270 or 308?

[Sulaco]

I am getting a Weatherby Vanguard and putting my Nikon 4X40 on it for Whitetail deer hunting in SC. I also would like to shoot this rifle some in the off season to stay competent.

I have narrowed my selection down to either a 270 or a 308.

Here is the ballistic data for my preferred ammunition, Hornady Light Magnum SST's;



.308 Win. 150 gr. SST


Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

3000/2997 2772/2558 2555/2173 2348/1836 2151/1540 1963/1283


Trajectory (inches)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

-1.50 1.50 0.00 -6.90 -20.00 -40.70





.270 Win. 140 gr. SST


Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

2940/2687 2750/2351 2569/2051 2394/1781 2226/1540 2065/1325


Trajectory (inches)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

-1.50 1.60 0.00 -6.80 -19.70 -39.70



These loads are very similar and in my opinion, the 308 wins because of the cheap ammo availability.

Any opinions?

 

[RevDisk]

.270 ammo is a bit harder to find. Unless you reload, I would go with .308

(Just my opinion)

 

[rbernie]

The 270 can generally shoot flatter than the 308, but the 308 will have more bullet weight choices than the 270. The 270 bullets will have better sectional density than the equivilant weight in 308, and will penetrate better thru bone and gristle. For example, a 140gr in 270 really needs to be compared to a 168gr in 308 to compare bullets of equal sectional density. This won't really matter for whitetail, but could if you choose to hunt larger and/or tougher game.

The 308 is a shorter round - if the action is also shorter to match, the rifle may weigh a good bit less (which is always nice).

So which is more important to you - weight and action shortness and cheap practice ammo availability or penetration and long-range performance?

 

[Zeke Menuar]

Either one should work just fine. I am partial to 270 because I own one. No recoil, easy to handload and deadly accurate.

The 308 is just as good a round.

I don't put much faith on "published" ballistics. The goal is to hit what you aim at. Either round will do this just fine.

ZM

 

[WhiteKnight]

If you'll just stick to the $25/box Hornady ammo for hunting, you can pick up fairly cheap federal .270 ammo for about $14/box. Not bad, and it has better performance than .308.

 

[Art Eatman]

For all practical purposes, there ain't a nickel's worth of difference between them. The .308 will be a wee tad lighter and similarly handier because of the shorter action, but it's not that big a deal.

Sight in for two inches high at 100 yards with either, and you'll be pretty much dead on at 200 and six or seven inches low at 300. Basically, out to 250 yards it's a case of "point it and pull".

Art

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

.270 ammo hard to find???? that's the first time I've ever heard that one.

 

[Sulaco]

Well, I went with an '06 because the price was right. I got it for $100.00 off because my local Wal-Mart needs to move them out. So, now I have a Weatherby Vanguard in 30-06 wearing a Nikon 4X40 and have less than 500 dollars in the whole package new. I'm happy. Thanks for the help ya'll.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Good decision.

 

[Litefoot]

FIrst of all, I applaud you for not succumbing to the magnum crowd. Good decision! Secondly, when you had to choose between .270 and .308, you picked the best one...the 30.06. ....and you saved money to boot. You had a good day, my friend.

 

[Sulaco]

Hehe, thanks guys. Now I just have to sell the 60 dollars worth of ammo I just bought! :banghead:

I didn't know that Winchester's Fail Safe ammo was moly coated. Argh. Is moly really as bad as they say for barrels and cleaning?

 

[VARMINT_HUNTER]

it isn't moly coated it is lubalox coated and i dont think is causes too much wear and tear. it is actually better for your barrel because it doesnt stick to it like brass.

 

[SteelyDan]

Just wanted to say "welcome" to Varmint_Hunter, and offer my opinion that almost nobody has regretted buying a .30-06. I like your choice, Sulaco.

 

[nico]

Sounds like a good choice. From a hunting standpoint, I don't think you could have gone wrong with any of the three (unless you want to hunt elk, in which case you made the best choice from what I've heard/read). From a plinking standpoint however, and I say this as the owner of a .270 that I wouldn't think about giving up, I think the .308 or 30-06 are better choices.

 

[Sulaco]

Well, I liked the first one so much I bought another one in 270.

 

[WhiteKnight]

Let us know how the .270 stacks up!

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Ok, you got one in 30-06 and one in .270 ...

When do you go back to the store to pick up the .308 rifle?

Resistance is futile.

Regards.

 

[Sulaco]

Originally Posted By Sleeping Dog:

When do you go back to the store to pick up the .308 rifle?

Haha, I have asked myself that question already. Apparently, 308 is special order only so the 300 dollar deal would not apply. I think I may get a heavy barrel Savage in 308 next.

 

[ddc]

Not being all that familiar with either other than from the internet I'm surprised at how similar the trajectory data is.

The "conventional wisdom" I've heard (or read) on numerous occasions is that the .270 is a "flat shooting" cartridge which I realize is a subjective description but the implication is that it would shoot significantly flatter than "similar" rounds (again very subjective) but in this case, say a .308.

But that turns out not to be the case, eh?

 

[Sulaco]

All of the major non magnum high power rifle cartridges like 243, 6mm rem, 257 roberts, 260, 270, 280, 30-06, 7mm-08, 25-06, and on and on are so similar at less than 250 yards, the point really is moot.

 

[WhiteKnight]

The "conventional wisdom" I've heard (or read) on numerous occasions is that the .270 is a "flat shooting" cartridge which I realize is a subjective description but the implication is that it would shoot significantly flatter than "similar" rounds (again very subjective) but in this case, say a .308.

I think many may refer to it as "flat-shooting" in relation to other popular deer rounds: 30-30, 12 gauge slug, etc.

 

[Bigfoot]

You can make that .06 reach out like the .270 does by using 130gr Barnes XLC or GS-Custom HV, both high BC solid bullets. Some say they penetrate as well as the 180gr Partition.

Honestly I just wanted to make the first post and this looked like as good a place as any.

 

[Little Loudmouth]

I'd say .308.

 

[Sulaco]

I may give those Barnes a try if I ever start hand loading for the '06.

I am presently shooting 150gr. Hornady SST Light Magnums out of the '06 and am very impressed. I am seeing just over 3100fps which in my opinion, is magnum territory. Here are the specs for the '06 and the 270.

.30-06 Sprg. 150gr. SST

Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

3100/3200 2867/2736 2645/2330 2434/1973 2233/1660 2041/1387

Trajectory (inches)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

-1.50 1.40 0.00 -6.40 -18.60 -37.80



.270 Win., 130 gr. IB 85549

Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

3215/2983 2998/2594 2792/2249 2595/1943 2406/1671 2225/1429

Trajectory (inches)

Muzzle 100yd 200yd 300yd 400yd 500yd

-1.50 1.20 0.00 -5.70 -16.50 -33.30

 

[ddc]

All of the major non magnum high power rifle cartridges like 243, 6mm rem, 257 roberts, 260, 270, 280, 30-06, 7mm-08, 25-06, and on and on are so similar at less than 250 yards, the point really is moot.

That's what I'm picking up on (slowly, as usual).

Humor me now...

Isn't that an argument to shift the discussion from trajectory concerns over into terminal performance? Or is that actually what the discussion is all about and I just didn't get it?

In other words if they are all going to follow the same basic flight path then isn't the distinguishing characteristic going to be how they perform once they hit the target?

And doesn't that have about as much to do with bullet design as it does with the actual caliber?

(assuming we are talking about the cartridge families listed in the quote?)