Rifle Caliber Recommendation - 270/308/30-06

Find the rifle and platform you want, pick whichever caliber you can get the best deal on, match it to the appropriate bullet for the job and rock on. Not a nickel’s worth of difference in the three for what you’re looking for.
 
Bergara B-14 Hunter in green stock. .270 Win. Enjoy hunting with a proven cartridge and an accurate rifle. Elk, moose, deer, black bear… just go hunting. For choosing a scope, start another thread. Lots of experience and wisdom from forum members. List your budget and expectations.
 
I am biased in saying a 270 but its only because I have killed an absolute pile of different sized critters with that particular caliber. Like you said... with the ranges you are hunting all three will do the same thing. This is where I would usually chastise other calibers but the ones you listed are all excellent for everything in the lower 48. There is just something about a 270 though that just talks to me a little different.
 
To heck with a .270, I want to hear about the 9x56??
It is considered an obsolete cartridge now that is no longer commercially available. However I have found in my Mannlicher Schoenauer model 1905 it works very well on ungulates and wild hogs. Using either 200 or 250 grain bullets. Strictly an reloaders cartridge now.
 
I have the .270 and .308 if i were buying one gun right now it would be the 30.06 it's the cartridge all the others are judged buy. got to be a reason for that.
 
Bergara B-14 Hunter in green stock. .270 Win. Enjoy hunting with a proven cartridge and an accurate rifle. Elk, moose, deer, black bear… just go hunting. For choosing a scope, start another thread. Lots of experience and wisdom from forum members. List your budget and expectations.
That is the exact rifle I’m strongly considering in .308. Either that or the B-14 Timber in .270 or .30-06 since I don’t like the 20” in the .308 Timber model. I want at least 22”. I really like the raised cheek piece in the Timber model, but that green in the Hunter model looks good with a black Swarovski Z6 on top of it.
 
Bergara B-14 Hunter in green stock. .270 Win. Enjoy hunting with a proven cartridge and an accurate rifle. Elk, moose, deer, black bear… just go hunting. For choosing a scope, start another thread. Lots of experience and wisdom from forum members. List your budget and expectations.
Are you shooting 150-gr bullets in that?
 
Full disclosure… My particular Bergara is a 7mm-08. I have two other rifles chambered for .270 and have hunted extensively with that caliber. My suggestion of a rifle/ caliber combo was in response to your given parameters
 
It's essentially a 35 remington but with classier lineage & chambered in MS rifles.

Get the 308 if you want a do-all rifle in a do-all cartridge. 130-150 grain mono bullets at top end velocity and you have a combination that will cleanly take everything from moose to mouse. Easy to reload for, tons of available ammo, lighter rifle due to short action versus long action, and - it's simple.

Simple is good.
Closer to the 358 winchester than the 35 rem. With 250 grain roundnose bullets it packs a wallop.
 
Closer to the 358 winchester than the 35 rem. With 250 grain roundnose bullets it packs a wallop.

That's a better comparison. People get all worked up over these small bore rifles. They've clearly never had the pleasure of watching a 9mm bullet with significant girth at a moderate velocity plow through a critter. Medium bores are just stompers. I love all 5 of mine!
 
Another vote for the .270. 130 grain Barnes TSX bullets on your choice of powders for reload or Barnes Vortex ammo if you find it. Go mono copper but stay away from "tipped" bullets. It has been my experience that the tip explodes causing massive trauma on entrance which leads to meat loss. Save the tipped bullets for coyotes and wolves.
 
Whatever is cheapest for you to shoot. Based on that id vote keeping the 6.5 creedmoor you already have. The difference on hogs/deer at 200 yards isnt significant. All of them are capable elk rifles for your western adventure at 4/500 yards with proper bullet selection.
 
Another vote for the .270. 130 grain Barnes TSX bullets on your choice of powders for reload or Barnes Vortex ammo if you find it. Go mono copper but stay away from "tipped" bullets. It has been my experience that the tip explodes causing massive trauma on entrance which leads to meat loss. Save the tipped bullets for coyotes and wolves.
I have used many tipped tsx bullets and have had no issues with them.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
119,539
Messages
2,229,473
Members
38,918
Latest member
AFKyle22
Back
Top