gun help please?

Question

I am looking for a rifle to hunt deer with at meduim to long ranges, and I cannot decide between .308 and .270. Which caliber and model should i buy?

Answer 1

Both are good rounds but I would go with the .270. I like the .270 for its flat trajectory and it is plenty of power for deer hunting.

Answer 2

Its totally up to you and heres why !

The .308 is a good round that has been used for long distance shooting for some time now. The main problem with the .308 and deer at longer distances is the drop ! While many sniper followers will tell you its the best, it may not be for hunting deer. The .308 drops more rapidly than the .270 and that means more judging for distance you will have to do. The .270 will shoot faster, flatter and cause you to have less of a chance of error.

On another note is how hard the caliber is going to hit the target at those distances. The .308 wins this battle but not by much at all which makes us go back to the .270 for its flat shooting path over long distances. In my opinion, there is no other choice here but the .270 in 130SP. I'm not sure what distances your looking at shooting but it will get you out to about 500 yards effectively !

The main Rifles you would want to look at would be :

Ruger Bolt Actions ( One of the best in my opinion )

Remington Bolt Actions in the 700 series

Browning A Bolt if you want something to show off

Weatherby Vanguard

Weatherby Mark V ( The best a hunter gets )

Good Luck & Happy Shooting !!!!!

Answer 3

Both are good firearms and more than adequate for game up to elk size. I have owned and hunted with both, but settled on a winchester model 70 featherweight in .270
with that rifle I have taken a lot of deer, elk and black bear. It shoots flatter than a 30.06 (after all it is only a 30 cal. case necked down to .270) But wouldn't hesitate to use a .308 either. My longest shot on an elk was approx 600 yards under ideal conditions with my .270. 308's are used at the 1000 yard competitions all the time. Not that I'd ever shoot a game animal at that range.

Answer 4

Either caliber would be excellent for deer. If you have an interest in reloading ever, I would place the .308 marginally ahead of the 270. components for 308 are easier to find and usually cheaper.

I second Ruger, the M77 MK II in 308 would be a good gun to check out. I own a M77 Mk II that I bought used for $400. Mine however is chambered in .338 Win Mag. But I do like mine and have heard the same from others who have them in .308.

I'm not sure what savage has in their product line currently for 308 or 270, but I know they make nice hunting rifles. Also check these out as well.

Answer 5

These guys seem to know more than me but I'll give you my take anyway. I have used a .270 for 25 years and love it. However, My Dad gave my son a .308 this year and I was very impressed with the performance. He killed two and the bullet mushroomed and exited just like it was supposed to...better than my beloved .270. Both shots were inside of 150 yards so if that is the upper end of the range you are thinking I would go with the .308. If you get a .270 I would recommend what the previous guy did (Remington model 700) and shoot Remington Core-Lokt 130 grain. I've tried many and they do best for deer.
Good Luck

Answer 6

Both can reach out past 300 yards. the .308 is bigger than the .270 but the .270 shoots flatter than the .308. i myself will be getting a .270 pump action instead of the popular bolt action. you can shoot 130 grain bullets at varmints like groundhogs and coyotes, but you can also shoot 170 grains at deer. the .270 will take down the biggest of deer, so its big enough you don't have to worry about knock down power. the .308 is is big enough to take down the biggest deer,but you can also use it for black bear and elk. With a .270 Winchester (130 grain)you are getting a greater muzzle velocity of 3060 foot-pounds.

Give good consideration to the .300 WSM(Winchester Short Magnum). It has enough horse power to take any small branches out of the way and its a great long range gun with tremendous knock down power. It generally punches a half dollar hole with a 150 grain bullet.

Answer 7

Split the difference and get 7mm08. It's almost as flat as the 270 and retains its effectiveness downrange better than its parent case, the 308, with a bit more bullet weight than the 270.

Answer 8

.308 is a more technical round with a high trajectory pattern and I wouldnt recommend it for a novice shooter. You really have to understand ranges and how the bullet will rise and drop to be very effective.

.270 is a very good round for what you have described but it has two disadvantages in that the bullet is very tight in the barrel and will wear out quickly (when compared to 30.06) Also, the round does not have as many bullet weight variations as does the 30.06.

So here comes the 30.06 sales pitch. An .06 can be used in a much wider variety of shooting situations as it has many wieght variations from Varmint to Heavy Game.

If I were in your shoes and looking to make a decision it would be a 30.06, then .270 with .308 at the bottom of the list.

If you were looking for a combat round it would be very different.

Answer 9

Both are great. the .308 packs more punch and is better at distance. The .270 has the flattest trajectory of any deer rifle. It is the easiest to be accurate with.

Answer 10

Both will get the job done, but I like the .308 better.

Not that it is all that much better than the .270, I just prefer .30 caliber rifles to sub-.30's.

Doc