.270 vs .30-06

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Vanguard.223

New member
Alright, so I have 2 custom made rifles both based off a German Mauser action, and as stated above theyre chambered in .270 and .30-06, if I were to make a long range set up out of these rifles which caliber would you choose? Is there an accuracy edge for one over the other?
Any pros or cons you can give would be helpful! I reload so price of ammunition isn't a problem!

Thanks!
 
Ballistically, they are very close. For hunting, it would be a toss up IMO.

However, when you say "long range setup" I'm going to assume you mean target, and from that respect I would give the nod to the .06.

Target bullet selection, especially Match and VLD types, are very limited in the .277 caliber. Not much to work with there, and I don't need to tell you that the selection of .308 bullets is mind boggling. Me, I would go with the .06 because of bullet selection/availability.
 
No easy answer. Lots of variables.
Are you going to shoot paper or large game animals at long range?

Generally the .270 will have a flatter arch than a 30-06 from muzzle to say 400 yards. If you zero both at say 200 yards and then shoot at 100 yards and again at 300 yards (without adjusting sight for range) the .270 will hit closer to point of aim than the 30-06 in the vertical axis at both 100 and 200 yards because normally the .270 has a higher velocity equating to a flatter arch. 32 feet per second per second of bullet fall is a given (gravity). Bullet velocity is the variable that creates the arched path of the bullet over distance. I define accuracy as putting the holes as close together as possible at a given distance.

How much wind is blowing can effect accuracy. Lighter bullets are blown about by the wind more than heavier bullets.
 
Which one is more accurate? Mechanical accuracy trumps any other consideration.
Would you use a less accurate gun because it has less wind drift?
You can calculate and compensate for drift and drop. You can calculate inaccuracy.
 
I don't believe there is any inherent accuracy edge of one cartridge over the other. Generally speaking, to get the same Ballistic Coefficient in the .308 bullet you have to go about 40 grains heavier than the .277 bullet (180 gr to 140 gr), which would have more recoil. Less recoil is always conducive to more accurate shooting.

If both rifles have the same barrel length, you should also achieve slightly better drop numbers with the .270. Using the same Hornady SST bullet in both cartridges with max published velocities and a +/- 3" point blank range sighting, I came up with the following drop numbers:

180 SST @ 2850 fps = on @ 241 yds, PBR of 283 yds, -68" @ 600 yds, -319" @ 1,000 yds.
140 SST @ 2950 fps = on @ 249 yds, PBR of 293 yds, -61" @ 600 yds, -285" @ 1,000 yds.

These numbers are close enough that if one rifle had a longer barrel to achieve greater velocity, or if one was consistently more accurate, I would consider that a greater advantage. You can compensate for drop, you can't for innaccuracy.
 
That's a choice of philosophy more than the ballistics of the round. I can't really see a difference between the two for long-range work. The only edge might go to the .30 caliber with the greater bullet selection, but both are certainly capable cartridges.

Both calibers can be wonderfully accurate, so the choice is yours.
 
Unless you're shooting 180 grain bullets at moose or similarly large game, the 270 is fine.

(I own a .30-06 --- although my next rifle will be a Winchester Model 70 in .270)
 
There are a lot more .30 caliber target bullets inteded for long range shooting. Most 270 bullets are designed for hunting There is more information available to guide you setting up a 30-06 for long range shooting. Heavier .30 bullets are less effected by wind at long range With good bullets, the 270 will always shoot flatter, but that is not a factor in long range shooting. As long as you are shooting at known distances you can always adjust your sights.

There are a few 270 bullets designed now for long range shooting and I believe that it is theoretically possible that both can be equal. But the 30-06 has been used in this role far, far more often and the information on how to do it is there. Getting a 270 to do it would be harder since you would be doing a lot of your own research on load data etc.
 
Wow, thanks for all the replies guys! I will be using this set up to mainly punch paper and ring steel, but would like to have the option to hunt with it as well. The rifles are exactly the same except for what they are chambered in. Thanks for the numbers as well. Both rifles are fairly heavy (9.5 lbs) topped with a cheap scope. I haven't even added a bipod and maybe a stock pouch. So thy might help with recoil if I chose the -06 and the heavy pills. By your responses it seems I can't go wrong with each!
 
You need to define long range, under 500 yards its a toss up, over 500 a 30 cal has better bullet choices, you will want something over 200gr with a high BC.
 
Brian Pfleuger wrote:

Which one is more accurate? Mechanical accuracy trumps any other consideration.
Click to expand...

270 vs 30/06 at 200yds - They say a pic is worth...


3006Case_100508_1.jpg
3006Case_100508_3.jpg
 
I don't even own a 30-06, being a die-hard 270 guy. But...if I was wanting a rifle for long distance accuracy work, I'd go with the 30-06 purely because of what a couple of the other guys said, which is that more target bullets are available in 30 caliber. If the shooting is under 500 yards, I'd go with my 270, but out past that I'd go with the 30-06. Consider that if you intend to do some serious target shooting, you're gonna need serious gunsmith work on the rifle and some serious glass on top of it.
 
Bottom line is the rifle that is most accurate should be used. We all have our favorite cartridges and are going to recommend them, but like Brian Pfleuger said, you can adjust for everything except a rifles inaccuracy.
 
Both are great cartridges.

Doing it over, if I was going to buy a hunting rifle it would be 270.

Long range target 3006.

But switch it and you would not go wrong that way.
 
It's hard to figure if you already build the rifles but it sound like since you mention both are 9.5lbs etc only difference being the chambers. If not.

Couple thing I always look at building, what bullets I want to use next barrel twist/length plus having a magazine length for them also how there throated.

As you said "I was think over 500, probably closer to 800 and work my way out"
also "but would like to have the option to hunt with it as well."

I've got a nice 270 that I had build as a hunting rifle also couple 30-06 and I could use one with some of Berger target bullets if I wanted. If I was looking more at the 270 also to include LR target shooting I would of build it more to handle the Matrix bullets in 165gr and 175gr bullets.

Lot of choice building.
 
Well, well, well,,,,, the ole thirty vs .270 win thread...... I love them equally, myself because I'm lucky, I have two 30-06's and one fantastic.270 win.
And before I tell you why they are equal (to me) I wanna tell you that the recoil on my son's Rem 700,(hard plastic buttplate) is the worst of the two 30-06, as far as recoil. This friday past I purchased a Savage 111, 30-06, that is another sub-moa shooter and it has a decent recoil pad on it, so the point I'm trying to make is that, up to friday I could spend all day at the range shooting my Savage 110, .270 win, cause it doesn't recoil as much as the 30-06. Back to that Reminton 700, trying to shoot it past maybe three groups of three rnds kinda gets painful, but it's a 1/4 moa shooter. My 110 is a 1/4 moa shooter also.

Between the two, if I were to get a moose tag, I'd opt for the 30-06, loaded with some 180 Nosler Partitions.
If I were to go on a trip to Wyoming, to shoot speed goats, I'd pack my .270 win, and plenty of 130 grn Ballistic tips.

The difference's in these cartridges aren't hugely different but confidence, I'll say it again confidence in either is the main thing.

just my buck fitty fellas, yes I really do love them equally!;)
 
I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned (much) yet. One big factor here is what rate of twist the barrels are. You need the heavier bullets for shooting long range, so if one barrel has a slower rate of twist, it will probably stabilize the lighter bullets better, making it not as desireable for long range shooting.

Which one is more accurate? Mechanical accuracy trumps any other consideration.
Click to expand...

I'll agree this right here is the single biggest factor in which one you should choose to setup for long range.

If they were equally accurate, I personally would go with some Berger VLDs in the .270. While I can handle the extra recoil, it's easier for me to shoot a gun with less recoil accurately.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/270-win-long-range-shooting-1.php
Here is an interesting article on using the .270 for long range shooting.
 
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