When it comes to the most iconic rifle cartridges developed by the U.S. Military that defined two generations, no one can debate that the 30-06 Springfield and the 308 Winchester are at the top of the list.
Not only have these two rifle cartridges served our troops faithfully overseas, but they are also two of the most popular hunting cartridges across North America and around the globe.
The debate over which cartridge is superior has been raging ever since the 308 usurped the service rifle throne in 1954 and has been a constant source of “friendly discussion” around internet forums, whitetail camps, and the National Matches ever since.
Does this debate REALLY need to happen? Let’s take a look at the history, ballistics, and applications of both rifle cartridges to help you decide which one is best for you.
With that in mind, as they say at Camp Perry, “All-ready on the right! All-ready on the left! All-ready on the firing line…You may load and fire!”
The Difference Between .308 vs .30-06: The Bane of Tyrants and Black Bear Alike
Before we dig into the nitty-gritty details about the major differences between these two long-range shooting staples, it’s important to understand a little bit about the storied history of these two 30 caliber all-stars.
As the saying goes, “Age before beauty”. Let’s start with the stalwart 30-06 Springfield.
A Brief History of the 30-06 Springfield: America’s 30 Caliber Darling
America’s love affair with 30 caliber rifle rounds began all the way back in the Wild West with the introduction of the 30-30 Winchester. Later, the U.S. Army developed the 30-40 Krag to be its smokeless powder replacement for the .45-70 Government.
Around 1901, the U.S. Military started developing a new cartridge to replace the 30-40 Krag that was made famous by Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War.
At the time, heavier bullets were thought to be the superior choice. Therefore, the initial design in 1903 used the same 220-grain round nose bullets fired by the 30-40 Krag.
The 30-03 Springfield was patterned after the famous 7x57mm Mauser cartridge, sharing identical case head dimensions.
However, it didn’t take long for the American generals to take note that multiple European nations were favoring higher velocity, Spitzer (pointed) bullets in their new bolt action rifles.
Not wanting to get left behind, the U.S. Military was quick to adopt a similar design. In 1906, the new cartridge that fired a 150-grain Spitzer bullet was submitted and accepted.
Thus the 30-06 Springfield was born. The “30” designates the bullet caliber and the “06” (pronounced ‘aught six’) designates the year of its adoption.
Although the 30-06 initially gained popularity with the Army’s new bolt action rifle, the 1903 Springfield, it truly became World Famous with the introduction of the semi-auto M1 Garand during World War II.
The 30-06 Springfield was the ammo carried by our soldiers who fought in the trenches on the Western Front in World War I, stormed the beaches of Normandy in WWII, assaulted the 38th Parallel in Korea, and saw limited use in the jungles of Vietnam.
Not only has the 30-06 seen massive success on the battlefield but it has also been credited with claiming every large game animal in North America up to black bear.
The 30-06 is truly a rifle cartridge of American legend and has survived the test of time, as it is still one of the most popular hunting rounds in the world over 100 years later.
A Brief History of the .308 Winchester: A Challenger To The Throne
Following the end of the Korean War, the U.S. Military started developing a replacement for the storied M1 Garand.
Although the M1 Garand had served the U.S. Armed Forces valiantly through World War II and Korea, the military wanted a more modern service rifle with select-fire capability and detachable magazines similar to the Stg-44 and AK-47.
Even though the 30-06 Springfield had performed extremely well, the fact that it required a long action made it less desirable for a full auto service rifle.
The U.S. Military wanted a new cartridge that fired a 30-caliber bullet, a shorter case to fit into a short action, and ballistics that closely mimicked the 30-06. And with advancements in case design and new propellants, this was achievable.
What was finally accepted became known as the 7.62x51mm NATO or the 308 Winchester. Winchester was the first company to commercially market the new cartridge and they quickly adapted their Model 70 bolt action rifle to accept it.
It didn’t take long for the 308 Winchester to become one of the most popular large game hunting cartridges in North America.
And it didn’t stop there!
Competitive marksmen quickly discovered that the 308 was an extremely accurate cartridge and the 308 Winchester quickly started dominating long range shooting competitions. So much so that the NRA had to shrink the bullseye on their high-power rifle targets to avoid ties between 308 shooters.
Although the 308’s life as the U.S. Military’s service rifle cartridge was rather short, being replaced by the 5.56x45mm NATO (223 Remington), it is still utilized by designated marksmen and snipers for its supreme accuracy and stopping power. However, this is also coming into question with the rise of the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 300 Winchester Magnum.
.30-06 vs .308: The Comparison
To start the comparisons, let’s take a closer look at the dimensions and specifications of each of these superb long-range shooting rifle cartridges.
The first thing you’ll note is that both the 30-06 and the 308 shoot the same caliber bullets, .308”, however, this is where the similarities end.
The first distinct difference is in the case length of each cartridge. The 308 Winchester has a shorter case length 2.015” while the 30-06 Springfield has a longer case length at 2.494”. The overall length of each cartridge is also quite different, 2.8” vs 3.34” for the 308 and Winchester 30-06 ammo respectively.
This difference in case length and overall length is why the 30-06 requires a long action while the 308 fits into a short action.
A short action will have a shorter bolt throw (in a bolt action rifle) and requires less movement when chambering a round. Short action rifles are often preferred as they allow for quicker follow up shots and are believed to have a tighter, stronger receiver which increases accuracy and decreases overall weight.
The next massive difference between these two rifle cartridges is their case capacity. The 30-06 has a case capacity of 68 gr H2O while the 308 measures in at 58 gr H2O. This makes a lot of sense as a 30-06 has an almost 0.5” longer case.
Simply put, the 30-06 is a bigger, bulkier cartridge…but how does that apply to which ammo you should be loading into your sporting rifle? Let’s take a look!
Continue reading 308 vs 30-06: An All-American .30 Caliber Showdown on Ammo.com
