I am going to buy a Sako M-75 stainless synthetic rifle and had desided on the 30-06, but am now thinking about the 308. The disadvantage with going to the 308 in a Sako rifle is that the barrel is I believe 2 inches shorter. The 30-06 barrel is 22-7/8". This rifle will be my "general" big game rifle for hopefully game up to the size of elk and black bear. It's also a training gun for me to move up to a 338 Win Mag or a 375 H&H for one of those hunts of a life time in Africa (10+ years down the road).

I currently do not reload, but would like to in the future.

Thanks in advance for your input.

I chose a .308 as a first rifle and versatile hunter. I have the Savage Scout with a 20" barrel and it is a sweet setup. the Sako in .308 would be very nice. Since you are using it as a training aid to go to a larger caliber get the 30-06. ther main adavantage is the exra couple hundred feet/second and the ability to get 200g bullets in factory loadings. I personally like short actions and the .308 is right there with the 06 most of the way with similar bullets. The 06 will recoil more heavily and thus you achieve your intended practice with sustaining recoil, although I believe the .338 and .375 recoil like a shove more than a heavy handed rabbit punch.

Either one will handle deer, black bear & elk or anything smaller. Many hunters have used one or the other for everything they've ever hunted. I have both and the .308 gets shot a lot more, probably because the rifle is more accurate. Take your choice, they're both good. Guy

I have a friend who has a Sako 75 stainless synthetic in 30-06. He uses it exclusively and it is very accurate with both 125gr sako or federal and other heavier offerings. He tells me it groups into a large hole at 100yds.

30-06 is available in 125gr factory loads by sako and federal which is not the case with 308.

The discussion rages on. Basically the .308 gives up 100 fps. and recoils 14% less in factory ammo.
The heavier bullet argument is not valid with todays premiums. The 165-180 gr. stuff will out penetrate any of the conventional, and the Nosler Partition, in the 200-220 gr. weights.
The .308 has lots of cheap/cheaper practice ammo availible. Much more so than the '06.
If you buy, or have built a 24-26 in rifle, the '06 can be "hot loaded" to edge the .308 a bit more. Some people prefer longer, heavier rifles.
But, if you like them shorter, or lighter, the .308 makes more sense.
Take your pick. E

Either way you can't go wrong.

The best way to train is to shoot a lot. Unless you're Bill Gates, you need cheap full-power ammo and right now that means a 308.

In addition to long-range shooting, you need to learn to work the bolt fast and to shoot fast up close. Surplus ammo may disappoint on the bench, but it's fine for realistic field training like Rifle Ten or the close range rapid fire drills we make up for ourselves.

My favorite hunting cartridge is the 30-06, but the 308 beats it for this application and no animal in the world can tell them apart. Hope this helps, Okie John.

Personally- I'm down to just my 30.06. I've had the current one over twenty years and it's been a good rifle- but-


SteyrMannlicher"M"Pro-30.06

If I were going to buy a .30cal for now and plan on moving up to a .338WM for bigger stuff later- I'd pick the .308 over the 30.06 because of the availablity of surplus military ammo. The more often you get out and shoot your rifle- the more proficient you will be with it. You can pick up surplus .308"Ball" for cheap- makes great plinkin ammo.
I'm former military and was qualified with both the .308 and later .223. I still shoot in 1000yd matches with a M-1/Garand and there is still some LakeCity .06 ammo out there but it's getting harder to find every year.
I do reload for my .06- but only because it's harder to find the surplus ammo.
One last reason- the finished weight of the .308 will be about 1/2# lighter than the .06
Get the .308 with the shorter barrel if you really plan to hunt with it. Long barrels are for sitting at a shooting bench.
One more thing-
If you have some property where you can go to practice your shooting- take 6to12 white 1gallon jugs and fill them with sand. Place them at different distances from 50yds to 350yds. Be sure there is a safe backstop/background behind them- dirt berm or pile of logs.
Practice your shooting at each one from prone, sitting w/sling, standing-w/sling & with shooting sticks if you have them.
The more often you practice- the better you will be.
Try to never take a shot at game over 300-350yds (regardless of what you read on this board). Improve your hunting/stalking skills (like a bowhunter does) so you can get a closer shot at your game.
it used to be,
Sgt.Krohn (I'm the tall one)



[ 09-24-2002, 21:57: Message edited by: CaptJack ]

If you REALLY do plan to hunt elk with it, I'd be a bit more comfortable with the '06 (although a .308 will certainly take an elk).

It's too bad that Sako "Americanized" their barrels by chopping them shorter; their '06 barrels used to be 24.35" and the .308's about an even 23". What's good about a longer barrel? More muzzle velocity and less muzzle blast. The longest rifle barrel is going make the gun's overall length far shorter than an autoloading shotgun anyway, so what's the complaint?

The .308 will be lighter and handier. The .30-06 will have the same action length and bolt throw as that African caliber you want someday, so it might make a better "trainer". The choice is your's, but either way, you're not apt to make a big mistake.

We're not comparing apples to oranges here; we're comparing red apples to yellow ones. The differences between the '06 or 308 are small by comparison. But those suggesting the cheaper practice ammo in the 308 make a very good point.

CaptJack,

Great "safari" photo. I love the snapshots of grunts from that era.

Perry

I shoot both, a Ruger 77 RSI in .308 and a BAR in '06. There probably isn't a dimes difference in the performance most of the time, having said that if I was limited to one I'd probably go for the '06. My '06 loves 180 gr. bullets and my .308 really likes the 150's, I'd feel more comfortable with the 180's if Elk etc. were part of my plan. The Ruger has only a 20" barrel with the full length Mannlicher style stock and is very easy to carry and plenty accurate enough for most hunting. I'm actually glad is doesn't like the heavy or very light bullets, that gives me reasons to also have the '06 and a .270 for 130 grain loads. A long winded way of saying I vote for any of the above but please don't let my wife know you only need one gun.

Get the .30-06! Forget all this claptrap about surplus ammo and handload for your rifle. I would not fire surplus through any of my bolt-actions unless it was given to me free (NATO-spec milsurp excluded, of course).

The .308 fans can say what they want, but you can load a .30-06 to the same pressures as a .308, which will make the .30-06 really pull away from the .308.

If you never expect to shoot bullets heavier than 165gr., then the .308 is adequate. But if you want 180gr. or more, the .30-06 will handle them with aplomb.

Given the same bullets at the same pressures, the .30-06 is a better performer.

George
P.S. My standard battery when I hunt Africa is a .375H&H and a .30-06. They work very well.

I would have to agree with GeorgeS since the standard .308 will not handle anything heavier than the 180 gr bullet if you plan to hunt the larger game in North America, then you might want
to go to some heavier bullets from time to time.
The wide varity of factory alone would make the
30.06 a better choice for me.

I dont have a 308, I do have a 30-06 and Id reccomend the 308. I like its efficency and inherint accuracy and I think its the better "trainer/practice" round. Also if your going with a larger caliber in the future as well, then the 30-06s ability to handle larger than 165 grn bullets is a moot point. Both great rounds though.

I think, one tends to lean toward what they have shot the most and you tend to shoot the rifle the best that you shot the most. I know I am very partial to the 308. A 788 Remington in 308 was the first centerfire rifle I ever owned. I still have it after 30 years. I shot the barrel out of it and had rebarreled two years ago and that barrel now has 1800+ shots down the tube. I don't think you could go wrong with either. What ever you buy shoot it a lot and get to know the rifle. Either one won't let you down if you do your part