How close does .303 compare to 30-06 which is the best?

[Tim Ault]

Old old post but . iMHO the the 06 can do everything 303 can do the reverse can't be claimed .yeah yeah the 303 has taken African game so has the various 6.5mm rounds same for the 7x57 if used back then the 06 could take those same animals and also wound just as many as the others have . This whole thing is the same old campfire talk as which is better the 30-30 vs the 32 spl . They are both similar well ok a huge .004" difference and ones a few MM longer ,like I first said whatever the 303 can do the the 30-06 can do just a bit better in all aspects. This if from a purely ballistic and loading standpoint not a which gun is better for whatever argument . I've owned shot and reloaded both in military dress and can say Both do what they suppose to in the game field or the battle field .

[Pete D.]

Guns....remember this?
WW1....bolt guns
The British made the best battle rifle.
The Germans made the best hunting rifle.
The Americans made the best target rifle.

[RockIsland]

I'd be happy if some affordable quality surplus ammo became available for either one again.

[Tim Ault]

I'd be happy if some affordable quality surplus ammo became available for either one again.

There's still hope for 30-06 but for the 303 is pretty much dried up unless someone stumbles on a forgotten cave stacked full of it in one of the British colonies somewhere . Your best bet is get into reloading for it

[GeneCC]

There's still hope for 30-06 but for the 303 is pretty much dried up unless someone stumbles on a forgotten cave stacked full of it in one of the British colonies somewhere . Your best bet is get into reloading for it

Military rounds? Most of them are probably Berdan primed rounds. The 303 British was abandoned years ago.

FWIW - I've managed to get surplus 7.7 Arisaka from the 1940s. I pulled them down. Some of the propellant had an orange color or had orange flecks in it. If I don't know how the stuff was stored I wouldn't trust it.

[GeneCC]

One of my colleagues is from Northern Italy. He told me that the British gave the Ethiopians SMLEs. They gave them 303 British Mark I rounds. Quite a few were dum dum bullets.

The Italians were pissed about it.

[SaraMaru60]

As far as the ridicules argument of how vast the British Empire was and they all used the 303... well most of them were and STILL ARE 3rd world countries and they kept free surplus junk. Damn shame, Brits left behind fine obsolete battle rifles and they would have done the same with dental care... if they had known about it. I'll take the 06 any day over any other WW2 cartridge. Why go back to something that mirrors the 30/40 other than for fun and nostalgia?

[raxar]

This thread didn't need to be necro'd the first time, but I guess at least I can wish it a happy 7th birthday

[Buckeye63]

I have a unmolested #4 Enfield... I have had it for just over 30yrs .. I have taken a few whitetail and several Dog-yotes ...I used 303 British 180gr Winchester SP ...
I mever recovered a bullet from anything ... .311 bullet hole going in much bigger hole going out ...

I can't imagine 30-06 doing any better ...
I remember when Hornady produed a 303 British in 150gr SP
In there "Light Magnum " line a few years back .. If Im not mistaken it was almost identical to 308 Winchester

[Buckeye63]

I have a #4 Enfield... hasn't been cut .. Still all Milsurp... purchased at a LGS in 1988 for $80.00 ...
Killed several whitetails and a passel of Dogyotes..... For Whitetail I used Winchester 180gr SP .... For Dogyotes... Some unknown FMJ ...Great rifle ...
I wonder just how many animals in Africa,Canda , New Zealand , Australia & India has been brought down by the ole 303