I know this has been debated a million times but I just bought a 30-06 and my buddy is telling me I should have gone with the 308 bc in his opinion its better for Texas. Honestly should I have gone with the 308?

Ooooohhh. Thats a thorny one. its really a matter of opinion. the .308 can do pretty much anything the /06 can do. I just like the flexibility of the /06, because I hand load my own so I can load it up or down to cover anything from varmints to elk size game or beyond. No, you didn't make a mistake. You bought arguably the finest hunting calibers in the world.

Not much difference really. Anything from 243 to 338 will kill anything in Texas. We all have our favorites. If your proud of it and shoot it well it doesn't matter what everybody else shoots. Good luck!

No you didn't make a mistake but I think..not an expert..that 308 has better ballistics.

For most hunting situations they are virtually identical, except a 30-06 is a tad faster and it tends to do better if you need to push a little more lead.

For long range competition .308 has a time proven advantage over the 30-06.

Short action .308 rifles tend to be smaller and lighter than a long action counter parts.

.308 has more military surplus ammo available.

And for the record, I have two 30-06s in my safe and will not have a .308 until I get down to the AR10(ish) line item on my gun wish list. Quite a few still ahead of it though.

-ww

Well said.
In 70's the 30-06 was an undisputed king on Texas hunting lands and on the shooting ranges. Then the tide turned to a new modern ammo. But the glory of 30-06 never realy died.
Myself, I never owned 30-06 since I did not see any reason to bruise my shoulder on the range for no reason. Got.308 Husqvarna Lightweight instead and was always very pleased with it.

Would you happen to have access to any DATA to back up that assertion?

The .308 and 30-06 are as close to one other as phuck is to swearing. Go with the one that makes your nipples hard, just on looks alone.
Though in saying that, lots of Krauts and Japs hate the '06 for some reason....

Wrong, the 06 achieves more velocity with the same bullet which yeilds better ballistics.

Here's a link that says they are pretty much the same as far as accuracy is concerned as well.

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2011/04/cartridges-sibling-rivalry-308-vs-30-06.html

In all reality either are great hunting rounds and very close when factory ammo is concerned and bullets under 175 are used over that the 06 pulls away.

Dee, that is a great read. I would love to have the time (and tallent) to shoot competitively like that.

No kidding I'd be stoked if I could shoot that good especially with open sights.

This has always been a Ford/Chevy Blonds/Brunettes question.

The .30-06 has more potential for the handloader than the .308 does but for hunting purposes there is no real, practical difference until you start using 180-grain and heavier bullets. If you shoot factory ammo only, choose the rifle you like better without regard to the cartridge.

6 of one, half dozen of the other as far as most hunting applications go. I own both and use them interchangeably for general hunting duties. They are both winners..you made a fine choice.

If you are a ballistics table thumper the 30-06 holds a little more powder, produces a little more velocity, has a little more recoil in equal weight rifles, and in most factory rifles has a little faster twist barrel allowing the use of slightly heavier bullets. You would be hard pressed to prove any difference in true terminal performance when in the field.

Well, it depends what do you mean by DATA.
That round's popularity is well anchored in the hunting public trough out the nation. Everybody knows that. It originated in the war. As far as new calibers coming to replace it in many hunting household, be it 7mm, 300win, 7-08, 25-06 etc., when people started looking to fine tune their personal needs, everybody who visited gun show, gun shops and shooting ranges on the regular basis knows about the turning tide. I do not need a "DATA" and I especially don't need to argue with a total stranger. Clear enough?

Sorry, Whisker, but I've read your post 3 times, and it gets less clear with each reading.

"anchored in the public hunting trough..." Are you talking about welfare here?

"It originated in the war." What war? 1906 in the case of the .30-06.

"many hunting household..." Your household?

"everybody who visited gun show..." Which gun show? It must have been a watershed event, for sure.

"the turning tide..." An Alabama fan, perhaps?

"Clear enough?" Your DATA is clear as mud to me; I don't know whether you're a fan of the -06 or '08, to be frank.

Full disclosure: I own and shoot both cartridges.

Like them both, own both, and shoot both.

Data means facts. Facts like sales data from manufacturers or retailers. Not idle inferences based on one man's observation of his friends.

I believe it was W. Edwards Deming who stated that, "without data, you are just a schmuck with an opinion".

What is clear, my friend, is that you present your "guesses" or your "Opinions" as fact, with absolutely no data to back them up.

What is clearly NOT clear, is your rambling, pointless, obtuse response.

Sure, the good ol' ought six is and has been for many years, one of the most popular cartridges around. But to proclaim it as "the undisputed king" is pretty silly. And that "everybody...knows about the turning tide...

Hint: don't every try to be an engineer, or enter a debate.

[quote=dawabaSorry, Whisker, but I've read your post 3 times, and it gets less clear with each reading.
"Clear enough?" Your DATA is clear as mud to me; I don't know whether you're a fan of the -06 or '08, to be frank.

Full disclosure: I own and shoot both cartridges. [/quote]
"Clear enough?" meant that I am not interested in a pissing match with a total stranger.
BTW,if you don't understand my statement, after reading it 3 times in the row, maybe you have problem reading or retention of information, or both. It is not my problem.
I am not interested in your immature, condescending remarks.

Dude! let it go!

You are right my friend, in the most part. You wrote it in a better perspective. I should have said the "king in the minds" of the immense population of hunters, including those that just tell their stories from the rocking chair. Back in my younger days the round was still worshiped. When I aquired my .308 Husky Lightweight a lot of people asked me why I did not get the "real thing" instead.
As far as your hint goes, I am an engineer and I have spent my life on construction projects all over the country including 3 years on Alaska Pipeline. So next time save your advice about "entering debate". It sounds immature. You may just be the age of my kids.
Have a good season!

Ok, fair enough. I hereby withdraw my smart-aleck comment. It's just in my experience, most engineers like data, and are reluctant to express an opinion unless they have data to base it on.

And no, I'm a liitle old to be your son, shot my first deer in '55.