I am searching for my first hunting rifle and I have decided on what brand to buy but am having problems in deciding what caliber to get. My father in law has a 30-06 so one would think that that would be a sensible choice to get so then getting into reloading would make more econmic sense. But I have had several people tell me that a 270 is a great choice also. I plan to use the rifle mostly for hunting but also want something to possibly use for target shooting if I have the ammo or get into reloading. Any help will be really appreciated.
30-06 or 270
- Thread starter marsbars
- Start date
I bought a .308 first because of all the available surplus ammo. However, once I get into reloading (this year I hope), I plan to get a .30-06. It just has so many different possible loads.
Here's a good page that lays out a lot of the advantages/disadvantages of various calibers in the Rifle section. http://www.teleport.com/~chalu/index2.htm
What brand did you decide on?
Here's a good page that lays out a lot of the advantages/disadvantages of various calibers in the Rifle section. http://www.teleport.com/~chalu/index2.htm
What brand did you decide on?
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
IIRC, if target shooting is a major plan, the '06 at least has match bullets available. There may be some for the .270 and I'm sure run of the mill Sierras would shoot well. Not really much difference until you start looking at the heavier weights.
What are you planning to hunt?
Giz
What are you planning to hunt?
Giz
One more '06 vote. This is just my opinion, but I think a lot of folks like the 270 because they think it has less recoil and shoots flatter. The difference between 270, 280 and '06 trajectory and performance is like comparing a gnat's eyebrows, whiskers, and a** hair. The big plus for the '06 is versatile bullet choices and you can go virtually anywhere and find ammo for it.
A
AmericanFreeBird
Guest
Assuming you've ruled out .308, I'd go for the .06. If flat shooting is what you really want for longer target ranges and bigger game then 300 Win mag.
Odd that you skipped .308. I'd say it depends on what you intend to hunt. .270 is fine for deer and smaller, while the '06 is adequate for any game animal in North America.
If you ever plan to try for that Elk, Moose or Bear the '06 is the clear choice. If you think you want to do lot of target shooting a .308 or .270 may be a better choice.
My '06 bolt gun precludes a lot of target shooting as the recoil is prodigous compared to a .308.
If you ever plan to try for that Elk, Moose or Bear the '06 is the clear choice. If you think you want to do lot of target shooting a .308 or .270 may be a better choice.
My '06 bolt gun precludes a lot of target shooting as the recoil is prodigous compared to a .308.
Another vote for the 30-06. Some comments have been made concerning recoil. To be frank, I see very little difference in the recoil of the 30-03, .270 Win., .280 Rem. if rifle weight is similar, and I have all three. I have a 5 pound .308 that feels like a mini-magnum with the hotter heavy weight bullets.
The late Col. Townsend Whelan once said,"the 30-06 is never a mistake." I tend to agree with that. By handloading, you can shoot anything from tin cans with gallery loads to the mighty bears with heavy 220 gr. bullets. Ammo is available just about anywhere.
I remember, on one deer hunt, many years ago, I ran into a fellow hunter that had lost all his ammo. He was shooting a 30-06, as was I. I gave him five rounds so he could continue hunting. I've always carried enough spare, for emergency purposes.
Paul B.
The late Col. Townsend Whelan once said,"the 30-06 is never a mistake." I tend to agree with that. By handloading, you can shoot anything from tin cans with gallery loads to the mighty bears with heavy 220 gr. bullets. Ammo is available just about anywhere.
I remember, on one deer hunt, many years ago, I ran into a fellow hunter that had lost all his ammo. He was shooting a 30-06, as was I. I gave him five rounds so he could continue hunting. I've always carried enough spare, for emergency purposes.
Paul B.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I've loaded for and killed deer with both the .270 and '06. I guess my partiality to the '06 is due to the much wider variety of bullets for different purposes.
To a certain extent, the .270 is limited to 150- or 160- grain bullets on the upper end, for elk and suchlike. The 130-grain is the old standby for deer. But, if the barrel twist is fast enough to stabilize the longer, heavy bullets, it may well not be all that great with 90-grain varmint bullets.
For target shooting as a primary purpose, the .308 is accepted as better than the .270 or '06. I'll take the '06 over the .270 as to target accuracy, however--mostly due to the availability of quality bullets.
If you're hunting and go up to the 220-grain for larger critters, the '06 is gonna blow the doors off a .308.
For a "horsepower" comparison on my 500-yard range between a .308 and a .30-'06: A mil-surp .308 made no indentation in a mild-steel plate. My 150-grain '06 bullet made a 1/16" dimple. A 165-grain made a 1/8" dimple. A 180-grain made a 3/16" deep crater, one-half inch in diameter, with "splashback" of the steel. I don't know how much hotter one can load a .308, but so far none have come near my '06 for performance.
Hope all this BS ain't too confusin'...
, Art
To a certain extent, the .270 is limited to 150- or 160- grain bullets on the upper end, for elk and suchlike. The 130-grain is the old standby for deer. But, if the barrel twist is fast enough to stabilize the longer, heavy bullets, it may well not be all that great with 90-grain varmint bullets.
For target shooting as a primary purpose, the .308 is accepted as better than the .270 or '06. I'll take the '06 over the .270 as to target accuracy, however--mostly due to the availability of quality bullets.
If you're hunting and go up to the 220-grain for larger critters, the '06 is gonna blow the doors off a .308.
For a "horsepower" comparison on my 500-yard range between a .308 and a .30-'06: A mil-surp .308 made no indentation in a mild-steel plate. My 150-grain '06 bullet made a 1/16" dimple. A 165-grain made a 1/8" dimple. A 180-grain made a 3/16" deep crater, one-half inch in diameter, with "splashback" of the steel. I don't know how much hotter one can load a .308, but so far none have come near my '06 for performance.
Hope all this BS ain't too confusin'...
, ArtHere's my pitch...
the 30 cal has a near 100 year history of development as a target weapon with the US military spending literally millions of dollars on bullet development. The benefit of that extensive research is yours in the form of projectiles from our major manufacturers at no additional cost over other calibers. Therefore, I'd take the 30'06.
the 30 cal has a near 100 year history of development as a target weapon with the US military spending literally millions of dollars on bullet development. The benefit of that extensive research is yours in the form of projectiles from our major manufacturers at no additional cost over other calibers. Therefore, I'd take the 30'06.
My aging memory keeps saying that the .270 is a .30-'06 necked-down for smaller diameter bullets. Sound familiar to anyone? I vote for the '06. In the .30-'06 you can still use small bullets and lighter loads, but you're not limited at the upper end to 150 grains (or whatever the .270 max is).
DL
DL
Michael Priddy
New member
Flip a dime
I was raise reading Jack O'C. and I love my 270. It use to be (25yrs ago)that I was the only one around here that used a 270. They are very popular now and I see more 30-06s than magnums these days. You want go wrong with either one. I think you are over gunned for white tails with either of these. 243,6mm and 257 Roberts are the deer calibers of choice with the people that hunt with me. Because of the mild recoil and muzzle blast, we shoot them more often at the bench, varmint hunt in the summer time and deer hunt with them in the fall. By the way, the deer I killed this fall was with my 30-06. Was I any help?
Michael
I was raise reading Jack O'C. and I love my 270. It use to be (25yrs ago)that I was the only one around here that used a 270. They are very popular now and I see more 30-06s than magnums these days. You want go wrong with either one. I think you are over gunned for white tails with either of these. 243,6mm and 257 Roberts are the deer calibers of choice with the people that hunt with me. Because of the mild recoil and muzzle blast, we shoot them more often at the bench, varmint hunt in the summer time and deer hunt with them in the fall. By the way, the deer I killed this fall was with my 30-06. Was I any help?
MichaelRiverRider
New member
If you want to have something a little different, get a .280 instead. You mentioned handloading, and the .280 is just right for us who like to roll our own.
It's hard to take anything away from the old .30-06 and .270, so it's a matter of taste, I guess. But, if there's something I want to hunt that I can't take cleanly with a .280, then I would have to consider something considerably more powerful than any '06-based cartridge---or maybe just go with a .35 Whelen.
It's hard to take anything away from the old .30-06 and .270, so it's a matter of taste, I guess. But, if there's something I want to hunt that I can't take cleanly with a .280, then I would have to consider something considerably more powerful than any '06-based cartridge---or maybe just go with a .35 Whelen.