The .30-06 Springfield has been around for more than a century, and the .308 Winchester has been around for half that time. The .30-06 is the sledgehammer of the past, whereas the .308 Win is the modern jackhammer. Both these rounds are venerable and have their own large fanbase, however, this guide will focus upon finding a definitive answer to the 308 vs 30-06 debate and put an end to your search. So keep your eyes pinned, and read further.

TL;DR: 308 vs 30-06

.30-06 Springfield	.308 Win
Pros	Pros
Adequate stopping power even at long range	Versatile round good for medium and long range
Wide range of bullet options	Accurate at long range
Amazing accuracy and versatile round	Wide range of ammo and rifle options
Cons	Cons
Better options are available	Short barrel life
Short barrel life	Better options in similar price range are available
Ammo is a tad pricey	Cell
Best For	Best For
Best for big game hunting. Also good for long range uses in the right hands	Hunting medium/big game, long range shooting, and tactical use

History

The .30-06 Springfield is the lightweight adaptation of the .30-03 Springfield round which lasted for only three years in service. The .30-06 was adopted in 1906, as a lightweight, high-velocity, pointed (spitzer) round to compete with the latest global standards of the time. It is the longest serving cartridge in the U.S Military and a globally renowned.

The .308 Win appeared in the scene in the late 50’s, when the .30-06 started to feel somewhat obsolete (and heavy). Its military version, the 7.62x51 NATO is the standard service ammo for many armies around the world.

Dimensions of 308 vs 30-06

Both these cartridges use a .308 inch diameter bullet, and feature a rimless, bottlenecked design. The .30-06 cartridge has an overall length of 3.34 inches, whereas the .308 Win has an OAL of 2.8 inches. This half-inch difference makes the .308 Win a lightweight and faster cycling round, but gives the .30-06 an advantage with larger case capacity to hold more powder.

Ballistics of 308 vs 30-06

The .30-06 is typically used with heavier bullet weights as compared to the .308 Win. For bullets with same weights and similar ballistic coefficients, the .30-06 has a flatter trajectory than the .308. While the difference in drop between the two isn’t much out to 450 yards, it begins to transcend into significant numbers after that.

Both of these are suitable for long range engagements, but the .30-06 with its higher velocity is a better shot.

.308 vs .30-06 Ballistics Chart

.308 Win

.30-06 Springfield

Pic Credit: Federal Premium

Barrel Life Comparison

Cartridges loaded for higher pressures eat up the barrel lining quickly. The .30-06 has a max. SAAMI pressure rating of 60,000 psi, and the .308 Win has a max. SAAMI pressure rating of 62,000 psi. The difference in their chamber pressures isn’t much, and so is the difference in their barrel lives.

Barrels for the .30-06 and .308 Win will last for about 5,000 rounds with proper cleaning and maintenance.

Ammunition Selection

Both these cartridges have been around for more than 70 years now, and never lost their fame all along. These rounds are exceptionally popular among hunters for big and medium game hunting. Plus, these rounds have also been (and still are) extensively used by many top armies around the world, so there’s a lot of R&D (research and development) put into them.

You can find a wide assortment of different types of bullets for these rounds in even the farthest of gun shops.

Rifle Selection

The .30-06 and .308 Win are long-action cartridges and have been widely used in machine guns, semi-auto, full-auto, and bolt-action rifles. There is a large assortment of rifles to choose from which includes classic and expensive models (like the M1 Garand for the .30-06) as well as latest tactical and modular platforms like the AR-10 (for the .308 Win). Although, the .308 Win certainly has an edge over the .30-06 rifles for available options.

Relevant Characteristics: .308 Win vs .30-06 Springfield

.308 Win	Specs	.30-06 Springfield
Pic Credit: Wikipedia	Cell	Pic Credit: Norma
2,820 ft/s (w/ 150 gr FMJBT)	Velocity (at muzzle)	2,910 ft/s (w/ 150 gr FMJBT)
2,648 ft-lbf (w/ 150 gr FMJBT)	Energy (at muzzle)	2,820 ft-lbf (w/ 150 gr FMJBT)
2.8”	Overall Length	3.34”
62,000 psi	Maximum Pressure	60,000 psi
125-185 gr	Common Bullet Weights	150-220 gr
1,000 yards+	Maximum Effective Range	1,000 yards

Key Differences Between 308 and 30-06

Although these cartridges use the same bullets with similar weights, their design, ballistics, and a few other factors set them wide apart. Here are a few key differences between these two.

Case Capacity & Length

The .30-06 features a 2.49 inches long case with a 68 gr capacity. The .308 Win has a 2.01 inches long case and a 56 gr capacity. While both these rounds fall in the long-action cartridge category, the .30-06 is almost half an inch longer than the .308 Win. This makes the .308 Win easier to carry and feed, and quicker to cycle in semi/full-auto guns.

Velocity and Energy

The .30-06 carries more powder than the .308 Win which allows its bullets to be propelled at higher velocities and with more energy. Although the difference is not too huge, it is enough to make a difference at long range.

Versatility

The .30-06 can handle a wider range of bullets compared to the .308 Win. The .30-06 can shoot 120 grain bullets and also the heavy 220 grains with good velocity and energy, plus everything else in between. The outstanding performance of the .308 Win is limited to the 155-180 grain bullets, and it does not perform well with heavier bullets beyond that.

Photo credit: pexels

Advantages of .30-06 Springfield

Capable of pushing heavy projectiles to long distances with good velocity
High energy even at long distances. Suitable for taking down big game at medium range
Flat long range trajectory
Wide range of ammo options. Works great with heavy grain bullets

Advantages of 308 Win

Compact and lightweight round with good hitting power
Capable of bringing down big game at appropriate range
Shorter case helps with faster cycling and easy chambering
Wide range of rifle options, including sporting rifles and the modular AR-10 platform

Use-Case Comparison: .308 Win vs .30-06 Springfield

Let’s compare these cartridges based upon their real-life applications. We’ll try to pick a winner between these two in every use-case to help you make the right decision.

Medium Game Hunting

The .30-06 is a powerful round, but it may feel like an overkill for medium game when compared with the .308 Win. Both of these are .308 caliber rounds and have the stopping power to effectively kill any medium-sized game out to 550 yards.

However, the .308 Win is a bit more controllable and offers better rifle options.

Choosing between the .30-06 and .308 Win for medium game hunting is entirely a matter of your personal preference.

Winner: Draw

Big Game Hunting

Big game such as Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, Bears etc. can weigh 500 pounds and up and require some serious stopping power for an effective kill. For example, it takes about 1,500 fpe (foot pounds of energy) to effectively kill an Elk. Additionally, these game animals are usually dangerous and cannot be hunted at close range.

So, you need a cartridge with a mix of good stopping power and effective range to hunt down big game animals. While a 165 grain .30-06 bullet carries 1,500 fpe at 500 yards, a .308 Win of the same weight holds 1,500 fpe at 400 yards. Which means that the .30-06 is a winner in terms of effective range.

Another important aspect is the availability of bullet options when hunting big game. While the .308 Win can only offer good performance with bullets up to 180 grains in weight, the .30-06 can shoot heavier bullets (up to 220 grains) with better characteristics (sectional density, momentum, etc.). . It’s not that the .308 Win is not suitable for taking down dangerous big game animals, but that the .30-06 is more definite.

Winner: .30-06

Long Range Applications

Both these rounds have an effective range of 1,000 yards, but the .30-06 with its more powder can reach longer with a comparatively higher velocity. The .30-06 has been used as a sniper rifle cartridge by the U.S Military, and so is the .308 Win.

The long range effectiveness of these cartridges is undisputed, however, the .308 Win has gained more popularity in recent times as a long-range competition/practice round compared to the .30-06.

The .30-06 has a flatter trajectory, higher velocity, and slightly longer effective range than the .308. It is a better round than the .308 for long range shooting, both on paper and in real life.

Winner: .30-06

Tactical/Combat Use

The .30-06 has been through both the World Wars and has an exceptional service record. However, it does not fit the modern context, especially with a lot of better options around. On the other hand, the .308 Win is widely used by law enforcement and militaries and fits the modern requirements for tactical use.

Winner: .308

Final Thoughts: .308 vs .30-06

The 7.62x51 NATO was created by the U.S military to basically replicate the performance of the .30-06 in a smaller package. The .308 Win is the civilian version of the 7.62x51 NATO and is seen as a smaller version of the .30-06 in terms of recoil, action size, range, and stopping power. The .308 Win can be used for long range sniping, medium/big game hunting, and it is a good tactical round too. Whereas the .30-06 is more of a classic and still preferred by purists to live the old legends.