .30-06 will get a slightly greater range and higher velocity, about 200 FPS extra - most factory rounds don't take advantage of the increased case capacity. Most times the .308 is used due to shorter actions and SLIGHTLY lighter rifles, but the .30-06 can touch .300 WinMag territory when handloaded, and still equal or exceed the accuracy of most .308s. Personally, I'm a fan of the .30-06. It just gives you greater flexiblity. And hell, if you ever want to rechamber yer -06 rifle, you already have it in a long action and can adapt it to almost any cartridge imaginable.

Blackjack272 almost gave the answer, but missed a salient point.

The reason that the factory .30-06 has only a slightly greater range and higher velocity than .308, is that the factory must load .30-06 for any and all rifles that have been chambered for that round since the turn of the 20th century.

The cartridge companies can not assume that all .30-06 rifles will have modern steels capable of higher pressures. On the .308 front, the later introduction of this round ensures that all rifles will have been made from high quality steels.

If then the .30-06 is loaded specifically for a modern firearm, capable of handling the greater pressures, it's performance exceeds the .308 by a greater margin.

Remember, the projectile is the same for both cartridges, meaning the BC of the bullet does not change. But what you CAN do now is push that projectile with a good BC significantly faster in the .30-06 that will be chamber in a modern firearm manufactured withmodern steel making technology.*  
Margin of performance now goes to the venerable .30-06.

*Problem is, you will now be in a territory that is largely unpublished.  Proceed with the greatest caution, and used every available cartridge analysis technique and a cronograph to ensure that your reloads stay withing exceptable pressure levels with your rifle.
If you do not understand the consequences of your reloading endevours, do not reload!

Quoted: Quoted: Technically, the .30-06 will get a slightly greater range and higher velocity, about 200 FPS extra - most factory rounds don't take advantage of the increased case capacity. Most times the .308 is used due to shorter actions and SLIGHTLY lighter rifles, but the .30-06 can touch .300 WinMag territory when handloaded, and still equal or exceed the accuracy of most .308s. Personally, I'm a fan of the .30-06. It just gives you greater flexiblity. And hell, if you ever want to rechamber yer -06 rifle, you already have it in a long action and can adapt it to almost any cartridge imaginable.

Blackjack272 almost gave the answer, but missed a salient point.

The reason that the factory .30-06 has only a slightly greater range and higher velocity than .308, is that the factory must load .30-06 for any and all rifles that have been chambered for that round since the turn of the 20th century.

The cartridge companies can not assume that all .30-06 rifles will have modern steels capable of higher pressures. On the .308 front, the later introduction of this round ensures that all rifles will have been made from high quality steels.

If then the .30-06 is loaded specifically for a modern firearm, capable of handling the greater pressures, it's performance exceeds the .308 by a greater margin.

Remember, the projectile is the same for both cartridges, meaning the BC of the bullet does not change. But what you CAN do now is push that projectile with a good BC significantly faster in the .30-06 that will be chamber in a modern firearm manufactured withmodern steel making technology.*  
Margin of performance now goes to the venerable .30-06.

*Problem is, you will now be in a territory that is largely unpublished.  Proceed with the greatest caution, and used every available cartridge analysis technique anong with a chronograph to ensure that your reloads stay withing exceptable pressure levels with your rifle.
If you do not understand the consequences of your reloading endevours, do not reload!

That is something I've never have thought of. Good find!

.308 outperforms the ought six because it has a shorter, stiffer action, it is more efficient, and there is less muzzle blast to disrupt the bullet in the air. Havent you guys noticed that .308 dominates its class?

Quoted: www.snipercountry.com/Articles/AccuracyFacts.asp

Much of the information in that article is pretty dated.  With modern powders, just about any 30-06 from Wal-Mart could outperform the "accurate" 30-06s in the article.  No way is the .308 "two to three times" as accurate as the 30-06.

The 308 is probably a bit more accurate, but you would have to have a real tack driver to find any real-world difference.

The 30-06 has more velocity, but that has nothing to do with accuracy.

There is actually a 100-200 fps difference with all bullet weights; after 180 grains, the difference is bigger.

Quoted: I swear I'm not trying to be a dick....

Looking at a reloading manual, there is usually about a 5-6% velocity difference between the two rounds.  Is that significant?  Well, you will get about 5-6% more range.  You also get about 5-6% less wind drift.  So if you can shoot 300 yards with the 308, you can shoot 318 yards with the 30-06 (using a point blank range zero).  If the bullet drifts 50 inches with the 308 at a given range, it will only drift 47 inches with the 30-06.  Significant?  IMHO, no.

But many others would disagree, particularly those who market ammunition.  For instance, with handloads the 300 Remington Ultra Mag only has about 2% more velocity than the 300 Win Mag.  The 30-378 Wby only has about 3% more than the Win Mag.  Many people seem to think that 2% or 3% difference is very significant.

Think case shape, and not the amount of power that you can burn.  

The idea is to get the devation of speed from bullet to bullet as low as far as posible, yet yeild the highest speed that work with barrel harmonics.


Yes, you can get a 6mm Rem to go faster than a 6PPC, but when it comes to consitency of bullet speeds, the 6PPC wins hands down. The same carries over to the 308/30-06 battle.