Hilux 4x4 Forum

Looking to buy my first rifle some of my friends have 30-06 and .308, and are all ways arguing about which is better.

I have shot both and personally the .308 felt better so am leaning towards the .308 the only thing that is making me thing about the 30-06 is that loading bullets
with my friends will be easier as they have everything already and you can load a heavier bullet with the 30-06, but I don’t plan on hunting large game.

I am new to the hunting and don’t want to buy the wrong gun.

Most people say the .308 is more accurate than the 30-06 the 0.308 seems to be a bit cheaper as well.

What do the experienced hunters think?

dustbuster wrote:Looking to buy my first rifle some of my friends have 30-06 and .308, and are all ways arguing about which is better.

I have shot both and personally the .308 felt better so am leaning towards the .308 the only thing that is making me thing about the 30-06 is that loading bullets
with my friends will be easier as they have everything already and you can load a heavier bullet with the 30-06, but I don’t plan on hunting large game.

I am new to the hunting and don’t want to buy the wrong gun.

Most people say the .308 is more accurate than the 30-06 the 0.308 seems to be a bit cheaper as well.

What do the experienced hunters think?

Elke man man het sy eie voorkeure en afkeure.
Persoonlik het ek n .308 en die ding kan n tiekie op n paal afskiet op n 100 m .
Wil nie n 30-06 afkraak nie maar persoonlik dink ek daar is niks wat jy met n 30-06 kan skiet wat jy nie met n .308 kan skiet nie
My opinie

308 ammo is cheaper, they are closely matched

once you own your 30-06 you won't need to buy any additional rifles, if you reload, the ammo works out to be almost the same, maybe a little more powder.
clover leaf grouping at 100m and 2inch grouping at 200m. At least with a 30-06 you can hunt small game right through to big game depending on the weight bullet you choose, .308 restricted to 200g bullet weight, that restricts what you can hunt in the big game department.
We all start of by saying that we only want to hunt small game, but wait, the bug will get you and you will want to progress to something bigger and then you will look for a bigger rifle and because you already have a .308 you cant get another .30 cal rifle so you will need to get a .375 then the fun starts. R20-00 PLUS a round.
But there is nothing wrong with a .308, I prefer the 30-06 for the versatility.

308 is Deadly accurate and lighter to carry around the bush, 30-06 has got more power and is an excellent caliber aswell.

My advice, pick both rifles up and stroke them gently...she will tell you which to take....

In other words whichever feels more comfortable.

This is a grouping I shot on wednesday with my Old Type Musgrave 308 at 100m. Nough Said!

30.06 is much faster with a much flatter trajectory, hence IMO more accurate over longer distances. That said, the slower .308 will do less carcass damage with a 'blad' shot, while as mentioned, the 30.06 is a bit more versatile in theory, but a .308 is good for larger game as well ... I've had no problems pulling down kudu.
Either is good .... personal preference and costs is what it boils down to.

Hi Dean,

Here's my 2CW...

Having shot and hunted with almost every calibre between a .177 air rifle up to a .416 Rigby, it comes down to personal preferance.

Accuracy depends on the person behind the rifle. "Bok koors" can make you miss a barn door at 50m. Two people will shoot totally different groupings with the same rifle and loads.
Weight depends on the make and model, both guns from the same manufacturer will weigh roughly the same. A lighter gun will give a little bit more recoil. The .308 has a shorter action, 7.62X51mm(.308) vs 7.62X63mm(.30-06). The .308 will also have a little bit less recoil.

The .30-06 is +/- 200fps faster that the .308, both guns are excellent for bush and long distance. When using the .30-06 in the bush, use a 200gr bullet, instead of a 180gr for the .308. A boat tail bullet is better for long distance and this is where the .30-06 has a small advantage. I say small, because "bok koors" can make you miss a barn door at 350m, aswell. Bullet drop at 200m between the two is so small, you can almost forget about it.

If your friends have reloading equipment for the .30-06 and you are going to reload, rather go for the .30-06.

But, it is up to you. Wheter you find a .308 or .30-06 that you like and fits your budget, that will be the rifle for you.

Personally I'd go with the .308 and here's why.
1. The difference between the two is much of a muchness! The 30-06 is slightly faster but the difference in trajectory is about 2 inches at 300m! That's not much.
2. Loaded with premium grade bullets you can go as large as an eland. What more do you want?
3. Long term, reloading the .308 works out cheaper as it burns powder more efficiently and therefore needs about 10% less powder than the 30-06. This starts becoming a factor if the bug really bites and you spend hours on the range!
4. Recoil is generally less.

I would also buy my own reloading kit. Start with the dies as they aren't that expensive (around R500). That way you can set them according to your own rifles preferences and leave them that way.You can still use your mates' expensive stuff like scale (very important!), press, tumbler etc. When he's done you turn out his dies and screw yours in. Simple as that.

I would also decide on one bullet weight and use it on all your hunts. That way you get to know the trajectory intimately and don't have to re-zero every time because you have different weights/grains. I would think that a premium (monolithic) in 160 - 180g should be fairly good for most hunting applications.

The final bonus is that should you find the .308 too "light" - you have an excuse to buy a second rifle

I don't have a .308/30-06, but I do have a .22, .243, 7x64 as well as a .375 H&H

You can go to http://www.gunsite.co.za" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; if you want to read up more about this topic. Just don't ask this question - it's been asked too many times! Search it.

BenRich wrote:308 is Deadly accurate and lighter to carry around the bush, 30-06 has got more power and is an excellent caliber aswell.

My advice, pick both rifles up and stroke them gently...she will tell you which to take....

In other words whichever feels more comfortable.

This is a grouping I shot on wednesday with my Old Type Musgrave 308 at 100m. Nough Said!

NUFF SAID!

Both are great .

Love my Sako 30.06 to bits .

Small to big .

Will post pics of Rino's 180 and 220 gr recovered from zebra's on Wednesday afternoon .

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Not turning this into a p&*^%ng contest.....

Like I said....whichever is more comfortable. Go and shoot both and you'll know

BenRich wrote:Not turning this into a p&*^%ng contest.....

Like I said....whichever is more comfortable. Go and shoot both and you'll know

Ek stem 100% .

Bennie het jy K98 aksie ?

Daai groepering is om van te droom .

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

BenRich wrote:Not turning this into a p&*^%ng contest.....

Like I said....whichever is more comfortable. Go and shoot both and you'll know

?????

Die 30-06vs .308 stryery is al ouer as die hilux vs Land Rover sage.... Ten minste weet ons wie wen die 2de een....

het alles(van duiker tot eland) in my lewe geskiet met my .308 musgrave!

uiters akkuraat en lekker lig vir stap.

herlaai is goedkoper as 3006.

kyk maar waarmee skiet meeste top skuts op n skietbaan?

alle kalibers word basies "gemeet" teen .308.

maar dit bly steeds persoonlike keuse?

Dis ook hoekom 'n weermag R1 'n 7,62mm is, selfde as .308! Wat wil jy meer hê. Ek het 'n K98 Musgrave en was nog nooit spyt nie, behalwe toe ek 'n Gemsbok gaan skiet het by Witputs in NAM, ek het bok koors gehad en my afwyking was te groot op 300m, so my oom se .270 gevat en ja, einde van die storie. (eerder teleurgesteld in myself as my geweer!).

Vir die ouens wat so nukkerig is oor dustbuster se vraag! Moet eerder dan nie antwoord nie, almal weet vrae word herhaal, maar as 'n man iets wil weet en die topic was al bespreek, verwys die persoon dan soontoe! Hou op negatief wees oor mense wat wil inligting kry. Dit plaas die hele forum in 'n slegte lig vir die volgende besoeker op die site.

Nee, ek is nie 'n moderator nie, slegs 'n forum member wat alles hier geniet, maar verpes negatiewetyd!

thanks for the info guys will have to think hard about it,
the local sports shop in town has got both they have new SABATTI instock for R9500 is this a good price? and is that and okay make?

dustbuster wrote:I have shot both and personally the .308 felt better so am leaning towards the .308

You answered your own question.
The differences between the caliber's are so small, that it's almost irrelevant.

For a first rifle it is much more important that you enjoy the rifle, no point in getting a much researched rifle, going through the whole competency and application process, and end up not using it, because you dislike it.

For that matter, and depending on what you want to hunt, you may even want to consider a smaller caliber.
Much more enjoyable to shoot, and cheaper too, especially since you might be doing most of your shooting on the range, something like a .223.

Just my 2c.

Is a 243 not the minimum cal for hunting?

Baasvark wrote:Personally I'd go with the .308 and here's why.
1. The difference between the two is much of a muchness! The 30-06 is slightly faster but the difference in trajectory is about 2 inches at 300m! That's not much.
2. Loaded with premium grade bullets you can go as large as an eland. What more do you want?
3. Long term, reloading the .308 works out cheaper as it burns powder more efficiently and therefore needs about 10% less powder than the 30-06. This starts becoming a factor if the bug really bites and you spend hours on the range!
4. Recoil is generally less.

I would also buy my own reloading kit. Start with the dies as they aren't that expensive (around R500). That way you can set them according to your own rifles preferences and leave them that way.You can still use your mates' expensive stuff like scale (very important!), press, tumbler etc. When he's done you turn out his dies and screw yours in. Simple as that.

I would also decide on one bullet weight and use it on all your hunts. That way you get to know the trajectory intimately and don't have to re-zero every time because you have different weights/grains. I would think that a premium (monolithic) in 160 - 180g should be fairly good for most hunting applications.

The final bonus is that should you find the .308 too "light" - you have an excuse to buy a second rifle

I don't have a .308/30-06, but I do have a .22, .243, 7x64 as well as a .375 H&H

You can go to http://www.gunsite.co.za" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; if you want to read up more about this topic. Just don't ask this question - it's been asked too many times! Search it.

In case anyone should misunderstand my last sentence - I refer to asking this same question on gunsite. The topic has been discussed many times (on gunsite) and a simple search will reveal all the responses.

Rianc wrote:Dis ook hoekom 'n weermag R1 'n 7,62mm is, selfde as .308! Wat wil jy meer hê. Ek het 'n K98 Musgrave en was nog nooit spyt nie, behalwe toe ek 'n Gemsbok gaan skiet het by Witputs in NAM, ek het bok koors gehad en my afwyking was te groot op 300m, so my oom se .270 gevat en ja, einde van die storie. (eerder teleurgesteld in myself as my geweer!).

Vir die ouens wat so nukkerig is oor dustbuster se vraag! Moet eerder dan nie antwoord nie, almal weet vrae word herhaal, maar as 'n man iets wil weet en die topic was al bespreek, verwys die persoon dan soontoe! Hou op negatief wees oor mense wat wil inligting kry. Dit plaas die hele forum in 'n slegte lig vir die volgende besoeker op die site.

Nee, ek is nie 'n moderator nie, slegs 'n forum member wat alles hier geniet, maar verpes negatiewetyd!

Riaan, ek weet nie of jy na my verwys nie maar dalk het ek myself nie duidelik uitgedruk nie. Ek het verwys na Gunsite waar die manne krapperig (soms) kan raak as dieselfde vrae oor en oor gevra word voordat daar "gesearch" word. Jy sal sien dat ek moeite gedoen het om 'n redelike response te gee. Dit was nie my bedoeling om "krapperig" te klink nie - in teendeel, skiet en jag is een van my grootste passies en ek bespreek dit graag!

Aquanaut wrote:Is a 243 not the minimum cal for hunting?

I would suppose that would depend on what you're hunting ....... no point in using your .308 to shoot hares. I think you're correct IRO antelope hunting, but I've heard from many a farmer that they will not allow a .243 on their farms for normal hunting purposes .... some of them still even raise their eyebrows at the mention of a .270 Times have changed and so have many perspectives. Personally I think .243 calibres should be reserved for eradication of vermin like jackal and lynx, .270 for small to medium antelope while .303 .308 and 30.06 make good all-rounders with the exclusion of big game.

Aquanaut wrote:Is a 243 not the minimum cal for hunting?

It depends....

Some places allow the .243/6mm as the minimum, and others don't.

But YES, .243 is generaly considered the minimum.

.243 is good for blesbuck & smaller. The 6mm calibers generally have phenominal penetration capabilities - just depends on the quality of bullet used.

Generally speaking I agree with a .270 being a minimum caliber (as a rule of thumb).

There is an official guideline (set up by non hunters ) that the government released last year that gives the minimum calibers for the different game types. It unfortunately doesn't make total sense as they actually use grains rather than actual caliber size as the guideline.

dustbuster wrote:thanks for the info guys will have to think hard about it,
the local sports shop in town has got both they have new SABATTI instock for R9500 is this a good price? and is that and okay make?

Dustbuster...dont underestimate the second hand market. There are lots of excellent rifles floating about at great prices. I bought my Musgarve for R4000 and spent another R2500 at a gun smith and she looks like any new rifle...And its a descent make

Just take your time and shop around....most of all enjoy!

[quote="Mud Dog".270 for small to medium antelope while .303 .308 and 30.06 make good all-rounders with the exclusion of big game.[/quote]

Interesting point, Keeping in mind that the calibre that has taken more big game and big five than any other calibre ever is the .303.

Aquanaut wrote:[quote="Mud Dog".270 for small to medium antelope while .303 .308 and 30.06 make good all-rounders with the exclusion of big game.

Interesting point, Keeping in mind that the calibre that has taken more big game and big five than any other calibre ever is the .303. [/quote]
That's very possible, and believeable since the calibre has been around longer than almost any of the others and it's been the most popular over a period spanning more than a century. I have an antique cape gun, 12 bore / .303 side by side, which were popular big game weapons in their time. The .303 is still a strong contender in hunting circles, but with the choices available now, I'm sure the big game boys would rather choose something that packs a bit more of a whallop.

12bore / .303 compination. That is a beautiful collectors piece. Keep me in mind when ever you want to part with it.

Dean...Help my as ek verkeerd is, maar ek dink myne het die RSA Aksie op!

Die groepering is geskiet met 168g PMP (Target practice Bruin Boksie ammo)

Ek het my eerste bok ooit met my oom se Wilhelm Breneke 30-06 geskiet. Fantastiese geweer!

Ek het baie respek vir n 30-06, Ek het net verlief geraak op my Musgrave 308 toe ek haar sien, en n paar rand later lyk sy so...

Aquanaut wrote:12bore / .303 compination. That is a beautiful collectors piece. Keep me in mind when ever you want to part with it.

Not looking to sell just yet although I must admit that I have thought about selling off my collection ..... They're all licensed and working pieces and as such have to remain locked up ... can't display them so other that the occasional times where I get to shoot with them, I'm not really getting any enjoyment out of them any more (and they still have to be cleaned every now and so often).

BenRich wrote:Dean...Help my as ek verkeerd is, maar ek dink myne het die RSA Aksie op!

Die groepering is geskiet met 168g PMP (Target practice Bruin Boksie ammo)

Ek het my eerste bok ooit met my oom se Wilhelm Breneke 30-06 geskiet. Fantastiese geweer!

Ek het baie respek vir n 30-06, Ek het net verlief geraak op my Musgrave 308 toe ek haar sien, en n paar rand later lyk sy so...

That's a K98 action that's been modified a bit ..... the lever has been dropped and ground or has been replaced to accommodate the scope, and something has been done at the back where the safety is supposed to be. Where is the safety now?

my first rifle was a lee enfield 303 that i sported and silenced some 18 years ago and has many notches on the belt
i then purchased a CZ 300WM , only 3 years old with a descent number of notches already
my last edition to the family was a howa 270 with talon stock , still a virgin (will see about changing that this year)
all 3 rifle are running lynx scopes
i have fired a 308 on numerous occasions, very comfy
i learned to shoot in the bush with a bruno 30-06 and later a sauer 30-06 ( both my father babies)
both are nice and comfy , but as stated previously , it comes down to personal preference.
what you feel comfortable with , and what you wanna use it for

Bennie, the shank of your bolt is definitely K98 or a copy thereof. Just for interests sake here's a couple pics of my 1916 Oberndorf K98 Mauser (.308). You can enlarge these pics a bit for closer viewing.


The stock is one I made myself (the original is still in original condition).
It appears that the rear bridge on yours has been machined down .... you can see that mine has a step up. The pic doesn't show it very well but the shank of the bolt and extraction claw is the same. If you look at the rear housing of the bolt you will see the similarities in the shape as well as the difference where I have a safety catch.


From the other side ...........


.... and from the rear.

Thanks oom Andy, Now I also understand a little better

The safety has been moved to the more modern thumb operation on the right hand side of the bolt!

Now you see why I love this forum!

Hi Andy, I am looking for a .223 or a Plain .22L rifle. if you know of anyone wanting to sell, please pm me.
Anyway, here is a photo of my 30-06 with a recent face lift. Got the stock from the U.S.

Very nice! Pity they don't make left hand bolt actions as well!

Hey Andy that stock is nicely done!

I want to make a stock for my .243. Just dunno when I'm gonna get the time for it.

What wood/blank did you use ?

Mud Dog wrote:Very nice! Pity they don't make left hand bolt actions as well!

Andy, I am here to make your day, yes they do make left handed bolt actions. But as a left handed shot, I prefer a right handed bolt action, I find it easier to load.

Aquanaut wrote:

Mud Dog wrote:Very nice! Pity they don't make left hand bolt actions as well!

Andy, I am here to make your day, yes they do make left handed bolt actions. But as a left handed shot, I prefer a right handed bolt action, I find it easier to load.

Cool! I'm a righthander myself, and never actually seen a LHS bolt action ... didn't even know that they existed. So there, ... I've learned something as well.

Baasvark wrote:Hey Andy that stock is nicely done!

I want to make a stock for my .243. Just dunno when I'm gonna get the time for it.

What wood/blank did you use ?

That was supposed to be the practise stock ..... to see what it would come out like. It's Meranti (I still have the piece of Miroku I was going to use for the final stock). The only power tool I possessed at the time I made it was a drill .... I used a rasp and chisels. Talk about hand-made!). Miroku is a helluva lot harder than Meranti, so I wasn't looking forward to a repear exercise with it. So I glass bedded the action and then soaked the Meranti in polyurethane for a week, let it cure for a month or two. Everyone I spoke to at the time said that a .22 would split that stock ...... meranti wasn't suitable, so I did about 20 remte test fires .... yep, good old string and sand bags.. It's since lasted a good few hundred more fires over the last 20 odd years. :razz:

Andy how is the rifle's balance in hand? I made a stock for a pellet gun a while ago with meranti. The wood WAS soft and light! But a pleasure to work with! All I used was a hand file & a router. Still took a while though...

The balance is good .... The wood was rather light but remember it was soaked with polyurethane that was thinned down by ½, so it would have soaked in pretty far. It picked up a fair amount of weight.

and THEN there is the holy grail of calibres...........the 7x57 mauser

Digger wrote: and THEN there is the holy grail of calibres...........the 7x57 mauser

Which comes in a close second to the 7x64

A little .308 history that might help.

http://www.exteriorballistics.com/featu ... tID=308Win

Baasvark wrote:

Digger wrote: and THEN there is the holy grail of calibres...........the 7x57 mauser

Which comes in a close second to the 7x64

I actually have a 6.5 x 58 Mauser-Vergueiro (otherwise known as the Portuguese Mauser). I even have some cartridges but I'm led to believe that they have not been available for the last couple of decades, anyone know where to get? With a barrel length just under 700mm, this is one very accurate rifle.