Which Hunting Rifle - .270, .300, .308 or 30/06?

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TOYSTRY

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Looking for a rifle that can pretty much put down any big game in North America (deer, mule, elk, bear).

My budget for the rifle is under $1000.

- Any specific brand better than others?
- Why would you recommend a certain rifle?

Also for scopes, my budget is under $1000.

- Any scope recommendations?
- Any specific brand better than others?

Thanks for the help.
 
Twenty years ago I would have said I have no use for a .270. Today I think it is probably the BEST rifle for North American game.

Find an older Ruger, Winchester or Remington, or just buy a Tikka T3.
 
Any of the rounds mentioned would suit your purpose, I have all of them but I prefer the 270 Win. for hunting.

Any modern bolt action will work as long as its a Model 70 :)
 
Those are cartridges, not rifles. However, the .270, .308 or .30-06 will kill any game you care to hunt. Difference is primarily the length of the action. The .270 being a necked down .30-06, takes the same long action. The .308, the ballistic twin of the '06 uses a short action. Difference between long and shirt is about a half inch.
Look into one of the Savage Package rifles. They're coming with much higher end scopes(Weaver or Nikon) these days for well under a grand. $549 or $679 at Cabela's depending on the model. Very hard to beat a Savage for out of the box accuracy.
 
Go handle a bunch of different rifles, whichever feels best to you buy that rifle. Don't buy a rifle based solely off the price tag, you might compromise too much for a cheap rifle. There are a lot of rifles that fit in your budget and leave room for good optics.
 
How the stock fits your body is very important. A test is to mount the rifle to your shoulder with your eyes closed as you get a good cheek weld against the comb. When you open your eyes, you should be looking right through the sights or scope. No sights or scope? Then, directly along the centerline of the barrel.

Makes for much easier hitting when shooting in the field at game.
 
For me, it has to be a model 70 Winchester with a Walnut stock, probably 2nd hand to save some money. Only slightly more flexible with calibers, I prefer 270 Winchester, but 30-'06 would be entirely acceptable, perhaps a better choice for dangerous game. Put a Leupold scope on it, no larger than 3-9x40, and a leather, "military", sling, and call it good.
 
Thousand bucko? Including scope?

Get a Remington or Winchester 30-06 and a top Leopold scope.

Try to get the gun with controlled feed if you can.

Deaf
 
All of your choices will work, as will about a dozen others. It comes down to how far you want to take the shot and how much recoil you're willing to accept.

More info is really needed. I live in GA and know lots of guys who bought a 300 magnum 20 years ago because they planned a western elk hunt. So far that hunt still hasn't happened and they have been using far more rifle than they need and have been kicked harder than necessary for GA whitetails.

Let's be honest. 99.9% of big game hunters will primarily hunt deer and most don't have the skills to take a shot over 200-300 yards. It is nice to dream about an Alaskan brown bear hunt, but very few will ever do it. And if they can afford the $20,000+ price tag of such a hunt they can afford to buy a bigger gun.

Of the choices you list the 308 will have the least recoil and is still capable of taking elk out to 400 yards. It is also probably the cheapest to buy ammo for.

I have no problem with anyone who wants to use a bigger gun if they just want to. But don't feel like you need to.

My 1st choice for an all purpose do anything, anywhere rifle is the Winchester 70 EW. Street prices are just over $1000. But you can get more than enough scope for $400-$500 keeping the total well under your $2000 budget. Caliber would be 308 or 30-06.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/produ...t-production/model-70-extreme-weather-ss.html
 
Unless you are talking about shooting a Grizzzly, the 308 is by far you best all around round.

Grizzly, then the 30-06 is better. It will do griz, my step dada farther killed 8 really big ones with his.

270 is a great cartridge, but its a lot more bang and boom than it returns.

Lethality on Elk is a bit marginal at long range.

If you want low cost get a Savage from Cabella with their discounts (probably a lot coming up) often $150 off between Cabell and Savage rebate)

It has a nice trigger you can adjust down to 2.5 lbs. If you want more target, you can change one spring and it will do 1.5 lbs.

Nikon scope on the Hunter XP package, if you want more, then buy a Leopold or I really like the Cabella 3-12 Japan made scopes.
 
If you plan to hunt elk frequently, go for the .30-06. I'd go with a .308 over .270 with a 300WM in last. Frankly, there is not a lot of difference in there. The .30-06 will get you a little more energy out far, say 400 yards. .308 and .270, depending on conditions, bullet and skill, 300 is about the edge. I just got back from elk hunting and shot mine at 410. Did not talk to a single person who had tagged one in the late season at less than 300 yards.

For $1k, you can almost go to anything you want. Optics, I tend to go for a BDC reticle in a good durable 1" tube in 3-9 or 2-7. I have a $1K optic on my Ruger American Predator, and I am likely going to take it off and put a less expensive optic on it. I don't want to dial, don't need the weight and want a slimmer optic on a hunting rifle.
 
From your list I'd pick the 30-06, a timeless classic. I used one for years when I was younger and regret to this day ever selling it.
 
I love the 30-06 and I reload for it. I like the fact you can get a little more velocity from handloading than you can the factory ammo even though you dont really need it. I have a Remington made 1903 Springfield that shoots great and a T/C Venture that was a huge surprise in how accurate it is. Maybe its the 5R rifling but for the money its a great rifle. If I wasnt a handloader I would be shooting a 308 Winchester. Love the .30 calibers.
 
Stick with 3006 always available...

if needed for heavy hitter, swap barrel to .35 Whelen.

I'm partial to M70 but your decision, as to manufacturer.

If not considering available ammo, may want to consider the 7-08 cartridge.


Ihave a M70 7MM Mag, that I download to 7mm MAuser for use on whitetails.

There are always options.
 
I too love the 30-06, but if its mostly deer then 308 is a better choice and a heavy bullet for Elk.
 
I suggest you get a Weatherby Vanguard in either 30-06 or 270 Win. Take the cheapy plastic stock off and drop it in a Weatherby style Bell & Carlson Medalist then top it off with Warne bases and rings holding a good 3.5 x 10 scope.

Do that and you're good to go, free to move around the country, harvesting meat for your freezer :)

I like Leupold, Burris and Weaver scopes. I don't have any but, I understand Vortex makes some good scopes as well.

PS Howa is the same good rifle as a Vanguard, however, for comparable models they typically have 22" barrels while the Weatherbys are 24".
 
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