switching calibers

[kilotanker22]

Hello all. New to this forum actually chose this forum because you can Google just about anything to do with guns and get a result from this forum.

So I recently parted with my 300 win may I have owned and used for 7 or 8 years. Recoil is not an issue to me anymore (it was when I first began to shoot). I am probably going to get something smaller. What would you pick and why? By the way this is not a which is better question. Just about any caliber 223 and up is ( good enough for deer sized game). Just looking for some insight.

Really looking at the 270, 270wsm.

[Brian Pfleuger]

You looking for a deer and paper puncher?

Do you handload?

243Win
.25-06
7mm-08

Many other options, especially for a handloader but those are my choices. Nothing wrong with .270 or mag versions either.

Welcome to the forum.

[ligonierbill]

So you're shooting deer. Eastern woods or western mountains? Are you going to try for the big deer (elk and moose)? No one will fault the .270; the wsm flavor is faster with less track record. But since you asked, pick up one of the major brand reloading manuals and read their cartridge descriptions. Not the final word, but generally some good insight. The late Don Lewis, who wrote the gun column for the PA Game News, made the argument that 7mm is the "optimum" bore for a hunting rifle. Just pick your longest shot and match it to case size. Many here, myself included, are liking the 6.5, but there are fewer caliber choices in that bore. By the way, why did you drop the .300 WM?

[kilotanker22]

I only dropped the 300 win may to try something different. Since I have owned my 300 I have learned to control recoil and shoot it well. However I think that I may shoot even better with a little less recoil. Average shots will be from 0- 400 yards occasionally longer generally less than 300 yards. Not really for punching paper that's what my 700 varmint 243 with 105 grain a Max is for backed by 38.5 grains of h4350. Bullet seated 40 thousands from the lands and cases only neck sized.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Oh. If I had a 243, I'd use that.

If you're more like I need a new gun!
Well, that's ok too.

In that case, I'd go 25-06, since you handload.

But, again, if you want a 270, nothing wrong with it. Fine choice.

[kilotanker22]

O believe me it would not be the first deer that this particular 243 has killed. It is however very heavy and a pain to carry. Have never thought about the 25-06 honestly. How does it stand up to the 270 in terms of energy and penetration at medium range.

By the way my dads when he was younger hunted with a 25-06 ( he stopped hunting when his dad passed) dad says a 25-06 to the neck at any range makes very short work of any white tail.

[kilotanker22]

By the way definitely looking to buy new rifle. Like to get a new one every few years. Really liking the savage 114 American classic hft.

[ligonierbill]

Ah...already has a .243 and reloads. FYI, I have been very pleased with my Sav 116 "Weather Warrior". Can you get the Savage in .280 Remington? Ballistic twin to the .270 and a better bullet selection for the reloader. 7mm-08 is another good choice, but 100+fps slower with 160's. I "replaced" (still have it) a 7mm Rem Mag with a 6.5x55 a few years ago. Unfortunately, few rifles are available in that caliber, but it's a pleasure to shoot and load for, and covers most of my hunting.

[kilotanker22]

Also I have considered buying a Remington 700 spa at walmart. They sell them almost 200 dollars cheaper than my local shop, but my local shop says they are factory second rifles. True or false?

[Remington74]

False

[jimbob86]

.270 WIN is versatile, inexpensive and widely available. Will work on Bambi to 1/4 mile if the shooter is up to it.

Makes a good varmit gun with light (90-110 grain) bullets.

7-08 is more efficient, but brass is not as ubiquitous as the .270...

[ZeroJunk]

If I just wanted a deer rifle I would buy the lightest I could find like a little Kimber in 7mm-08 or whatever short action cartrdge suits your fancy. Perfect for deer.

[Brian Pfleuger]

25-06 will do with a 120gr what 243 will do with a 100, more or less. So, 20-25% more energy.

270, 7-08 gets about the same with a 140gr, more or less.

All perfectly capable of killing deer at many hundreds of yards. Certainly 600+ if the shooter is up to it.

It's a personal choice. I don't like recoil. Been forced to hunt with 12ga slugs for many years. I'm over it.

243 is at the top of my "fun" recoil level.
270/7-08 is at the top of my "I want to tolerate it" level.

A deer at 2,3,4,500 yards would never know the difference.

I'm currently converting a Savage 11 in 270WSM to 243AI.

[kilotanker22]

Thanks guys I appreciate the input

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

jimbob86: Yup. I'd like to Second that. Great advice Sir.

Have a 270 Win and a 25-06 Rem both from same manufacture and same model. 270 is actually a bit more accurate at distance (200 plus.) Owned a Ruger 7mm-08 at one time also. Shot good. Just to noisy for my liking. First fired brass was near extinct to find for it. Just got tired of squeezing 308s down for it. (So, good bye!! down the road with yaw >7mm-08.)

[kilotanker22]

Also considered going back to the old fail safe 30-06. I know a killer load with 165 grain sierra game king hollow point boat tails. That consistanly shot. Half moa with my brothers rem 700.

[bubba15301]

i would chose a 6.5x55 swede. very accurate cartridge that does not beat you up off a bench.

[kilotanker22]

I have heard wonderful things about the 6.5 Swede but production rifles chambered for it are almost non existent. Looking in the 500-600 dollar price range plus a three hundred dollar Bushnell elite.

[jimbob86]

270, 7-08 gets about the same with a 140gr, more or less.

Less. The .270 WIN gives better velocity, and more efficient 140 gr bullets.... the best 7mm bullets are 160gr+, and the best .277 are 150's ....

7-08 is to .308 as .270 WIN is to .30-06: At "normal hunting distances" (300 and under) there is no real difference save that shorter cartridges are more efficient and can be put into slightly shorter (thus lighter rifles)... at greater ranges, bullets of similar weights are more efficient in the smaller calibers..... and bullets of equal BC can be pushed faster (because they are lighter)..... a 150 gr .277 Berger VLD will have a .531 G1 BC and be fine in a 1:10 twist ... a 155 .308 (they don't make a 150) will have a G1 BC of .4 something .... and has a recommended 1:14 twist..... to surpass the efficiency of the .277 150, the 7mm's needs to go heavier..... 160, 165, 168..... and the 7-08, like the .308 parent, lacks the case capacity to push heavy for caliber bullets to the levels the larger -06 sized cases allow .... if you are looking for flat shooting to 1/4 mile, then .270 WIN ..... WINS...... against the 7-08 ....... the 280 Rem and 7 Rem Mag ..... if you are not recoil shy, beat it.

All perfectly capable of killing deer at many hundreds of yards. Certainly 600+ if the shooter is up to it.

600 yards ..... time of flight comes into play.... are you sure that animal is not going to move in the 3/4 second between the time the brain sez "squeezee..... " and the bullet getting there, even if the shooter can read the wind and figure up/down angle, holdover, etc..... 600 yards is a long long way to be shooting at game, where a 1MOA load and rifle has a 6" margin of error, even if the shooter does his part perfectly....... which, being he is human .......

[jimbob86]

Looking in the 500-600 dollar price range plus a three hundred dollar Bushnell elite.

Look at the consignment racks ..... there are perfectly good guns out there with good glass already on them, that would leave you 4 or 5 C-notes to spend on components to build the perfect beast(s) at the reloading bench.

[kilotanker22]

Thanks a lot guys. I am really surprised to see the number of members willing to respond to a thread with a new user. Too often on other forums this can be an issue.

Still narrowed to the 270 270wsm or the 06 the 270 and the 06 seem to make more sense however the 270 wsm is very appealing. Lending several hundred feet per second to the 270 and firing a. 277 150 grain bullet at speeds similar to the 06 but with a higher BC. Seems the wsm would lend a lite extra at long range. But then again most of my shots will be inside maximum point blank range. But seems the wsm would dispatch game with similar authority as the 300 win mag or the 7mm rem mag.

So I guess the question is 270 or 270wsm and why?

[jimbob86]

So I guess the question is 270 or 270wsm and why?

Because in 10 years, .270WSM brass will be made of 100% Unobtainium, same as the .225 WIN is today.

It's already hard to find on a shelf, and spendier than the .270 WIN when you do find it.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by jimbob86

Because in 10 years, .270WSM brass will be made of 100% Unobtainium, same as the .225 WIN is today.

It's already hard to find on a shelf, and spendier than the .270 WIN when you do find it.

I don't know about that. The 270 and 300 WSMs are both quite popular. I think the 270, 7mm and 300 WSMs are all here to stay.

[chewie146]

Yes, but the .270 Win has plenty of punch for deer. The only downside that I can see to the .270 win over the .270 WSM is action length. Sure, the WSM has efficiency, etc. going for it, but is it really worth the cost increase over the .270 Win? If you're buying a new rifle, the lifetime ownership costs will outweigh the rifle price. The .270 brass will be cheaper, with all other components costing the same. If you're not a reloader, the .270 WSM is really going to kill you. .308 would be a great cartridge as well. Short action, plentiful components and ammunition, relatively inexpensive, and probably the widest choice of rifles in the serious deer calibers all point to it being a good choice. How far do you plan on shooting this rifle? If you're at 300 yards and below, just about anything north of .22 caliber will serve you well. I'd focus on ammo cost. It's not going to get cheaper over time.

[hooligan1]

If you handload it then try the 25-06, ( sometimes it's a pain to find commercial stuff) the recoil is gentle and its an accurate caliber, the .270 winchester is both, also it's usually easy to find anywhere across the country. I have a .270 win, that will be in my hands opening day, because my confidence level is "over the top" with this rifle. just my buck-fitty.