What's your favorite .30 rifle

[yorketransport]

No question, the 30-06. It works from coyotes to elephants and everything inbetween. It is literally the most versatile cartridge ever developed.

I think almost any of the 375s would beat the 30-06 in every conceivable way in every category and actually be legal for every use.

alas Andrew, the thread is on 30 calibers😊

Yes it is, but it’s hard to ignore a comment claiming that the 30-06 is “literally the most versatile cartridge ever developed”. I would love to hear a rational argument backing up that statement.

The ‘06 is in the running for the most overrated cartridge ever, right there with the 308 and 223.

[WapitiTalk1]

York, I know you’re X50 smarter on boom stick ballistics than I am, but why did the US Army (and even other countries, barf) use the 7.62, AKA. .308 as the preferred sniper caliber with such lethality for so many, many years if it wasn’t efficient? In Vietnam, they say that the two factors that the VC feared most was our attack choppers and the accuracy of those damn 5.56/AKA .223 M16s.

[mountainman]

The ops post is not the "best", the "fastest,, the most over-rated..it's "What's your favorite 30 caliber rifle"

[JimmyHoffa]

I think the 12 gauge might be a bit more versatile.

[yorketransport]

The ops post is not the "best", the "fastest,, the most over-rated..it's "What's your favorite 30 caliber rifle"

There’s a big difference between “my favorite is...” and “the best ever is...”.  Everyone believes that their favorite is the best because it’s their favorite. A guy will get all worked up when somebody says the Creedmoor is the greatest cartridge ever designed and then go on and use the same hyperbolic speech to say the 308/30-06 or some other “classic” is the best thing ever. Tenure doesn’t directly correlate to quality or performance, but neither does popularity or prevalence.

York, I know you’re X50 smarter on boom stick ballistics than I am, but why did the US Army (and even other countries, barf) use the 7.62, AKA. .308 as the preferred sniper caliber with such lethality for so many, many years if it wasn’t efficient? In Vietnam, they say that the two factors that the VC feared most was our attack choppers and the accuracy of those damn 5.56/AKA .223 M16s.

All of the former/current military rounds are popular because they were standardized and made readily available. They were only adopted because somebody felt it was the best balance between cost, weight, size, performance, availability (and the proper amount of back room negotiation) to meet the needs at that time. I would give more credit to the platforms the rounds are fired from than the cartridges themselves.

[Jolten]

York, I know you’re X50 smarter on boom stick ballistics than I am, but why did the US Army (and even other countries, barf) use the 7.62, AKA. .308 as the preferred sniper caliber with such lethality for so many, many years if it wasn’t efficient? In Vietnam, they say that the two factors that the VC feared most was our attack choppers and the accuracy of those damn 5.56/AKA .223 M16s.

The military considered the 30-06 the upper recoil limit that most soldiers would be able to handle and maintain accuracy.

308 was developed for easier cycling in automatic/semi automatic cycling weapon systems.

5.56 soldiers could carry more ammo in the field for equal weight.

Could be wrong.

[konradcountry]

York, I know you’re X50 smarter on boom stick ballistics than I am, but why did the US Army (and even other countries, barf) use the 7.62, AKA. .308 as the preferred sniper caliber with such lethality for so many, many years if it wasn’t efficient? In Vietnam, they say that the two factors that the VC feared most was our attack choppers and the accuracy of those damn 5.56/AKA .223 M16s.

The military considered the 30-06 the upper recoil limit that most soldiers would be able to handle and maintain accuracy.

308 was developed for easier cycling in automatic/semi automatic cycling weapon systems.

5.56 soldiers could carry more ammo in the field for equal weight.

Could be wrong.

You can see why the military went with 556 by simply watching people shoot AR10s at a range.

Even with a brake and in a sitting position I see people having a hard time with the recoil. Those AR10 brakes are friggin loud as well.

In a 200 yard standoff with average soldiers I would easily bet on the guy with the 556. Less recoil, more ammo, faster followup.

[b23]

The ops post is not the "best", the "fastest,, the most over-rated..it's "What's your favorite 30 caliber rifle"

True, BUT!, when someone says "No question, the 30-06. It works from coyotes to elephants and everything inbetween. It is literally the most versatile cartridge ever developed." you've got to know there will be some rebuttal coming for a statement like that.

[Bullkllr]

The ops post is not the "best", the "fastest,, the most over-rated..it's "What's your favorite 30 caliber rifle"

True, BUT!, when someone says "No question, the 30-06. It works from coyotes to elephants and everything inbetween. It is literally the most versatile cartridge ever developed." you've got to know there will be some rebuttal coming for a statement like that.

True. Especially when the LAWS rocket is clearly more versatile; works on anything from mice to tanks... 

[bobcat]

The headstamp on a cartridge isn't that important. 308 Win., 30/06 Springfield, 300 WSM, 300 Win. Mag, and others, will all work just great on taking big game animals and out to 300 yard or so, and there is not much advantage of one over any of the others.

The question here was "your favorite 30 caliber rifle" and out of the four .30 rifles I have in my safe I said my Husqvarna in 30/06 was my favorite. Not because of the cartridge it shoots, just that it's a cool rifle made in 1951 and is higher quality than many of the rifles made today. I've never even hunted with it, but I intend to. If it was a 308 Winchester it would still be the same rifle.

So anyway, I took the question to mean what is your favorite "rifle," not what is your favorite 30 caliber cartridge.

[Stein]

The ops post is not the "best", the "fastest,, the most over-rated..it's "What's your favorite 30 caliber rifle"

True, BUT!, when someone says "No question, the 30-06. It works from coyotes to elephants and everything inbetween. It is literally the most versatile cartridge ever developed." you've got to know there will be some rebuttal coming for a statement like that.

Agreed, there are rebuttals when people say the earth is round too.

[Bob33]

How about getting back to expressing opinions about favorite .30 calibers?

[Pegasus]

Thompson Icon TC-30. Ballistics match or best the 30-06 with standard rounds but with a lot less recoil. Unfortunately ammo is not cheap but with the reduced recoil my arthritic shoulder thinks the high priced bullets are worth it. No longer in production after TC sold out and the 6.5 Creedmoor came along.

[BULLBLASTER]

How about getting back to expressing opinions about favorite .30 calibers?

My favorite 30 caliber is way more better than your favorite 30 caliber!



Is that what you mean? 

[yorketransport]

The ops post is not the "best", the "fastest,, the most over-rated..it's "What's your favorite 30 caliber rifle"

True, BUT!, when someone says "No question, the 30-06. It works from coyotes to elephants and everything inbetween. It is literally the most versatile cartridge ever developed." you've got to know there will be some rebuttal coming for a statement like that.

Agreed, there are rebuttals when people say the earth is round too.

You better believe it; I'm sick of all the "round earthers" spewing their lies all the time! If Earth were really round, when people in Australia fire a gun the bullets would wouldn't drop at greater distances, they'd rise because they're falling up. People believe the stupidest things.......

How about getting back to expressing opinions about favorite .30 calibers?

My favorite 30 caliber is way more better than your favorite 30 caliber!



Is that what you mean? 

My favorite 30 caliber is the 309 JDJ because it's the biggest of all the 30 calibers; .309 is larger than .300 so the JDJ is bigger and better than the 300 Win Mag. Take that!