Age old debate based on opinion.

S

SPMcfly

Inactive
Hello shooters,
This is a pretty over asked question but in your "professional/unprofessional opinion" what round would you opt for to take a black bear + use as a good all around deer/varmint rifle? .308 win, .300 win mag, .270 win, or 30-06? Round cost, recoil, and accuracy out to 500ish yards are factors.
 
.270 is obviously the best choice among those limited alternatives. The .270, while excellent for deer, bear, and even elk, is excessive for a varmint rifle. Nevertheless, if limited to one rifle, a .270 is the best choice among those alternatives.

P.S. I have taken one bear, two elk and MANY deer over the years. I still prefer a .243 or even a .223 for varmints.
 
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Any of those will easily take a black bear, they are just not that tough. As far as all-around varmints to elk, pick one, they are all overpowered for varmints and except for the 300 mag, any will be about the same as any one of the others. So once again, it will come down to personal preference.
 
Thank you for your service and input Lefteye. I am primarily an archery hunter and do own a 5.56/.223 for varmints but am looking to purchase a new rifle I can take multiple types of game with and is more enjoyable to shoot than just one or two rounds per year. I have owned a 30-06 in the past and enjoyed it quite a bit but am looking to try out something different.
 
IMO,the question is blown with the 500 yd requirement. Where does that come from?

Don't get me wrong,the right shooter can use a .308 effectively at 500yds,but lets get real.
The 500yd criteria biases the TOOL toward the 300 Win mag,bt the average SHOOTER is better served by ANY of the other cartridges.

As far as this semi-ridiculous question goes,there are so many variables,from one day to the next,a great case can be made for any and all of these cartridges.
My bias says the 300 Win Mag is a great cartridge,but is not the best choice for perhaps 80% + of shooters,and 80%+ situations.

I'll say "Great Choice!" to ALL of the rest.

Your criteria of "round count" and "accuracy"...without selling any other cartridge short,I'd give an advantage to the .308 when it comes to range time.

For a pure hunting tool under many conditions,the .270 might get the nod.

But you are never wrong to show up with a 30-06
 
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Choosing the proper bullet is far more important than the caliber. Every thing from 260 up to 338 WM will do the job. If the bullet is chosen wisely.

I've used 30-06 for most of my hunting, but have owned various 7mm and 300 magnums as well as 35 Whelen and 338/06 in the past. I sold most of them and have pretty well settled on 308.

There isn't an animal in the lower 48 I'd not shoot at 400 yards with it. But that is more because of my personal limitations. It would take most game under 500 lbs even farther. My 30-06 and magnum rifles only add about 100 yards of usable range. But since I'm not good enough to take advantage of it I don't see the point of the greater recoil.

I'd also have to throw the 6.5 Creedmoor into the debate. It shoots 130-147 gr bullets only slightly slower at the muzzle than 270 with similar bullet weights. But because of the higher BC's beyond about 200 yards they hit harder than 270. With almost 1/2 the recoil. With lighter 100 gr bullets it should be a better varmint rifle.

It is becoming popular in elk country with guys reporting great results out well beyond 400 yards. I've read a couple of reports of kills nearer 800 yards. I've been shooting one for a few months and like it. But I'm not ready for it to replace my 308, at least not yet.
 
For your stated application, there's no "best". You're right, it's an endless and pointless debate, with one exception. I am not an anti-magnum guy. I regularly shoot a .338 WM and killed all my game in Idaho and Colorado with a 7 mm RM. But I recommend you stay away from the .300 WM. If you have the motivation, you will master it. But if you want to enjoy some time at the range and have your choice, you will likely leave the magnum knock-em-dead in the safe.

Of the other 3, the '06 has some advantage in bullet choice, but most folks settle on one or maybe two favorites and stay with them. The .270 has a trajectory advantage, but in the day of range finders that's less important. The .308 is said to have an advantage in "inherent accuracy", but I don't know if that's true. And they will all have better accuracy than the shooter. Take your pick, and defend it against all comers.
 
The .308 or 06 has the most versatility in what you can throw down the barrel but honestly you could pick any one of those caliber's from a hat and not go wrong. Do you like short actions or long actions better, is recoil a factor in what you want, etc.? To be honest if you are looking to reach out to 500 yards then the 270 or 06 is a little better suited for that than the .308. If you were looking at keeping it under 400 yards then I would use the .308 because your shoulder will thank you if you shoot a lot! I'd like to put a vote in for the 7mm-08, great caliber.
 
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I agree with the consensus to stay away from the 300WM. Nothing against it, I own one even, but it's not practical for anything you mentioned except the 500 yd part.

The 270! Definitely the .270. I don't own one (yet), but I have used my wife's grandfather's Ruger M77 Hawkeye to kill 3 ground hogs out to a range of 340 yds, 2 white tail dear at 57 yds and 191 yds, and one black bear at 74 yds. I can also attest to its excellence if you need to stop a charging, rabid raccoon. ;)

Suffice it to say, I think if I could only choose one of the options you listed, I would choose to the .270. I would also choose it over the 6.5cm. Not that isn't a great round, but for its intended purposes, your velocity options diminish.
 
In my opinion, such a round does not exist, and never will. Good all around black bear/deer rifles start at 7mm, and that's way too big for varmints.
 
Last year I drew bear tag here in Co and I used 30-06 and buck draw tag I used 270. I got either sex elk tag and used Hoyt Matrix. My wife just got Hoyt's new HypeForce. I own more than one rifle and I own more than one bow.
 
I'm all for the 30-06 but all three will do the job. 300 win mag aside from hurting your shoulder a bit if you're recoil sensitive will also hurt the wallet. The other three are cheaper to feed even if you only launch a few rounds a year.

On the other hand this could be your gateway to starting a good collection.
 
Ya'll will note SPMcFly isn't asking which is best. He's asking which you'd opt to use.
Any .24 to .30 calibre cartridge using proper bullets will kill any game you care to hunt.
However, 500ish yards is too far for any typical 'deer' cartridge(no magnum is a deer cartridges. Mind you, there's no game in North America that requires a magnum to kill either.). Energy drops like a brick past 300 with nearly all of 'em.
 
I absolutely agree that the 25-06 would wonderful out to 500 yards.

I also absolutely disagree that 500 yards is too far for a "typical deer cartridge".
They can get the job done IF YOU CAN!
 
The .270, .308 and 30-06 still have way more than enough energy at 500 yards to kill pretty much any North American animal with the correct ammunition.
 
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To your question, any of those rifles will stop a black bear (assuming you can hit a vital area).
6.5 Creedmoor is a good option. 500 yards is also doable but again shot placement is at the top of the requirements.

A very well placed 5.56 will stop a black bear. A poorly placed .50 BMG won’t.
 
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