.270 or .308 or ???
Greetings all!
OK... have googled and suffering from information overload. I am a newbie who is having a great time learning to shoot my .22. This summer I will be picking up a general purpose hunting rifle that has reasonably priced rounds. I want something deer capable that can also stretch up to elk if I get the opportunity in a couple years. So, I know a bunch of calibers are going to work for this and was going to go with a .308. However, I am really enjoying just shooting and would like to try some longer distance stuff if I can get an outdoor range membership next year (struggle to do around Calgary area). I have read that .270 might be a better choice for longer range and still be capable in terms of a general game getter. Appreciate any opinions. Thanks! Matt |
If I had to do it again, I'd get a rifle in 6.5 creedmore, 6.5 sweede and reload, or a rifle in 6.5 grendal. For some reason, the ballistics are much better.
Spend a bit of time reading up on the 6.5 grendal. |
First thing I would do is get a loonie.heads 308 tails 270.cant go wrong either way.i would probably lean towards 308 myself.i would spend a bit more on a rifle or you'll likely be disappointed regardless of the calibre.7mm08 is another option but ammo is a few bucks more.have fun shopping!
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308 good all around gun
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I own both and if I were picking I would go 270 .
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Choosing a good rifle to suit your style is a better question or use of time researching. 243 6.5creed 6.5x55 270 7mauser 308 3006 7mmremmag are all popular for their own purposes.
If you want a cheap rifle with cheaper plinking ammo then 308 has access to surplus 7.62x51 nato. But cheaply manufactured full metal jacket bimetal bullet ammo shouldnt sway your decision for choosing a quality hunting rifle. Normal hunting 308 ammo is the same price as 270 or 3006 On the other end of the spectrum, the common match shooting cartridges have more of high end match ammo on the market. Some of the more hunting focused cartridges dont have as much following for match ammo selection. If you get into reloading, none of that really matters so much. You can make quality ammo for cheaper in whatever cartridge you like. |
If you're OK with the action length of a .270 then if I were you I'd look at a .30-06. About as all round as you can get. Nothing sexy, just been getting done for over 100 years and you can find ammo just about anywhere except Safeway:).
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I love my .270 from an all around standpoint. Accuracy, recoil, lightweight range and it is fine for any game you will ever hunt.
Don't have a lot of experience with the .308. As someone else said I would look long and hard at a 7-08 for an all around gun. |
I would go 308. Main reasoning is it seems to be a fair bit more versatile when it comes to ammo selection. Going with the lighter grain bullets you will get comparible long range performance to the 270. However, you have more options with that 30 cal slug to put some heavier grained ammo down the pipe. This makes it much more desirable if you were to hunt Elk or moose. A 270 win will do anything you want it too including kill an elk or moose, its just not as ideal for the larger critters.
As for some of the other cartridges mentioned, ie) 6.5 creedmore or the 7-08. Although they are great calibres and effective rounds, they have their drawbacks. The main drawback is the ammo price and availability. There are not very many places outside of the major hunting stores that carry that ammo and you often times pay a premium. Any walmart or can tire will likely carry 270 and 308 ammo all the time. I shoot a 270 WSM and it can be a buggar sometimes to find the ammo I want. That is why I stocked up the last time I found the Accubonds. At $65/box I had some explaining to do that night. I love my 270 WSM but I pay for it every time I pull the trigger. Most of my practice happens with the wifes 243 up against my shoulder. I like the price of that ammo a lot better. |
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Thank you all for the feedback. Will look into all the suggestions and and give more thought into what different loads etc... It will be a bit before I will have the time and money to get into reloading, but I see myself going in this direction down the road in a couple years. I like to tinker with things and it seems like it would be pretty interesting to get into.
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If you are close to Edmonton and want to learn or watch, Id be happy to show you a few things. Maybe give you a better idea what youd like |
270 or 308 are both good choices, but you might want to change the options to 280 Rem or 308. Any of the three are great game calibers. 308 recoil will be a bit more pleasant which usually translates into a bit better accuracy for most shooters looking to make holes in paper.
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I have both 308 and 7mm-08 and I would choose the 7mm08 90% of the time.
Guys are right though the 270 or 308 is pretty much a coin flip |
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You should develope good shooting habits first and even a 308 or 270 has mild kick. I’ve seen people first hand , guys buy these calibers for there first centerfire and not get comfortable shooting just because of the recoil. Everyone’s different but if I were you I’d buy a 223 or 22-250 or 243 and start there. Get used to those and enjoy shooting, read up lots about other calibers and long action vs short action and then decide what rifle to buy for deer and elk.
243 is the smallest big game rifle caliber by law in Alberta so if you wanted to shoot a deer and have a gun that you can practice shooting and shoot out to 500 yards plus, with cheaper ammo. 243 would be a great start. |
270 win and 308 win have very very similar recoil. Typical hunting ammo weights in 270 are generally 10% lighter bullets than 308. But 270 has more powder and more velocity. The end result is so close you couldnt tell between equal rifles with equal recoil pads.
308 can get a complete powder burn out of a marginally shorter barrel and being short action can be a shorter, handier rifle. 270 will have long action and needs about 2 more inches of barrel to get around the common velocities. So it will be a touch longer rifle realistically. But both will be fantastic. If it is just one rifle to practice with, become excellent with, and rely on to do everything, 270 win with 150 grain bullets gets the vote from me. If you want a variety of rifle designs in a collection that all use the same cartridge supply, more guns designs are available 308. Youll just have to learn to deal with that tiny bit of extra wind drift, but youll figure it out with whatever you choose. |
Depending on your shooting experience, I would agree with the .243 statement.
Neither .308 or .270 are hard recoiling rounds, but that said you have to be comfortable with them and it is a whole lot more important that you shoot your rifle well as compared to what round you shoot. We've all seen the new shooter with the 300 Win Mag package rifle that can't hit the side of barn because of inexperience, aversion to recoil and a learned flinch. To each his own. |
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I have quite a selection of rifles myself and I nearly always pick a .270 win. , works well on elk, moose etc. The .308 is a fine backup choice.Cheers
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Both will work.
308 has cheap practise ammo in bulk. You can get surplus ammo for less than a buck a shot. That means you can shoot more for same money. When you find a cheap ammo to practice with that is consistent then start going out farther . Your rifle will decide. Trigger time will make you a better shot. |
Regardless of what rifle you get, the money you spend in gas for hunting/travel in a single year vastly outweighs the initial cost of most standard hunting rifles. This will not be your last rifle so don't sweat it too much and buy whichever feels best or is on sale. I shoot .308, my buddy hunts with his .270 for the exact same animals in the same terrain. Practice shooting and learning how to take a field shot are WAAAAY more important than the difference between these calibres.
Good luck! |
Do yourself a favour and ignore all the nonsense about recoil. Guess what, when you pull the trigger there’s going to be a loud bang and if it’s a real “all round” big boy hunting rifle it’s going to buck,,, get used to it. If your one of the overly sensitive types and can’t handle loud noises and a mild punch to the shoulder then maybe this sport really isn’t for you. The 308 and the 270 both have quite mild recoil,, unless of course you start to believe all the nonsense on the internet and then you’ll probably develop a psychologically inducuced twitch long before you even pick up the rifle. Most decent rifles now days come with more than adequate recoil pads and you’d have to plant the butt directly on the end of your nose in order to inflict any real pain. Get yourself a good rifle, get it properly fit to you and get out and get used to shooting it. This is a fun sport, pick a caliber, any caliber and let the lead fly, just do yourself a favour,, ignore most of what you read online
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30-06 for your do all get ammo anywhere cartridge.
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Good luck. |
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