.270 vs .30-06 (POLL)
- Thread starter ksalmi72
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I need to clarify my vote a bit.
Ill ALWAYS chose an 06 over the .270, but thats simply because the only cartridge i like more than the 06 is the 7mm Remington magnum. I actually have an irrational dislike for the .270, so much so that i would choose to either wait (or find) for a rifle i wanted in .30-06 rather than buy a .270.
That said, there is no real on game advantage to the 06 anymore, at least on thin skinned game. The .270 may not have the sheer quantity of bullet options the 06 does, but it has enough good ones at the right weight points to make it just as versatile a game taker as the 06. It also offers better sectional density, so similar bullets of the same weight will penetrate better from the .270.
A friend of mine has been shooting 150ABLRs from his .270 somewhere around 2900, hes anchored multiple 5-800lb feral bulls (another guy we cow hunt with has shot 4, that ive seen, with standard corelokts), sheep, and deer with one shot. My wifes entire family shoot .270s, besides her dad who shoots a 7mm, and they have zero issues using cheap over the counter ammo.
The 06 does have more available factory ammo, and is probably slightly easier to get ammo for in really weird places, but how often is that REALLY going to be an issue.
So IMO your rifle choices come down to YOUR personal preference. If you like the 06 better (as i do) for what ever reasons get one, but If you dont 100% like the rifle its chambered in wait, or find one you do.
If you DO like the rifle, it happens to be in .270, and your cool with that? well, I honestly consider the rifle more important than the cartridge (except where my irrational dislikes come into play).
Just a note, a heavy .30 cal, from a light rifle, even at 06 velocity can be a bit rough on the shooter.
Ill ALWAYS chose an 06 over the .270, but thats simply because the only cartridge i like more than the 06 is the 7mm Remington magnum. I actually have an irrational dislike for the .270, so much so that i would choose to either wait (or find) for a rifle i wanted in .30-06 rather than buy a .270.
That said, there is no real on game advantage to the 06 anymore, at least on thin skinned game. The .270 may not have the sheer quantity of bullet options the 06 does, but it has enough good ones at the right weight points to make it just as versatile a game taker as the 06. It also offers better sectional density, so similar bullets of the same weight will penetrate better from the .270.
A friend of mine has been shooting 150ABLRs from his .270 somewhere around 2900, hes anchored multiple 5-800lb feral bulls (another guy we cow hunt with has shot 4, that ive seen, with standard corelokts), sheep, and deer with one shot. My wifes entire family shoot .270s, besides her dad who shoots a 7mm, and they have zero issues using cheap over the counter ammo.
The 06 does have more available factory ammo, and is probably slightly easier to get ammo for in really weird places, but how often is that REALLY going to be an issue.
So IMO your rifle choices come down to YOUR personal preference. If you like the 06 better (as i do) for what ever reasons get one, but If you dont 100% like the rifle its chambered in wait, or find one you do.
If you DO like the rifle, it happens to be in .270, and your cool with that? well, I honestly consider the rifle more important than the cartridge (except where my irrational dislikes come into play).
Just a note, a heavy .30 cal, from a light rifle, even at 06 velocity can be a bit rough on the shooter.
LUCKYDAWG13
Member
I'm in the 06 camp a 308 would be a good pick too
You are not kidding. I love my M70 Featherweight for hunting and carrying around the woods. Bench duty is another story. As I get older its no fun to put 20 rounds down rage with it. I've developed a reduced recoil load just so I can shoot it more often
-Jeff
Garandimal
member
I think that the bullet selection issue is an academic farce b/t the .270 and the 30-06.
For conventional bullets, a pointed 150 gr. will do-it-all for the .270, as will a pointed 165 gr. for the 30-06.
Learn to shoot well the round/load that has the proper construction, and precision in your rifle, for your hunting needs.
The game won't care, and will taste the same.
"...it is the hits that count."
GR
For conventional bullets, a pointed 150 gr. will do-it-all for the .270, as will a pointed 165 gr. for the 30-06.
Learn to shoot well the round/load that has the proper construction, and precision in your rifle, for your hunting needs.
The game won't care, and will taste the same.
"...it is the hits that count."
GR
Vern Humphrey
Member
I read both O'Connor and Keith. They were both good writers, with a wealth of experience, but I made my choices based on my own experience. When I was in my teens I had a US Model 1917 -- a .30-06 and killed a lot of deer with it (I lived on a 3500 acre ranch in Arkansas.) Currently, I use a Pre-64 Model 70 Winchester, in .30-06.
cdb1
Member
I don’t think it matters one whit which cartridge you use. To me it comes down strictly to which one you like better. For me it’s a .270. Ammunition availability is a moot point to me also.
People who prefer 30-06:
Usually have mommy issues and blame their problems on mommy not letting them play with their poo poo when they were a baby.
Think denial is a river in Africa
Put shoe trees in their tennis shoes
Like chicken nuggets-preferably MacDonalds, over regular fried chicken.
Their favorite pick-up line is, “Let me show you my license plate, I made it myself”.
The voting is actually going how I expected. And I don’t hate the 30-06, have one, like it and if I lived in Alaska or Canada would prefer a 30-06 over a .270. I’ll always like the .270 better though.
People who prefer 30-06:
Usually have mommy issues and blame their problems on mommy not letting them play with their poo poo when they were a baby.
Think denial is a river in Africa
Put shoe trees in their tennis shoes
Like chicken nuggets-preferably MacDonalds, over regular fried chicken.
Their favorite pick-up line is, “Let me show you my license plate, I made it myself”.
The voting is actually going how I expected. And I don’t hate the 30-06, have one, like it and if I lived in Alaska or Canada would prefer a 30-06 over a .270. I’ll always like the .270 better though.
mcb
Member
I am in general not a bottle neck cartridge hunter. I grew up in a slug only state and the property I hunt in Tennessee simply does not offer many chances to take shots on deer much over 120 yards. I tend to hunt with short fat cartridges lately; 450 Bushmaster, 44 Mag, 300 BO, 10mm Auto, have been my choices the past few years. That said when I went out west for an Elk hunt I spent several trips to the range shooting 200-250 yards with two bolt guns available to me at the time. A 270 Win and a 7mm Rem Mag. After shooting enough ammo in both to be pretty sore the 270 Win went west with me. Unfortunately I did not take an Elk with it but when I moved south I took my first deer ever with a center fire rifle with that 270 Win.
Pre-64 (1956) Winchester Model 70 in 270 Winchester.
Pre-64 (1956) Winchester Model 70 in 270 Winchester.
someguy2800
Member
The rifle is a more important choice in this case than the cartridge. Neither cartridge will ever leave you wanting so get the rifle you like.
If you take the rifle out of the decision I usually recommend the 270 to people though I prefer the 06 myself. A 270 with a solidly constructed 150 grain bullet has excellent power, and ballistics. Having shot deer with bullets ranging from 85 to 400 grains I’ve concluded there is only so much killing that a deer can take. For northern deer that amount seems to be about a 270’s worth. Anything much smaller than that is not as effective and bringing them down quickly, and anything more than that is just making a bigger hole to accomplish the same goal. It’s a nice versatile flat shooting caliber and comfortable for most adults and even larger kids to shoot.
If you take the rifle out of the decision I usually recommend the 270 to people though I prefer the 06 myself. A 270 with a solidly constructed 150 grain bullet has excellent power, and ballistics. Having shot deer with bullets ranging from 85 to 400 grains I’ve concluded there is only so much killing that a deer can take. For northern deer that amount seems to be about a 270’s worth. Anything much smaller than that is not as effective and bringing them down quickly, and anything more than that is just making a bigger hole to accomplish the same goal. It’s a nice versatile flat shooting caliber and comfortable for most adults and even larger kids to shoot.
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Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I'm a short action guy. Were I to buy a long action, it would be a .30-06.
EIB0879
Member
I have both and have killed deer with both but I opt for the 30-06 because I have used one since I was 16 (43 years). Old habits and all.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
My gunsmith uncle was an armorer for the Texas National Guard when he was still in high school. So, I guess we've been an '06 family since back around 1924.
For deer, it's pretty much six of one, half-dozen of the other. Bambi won't care.
For an '06 handloader, an 00 ball and five grains of pistol powder makes a nice squirrel load.
For deer, it's pretty much six of one, half-dozen of the other. Bambi won't care.
For an '06 handloader, an 00 ball and five grains of pistol powder makes a nice squirrel load.
ExAgoradzo
Member
I don’t get up tight about ‘long distance’ 300 yards is a long shot for me and most honest hunters. Either will do at that distance for almost anything in NA. I have a Win 70in .30-06 hard not to call it my fav rifle. Have my dads Ruger 77 in 270 Win. Hard not to call that my fav rifle. (Also an 1895 in .45-70...ditto...)
I voted .30-06.
Greg
I voted .30-06.
Greg
I find that with cartridges as close as the .270 and .30-06, the stock design and recoil pads make more of a difference than the cartridge. For instance, my first 30-06 was a Savage with a non-monte carlo stock and it kicked the heck out of me (at 16 years old). After getting a Bishop "semi- inlettted" blank and working weeks with rasp and sandpaper to make a "Weatherby" design out of it, felt recoil was much softer, even without a recoil pad.
My Savage '06 with Bishop stock (about 1961)
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In 1925 when the 270 was introduced a typical 30-06 load was a 180 gr bullet at about 2600 fps. A 270's typical load was a 130 gr bullet at about 3100 fps or a 150 at about 3000 fps. They were 2 very different cartridges.
Today a 30-06 can be loaded with very high BC 180 gr bullets at near 2900 fps or 150 gr bullets at 3100 fps. The 2 are now ballistic twins and modern bullet construction means caliber simply isn't important unless you go WAAAAY up in caliber. With modern bullet construction a 150 gr from a 270 at 3000 fps will kill anything a 180 gr bullet fired from a 30-06 will kill. And I'd hunt anything in North America with either round with the right bullets. That would include the biggest bear in Alaska. There isn't enough difference in trajectory nor recoil to ever notice when both are using the best loads.
I started with a 30-06 in the 1970's and for a long time thought it was better. I now know better. In reality the only real advantage a 30-06 has is the ability to shoot heavier 220-250 gr bullets. Those would only make a difference on 4-5 animals on the planet and none are in North America. When you NEED bullets that heavy in a 30-06 what you really NEED is a bigger gun.
To be honest in 2018 I woudn't pick either. A 308, 7-08 or 6.5 CM will do the same thing with 1/4 to 1/3 less recoil and from a more compact rifle that will be more accurate than either. The 6.5 CM gives you the most performance for the least recoil. It shoots the same bullet weights as 270 about 150 fps slower at the muzzle, but they are faster within 150 yards. A 270 is 6.8mm vs 6.5mm. The 6.5 mm bullets will penetrate deeper and out perform 270 on the same size game even at closer ranges.
A 308 shooting modern loads is within 100 fps of 30-06 with the same bullet weights today, and beats 30-06 loads from the 1950's by 200 fps. If a 1950's 30-06 was good enough a 308 in 2018 is even better. Especially with the much better bullets options we have today.
Today a 30-06 can be loaded with very high BC 180 gr bullets at near 2900 fps or 150 gr bullets at 3100 fps. The 2 are now ballistic twins and modern bullet construction means caliber simply isn't important unless you go WAAAAY up in caliber. With modern bullet construction a 150 gr from a 270 at 3000 fps will kill anything a 180 gr bullet fired from a 30-06 will kill. And I'd hunt anything in North America with either round with the right bullets. That would include the biggest bear in Alaska. There isn't enough difference in trajectory nor recoil to ever notice when both are using the best loads.
I started with a 30-06 in the 1970's and for a long time thought it was better. I now know better. In reality the only real advantage a 30-06 has is the ability to shoot heavier 220-250 gr bullets. Those would only make a difference on 4-5 animals on the planet and none are in North America. When you NEED bullets that heavy in a 30-06 what you really NEED is a bigger gun.
To be honest in 2018 I woudn't pick either. A 308, 7-08 or 6.5 CM will do the same thing with 1/4 to 1/3 less recoil and from a more compact rifle that will be more accurate than either. The 6.5 CM gives you the most performance for the least recoil. It shoots the same bullet weights as 270 about 150 fps slower at the muzzle, but they are faster within 150 yards. A 270 is 6.8mm vs 6.5mm. The 6.5 mm bullets will penetrate deeper and out perform 270 on the same size game even at closer ranges.
A 308 shooting modern loads is within 100 fps of 30-06 with the same bullet weights today, and beats 30-06 loads from the 1950's by 200 fps. If a 1950's 30-06 was good enough a 308 in 2018 is even better. Especially with the much better bullets options we have today.
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
Thirty Aught Six. Obviously.
Does that weatherby stock design transfer the recoil into your shoulder at a different angle or something?
I didnt realize the shorter calibers were that close in performance... Interesting
sage5907
Member
I don't buy the argument that small caliber bullets kill as well as larger diameter heavier bullets if bullet construction is equal. I shot this large hog with a 180 grain Accubond out of a 338-06 and the shock was so great that it instantly flipped the hog over on it's back with all four feet sticking up into the air. Try that with a 6.5 CM and expect the same result.
ontarget
Member
Brother, between the two, you can't make a wrong choice. So just flip a coin then go buy the 30-06. You will never wish you bought something else.
mcb
Member
I hit a nice doe two years ago with a 200gr XTP 10mm Auto from a revolver. She dropped into her tracks and didn't even roll over, just collapsed. A CNS hit (high shoulder in this case), even with a modest cartridge, turns them off like a light switch. The deer that ran the furthest for me was hit with a 300gr XTP 45 bullet from a sabot in a 58 caliber muzzle load and the bullet went the length of the deer diagonally breaking a shoulder going in, getting both lungs and the arteries above the heart, the liver, stomach and out the far side hip , and he still went a quarter of a mile.
Deltaboy1984
Member
30-06 is my Main Rifle Hunting round!
I would think for hunting in North America a 280 AI and a 338-06 or a 35 Whelen would cover all bases very well.But if I had to choose one it would be the 30-06 but I don't have a 30-06 any more I have a .308 Win.
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