Help choosing a first deer rifle caliber - Page 2

Llama Bob · February 2, 2016, 07:32 PM

.308, 7mm-08, .270, .30-06 and 7mm Mag are the do-it-all Western US calibers. There's very little difference in capability between them.

.270 shoots a little flatter
.270 has a bit more trouble with elk and moose due to low sectional density bullets and smaller diameter
.30-06 and 7mm Mag recoil a more
.30-06 can begin to push into great bear territory, but is not ideal for that
The 7mms have higher BCs and thus retian energy better than the .30s or .270

Anything you pick out of that list is going to be fine. Personally I have a .308, a 7mm-08, and a 7mm mag and find them largely interchangeable.

Llama Bob · February 2, 2016, 07:39 PM

Quote:

...it is plenty capable of taking elk which I would not trust the .243 or 7mm-08 to do that cleanly.

Nonsense. The 7mm 160 Accubond and 175 Partition are perfectly well suited to elk and the 7mm-08 can drive them at suitable velocities out to about 350y depending on elevation. If you don't like the round that's your business, but objectively it's 100% suited to the task of shooting elk.

The .243 is in fact too light however. 6.5mm caliber is probably the absolute minimum.

Photon Guy · February 4, 2016, 10:26 AM

When I went deer hunting I used a shotgun as shotguns are the only type of firearm allowed for hunting deer where I was hunting. A shotgun is a good choice for deer hunting but if you want a deer rifle I would recommend a .30 06 which is good for hunting any of the large, not as dangerous game.

Kreyzhorse · February 5, 2016, 01:54 PM

All are fine and you would be hard pressed to see much difference real world.

To really muddy up your waters, the 30-06 is also a great choice. A little more recoil, a little more performance.

Bottom line, if you want a .308 there is no reason not to buy it.

kilimanjaro · February 5, 2016, 02:24 PM

You will have to hunt for 7mm-08 ammo in some places at some times, it's best to stick with .270, .308, or .30-06, for a newbie. In addition, if you don't like hunting some ways down the road, oddball calibers are harder to sell.

The .270 is a bit light for elk, if you can't keep your range under 150 yards with it, might upgun to .308 or .30-06. Use a heavy bullet with the .270 for elk.

I hate to say this, but gun shop clerks sometimes like to push stale merchandise on the newbies, or just do them favors, in their thinking. The .308 is an excellent choice and there is no reason at all to get something else.

samsmix · February 8, 2016, 01:16 AM

Quote:

The .270 is a bit light for elk, if you can't keep your range under 150 yards with it, might upgun to .308 or .30-06. Use a heavy bullet with the .270 for elk.

There is nothing about the .270 with a 150gr bullet that would suggest that sort of limitation, yardage wise. Certainly going to a .308 IS NOT up-gunning from a .270. The .30-06 might be, IF we were talking about the great bears, but on deer and elk please tell me what shot you would take with a .308 or a .30-06, that you would pass up with a .270?

The .270 IS a .27-06 after all. (I know, I know: .27-03, but...)

Llama Bob · February 8, 2016, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Certainly going to a .308 IS NOT up-gunning from a .270.

For bigger game it probably is. I'd take a 180gr. .308 paritition over a 150gr. .277 partition for elk or moose any day.

It's also worth noting that 150gr .277 bullets are only marginally stable in many guns. With a 1-10" twist barrel, 180gr .308 is comfortably stable at all elevations and temperatures.

samsmix · February 9, 2016, 07:24 AM

I take your point Llama Bob, and I....sort of agree, but by such a thin margin that I'd hate to live on the difference. I just don't see what one is going to do that the other does not. It is a 6 of one, half a dozen of the other type situation, so I'll take the flatter shooting gun...but then I hunt a lot of prairie too.

old roper · February 9, 2016, 11:06 AM

I have very little experience with 308 and I don't own one. I don't think 308 is step up using 180gr partition compared to the 270 and the 160gr partition that Nosler been making. That bullet been in every Nosler reloading manual starting with #1.

I use the 180gr partition in my 30-06. My 270 I have no problems with getting Stability Factor of 1.5 or greater with either 150gr Partition or 160gr Partition.

There are reason why 270 been around long time and I'm not taking anything away from 308.

Geo_Erudite · February 10, 2016, 07:35 PM

I would choose .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x55 or 6.5-.284 Norma. If you need a magnum, .264 Winchester Magnum. But a lot of people would say the .264 caliber is too small for elk. If that's your belief, then go with a .280 Remington.

February 2, 2016, 07:32 PM	#26
Llama Bob Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2016 Posts: 337	.308, 7mm-08, .270, .30-06 and 7mm Mag are the do-it-all Western US calibers. There's very little difference in capability between them. .270 shoots a little flatter .270 has a bit more trouble with elk and moose due to low sectional density bullets and smaller diameter .30-06 and 7mm Mag recoil a more .30-06 can begin to push into great bear territory, but is not ideal for that The 7mms have higher BCs and thus retian energy better than the .30s or .270 Anything you pick out of that list is going to be fine. Personally I have a .308, a 7mm-08, and a 7mm mag and find them largely interchangeable.

February 5, 2016, 01:54 PM	#29
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	All are fine and you would be hard pressed to see much difference real world. To really muddy up your waters, the 30-06 is also a great choice. A little more recoil, a little more performance. Bottom line, if you want a .308 there is no reason not to buy it. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

February 9, 2016, 07:24 AM	#33
samsmix Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2006 Location: Montana (Montucky?) Posts: 1,273	I take your point Llama Bob, and I....sort of agree, but by such a thin margin that I'd hate to live on the difference. I just don't see what one is going to do that the other does not. It is a 6 of one, half a dozen of the other type situation, so I'll take the flatter shooting gun...but then I hunt a lot of prairie too. __________________ You'll probably never NEED a gun. I hope you never do. But IF you do, you will need it worse than anything you've ever needed in your life. IF we're not supposed to eat animals, howcome God made 'em outta meat?

February 9, 2016, 11:06 AM	#34
old roper Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2007 Posts: 2,155	I have very little experience with 308 and I don't own one. I don't think 308 is step up using 180gr partition compared to the 270 and the 160gr partition that Nosler been making. That bullet been in every Nosler reloading manual starting with #1. I use the 180gr partition in my 30-06. My 270 I have no problems with getting Stability Factor of 1.5 or greater with either 150gr Partition or 160gr Partition. There are reason why 270 been around long time and I'm not taking anything away from 308. __________________ Semper Fi Vietnam 1965 VFW Life member NRA Life Member

February 10, 2016, 07:35 PM	#35
Geo_Erudite Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2013 Location: SE WI Posts: 158	I would choose .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x55 or 6.5-.284 Norma. If you need a magnum, .264 Winchester Magnum. But a lot of people would say the .264 caliber is too small for elk. If that's your belief, then go with a .280 Remington. Last edited by Geo_Erudite; February 10, 2016 at 07:42 PM.

February 4, 2016, 10:26 AM	#28
Photon Guy Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2015 Posts: 291	When I went deer hunting I used a shotgun as shotguns are the only type of firearm allowed for hunting deer where I was hunting. A shotgun is a good choice for deer hunting but if you want a deer rifle I would recommend a .30 06 which is good for hunting any of the large, not as dangerous game.

February 5, 2016, 02:24 PM	#30
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	You will have to hunt for 7mm-08 ammo in some places at some times, it's best to stick with .270, .308, or .30-06, for a newbie. In addition, if you don't like hunting some ways down the road, oddball calibers are harder to sell. The .270 is a bit light for elk, if you can't keep your range under 150 yards with it, might upgun to .308 or .30-06. Use a heavy bullet with the .270 for elk. I hate to say this, but gun shop clerks sometimes like to push stale merchandise on the newbies, or just do them favors, in their thinking. The .308 is an excellent choice and there is no reason at all to get something else.