.308 vs. .270

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Pilgreen

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I recently lost my Savage .308. I'm about to get a new rifle and would like to start entering competitions. However, I'm trying to decide between .270 and .308. The way I look at it, .308 is a heavier round and will be affected by wind less. The .270 will be affected by drop less, but that is more of a constant and can be better compensated for. I would like any advice from anyone who has ever been in shooting competitions.
 
.308 is an inherently accurate cartridge and there are many excellent target bullets for it. .270 is a hunting round with few target bullets. .308 is commonly used in competition, .270 is not.

FH
 
both are very good calibers, but the 308 has many more bullet choices than the 270. At one time we had both, but decided the 308 was better for our situations..
 
for hunting I would go with the .270. For target shooting the .308 would be my choice.To use for both I would go with the .308.
Jerry
 
I'm not a hunter. I just like target shooting, so it looks like the consensus says .308. Thank you all for your help.
 
Pilgreen,
The .308 will fit nicely into F-Class T/R. The .270 would put you in F-Class Open. This is a case of if you need to ask you don't want to be in open.
What kind of competitions?
 
If you were talking hunting I would say the 270win, but for target shooting it is tough to beat the 308 unless you happen to own a 6.5-284 :)
There is nothing inaccurate about the good old 270 just the selection of match bullets is very limited. 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and 30 cal OWN the target range, with the 6.5s taking the top spot by a very tight margin IMHO.
 
Don't know what kind of competition. Just in the looking phase right now trying to gather as much info as possible. To be honest, I just thought it was like beginner, intermediate, and expert. I'm not too proud to admit my ignorance. If anyone can give me any advice where to find info, please feel free. My local range only has pistol and rimfire leagues.
 
If you give you general location people on here will probably tell you what is in your area.

Look into F-Class and search the NRA website. USrifleteams.com is also a good site. I have shot F-Class & Service rifle. To choose one over the other I would have to flip a coin.
They do break down into classes according to your skill level as well.
 
.270 vs .308

I had both and agree with the .308 advocates. However, if you are really interested in accuracy take a look at some of the .284 offerings. If you handload you can do great things. If you do not handload the .308 will be the cheapest round. I never did like my .270 because, in the wester plains, I could never figure the 130 grain bullet reaction to the wind. If you should decide to hunt with the rifle the .308 will be much more flexible.
 
A good 130 .270win should always have less wind drift then any 150gr 308win. Higher SD/BC and higher speed= less drift. Same rings true for the 150gr 270 vs the 165gr 308. But the 140gr 6.5mm leaves both of them in the dust; .287SD with a .621BC at 2900fps do the math on that :D You can load a 300 ultra mag with 190gr match bullets and get a similar trajectory/drift but there are no extra points for getting mule kicked each shot. Hence the 6.5-284 and other 6.5 wildcats have really caught on. I have owned both 308s and 270s and I perfer the 270 for hunting especaly if a long range shot could be on the menue. My 270WSM leaves all of the 7mm Rem mag and 300 win mag in the dust for trajectory and drift even with their hottest handloads. It is right up there with the 300 Ultra mag for long range trajectory.
 
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260 Rem or 6.5x55 and be done with it. Maybe a 7mm-08 if you're more inclined towards a larger diameter bullet.

308 is a great, proven round...but all of the above will do everything the 308 can do for punching paper, except do it "better" (less drop/drift and lower recoil). The 308 *might* have the edge for hunting due to its ability to use heavier bullets, but the higher sectional density of 6.5 and 7mm hunting bullets provides excellent terminal effects despite lower weights.

The ONLY downside to a 6.5mm round over a 30cal IMO is local availability of brass & bullets.
 
I went 6.5mm and never looked back. The killing power of those very high SD and BC bullets is legendary. Per lbs of recoil nothing will touch it. 6.5 Creedmore, 260 Rem, and the classic 6.5x55 are all good choices. I chose 6.5x55 because they are avaliable in VERY high quality rifles (Sako/Tikka/CZ) and ammo/brass is available at any respectable gun shop. My 308 simply will not touch it at long range either for energy, penetration, or trajectory. Much less recoil/noise then any .30 cal I have ever used. I dare call it the perfect hunting caliber for any game in the lower 48 at any realistic range. Many an Elk and Moose have fallen to the tiny javlin like 6.5mm bullets. Now if they just made a 6.5WSM for my very long range hunting :)
 
my only bolt gun is chambered in .270 so I don't have much experience with other calibers for comparison. although I am a bit of a survivalist, and I'm beginning to regret my decision on the .270 because it seems as if .308 is more widely used, and having guns in the most common calibers is generally a good idea for my purposes. I wish I was a good enough rifleman to shoot competitions, but I'm ameture at BEST. so I can't really give you any info on good calibers for competitive shooting. good topic, though. like i said before, .270 vs. .308 is a topic I've been looking into lately.
 
I'm beginning to regret my decision on the .270
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Don't.

Millions of deer, pronghorn, elk, etc. have fallen to the venerable 270. Even using lighter bullets, the 270 has ballistics superior to the 308 in just about every possible way.

And as a survivalist, you'll appreciate that 270 ammo is available literally EVERYWHERE in the domestic US, maybe below 223/5.56 and 308/7.62 availability by a fuzz due to their military applications but right up there with 30-06, 30-30, 243, 40SW, 45ACP, and 12 Gauge.
 
:) who makes a good 6.5WSM barrel for a Savage? That will be a real masterpiece. .612BC 140gr bullets at 3300+FPS. Wind drift...what is that LOL.
I have never been a wildcat guy, how would I re-form 270WSM brass into 6.5mm? I would guess necking down would be harder then necking up.
 
A good 130 .270win should always have less wind drift then any 150gr 308win. Higher SD/BC and higher speed= less drift. Same rings true for the 150gr 270 vs the 165gr 308. But the 140gr 6.5mm leaves both of them in the dust; .287SD with a .621BC at 2900fps do the math on that You can load a 300 ultra mag with 190gr match bullets and get a similar trajectory/drift but there are no extra points for getting mule kicked each shot. Hence the 6.5-284 and other 6.5 wildcats have really caught on. I have owned both 308s and 270s and I perfer the 270 for hunting especaly if a long range shot could be on the menue. My 270WSM leaves all of the 7mm Rem mag and 300 win mag in the dust for trajectory and drift even with their hottest handloads. It is right up there with the 300 Ultra mag for long range trajectory.
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You sound like a guy who is recoil challenged...most of your conclusions are not true. I hunt and shoot long range with 3 of the calibers you mention. Nothing wrong with .270...you can always let your wife and sons use it for their first rifle.
 
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