.270 vs 7mm mag?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I own both and shoot them regularly, as far as more recoil goes ,I never noticed when I shot at game, If it's for deer and occaisionally coyotes, then the .270 winny would get the nod but if it's deer and maybe elk, then the 7mm rem mag and I'd start handloading various bullets for it.
 
I'm not a fan of the 270. I AM a fan of the 25/06. If you just want to shoot varmints and deer, the 25/06 is one of the best. If you want mostly varmints but an ocassional deer is possible, the 243 Win is a better choice. Either is way better than the 270.
The 7mm RM is a big round creating considerable recoil, noise, and using a lot of powder. I've killed several coyotes with it at some OMG ranges but it wouldn't be my first choice for your described purposes. If you included elk in your hunting, that would move the 7mm RM into the choices.
 
trg42wraglefragle said:
What sort of range do you intend on shooting both deer and coyotes?
This will be a large factor in whether or not cartridge X will be suitable or not.
Click to expand...

Both long and short range, I got to eastern wa to hunt deer (archery) and on 3 occasions the coyote have screwed up hunts for me
So eastern Washington is more open, so longer range and western washington where I live its under 80yrd shots in the woods.
 
Is long range 200-300 yards or 500+.
If the max your going to shoot deer is 300yrds Id go for 243.
243 will be good for coyotes and smaller a fair bit longer than that.
 
For your stated needs, 270. The 7mmRM with 160gr bullets at 3000fps will have the trajectory of the 270 with 130gr bullets.
 
I looked at 2 places today and looked at probably 15 different rifles

None of the rifles that where .270 made my eyes pop out, the rifles I looked at in .243 some where pretty nice
One was the Ruger American

I looked at some rifles in .22 250, one was a Remington 700 sps and it was a sweet gun!

The one that really impressed me was the Remington 700 vsf
Super smooth trigger and nice smooth bolt
 
Last edited:
Igousigloo said:
" I would get a 7mm-08 and cross both of them off the list with less powder and less recoil."

Best answer yet IMO, and this coming from a bona fide life- long .270 fan. I will remain one, don't plan on getting rid of the .270, but a 7mm-08 will be my next bolt rifle "just because" - all around goodness and, to me, quintessential "mountain rifle." Essentially ".270 (ok more literally .280) lite" but only comparatively lacking out past 300. Within the ranges most of us shoot, there's very little the 7mm-08 cannot do. So, for most intents and purposes it's a short action .270 Win. What's not to like about that? True, like its slightly smaller brother .243.it's derived from the .308, so get one of those?...Hard to argue with, but recoil and bang vs the .308 is lighter with the -08 and trajectory a litle flatter "within its range," while being more capable on the larger game than the .243 (deer and up)...and its somehow nice that not everyone has one. That also admittedly translates to not being as available on every shelf (if "Wallyworld" is the standard) as the .243, .270, .308, certainly .30-06 and 7 Rem Mag. But it is also hardly an esoteric round either and most gun shops carry. Internet availability also is limitless. Great bullet selection, though 140 is most common and is to the -08 what 130 has been to the .270 and "made" the latter the legend it is for deer-size game.

As said, I won't be getting rid of my beloved .270 but somehow want a 7mm-08 in the mix,...and if I were to find myself without anything and could only have one rifle, at this stage in my life (every inch and oz counts) I'd look hard at the 7mm-08 as my one "do all" hunting rifle.
My .02
 
Gak, thanks for the input!

I have had time to ponder the caliber I want to get and I don't really think I want to ever hunt anything bigger than deer with a rifle
I don't like the kind of people who hunt elk with a rifle and I've heard enough stories of people getting turned away at gun point from elk (not just elk, big bulls)
And I don't know if I really want to hunt deer with a rifle so I'm thinking a smaller caliber.
 
Mastergunner,
So does that put you back to pondering the .243, .25-06, .22-250, or even the .223? Not poking at you- I promise. It's just very fascinating and enlightening to me to see folks discuss and research cartridge selections on open venues such as this.
 
Gak, thanks for the input!

I have had time to ponder the caliber I want to get and I don't really think I want to ever hunt anything bigger than deer with a rifle
I don't like the kind of people who hunt elk with a rifle and I've heard enough stories of people getting turned away at gun point from elk (not just elk, big bulls)
And I don't know if I really want to hunt deer with a rifle so I'm thinking a smaller caliber.
Click to expand...

In reading through the whole topic, your response here somewhat perplexed me.

Not that it makes a hill of beans just you started out headed in one direction and then switched. That said, the latter recommendations on the 260 or 7-08 were about spot on for your uses. (Maybe)

Either of them can be handloaded with a wide variety of very fine bullets from nearly all manufacturers. Either of them can easily go from one pasture hunting gofers, to the next to hunt deer, should you ever want to. Hunting yotes and similar varnmints is also an easy accomplishment with the 100'ish grain variety plastic tipped bullets now available. Both calibers can be had in a compact lightweight package making them easy to tote around in the hills or pstures, or can be found in full sized nicely balanced rifles as well.

The recoil of either one will be roughly about the same as a .243 or just a bit more depending on the bullet weights, but the similarities stop there. The .243 more or less is at the 100gr weight as a max, where the other two are just starting up. They will drive the light weight 100gr bullets just as flat as the .243 but with the option of getting up into the 140+ grian range should you ever decide to.

I have something in the safe from .223 up through .312. In all of that the most widely used rifle is a Ruger Compact in .308. It weighs in at 6.5 pounds with scope and 4 rounds in the mag, and is simply about the most handy little reach out and touch something rifle I have. I initially purchased it to hunt the dense river bottoms which are prevelant on my friends property. In there a 22" barrel more or less handcuffs you on shots, as it is simply too long to manuver around with. The little 16.5" barrel has no problems getting around, through, or much of anything else in there. As for reaching out and touching something, it has easily dumped several big hogs on their ear, out to ranges past 400yds using standard Remington factory loaded Core lokts with one shot stops.

I'm not harping on the caliber but more on the shorter light weight rifle above. These same results could easily be had in several other calibers, as it it what you can do with what you have, more so than, what can what you have do for you. The fine line of bullets being produced today for the 6.5 and 7mm calibers is outstanding to say the least, compared to what was available only 10 years ago. Yes there were a few decent ones for each, but nothing like the selections today. Just about anything derived off the .308 case as a parent, or similar capacity, is a good comprimise and balance for loads running from light weight to mid-heavy. You will easily be able to get effective velocities out of weights up to around 150grs depending on barrel length, but even still I can get right up to 2700fps with 150gr loads from my 16'5" barreled .308 which ain't too shabby. Factory ammo runs in the mid 2600's for the most part using the cheapest stuff I can find. I use it simply because it is MOA accurate out to 200yds and I shoot more hogs with it than anything else. I simply am not going to spend a bunch of money on them when the cheap stuff works just fine.

Anyway, I hope this adds to your inventory of ideas. Like I said I can shoot from mild to wild within my collection, but the little shorty gets the knod 95% of the time. Not simply due to caliber, but more so due to size and ease of use.
 
Mike / Tx said:
In all of that the most widely used rifle is a Ruger Compact in .308.
Click to expand...
I was wondering why somebody hadn't brought the venerable .308 up in this discussion. Certainly accurate for the ranges mentioned, and then some. It can be loaded up or down, or, good accurate factory ammo can be readily had.
Old thread, I know, sorry, but the information is still relevant. ;)
 
If you are trying to choose between the .270 and 7Rem mag, the 280 might just be the cartridge for you. The 280 A.I. is now a production cartridge.
 
I own a 243, 270, and 7mm mag. I primarily shoot the 270. My 7 mm mag collects dust, great rifle but prefer my 270 hands down. 243 is a great on coyotes and capable of taking deer under 300 yards. My daughter uses my 243 with 90 gr accubonds and has no issues dropping deer in their tracks.
 
Only two calibers I will tote in the field for deer size game and smaller. 270 win & 25-06 Rem. All the other calibers try as they may seldom measure up to the two I've commented.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top