.270 or .308

[RugerOldArmy]

It's a win-win choice. Both will do the job.

I have both. Although I love .308 for competition.....270 WIn has soul and flexibility for hunting.

I would not take a 308 deer hunting if I could take a 270.

I couldn't agree more. Sure, .308 would do the job, but for hunting, there is a aura around .270.

I reload, and have tried light to heavy bullets in both. .270
wins hands down for flexibility.

For varmints and coyotes - .277" 90 Gr Sierra Varminters and RL-15 give an accurate, high velocity load any prarie dog hunter would love (except there is a bit too much recoil to see the target vaporized thru the scope.)

For Deer IMR4831 and 130 Gr. Nosler Partitions are a classic combo, and accubonds are very accurate. (Don't shoot a deer in the shoulder from less than 75 yards with Ballistic tips though...damage city.)

Heavier partitions will easily take Elk, a .270 is essentially a necked down (ok, slightly longer neck) .30-06.

I've had little luck getting lighter .308 Win bullets (V-Max/B-Tips) to shoot as well as I'd like, let alone the accuracy gotten out of .270 Win.

On the negative side (barring the new, High BC Bergers), there are few competition class bullets for .270 Win, Sierra has a SMK.

If you are looking for a heavy barrelled rifle, to win a few bucks from friends at the range, get the .308 Win, there are loads of good bullets for that cartridge, including match BTHPs. .308 Win is hobbled, compared to the longer .30-06 though for heavier bullets and standard twist rates tho. As a result, and in general, you're going to be able to pick bullets with better BC(s) and higher Sectional Density in .270 Win standard bullet weights. (Both good things for hunting).

 

[magnatecman]

I'm with Kachok on this.

I really love my .270 but I'd also look at the .280 or you could go with a 7mm-08. I really like this little round too. It will match my 270 with 140 gr. and do it with less powder.

Also thinking of going the 6.5 route as well.

 

[SN13]

The biggest problem with .280 Rem is that it's not anywhere near as popular a round as .270. You can walk into (almost) any walmart and find .270. I've only seen .280 in more rural locations.

The Rifle rounds I expect to find when I walk into a Walmart in any free state: .30-06, .270, .243 and .308. (7mm-08 to a lesser extent). You are NOT likely to see .280 Rem, .260 Rem, or 25-06.

I feel that the BEST round to make a super-light hunting rifle for deer is the .260 Rem... I am waiting for Hornady to make Factory loads before I jump on that caliber.

 

[CONNEX 3300]

If you are getting a feather weight rifle, go with .270. If you are getting a standard weight rifle, especially with a 24" or longer barrel, go with .308. I don't think most shooters realize just how flat a .308 can shoot with the right 150 grain bullets. Look at the Hornady Superformance 150 grain SST load in .308. With a 26" barrel that bullet has got to be doing close to 3100fps. Zero that load 2.5" high at 100yards and tell me it don't shoot flat.

But, even though you didn't ask about it, I have to agree with some of the previous posters.

280 Remington is the best all around hunting cartridge IHMO

 

[Elkins45]

I will confess to having a soft spot for the 270 because I've had such great luck with it, and it does have the advantage in terms of pure muzzle energy due to the greater powder capacity.

But the practical differences between the two are probably just splitting hairs, and I think I would make my final decision based on the guns more than the cartridge. If the shop only had a crappy 270 and a nice 308 I would take the 308. But if both rifles were of equal quality I'm sure I would go with the 270.

 

[SN13]

Since you want to go "Superperformance SST" Connex 3300, Let's do a comparison of the "Flat" shooting 150's....

All things being equal, the following is for 130gr AND 140gr SST SuperPerformance 270. as well as 150gr SST SuperPerformance .308.

130gr -> ME 2955ft/lbs -> 200yrd Zero -> -33.9"@500w/1395ft/lbs -> -258"@1000w/583ft/lbs
140gr -> ME 2967ft/lbs -> 200yrd Zero -> -35.7"@500w/1468ft/lbs -> -264"@1000w/652ft/lbs
150gr -> ME 2997ft/lbs -> 200yrd Zero -> -41.1"@500w/1263ft/lbs -> -330"@1000w/480ft/lbs

Sorry man, an extra 7" of drop at 500 yards (124% drop) than the Flat 130gr.

AND the .308 only stays supersonic to 1000, the 270, to 1300yrds.

Drift from 10mph crosswind @ 500 & 1000yrds:

130gr -> 17.2" -> 84.6"
140gr -> 16.5" -> 80.4"
150gr -> 21.3" -> 108.1"

Faster, Flatter, Straighter.

You will not beat the numbers.

 

[jrdolall]

I have had all 3 for many years with the .270 coming in about 5 years ago. My first deer gun was a Remington 700 30-06 that I grew up hunting with. I found a closeout on the same model .308 and .243 at a Kmart in Alabama about 20 years ago and bought the guns NIB for $180 each. I have killed multiple deer with every one of these guns. I live in Alabama where my legal limit on whitetail during rifle season is around 150. I normally shoot 6-7 per year so I have plenty of opportunities. Most of my shots are within 150 yards and there is no appreciable difference in the 308, 30-06 and the 270 as far as I can tell. Both kill quickly and humanely and both generally put the animal down on the spot. This year I killed 3 bucks all with a Savage 30-06. Two dropped in their tracks and one ran about 100 yards despite being hit in the same spot with bullets from the same box. I do not feel the recoil when I shoot an animal but the Remington 30-06 is a bear at the range. Maybe because it is a 1968 model with a metal buttplate but it just seems to have more recoil. That problem is solved with a lead sled of course. Ammo is available at local big box stores for all of these guns for basically the same price but since I don't shoot them much, other than verifying accuracy prior to the season, a box will last me at least 2 years. At 150 yards I have also not seen a major difference in accuracy or efficiency based on bullet weight bullet weight. You will not be "wrong" with any choice you make but I prefer the 30-06 because that is what I started with as a teenager.

 

[Geno]

Well, I just happened to see a deer or three, some rams and a boar shot with my .270 Wins. I've seen one deer shot with my .308 Win this year.

Now me being a Ph.D., I believe in empirical data to lead me to conclusions. All of the aforementioned critters dropped effective, meaning no 1/2 mile sprinters. Given the lack of observable difference in performance between the two cartridges, I committed myself to exit poll the critters, as to which they opined had done kilt 'em quicker: my .308 Win or my .270 Win.

Well, after many years of attempting such polls, the resultant "n" of my sample was 0. So, in my professional research opinion, both cartridges will get-her-did right directly.

<<pause>> See, that's what you get when you give a redneck a Pee Ah Dee?! Seriously. I hate being serious. Both are wonderful cartridges. Both are effective and efficient. Shoulder some rifles and see what make and model feels best. Then, in that make & model, shoulder one each in .308 and one in .270. What feels best is you best rifle.

Gee Know AKA Dr. Redneck

 

[rori]

I've killed over 100 head of big game with the same .270 that I bought over 40 years ago!!!!My favorite bullet is the 150 gr not the 130 that my hero Jack Oconnor loved. I've killed big bear, moose, elk, carabou, deer etc and never needed more than one shot to do the deed. My moose took 3 but only needed one. He was dead just didn't know it. Last thing it killed was a 6X6 Roosevelts elk again 1 shot and down less than 30 yards later.I've walked game country from Alaska to Mexico and Florida to Washington with a 270 in my hand and never knew I was undergunned. FRJ

 

[Offfhand]

Why limit yourself to such narrow choices? Think .260 Rem and you have the best of both worlds---and then some.

 

[Geno]

rori:

One of my friends borrowed my Weatherby Mark V chambered in .270 Win to hunt a Russian boar. I bought some 140 grain factory-loaded ammo. He hit the boar about 3/4 up on the body, aiming down hill (maybe 80ish yards). I never have seen any critter driven to the ground with more authority...not even buy my .300 Wea Mag or my .375 H&H Mag. Gotta love that .270 WIn. It is among my favorites. This was the first year I hunted with a .308 Win. Nice cartridge too. The deer was inclined to run away. Guess we really are spoiled in America. We have literally dozens of extraordinary cartridges, in dozens of extraordinary rifles. It's good to be spoiled.

Offfhand:
Trouble-maker. Oh yeah! The underrated .260 Rem. Have you seen that Winchester has brought back the .264 Win mag in the Model 70?!?!?! LUST!

Geno

 

[SN13]

I do believe my next bolty will be a .260 Rem.

Savage 10 Predator, me thinks. http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/10PREDATORHUNTERMAX1

 

[T.R.]

I've witnessed deer kills from both cartridges. Consistent bang-flop performance. I prefer to hunt with a short carbine so .308 has been my favorite.

TR

 

[SN13]

So I compiled a nice Google-Doc Spreadsheet with JBM ballistic calcs for the following FACTORY LOADED Cartridges:

.243 55gr
.243 95gr
.260 120gr
.260 142gr
.308 168gr
.308 175gr
300WM 190gr
338LM 250gr
270WSM 150gr
270WSM 130gr
270 130gr sst
270 130gr sst Superperformance
270 140gr sst Superperformance.


The two charts on the Overview page are organized by Drop@1000 and Wind Drift @1000.

I used Manufacturer Stated MV's. See the corresponding TABS for detailed information.

Make your own conclusions.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArHBcNQVgZ8AdFdqT19LN2ZaZFBwMU9RSmZZWWltNWc

 

[D*N*R*]

Aahh my favorite and most copic of all. Dig what you have and try to pass on USEABLE info= not so much (what i have). People dont ask these kind of ??? if they -shoot 1000 rnds. a year and reload.They dont care about mystical 80 grain swings in bullet weight(length)--surplus military ammo--shooting 1000yrds.--would i care if my barrel was stamped 6.5-06 or 25-06 or 270 win. no. I want and we all should, the flattest (over 1000ft lbs.energy for hunting shots) easiest kicking(for accuracy and more practice) easy to find and afford rounds available and pass that info on. Their all good better is better. If we all had .243 it would be boaring and we would just be better hunters. (for all the rite reasons i love it)