Never realized how little difference
there is, ballistically between the 30.06 and the 7.62x51/.308? Was reading an article that showing bullet drop and other specs between the two and in most cases, with the same bullet the .308 is about 100fps slower. Never realized they were that close. The 30.06 has been my top center fire for decades and that won't change now but I do have more respect for the .308.
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Humm, I would have thought the ballistic difference would have been greater, too.
However, since you brought up this topic, sort of, I have a question about .308 and 7.62x51. Are they the same exact cartridge and can be safely used interchangeably? The reason I ask is that I have a rifle marked .308 and was wondering if I can use 7.62x51 in it, also.
I know you aren't supposed to use 5.56 in a rifle marked .223, and was wondering if the same thing applies to .308?
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I too was surprised as I have always been a big fan of 30-06.
As for the .308 vs 7.62x51 it is the opposite of the 5.56 vs .223. The .308 is the slightly higher pressure round so barrels marked .308 are ok to use both but barrels marked 7.62 NATO are supposedly not.
Okay. Great, thanks. Nice to know.Originally Posted by imanaknut
"Valar morghulis; valar dohaeris."
Commucrats are most efficient at converting sins and crimes to accidents or misunderstandings.-Oswald Bastable
Making good people helpless won't make bad people harmless.
Freedom isn't free.
"Attitude is the paintbrush that colors our world." TV Series, Haven.
My Spirit Animal has rabies.
I'd rather be an American than a Democrat.
"If you can make a man afraid, you can control him" Netflix Series, The Irregulars
think of the size/weight gain all rifles in 30-06 would have been if the switch to 7.62 wasnt made. Most of them would have broken that 10lb empty limit .
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Yeah, I realized it when I was getting into the FALs and reloading for them. The only real difference is when you get up to the very heavy bullets, then the 30-06 starts to really out stretch the 308.
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This was always my understanding as well. The 150 grainers are about identical, but you can get much heavier .30-06 rounds, which are completely useless in my "area of operation."
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Agreed, the .30-06 cartridge case is huge and doesn't provide any benefit in a military application where light bullets are used.
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Is the difference because of improved powder performance? Newer powders allowed for similar performance from a smaller casing, or less powder needed to produce similar ballistics between the two?
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You really do not need the 30-06 until you get over 180 grains....
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Yes the two are pretty close in performance up to 175 gr. bullets. That is the weight most of the self loading rifle designs; M1A / M14, A10's and FAL rifles are limited to. Their systems can't take the recoil energy strain of heavier bullet weights. The back of the M1A receiver can be broken out by shooting heavier bullets. A bolt action OTOH shouldn't be limited by those issues. But even so the smaller capacity will eventually limit the use of heavier bullets.
My favorite reach out and touch someone has been a Remington 7400, which according to Remington was the first semi-auto designed to safely fire a 30-06 loaded with a 220 gr. bullet. In my previous life (land owned before child) I had the ok from the farmer behind me to set up a target in his field, which from my porch measured 500 yards. I had a lot of fun plinking at that range. Most of the ammo I used was 180 gr. For an auto-loader, that 7400 is an amazingly accurate rifle.
Never got the opportunity to try it out with the approved 220 gr. round, but with 180s it never hiccuped. Also perceived recoil was very pleasant, mainly a gentle shove as opposed to the slap my bolt action 30-06 pounded me with.
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