Rifle Caliber Recommendation - 270/308/30-06

[Jack Ryan]

Keep the 7mm and buy more ammo.

 

[BayouBuck985]

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.

Update: I just picked up a used but in mint condition Browning X Bolt 2 Hunter in .308! That was my best deal of late that I couldn’t pass up. It even came with a Leupold VX Freedom 3-9X40 scope. I have a Swarovski to replace it, but I will put the Leupold on my .35 Whelen. Now, I’ll just get some premium 165-gr bullets, likely Nosler Partition or Accubond.

 

[Jnasa]

Update: I just picked up a used but in mint condition Browning X Bolt 2 Hunter in .308! That was my best deal of late that I couldn’t pass up. It even came with a Leupold VX Freedom 3-9X40 scope. I have a Swarovski to replace it, but I will put the Leupold on my .35 Whelen. Now, I’ll just get a premium 165-gr bullets, likely Nosler Partition or Accubond.

Congrats on your find. That should work well for you.

 

[MS 9x56]

Update: I just picked up a used but in mint condition Browning X Bolt 2 Hunter in .308! That was my best deal of late that I couldn’t pass up. It even came with a Leupold VX Freedom 3-9X40 scope. I have a Swarovski to replace it, but I will put the Leupold on my .35 Whelen. Now, I’ll just get some premium 165-gr bullets, likely Nosler Partition or Accubond.

My savage 99 would shoot 2 to 2 1/2” groups with both 150 and 180 grain spitzer bullets. One day while perusing my LGS I found a NOS box of Speer round nose 165 grain bullets. I loaded them up and was astounded when that old rifle shot its first honest to goodness 1 MOA group. No the quest is on to find more as they seem not to be made anymore.

 

[Wyoming270]

All of them hunt fine. Personally i prefer long action cartridges. 270 shoots flatter than 30 06 and has less recoil so its my choice. I dont need a 30 06 since i have 300 win mag if i want to shoot heavy 30 cal bullets. I also set the 300 win mag up with a slightly higher powered scope and the 270 with a slightly lower powered scope.

 

[GlockZ]

Any of the 3 are great choices and very capable. Personally I would get an X-bolt in .270 and get the model with the 7.5 twist rate, then you can confidently hand load 155-175 grain bullets and have lethal elk cartridge.

 

[MTGamecock]

Update: I just picked up a used but in mint condition Browning X Bolt 2 Hunter in .308! That was my best deal of late that I couldn’t pass up. It even came with a Leupold VX Freedom 3-9X40 scope. I have a Swarovski to replace it, but I will put the Leupold on my .35 Whelen. Now, I’ll just get some premium 165-gr bullets, likely Nosler Partition or Accubond.

Sounds like you found what you were looking for. Repeating what others have said, any of those three calibers will work just fine if it's a rifle you shoot well. I have a .308 rifle that I shoot very well and I now use it almost exclusively for deer, antelope, and elk. I like the 180 grain Nosler Partition bullets for elk and have found them to perform exactly as they were designed.

 

[Cammy]

I have used many tipped tsx bullets and have had no issues with them.

Tipped bullets shoot fine, it is the damage to the surrounding meat at the entrance that I do not like. Switched to .270 from 30-06 and started shooting 130 grain bullets instead of 180 grain for the same reason.

 

[Jonas]

Given your hunting conditions, I’d probably lean .308 Winchester. For the type of hunting you described mostly whitetails and hogs inside 200 yards the .308 gives you plenty of power, excellent bullet availability, manageable recoil, and a huge selection of rifles and ammunition. It’s also a very efficient cartridge that performs extremely well in shorter barrels
The .270 Winchester is a great deer cartridge and shoots flatter, but at the ranges you’re talking about the difference is basically irrelevant. The .308 also gives you more flexibility with heavier bullets for hogs and larger game
Since you already have a .35 Whelen, I wouldn’t choose a .30-06 just for the occasional elk hunt. The Whelen already covers that “bigger game” role very well. If elk becomes a regular pursuit, the .30-06 would make sense, but as an everyday rifle the .308 seems like the better fit
Out of the rifles you listed, I’d personally look hard at the Bergara B-14 or the Browning X-Bolt. The B-14s are excellent shooters for the money, while the X-Bolt gives you a lighter, more refined hunting rifle. A Remington 700 CDL would be a great classic choice too if you get a good one
.308 Winchester it fills the gap between your .35 Whelen and your previous magnums perfectly and is probably the rifle you’ll enjoy carrying and hunting with the most

 

[jimss]

I bought a 300 win mag a few years ago and put a muzzlebreak on it. It kicks less than my 270 and has great ballistics and I can shoot just as tight groups as my ole 270. I’ve had great success with it for deer antelope elk bighorn bear and mtn goats.

I also have a 300 WSM but like my 300 win better because the shells are less $ and easier to find.

 

[Jnasa]

Tipped bullets shoot fine, it is the damage to the surrounding meat at the entrance that I do not like. Switched to .270 from 30-06 and started shooting 130 grain bullets instead of 180 grain for the same reason.

I am referring to the issue of meat damage. I have not noticed issue of meat damage with either TTSX or GMX.

 

[Potsie]

None of those options have enough whallop for elk. Elk are basically super heroes of the animal kingdom and require at least a .338 Lapua, and even then be ready for a follow up shot.

 

[BayouBuck985]

None of those options have enough whallop for elk. Elk are basically super heroes of the animal kingdom and require at least a .338 Lapua, and even then be ready for a follow up shot.

I obviously have never been around elk, but a couple videos I’ve seen recently of hunters using a .308 or .270 required a second shot, even though the first shot looked perfect. I hear that a minimum 1,500 ft-lbs of energy is required for an ethical kill, but probably over 2,000 ft-lbs is really what you want at impact.

 

[Jnasa]

I obviously have never been around elk, but a couple videos I’ve seen recently of hunters using a .308 or .270 required a second shot, even though the first shot looked perfect. I hear that a minimum 1,500 ft-lbs of energy is required for an ethical kill, but probably over 2,000 ft-lbs is really what you want at impact.

And you've never seen a magnum cartridge require a second shot even with a good shot?

 

[Potsie]

I obviously have never been around elk, but a couple videos I’ve seen recently of hunters using a .308 or .270 required a second shot, even though the first shot looked perfect. I hear that a minimum 1,500 ft-lbs of energy is required for an ethical kill, but probably over 2,000 ft-lbs is really what you want at impact.

Don’t believe everything you hear… I recommend at least 3,500 ft-lbs of whallop, minimum.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

None of those options have enough whallop for elk. Elk are basically super heroes of the animal kingdom and require at least a .338 Lapua, and even then be ready for a follow up shot.

Noe if you said "none of those options have enough wallop for a big bull elk that is far away and even going away" I would agree with you.

 

[MTLabrador]

I’ve never understood the “shoot through the ass and paunch to get to the lungs” mindset. Getting through the rumen into the lungs is never guaranteed no matter what you’re shooting.

I’ve killed a few elk going straight away from me. Relatively close shots through the back of the neck, or between the shoulder blades with an uphill angle. All with a .270 or .30-06. If you have to do it, that’s a better way.