New Hunting Rifle

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

newglockguy

Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
180
Location
Southern California
I was going to get a .308 rifle but then the panic happened and I lost my chance. However, instead of getting a .308 I was looking at .270 or 30-06. I know the .270 is a flatter shooting round and the 30-06 is a harder hitting and kicking round. Is there any real pros or cons to these rounds? I do plan on eventually get into reloading is that helps at all.
 
The 30-06 is far more versatile in terms of bullet weights and varieties. The .270 is a great round, but just lacks the versatility of the 30-06.
 
I'm a fan of the .30-06... I guess it depends on what you're hunting and how far away. If you're going to be making montana long range sniper shots on game then I'd want flat shooting as my top choice, if you're going to hunt like most people do, a .30-06 won't do ya wrong and you'll find ammo anywhere you happen to be.
 
There are so many good things to say about each round, that it's almost too daunting to even get started.

All I'll say is that I chose the .270 over the 30-06 because the rifle I wanted was in that caliber. If the rifle was in 30-06, I'd own a 30-06 ;)

Over time, you'll probably end up owning both. There's a lot of history with the 30-06, and it's sort of like the father to at least 5 or 6 other standard cartridges (the 270 being one), which has always been appealing to me. One the other hand, many very respected hunters/writers loved the .270 - Jeff Cooper being one of the better known.

I always like Cooper's quote, "The 270 can handle any game in North America."
 
What kind of .308 were you going to get that the panic prevented you from getting now? Or are you really talking about the availability of ammo?
 
There isn't enough difference between the 3 to matter. All are overkill for 90% of North American hunting with trajectories flat enough for 400-500 yard kills. While a little on the light side, with proper bullets all are are perfectly capable of any North American game. All have been successfully used to hunt every animal on the planet including Africa's biggest.

A 270 will shoot a little flatter than a 30-06, but your crosshairs will cover more of the target than the difference in drop between the 2 at reasonable ranges.

The 30-06 has slightly more energy, but the 308 or 270 will have about the same energy numbers at 475 yards as the 30-06 has at 500. Just get 25 yards closer.

I like the 308 since it is so close performance wise, about 2-4% slower with equal bullet weights, and it is available in more compact rifles. The 308 tends to be more accurate for most shooters. At least partly because it has about 20% less recoil than a 30-06 or a 270. If I need more power than that I'd skip right over 270 or 30-06 for something a lot bigger.
 
Listen to what THR members are saying, there is not a bunch of difference between the .270, .280 and .30/06. If I drew a elk tag and I owned either of these, I would load up and go with absolutely no reservation. The .270 is faster and lighter, the 06 is slower and heavier. If you load heavier bullets in the .270, it is slower, with very little less energy. the same can be said of the .308-7mm/08 discussion. I have seen lots of hits with all of these and with a good bullet in a vital area.....DUN done! Personally, I feel that shot placement is king. Get what caliber you want, shoot it a lot, get confident with whatever you carry. But, if you want a different caliber or brand of rifle, get that one too. If you stay in a recommended caliber range for the game you hunt, you will be fine, just match the bullet to the task.
 
I was going to get a 700. No problem getting a rifle but the availability and price of ammo is what caused me to reconsider.
Click to expand...
So, for hunting? Judging from what I see via gunbot, .308 is now plenty available, and prices are no worse than .30-06 for hunting loads.
 
Many of us, including myself, have rifles chambered for all of those cartridges and more.

All of them are good ones and popular as well.

Consider an upscale rifle that has control round feeding (CRF) and a M70 type three position wing safety. These safeties are superior for unloading a hot chamber while the safety controls the firing pin.

Such rifles such as the Winchester m70, and some Mausers have these features.
 
30-06

It's what everything is compared to and/or referenced to;

"It shoots as flat as an 06"

"It kill's like an 06"

"It's almost as good as an 06"

"the 06 has been doing it for over a hundred years"

there are ton's of great cartridges out there, and the 30-06 is one them.
 
If we were talking about ice cream, the .30-06 would be vanilla, .270 would be French vanilla, and the .308 would be vanilla bean. They all taste good, nearly the same, and in the real world you're unlikely to know the difference.

Have owned and shot all three. Handloaded for the .308 and .30-06. Have seen all three put deer down with authority.

Very minor differences between each one. I'd own all three of them over and over again. They are great rounds, and no one is inferior or superior to the other. The advantages and disadvantages are minimal.
 
I have hunting rifles in .30-06, .308 and .270 (and a few others as well). Any of the three, with the right loads, will bag any North American game, though I would rely on a heavier caliber in Brown bear country. All three have ammo that can be found in almost any store in hunting country. I'd suggest that you find the rifle that fits you best and hits the price point at which you're comfortable.

FH
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
Hi power rifle question.
2
Replies
29
Views
1K
Brian Dale
B
David4516
  • Locked
.35 Whelen: What do you think?
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
stevelyn
S
D
  • Locked
Good all around Colorado hunting rifle (for new hunter)
2 3
Replies
56
Views
7K
MattB
M
E
  • Locked
what cal.
Replies
5
Views
341
Essex County
E
Hog huntin Harry
  • Locked
Controlled round feed rifles under 1,000 dollars
2
Replies
45
Views
4K
jmr40
jmr40
Back
Top