ORIGINAL: eldeguello

Actually, despite the fact that the ".30/'06" was first chambered in the M1903 Springfield rifle, it is not actually named ".30/'06 Springfield". Since it was designed by Army Ordnance (probably at Frankford Arsenal, but I am not certain of this), perhaps we should call it by the name the government assigned to the round originally:" U.S. Cartridge, Caliber .30, Model of 1906". The .308, on the other hand, was designated 7.62X51mm NATO originally, and since Winchester was the first to make civilian rifles for it, and to load it for commercial sale, they got the credit for it as the commercial designation is ".308 Winchester". I suppose Winchester did do some developmental work on the .308, to get hunting ammunition. But again, no commercial firmreally developed this round-it was another government effort. But for the government's desire for a shorter, tougher case than the .30/'06 for use in automatic weapons, it is likely that there would never have been a commercial .308.