270 or 30-06
10-16-2003, 07:09 AM
#15
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,491
RE: 270 or 30-06
There have been a number of good recommendations made! Personally, if I had either a .270 or a .30-06 I wouldn' t buy the other for another whitetail/coyote rifle. (And I have owned both of those calibers at the same time....so much for following my own advice.)
Until you get to bullet weights above and over 180 grains in the .30-06 there isn' t enough difference between those two cartridges. For deer/coyotes you will be using bullets less than that, (though 180 grains in the .30-06 can be put to good effect on deer in some applications). Essentially for either deer or coyote you would never be able to tell any difference between a .30-06 or the .270. Now having said all of that.....if you just WANT IT that is a good enough reason!
If I were really looking for another rifle to compliment that .30-06 and the focus was on deer and lighter game...I' d look for something enough smaller to be truly useful for coyote but still useable on deer. I' d probably start looking at something in the .243 Winchester range on the small side....and stop with something in 6.5mm, (such as a .260 Remington or a 6.5X55). In between there are a number of really good quarter bores...such as the .25-06, (or even the .257 Roberts/.250 Savage on the smaller up to .257 Weatherby on the larger). You might even want to give a good hard look at the new .243 WSSM. Which is essentially just a .243 Winchester about 200 fps faster! Though it does look like a promising long range medium game cartridge.
But when it is all said and done....if you just WANT a .270 Winchester....it is a great cartridge!
Good luck with your decision!
Until you get to bullet weights above and over 180 grains in the .30-06 there isn' t enough difference between those two cartridges. For deer/coyotes you will be using bullets less than that, (though 180 grains in the .30-06 can be put to good effect on deer in some applications). Essentially for either deer or coyote you would never be able to tell any difference between a .30-06 or the .270. Now having said all of that.....if you just WANT IT that is a good enough reason!
If I were really looking for another rifle to compliment that .30-06 and the focus was on deer and lighter game...I' d look for something enough smaller to be truly useful for coyote but still useable on deer. I' d probably start looking at something in the .243 Winchester range on the small side....and stop with something in 6.5mm, (such as a .260 Remington or a 6.5X55). In between there are a number of really good quarter bores...such as the .25-06, (or even the .257 Roberts/.250 Savage on the smaller up to .257 Weatherby on the larger). You might even want to give a good hard look at the new .243 WSSM. Which is essentially just a .243 Winchester about 200 fps faster! Though it does look like a promising long range medium game cartridge.
But when it is all said and done....if you just WANT a .270 Winchester....it is a great cartridge!
Good luck with your decision!
10-17-2003, 12:57 PM
#16
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location:
Posts: 579
RE: 270 or 30-06
This is just my opinion for what it is worth. Do not buy the 270. There isn' t enough difference between 30-06 & 270 to really matter. Also, the 30-06 is more versatile. For instance, you can shoot factory 150 gr. loads for deer and they are nearly as flat shooting as the 270 130 gr loads that are popular. The best thing about a 30-06 is that you can go up in bullet weight all the way to 220 gr. in factory ammo. Also with the new Federal High Energy loads and the Hornady Light Magnum loads available your 30-06 is very close to standard 300 Win. Mag. velocities. Shooting the HE and Light magnum loads will be harder on the shoulder than the standard factory ammo. I do have a 30-06 w/Leupold 3.5X10X50 on it. I use Federal HE loads with a 180 gr. Nosler Partition to hunt Elk in Wyoming. This load groups under an inch all day long. The listed velocity is 2880 fps. Over my chrony I get 2862 fps. This is only 98 fps slower than standard 180 gr loads for the 300 Win. Mag. I hope this helps you.
If you just want a new deer gun look to the 7mm-08 or 260 Rem. I own both. Low recoil, enough power, and flat enough trajectory for deer out to 250 yards and a little further if you are a good rifleman.
If you just want a new deer gun look to the 7mm-08 or 260 Rem. I own both. Low recoil, enough power, and flat enough trajectory for deer out to 250 yards and a little further if you are a good rifleman.
