Free: Contests & Raffles.
b/c its a nato round, or thats the best i could tell.. i believe the 308 came around b/c they wanted 06 power in a smaller case, less brass, less money.
Sounds like you made your decision but this is the exact scenario that the 308 was designed for. It is simply a shorter round that works well in a lever action. Give you much faster follow up shots. The hunting you described screams the 308. The 308 is not the caliber the 30-06 is and wasn't intended to compete with it ever, just to fill its own niche. Go with the heavier bullet, round nose for good expansion at short range.
I can't believe that so many people suggest the 30-06 rifle. He has an 06 in bolt action and the .308 is a lever action. For me, I'd much prefer the lever action for the type of cover he is talking about........brushy w/ shots from 50 - 100 yards. The Savage would be much lighter and easier to get on target for a quick shot.
Now everybody has been touting heavy bullets for the .308 Win, and that's fine, you'll get no real argument from me within reason and especially at short range. But the reality is, bullet weight is just one factor. Velocity plays a big role as well. The .308 Win has only so much case capacity for powder. According to my Sierra reloading manual (3rd addition), a 150 grain bullet loaded to max load will exit the barrel at approx 2900 feet per second for a energy rating of 2801 foot pounds. 2801 ft/lbs is the key number here. Max load for a 165 grain bullet = 2700 fps @ 2670 ft/lbs., 180 grain 2600 fps @ 2701 ft/lbs., 200 grain 2450 fps @ 2665 ft/lbs.. One could argue that the heavier bullets may retain slightly more energy at distance than lighter bullets. I don't know if that argument is valid, I suspect it is not. What I DO know is at the muzzle, the 150 grain bullet has the most energy and IMO, the inreased recoil of the heavier bullets in this caliber is not justified by the performance assuming a well designed hunting bullet is used.Jeff
I have a savage model 99 in 308 and a springfield 30/06 but im not sure which one would be better for bears. I can shoot both of these rifles very well and will be hunting in thick timber where shots range from 50 to 100 yards. Which rifle would you think is best suitable?
For crimeny sakes. Based on the original question (shooting a bear at close range) there's gonna be 0 difference in the effectiveness between a 308 and a 30-06. The bear will die equally well assuming a good shot is made.