One Rifle

You can take a lot with a .270. Unless you are looking to hunt very large game, I'd say you're golden with it. Should work for game as tough as elk as long as you use a good bullet and make a good shot.

The .270 is plenty adequate for hunting in the SE. It would be awful hard on the squirrels, though.

It might be easier to answer if it was a multiple choice question.

Good choice. That is also the favorite hunting rifle of my collection and I own more than one .270 rifle. I've always planned on getting a .30 cal one day, but I doubt I really ever will. I regularly kill elk with nothing more than a single 130gr .270 handload. I'll hunt moose with one of these guns and not think twice about it.

If you are confining your hunting to the southeast and won't hunt bear, just pigs and deer, I might go even lighter than a .270. Probably something on a .308 case, like a .243, .260 Rem, 7mm-08 or .308.

I figured you'd have a .22 for small game.

I have to admit I've been interested in a .45-70 even though there isn't really anything around these parts big enough to justify one. I hear it's a real shoulder thumper. I have a .30-06 and with a limbsaver recoil pad I don't mind shooting it at all. There isn't really anything in the SE to justify a .30-06 over a .270 but I found a great deal on the aught six so that's what I got. And the .270 has got distance on the .30-30. Although the .30-30 is a fine deer cartridge too. So the answer is still probably .270 since it's plenty for deer or hogs. A friend of mine used to hunt elk out west with a .270 and there's nothing in the SE that big.

If I was going to downsize my arsenal to one rifle, I would definitely make it either a 30.06 or a .308. Both rounds have many more types of ammo available thus making them more versatile than a .270. I have nothing against the .270; I happen to own one in Rem Model 700. I love that gun and it's one of my favorites however if I had to downsize, I would get rid of that and keep my 30.06. Personally I don't ever see downsizing my arsenal though. I have 3 sons and a daughter and all will be hunting someday. My oldest son used the .270 to take his first deer two years ago; he dropped it win one shot at 225 yards -- I couldn't have been prouder! One final thought -- anyone I've ever known who downsized or sold guns off eventually regretted it and wished that they had that or those guns back. Food for thought.

Stick with the .270.

Damn, maybe just sell the 30-30 and keep the rest.

Or keep the 270 and the 45-70. You'll have a long range gun and a hog thumper.

The only negative about the 270 would be if you were to hunt somewhere with a caliber restriction. With the 30.06 you shouldn't have many of those woes, if they even exist (not sure on regs in other states for larger animals). Hell, a .270 is on the recommended list of calibers for Maine Moose if memory serves me right.

If I had to downsize to one rifle, I'd cry .270 should be fine though for those little SE critters....

'One rifle' for the non-reloader will almost always yield 270 or 3006 for good reason.

For the reloader then 3006 and 7mm08 might be favored just due to bullet variety.

My to internet cents

L.W.

No flies on the .270, particularly if it's your favorite and you hit with it the best. The .270 is plenty good for black bear, elk and even moose.

If you don't already handload, browse gunshows and shops for good-used gear. Presses don't wear out, and I'm still getting sub-MOA with scales I've had for decades. Some of my dies are way over forty years old.

270 is fine for hogs. I shot a 250 lb monster boar last year with my 270 and 130 gr Coreloks and he dropped immediately. When skinning him I found he'd been shot before with both a smaller caliber (223?) bullet and a broadhead arrow. Both were stuck in his armor plate and didnt seem to have bothered him in the least. 3000 fps .207 carries plenty of whack.

Thanks for the replies, I've not decided to sell any of the others. I was trying to think ahead to hard times that may be coming my way. Just to be prepared.

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Whew! I'm glad you came to your senses before it was too late.

Keep the .30-06

yup keep them all!If you start to hit hard times, sell the wife's jewelery. LOL

anyone I've ever known who downsized or sold guns off eventually regretted it and wished that they had that or those guns back. Food for thought.

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I agree, keep them all. I sold my 30-30 after not hunting for a few years. I regret it to this day. So, So, sad.

I'm not sure why I should just own one rifle. I'm a guy that likes guns. I never believed in the "beware the guy with one rifle" thing, myself, as I can usually outshoot novices that only own one gun, especially if it's a lever gun.

.270 is a fine caliber for elk down to prairie dogs, if you don't do a LOT of shooting at the prairie dogs. Truth be told, I could probably have done everything I've done just fine if I'd never bought anything to supplement my inherited .257 Roberts, but then I wouldn't own a belted magnum or a .308. I like those rifles. I haven't hunted with the .257 in over 10 years. I sorta like that .308 for deer and hogs. Sure, the .257 will get the job done, I just LIKE that .308.

Anyway, to each his own. I've bought guns before just because i wanted to reload for them, or at least was a major consideration. I'm weird, I guess. However, especially NOW days, I do quite understand the "hard times" aspect of such decisions. Fortunately, I don't expect times to get that hard for me, but if they do, I'm likely to need some of my semi auto choices for the armed revolution.

Just pick up an old Savage 99 in .300 Savage or even 250-3000. Heck the old timers used to shoot everything with the old .22 High Power. Even tigers!

There is nothing in the lower 48, including bear, that a .270 can't cleanly take. I did not read the entire thread, so if this has already been mentioned, forgive the repeat. Jack O'Conner famously took nearly all African game short of pacaderms with one, writing extensively of the merits of his vuanted .270. Loads have only become more effective since Jack made his .270 pilgrimage.

"...like a .243, .260 Rem, 7mm-08 or .308..." All of which will kill any bear in NC with no fuss using the same bullets used for deer. So will your .270.
"...I'm weird, I guess..." Nope. I look at the rifle first and don't care what it's chambered in. Reload for it being the only consideration. Mind you, I'm looking at milsurp battle rifles. Commercial hunting rifles are all the same. Would like a double rifle though. .375 H&H would do. Not that I'll ever be able to afford one.

one hunting rifle

If it was a meat gun,no long range,and I loaded and cast;45-70.It's going to stop anything inside of 200yds,can be downloaded and is accurate with 65 gr black,can cast to requirements hard/soft of game use,No bloodshot mush from High velocity,no need to use jacketed bullets;use Elmer Keith 53gr 3031 to beat yourself up.
Otherwise it's a matter of choice and what you have in the rack.