308 vs 300 WM vs 30.06 Question

[davidjoe]

A .308’s ballistics equal a .300 Win Mag’s if fired something like 200-300 yards closer to the target, I believe. If .308’s would damage far too much meat at very close range, a 300 mag would need hundreds of yards not to do the same thing.

 

[Yamess191]

All mentioned cartridges work great on deer at appropriate range. I like 25-06 for deer season, .308 for more brush during deer season so I can run a heavier bullet, and a 300 rum for elk. My 308 and 300 rum have muzzle brakes so I can actually shoot more than one shoot out of them while practicing while the 25-06 I can go through a box of ammo before the recoil starts to effect me. I say use the smallest caliber that gets the job done so you can practice more in the off season.

(I am a varmint hunter at heart and love shooting 17/20/22 rim and center fires so to me my big game rifles aren’t much fun to shoot, unless I see a critter in the cross hairs!)

 

[RustyPin]

500 Yard Deer Gun? Why Sir you are speaking of the 7mm Remington Magnum, available at all retail outlets where guns & ammo are sold.

 

[284winner]

I’m new to hunting not to shooting. I want to purchase a deer hunting rifle that represents the best chance for success from a caliber perspective.

Please let me know what caliber is the best (if that’s possible). I’m open to any and all feedback.

Thanks!

The .308 is the most versatile of the 3 plus cheapest and easiest to load. Low recoil, easy on barrels and plenty of rifle out and beyond 500 yards. It would be my choice and I own the other two cartridges. With today's premium bullets and powders, the .308 is IMO a no brainier. If your serious about 1000 yard shooting and it may consume the majority of barrel wear other than hunting, you may consider the 300 WSM. Sounds like your looking at three .30 caliber options and the 300 WSM may be an option rather than the 300 WM. The .308 is a 1000 yard competitor also. I shoot 168 TMKs thru my .308 at 2880 fps with phenomenal accuracy. Killed some deer around the 600 yard line very efficiently. Never shot it at 1000 yards, only 800 but I'd use it easily at 1000 yards in steel or targets. Not game.

 

[284winner]

30-06, it has more nuts than a 308 and almost as much as a 300WM, and you dont have to deal with the belted case.
You can load it up for the big game or down for smaller animals.
Personally I've never owned a 308 or a 300WM. Never seen the need given the versatility of the 06'.

The .308 is to the 30-06 what the 30-06 is to the 300 WM performance wise. They are about 150 fps/ft lbs different from the next cartridge. The 30/06 isn't any closer in performance to the 300 WM than the 308 is to the 30/06. They all kill deer the same. Range is the only factor in that formula. Sounds like the OP wants a 500 yard Max deer gun and/or possibly a 1000 yard target alternative. The latter opens up the field but doesn't by no means leave out the .308.

 

[Webster]

I’m new to hunting not to shooting. I want to purchase a deer hunting rifle that represents the best chance for success from a caliber perspective.

Please let me know what caliber is the best (if that’s possible). I’m open to any and all feedback.

Thanks!

You can always load a 30-06 down to 308 numbers.

 

[A_Gamehog]

I’ve owned all three, killed deer with all three, only rifle for deer to me is the .308.
The .308 with a 130 gr Barnes TTSX with XBR8208 is going 3200+ FPS kills like lightning. I feel it’s too light for elk though, Col. Cooper might laugh at that though.

 

[284winner]

I’ve owned all three, killed deer with all three, only rifle for deer to me is the .308.
The .308 with a 130 gr Barnes TTSX with XBR8208 is going 3200+ FPS kills like lightning. I feel it’s too light for elk though, Col. Cooper might laugh at that though.

A 130 in the .308 vs a 130 in a .277 is quite a difference in many ways. The 130 grain .30 caliber bullet is not an optimal choice for game much larger than whitetail. The 130 in a .270 is in fact just fine for Elk. That said, a 140/150 is better.

 

[CharlieNC]

Call me Capt Obvious, but all three shoot the same exact bullets. So it only boils down to the impact velocity needed for proper bullet performance, such that the maximum effective distance is the primary criteria for your choice. I can load my short barrel 308 to within 250fps of my average 300WM load using the same bullet, such that the terminal ballistics of both are acceptable within my self imposed 500yd maximum when hunting. The ergonomics of the short action/short barrel 308 are more preferable to me. Increasing powder quickly reaches a point of diminishing returns, especially when high recoil begins to offset the moderate velocity benefit. So the primary consideration should be based on the maximum range which you plan to hunt.

 

[2506]

I have killed hundreds of white tail deer over the past 50 years of which 15 years I did crop damage control. I have killed them with about 60% of everything between a sharp stick to a 45-70. Just get you a 25-06 and shoot hunting constructed bullets from 100 grs up to 120 grs and be done with it. It is the deer killingest round I have ever shot. I prefer the 117 Sierra and if you put it where it needs to go over 90% of the time they are laying where they were standing at the shot and the rest are not too far away.

 

[matthias]

I had been wrestling with the OPs deer rifle question. I decided on the 3006. Middle of the road. Can be loaded very close to the other two.

Rem 700 long action, shilen 1-10 twist, sendero contour. Bell and carleson m40 stock. Timney trigger. Leupold 4x14.

 

[sw282]

First sentence, "a deer hunting rifle".

Thirty Thirty

 

[cjames]

I've said it on here before. All you really need to hunt in North America is a 12GA, 22 LR, and a 30-06 and your covered. But what fun is that. The 30-06 is my "if I had to have one rifle" for North America caliber. For Texas where I live and hunt it would be a 270 Win. Although, I have probably shot more critters with a 06 than all the other center fires rifles I have due to killing pigs. I've owned a 300WM, still own an 06 and 308. 30-06 is what I would pic out of the three myself. Now for a strictly deer rifle my #1 pick is a 270 Win and then probably a 7mm-08.

 

[ebb]

you left out the best one in the 30 caliber bracket. get a 300WSM and be done with it

 

[RegionRat]

I say get all three... see which one you shoot the best...

Then, on opening day, come back and tell us which one you picked.

I use .30-06, but that’s just because I don’t like humping a 300 mag up the mountains.

 

[Billy 30-06]

Looks like a lot of 06 shooters. You would be able to find ammo for the .308 and 30-06 just about any where before the pandemic. If you don't want to work up a load you can find a factory load that will shoot in either. The .308 can be made a bit shorter and lighter and still be comfortable to shoot. My Gre-Tan built 06 is very comfortable to shoot but it weighs #8 with out the scope. I don't have any trouble carrying this rifle but mostly hunt from a stand.

 

[Siko12]

A 180 grain accubond launched at 2700 fps from a .308 is till going over 2000 fps at 400 yards which leaves plenty of speed for the bullet to expand.

Have taken caribou and moose both at or just a bit beyond 400 yards with a .308 and it certainly does the trick. Haven't killed an elk though so maybe it wouldn't work.

 

[Billy 30-06]

For deer, hogs and coyotes around here my load in my Gre-Tan 06 is the Nosler 165gr BT @ 2880 fps. This is not a good coyote load if you want to save the pelt. My other 06 I use Hornady Precision Hunter with 178gr ELD-X. Both loads are devastating on deer but will destroy a coyote.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

30-06. The only clear choice.