When it comes to hunting and target shooting, the 300 Savage and 308 have been two of the most popular rifle cartridges for decades.
Both cartridges have been used by hunters and target shooters for their accuracy, power, and affordability. The 300 Savage is a rimless, bottlenecked centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Savage Arms in 1920. It is based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge, but with a shorter case and a slightly larger bullet.
The 308, also known as the 7.62x51mm NATO, is a rimless, bottlenecked rifle cartridge developed by the United States in 1952. It is based on the .308 Winchester cartridge, but with a slightly shorter case and a slightly larger bullet. Both cartridges have been popular among hunters and target shooters, and both offer a great combination of accuracy, power, and affordability.
300 savage vs 308: What’s the Difference?
1. History
The 300 Savage and 308 Winchester are two popular rifle cartridges that have been around for many years. The 300 Savage was introduced in 1920 by Savage Arms Company, while the 308 Winchester was developed in 1952 by Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Both cartridges are popular for hunting and target shooting, and they have a long history of use in the United States.
The 300 Savage is a rimless, bottlenecked cartridge with a maximum pressure of 46,000 psi, while the 308 Winchester is a rimless, bottlenecked cartridge with a maximum pressure of 62,000 psi.
The 300 Savage has a slightly lower muzzle velocity than the 308 Winchester, but is still capable of taking down medium-sized game. The 308 Winchester is a more powerful cartridge and is capable of taking down larger game. Both cartridges are popular choices for hunters and target shooters alike.
2. Cartridge Design
Both cartridges offer great performance and accuracy, but there are some key differences in their design that make them suited for different applications. The 300 Savage was developed in 1920 as a replacement for the .30-30 Winchester. It is a rimless, bottlenecked cartridge, with a case length of 2.5 inches and a bullet diameter of .308 inches.
It is capable of firing bullets up to 180 grains in weight, and offers a muzzle velocity of 2,400 to 2,700 feet per second. It is typically used for medium game hunting, such as deer and antelope. The 308 was developed in 1952 as a military cartridge, and is based on the 300 Savage design.
It is a rimless, bottlenecked cartridge, with a case length of 2.8 inches and a bullet diameter of .308 inches. It is capable of firing bullets up to 175 grains in weight, and offers a muzzle velocity of 2,700 to 3,000 feet per second. It is typically used for larger game hunting, such as elk and moose.
Overall, the 300 Savage and the 308 are both great cartridges for hunting, but they are designed for different purposes. The 300 Savage is best suited for medium game hunting, while the 308 is best suited for larger game hunting.
3. Ballistics
The 300 Savage and 308 are two very popular and powerful calibers for hunting and target shooting. Both cartridges are capable of delivering excellent accuracy and ballistics. The 300 Savage is a .30 caliber cartridge that was introduced in 1920 by Savage Arms. It is based on the .303 Savage, which was the first commercial rimless .30 caliber cartridge ever produced.
The 300 Savage has a case length of 2.5 inches and a maximum pressure of 48,000 psi. It is capable of propelling a 150 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,640 fps with 2,068 ft-lbs of energy.The 308 Winchester is a .30 caliber cartridge that was introduced in 1952 by Winchester.
It is based on the .308 Winchester, which was developed from the military’s 7.62x51mm NATO round. The 308 Winchester has a case length of 2.015 inches and a maximum pressure of 62,000 psi. It is capable of propelling a 150 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2,820 fps with 2,639 ft-lbs of energy.
When it comes to ballistics, the 300 Savage and 308 Winchester are quite similar. They both have excellent accuracy, and they both deliver good terminal performance on medium-sized game. The 300 Savage is slightly slower than the 308 Winchester, but it is still more than capable of taking down deer and other medium-sized game.
Ultimately, the choice between the two cartridges comes down to personal preference.
4. Availability
The 300 Savage is a classic cartridge that has been around since 1920. It is widely available in most gun stores, and can be found in both modern and vintage firearms. The 308 Winchester, on the other hand, is a newer cartridge that was introduced in 1952.
It is also widely available and can be found in most gun stores, as well as in a variety of modern firearms. Both cartridges are also available in a variety of factory-loaded ammunition.
5. Cost
The 300 Savage is generally cheaper than the 308. The 300 Savage is available in a variety of rifles, including the Savage Model 99, and can be found for around $500 to $700. The 308 is more expensive, with a rifle typically costing around $800 to $1,000.
Ammunition is also more expensive for the 308, costing around $1.50 to $2.00 per round, compared to the 300 Savage which usually runs around $1.00 per round.
6. Overall Performance
The 300 Savage and the 308 are two popular rifle cartridges that are used for hunting and target shooting. Both cartridges are well-known for their accuracy and power, and both are capable of taking down large game. The 300 Savage has a slightly longer case length than the 308, and is a more powerful round. The 300 Savage is also capable of delivering higher velocities than the 308.
In terms of overall performance, the 300 Savage is slightly more powerful than the 308, and is capable of delivering higher velocities. However, the 308 is a more accurate round and is easier to reload than the 300 Savage. The 300 Savage is also more expensive than the 308, which may be a consideration for some shooters.
Ultimately, the choice between the two cartridges will come down to personal preference and what the shooter is looking to get out of their rifle.

Similarities
The 300 Savage and 308 are two popular rifle cartridges that are often compared. While they are both great cartridges for hunting and target shooting, they have some distinct differences.The 300 Savage is an older cartridge, first introduced in 1920, while the 308 was introduced in 1952. The 300 Savage is a rimless, bottleneck cartridge with a .300 inch bullet diameter, while the 308 is a rimless, bottleneck cartridge with a .308 inch bullet diameter.
The 300 Savage is a shorter cartridge than the 308, with a case length of 2.015 inches compared to the 2.015 inches of the 308. The 300 Savage has a maximum pressure of 42,000 psi, while the 308 has a maximum pressure of 62,000 psi.The 300 Savage is a more powerful cartridge than the 308, with a muzzle velocity of 2,400 feet per second compared to the 2,800 feet per second of the 308.
The 300 Savage is also a flatter shooting cartridge than the 308, with a maximum range of 1,500 yards compared to the 1,000 yards of the 308.Overall, the 300 Savage and 308 are both great cartridges for hunting and target shooting, but they have some distinct differences. The 300 Savage is a shorter, more powerful cartridge with a flatter trajectory, while the 308 is a longer, less powerful cartridge with a shorter range.
300 Savage is sharing custody of the 308
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference in performance between the 300 Savage and the 308?
The 300 Savage was introduced in 1920 and is based on the .30-06 Springfield case necked down to .308 caliber. The 308 Winchester was introduced in 1952 and is based on the .308 Winchester case.The 300 Savage is a short action cartridge with a case length of 2.015 inches, while the 308 Winchester is a long action cartridge with a case length of 2.015 inches.
The 300 Savage has a maximum pressure of 46,000 psi, while the 308 Winchester has a maximum pressure of 62,000 psi.The 300 Savage is a slower cartridge than the 308 Winchester, with a muzzle velocity of 2,400 fps compared to the 308 Winchester’s muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps. The 300 Savage has a flatter trajectory than the 308 Winchester, with a maximum point blank range of 250 yards compared to the 308 Winchester’s maximum point blank range of 300 yards.
In terms of accuracy, the 300 Savage is known for its excellent accuracy, while the 308 Winchester is known for its superior accuracy. The 300 Savage is also known for its mild recoil, while the 308 Winchester has a more noticeable recoil.
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each cartridge?
Advantages of 300 Savage:
1. The 300 Savage is a great choice for hunting medium to large game, as it has a flatter trajectory and more energy than the .308.
2. The 300 Savage is also a great choice for long-range shooting, as it has a longer barrel life and is more accurate than the .308.
3. The 300 Savage is also a great choice for reloading, as it is easy to find components and is more economical than the .308.
Disadvantages of 300 Savage:
1. The 300 Savage is not as widely available as the .308, so it may be more difficult to find ammunition for it.
2. The 300 Savage is not as powerful as the .308, so it may not be the best choice for hunting large game.
3. The 300 Savage is not as accurate as the .308, so it may not be the best choice for long-range shooting.
Advantages of 308:
1. The .308 is a great choice for hunting large game, as it has more power and energy than the 300 Savage.
2. The .308 is also a great choice for long-range shooting, as it is more accurate and has a longer barrel life than the 300 Savage.
3. The .308 is also a great choice for reloading, as it is easy to find components and is more economical than the 300 Savage.
Disadvantages of 308:
1. The .308 is not as widely available as the 300 Savage, so it may be more difficult to find ammunition for it.
2. The .308 is not as suitable for hunting medium to large game, as it has a shorter barrel life and less energy than the 300 Savage.
3. The .308 is not as economical as the 300 Savage, so it may not be the best choice for reloading.
3. What type of hunting or shooting is each cartridge best suited for?
It is also suitable for varmint hunting, such as coyotes and foxes.308: The 308 is best suited for medium to large game hunting, such as deer, elk, and moose. It is also suitable for long-range shooting, such as target shooting and competition shooting.
It is also suitable for varmint hunting, such as coyotes and foxes.
Final Words For 300 savage vs 308
The 300 Savage and 308 are both popular hunting cartridges that offer good performance and accuracy. The 300 Savage is a great choice for smaller game, while the 308 is better suited for larger game. Both cartridges are suitable for hunting, but the 308 is more powerful and offers better ballistics. Ultimately, the choice between the two cartridges will depend on the type of game being hunted and the shooter’s preference.






