Snipers and military marksmen often prefer the .308 Winchester (7.62x51mm NATO) over the .30-06 Springfield because it offers nearly identical ballistic performance in a smaller, more efficient package, resulting in less recoil, better rapid-fire capability, and shorter rifle actions. While the .30-06 has more power, the .308 provides superior practicality for tactical scenarios. Remington Ammunition +1
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.
The 308 Winchester generates about 14% less recoil than the 30-06 Springfield when firing similar bullet weights at relative velocities. For example, an 8-lb rifle firing a 180-grain bullet at 2,610 fps in 308 produces roughly 16 ft-lbs of recoil energy, compared to 18.5 ft-lbs for the 30-06 at 2,700 fps.
Cons - Recoil. If youre not used to shooting full sized cartridges, it can be a pretty big jump. Especially if . 223/5.56mm is all you're used to in rifles.
308 Winchester with a premium 180-grain bullet hits larger species harder than does a . 270 Winchester with a comparable 150-grain bullet, so if flexibility appeals to you, maybe the 308 Winchester should get the nod.
The 308 Winchester arrived in 1952 as the civilian market counterpart to the 7.62x51mm NATO round. Winchester developed this excellent cartridge to provide hunters and target shooters with the ballistic performance of the 30-06 Springfield in a shorter case design.
While the two calibers don't see a huge difference in recoil, the . 270 Winchester does have a lighter kick than the . 30-06 Springfield. This can impact the accuracy of your shots, especially if you are still learning how to manage recoil.
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At the present time, in both the Western world and within NATO, the 7.62×51mm is currently the primary cartridge of choice for military and police sniper rifles. Worldwide, the trend is similar. The preferred sniper cartridge in Russia is another .
For a bear cartridge anything equal to or more powerful than a . 41 Magnum or . 44 Magnum will be fine. Oldtime black bear hunters say that any load that throws at least a 200-grain or bigger solid bullet at 1000 fps or more will take any bear in the woods.
Out of an 8-pound rifle, the 30-06 will, on average, recoil about 14% harder than the 308. This may or may not matter to the shooter, but around 20-foot pounds of recoil, which is common for the 308 Winchester, has been found to be about the upper level of comfort for many shooters during sustained fire.
SWAT uses Colt M4 carbines which have replaced the Heckler & Koch MP5/10. Sniper rifles include the H-S Precision . 308 rifle which replaced the Remington 700 rifle. FBI SWAT also uses ballistic shields, stun grenades, enforcer battering rams, sledgehammers, Halligan bars, and gas masks, among other equipment.
Work that would eventually develop the 7.62×51mm NATO started just after World War I when the large, powerful .30-06 Springfield cartridge proved difficult to adapt to semi-automatic rifles. A less powerful cartridge would allow a lighter firing mechanism.
308 sniper rifle is widely acknowledged, particularly due to its remarkable ballistic performance. It delivers a high-velocity trajectory, enabling shooters to maintain accuracy over extensive distances.
a Remington Model 700, later type classified as a MK13 Mod 1, .300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifle with McMillan stock and customized barrel, which was later replaced with a .300 Winchester Magnum Accuracy International, Various rifles chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum used for long-range shooting.
45-70's original 405-grain load hits with around 1,600 foot-pounds of energy, but a modern 300-grain laid can hit with almost 3,500 foot-pounds of energy. The . 308 does have some variance to the loads, but it's not as broad as the . 45-70.
Though able to make effective use of the MK-12, Kyle more often used a similar weapon, the MK11 Special Purpose Rifle. Also known as the SR-25, the MK11 is a scaled-up version of the M16, chambered for the larger 7.62 x 51mm cartridge, known to civilian hunters as the . 308.
The HK416 has been tested by the United States military and is in use with some law enforcement agencies. Delta Force replaced its M4s with the HK416Ds in March 2005, after tests revealed that the piston operating system significantly reduces malfunctions while increasing the life of parts.
The .30-06 remained the U.S. Army's primary rifle and machine gun cartridge for nearly 50 years before being replaced in 1957 by the 7.62×51mm NATO and 5.56×45mm NATO, both of which remain in current U.S. and NATO service.
270 Winchester, introduced in 1925, thus turning 100 this year. The . 270 was an O'Connor favorite. He wrote about it a lot, especially in later years.
If you hunt in mountains or more open country the . 270 is probably the better choice; if you mix a fair amount of larger game with your deer, or you're thinking of African plains game down the road, then the . 30-06 might be better for you.
30-06 is a full 12mm longer than 7.62 NATO. M59 ball and M61 AP were able to meet and in many cases exceed the ballistic performance of M2 AP due to better projectiles and improved powders.
308 would be a great choice if you don't plan to shoot too far. I've killed many bears in Idaho with many different calibers from 243 to 7mag. I believe that you should shoot whatever you're comfortable shooting.