Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 30-06 inherent accuracy

I don't see that as an inherent accuracy isssue.

For sure. All great Marines and still Legends in the Corps.

Neither do I. Beyond a certain range, muzzle/retained velocity makes a big difference.

I do know that the .30-06 wasn't used as a "short-range" (200-300 yard) benchrest cartridge, as the .308 was for a while a few decades ago--and then abandoned because even in 13-pound rifles it kicked too much, despite how little its bullets wind-drifted compared to, say, the .222.

Back in 1955, bullets were not the same. Now run an 88gr in a fast twist 222 and see what happens. The al mighty 308w might just get its azz whipped even more now..

I don't have anything technical to add to this discussion but I do like the .30-06 and use one pretty regularly. In my experience, it is easier to get a.308 to shoot well. I know many other have said the same thing and both are great cartridges.

Yes, but who WINS the "discussion"?

I don't think anyone or any cartridge wins. The 30-06 has slightly more power than a .308, but perhaps a little less intrinsic accuracy. For most applications, the slight differences don't matter much. The rifle that shoots the cartridge is usually more important than the cartridge design in determining accuracy. I like and shoot both.

Wasn't really meant to be answered. I was just pointing out that too many people view discussions like this as competitions where their position must "win".

Or they view what they perceive as the slightest negative comment concerning their favorite as an indication the commenter hates "their" round.

I posted early on here that over the decades I've owned 15 .308 Winchesters and 23 .30-06s. Will also add that I've taken more big game animals with the .30-06 that any other cartridge. In fact, at one point maybe a decade ago I had six .30-06s, including a Sauer drilling, Browning Lever Rifle, Remington 760, Ruger No. 1A and two bolt-actions, a pre-'64 Model 70 and the NULA Model 24 I've taken more big game with than any other rifle since acquiring it in 1997.

Am down to two .30-06s now, partly due to reducing my overall rifle collection while easing into semi-retirement, the NULA and a Griffin & Howe 1903 Springfield sporter built in 1930. Both are very accurate, the NULA because it's a NULA, and the G&H because it was built on a National Match barreled action. (On the other hand, my shotgun collection has increased somewhat during the same period, perhaps because I've found gamebirds easier to pack out than big game, especially during the past decade.)

Am down to three .308s, a Merkel K1 break-action single-shot, one of the Lilja barrels for my Sisk switch-barrel STAR rifle (though right now its 6XC barrel is one the action), and a Husqvarna FFV competition rifle made in the 1960s, recently purchased from Jim Carmichel.

Might have to buy another .30-06 to even things up....

Can I get a participation trophy?

I don’t know who wins but the general rule is….”first liar loses” 😁

I've been loading for the 300 Savage for a number of years. My rifle is a tuned up Remington 700 Classic, and it has been quite easy to get good loads with a variety of bullets.

With its relatively short powder column and 30 degree shoulder the little 300 has the makings for precision. If somebody spec'd out a 300 Savage reamer with tight throat dimensions and chambered up a top notch barrel I'm sure it would be a winner.

A .300 Savage with "tight" throat dimensions pretty much describes the .30 Thompson/Center. Both rounds feature parallel throats, but the Savage's listed by SAAMI is .3095" in diameter, and the TC's .3085". The T/C is also what Hornady claimed the 6.5 Creedmoor was based on, claiming it was a completely new design.)

Doesn't the TC have a bit longer neck?

A little, but not much.

MD has touched on an important distinction when discussing cartridges; there is a difference between a SAAMI cartridge or chamber and that which might be cut by a gunsmith, depending on what the goal of the 'smith might be. I can cut various chambers which will accept 30/06 ammunition, and they will vary in different ways. Throat length, throat diameter, case body clearance, neck diameter, and headspace are all things which might be varied, depending on who is doing the chambering and what his purpose might be. The same is true with most cartridges. I have a 260 which is chambered with a longer, parallel throat to accommodate a particular bullet which has a very long bearing surface (it's single shot rifle so cartridge OAL doesn't much matter). While it is still a 260, it is not a standard 260. I have a half dozen different 308 reamers and different 30/06 and 300 Mag reamers.
The one thing I have finally settled on as being most important is alignment and concentricity of the chamber. Getting this perfect is more important than any other aspect IMO. You can't ignore throat configuration and dimensions, but if it's crooked, nothing will help. A straight 30/06 will outshoot a crooked 308. GD

GD,

I have a Remington 40X that i call a 308, but it's actually marked 7.62x51. I haven't had a chamber cast done so I don't know for sure if its throat is cut to the looser 7.62x51 spec, but I figure it is pretty straight and concentric given how it shoots.

I guess if one was crooked, you could load crooked ammo for it.

Brilliant

My friend has a 40-XBBR which was Remington’s factory Benchrest gun. It had etched maker/model markings on it because they didn’t want to risk distorting the receiver with a roll stamp. His has the original factory barrel and it’s marked 7.62 NATO. Shoots like you’d expect an XBBR to shoot…basically one hole.