Help choosing a first deer rifle caliber

jmicheals32 · January 14, 2016, 12:49 PM

I'm just starting the process of beginning to hunt deer (and possibly elk) and after reading a ton online was pretty set on a .308 ...until I went into Sportman's Warehouse today. Now I'm not so sure. The salesman really pushed the .270 and 7-08. So help me...what should I choose?

alex0535 · January 14, 2016, 01:18 PM

Recoil and range will be about the same for all of them at the ranges your likely to be hunting, it's really splitting hairs beyond ammo availability and price of ammo and rifle.

Catfish · January 14, 2016, 01:20 PM

They will all work with the right bullet for your needs. The 270 will be the flattest shooting and would be best for varmints, if your looking for that too.

buck460XVR · January 14, 2016, 01:22 PM

If I wanted an all around rifle for deer and elk and was only gonna shoot factory ammo, my first choice would be 30-06.

Brian Pfleuger · January 14, 2016, 01:26 PM

The 7-08 is the best all-around big game cartridge ever invented, IMO.

However, if you make your shots (which is all that really matters) there's not a hair's breadth difference between any of those, or a whole bunch of other choices.

7-08 ammo is usually available in any well stocked store but certainly not as common as .308 (or .270) and might be more expensive, for the same load.

I don't like recoil and will always choose the cartridge with the least that does the job. That too depends on the gun. A 7lb 7-08 will kick worse than a 9lb .270 for sure and you might not be able to tell the difference even if they're both 7lb guns. Depends on how sensitive you are. All else being equal, the .270 will kick harder though.

.270 is one of the most popular and common big game cartridges ever made and has been for decades. .308 is one of the most popular cartridges in world history.

Still, I'd take the 7-08.

Blindstitch · January 14, 2016, 01:37 PM

Tough decision and all will do the job.

Personally I would go 308 or 30-06 because even gas stations in the areas that I hunt carry those.

Wyosmith · January 14, 2016, 02:45 PM

The question is a bit too narrow.

To give good advice we need to know about YOU and about where you will be hunting. Killing deer an thick forest in New Hampshire doesn't require the same range and accuracy as it does in the mountains of Wyoming. Florida deer are smaller than deer in Nevada.

For example, if you are recoil sensitive a semi-auto, or a less powerful cartridge may fill the bill better. Muzzle breaks may be wanted, but some guns are set up for them from the factory and some are not.

Are you going to reload? That will be a huge help, but if you are not going to load your own you need to look at what is available to you.

Are you left handed?
If so you will not have all the options that someone else may have.

Asking "what's the best rifle" is like asking what's the best motor vehicle.

Depends on who's asking, and what they need to do.

jmicheals32 · January 14, 2016, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyosmith

The question is a bit too narrow.

To give good advice we need to know about YOU and about where you will be hunting. Killing deer an thick forest in New Hampshire doesn't require the same range and accuracy as it does in the mountains of Wyoming. Florida deer are smaller than deer in Nevada.

For example, if you are recoil sensitive a semi-auto, or a less powerful cartridge may fill the bill better. Muzzle breaks may be wanted, but some guns are set up for them from the factory and some are not.

Are you going to reload? That will be a huge help, but if you are not going to load your own you need to look at what is available to you.

Are you left handed?

If so you will not have all the options that someone else may have.

Asking "what's the best rifle" is like asking what's the best motor vehicle.

Depends on who's asking, and what they need to do.

Very good questions...I started off to general (showing in a totally newbie).

I'll be starting off hunting Blacktail in Northern California (might pursue elk in the future). Mostly hilly and mountainous areas. Spot and stalk.

I definitely plan on reloading.

I like the idea of a short action, to help reduce weight, but not necessarily chained to the idea. And I'm not recoil sensitive.

Brian Pfleuger · January 14, 2016, 03:52 PM

If you plan to reload then the cost and availability of ammo is essentially a mute point.

None of "what you plan to do" makes any difference in my recommendation. There is so much over-lap in those cartridges that any specific use doesn't change anything.

Very few rifles will be available in one cartridge and not also all the others. 7-08 is more likely to not be made but even it is very common and available in almost all rifle choices.

7-08, man, 7-08

samsmix · January 14, 2016, 04:25 PM

The .270 will be a bit flatter shooting (desirable!) than the 7-08, and ammo will be cheaper and easier to find.

130gr for deer, 150gr for elk...or just use the elk load for both.

azar92 · January 14, 2016, 05:54 PM

Do you know why the salesman was pushing the .270 or 7mm-08? Was it just his (or hers) unsolicited opinion or was there something you may have said that caused the recommendations?

Personally, I don't think there is going to be much difference between .270, 7mm-08, .308, .30-06 (or .280, 7mm Rem mag...). Get the one you want the most and don't let a salesman (or any of us here) sway you to purchase something you may not really want. You really only have to answer to yourself and you may find yourself regretting the decision to get a 7mm-08 or .270 if it's not what you really wanted.

If you really want a .308, get it! It will work for both deer and elk. If you are simply waffling because you don't know which cartridge you really want then assign 6 different cartridges to a number on a die. Roll it and let it pick for you. If you find you are disappointed that it picked .270 when you really wanted a .308 then you'll know what your heart really desires. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into telling you what you want.

Wyosmith · January 14, 2016, 08:18 PM

Azar is right.
You should get what you want.

But if you don't know what you want look at the gun first and then the caliber.
For example, if you want a light rifle and an autoloader you will get a light rifle in a short action. Same if you want a lever action.

If you want a bolt action there really is no reason to go with a short shell unless it's because the 308 can be made into a 7-08, or a 260 or just left alone and the brass is cheap and in some cases free.

Dead is dead, and all the cartridges you named will kill deer and elk.

Bullets are actually more important then the shells that hold them. Use a bullet that holds together and you'll be fine on anything from rabbits to elk.

My personal favorite is the 270, but not because it's "better" than some other one.

There are better shooters and better hunters, but having a cartridge that is 4% (or even 15%) more powerful than some other doesn't actually make it "better". That's just a way for companies to try to sell new products.

Even if one shoots 1 foot flatter that another, you still have to hold a 6" wobble on target (the deer's chest) to insure good kills. If you can hold 6" at any given range you obviously can hold it 1 foot higher. If you can't hold that 6" wobble having a flatter trajectory helps you not at all.

If we look at a large deer, and have shell X at factor of "10", is the deer going to die better if the factor of shell Y is "10.25"?

Or is there some kind of deer that is ".025" harder to kill than a "standard deer"? How does having 5% more power or a trajectory that is 5% flatter help? If you can't hold where you need to, you can't hold.

Buy what you like and shoot it until you need a new barrel. Then you will be an excellent marksman with that gun, and nothing else will really matter.

All the rest is simply theory and in most cases, the Emperor really is naked!

Don't let someone make you believe they are the know it all and there is some special magic to their choice that you need to follow.

It's the man that does the job, not the tool. Be a better workman.

2damnold4this · January 14, 2016, 08:52 PM

I don't think you'd go wrong with any of those cartridges.

jmr40 · January 14, 2016, 09:10 PM

For deer only a 243 is as good as it gets. If you include elk it is very borderline.

The 7-08 will do anything a 270 will do 50 yards closer and a 308 anything a 30-06 will do 50 yards closer. Both are viable elk rounds to at least 400-450 yards. The 270 or 30-06 will recoil more and give you about 50 more yards before bullet velocity reaches the point that you may not get adequate expansion. An extra 50 yards most people aren't good enough to take advantage of.

Either of those would be my picks as an all around North American cartridge. Although the 260/6.5 Creedmore option is starting to interest me as well. The 7-08 looks a little better on paper, but I doubt it offers any real advantages over 308. Ammo for a 308 is a lot easier to find and usually less expensive. I give a slight nod to the 308. The 7-08 tops out at about 175 gr in bullet weight. There are some high BC 200-215 gr 30 cal bullets available for hand loaders that will do some pretty amazing things at extreme range.

I know they are classic rounds, but I can no longer recommend 30-06 or 270. Nothing wrong with them, but the more modern short action options do 99% of what they do in a smaller package and with less recoil. If a 308 or 7-08 won't do the job you really need a lot more gun than 270 or 30-06.

jersurf101 · January 15, 2016, 09:33 AM

Caliber is a personal choice. I have bolt guns in .308 win, .270 win, 30-06, and 300wsm. Here in eastern NC shots can be up to 500 yards and the pine rows are super thick. I have hunted Virginia, Maryland and Wisconsin as well and the pocosins of eastern NC provide unique tracking problems. Mainly thick brush and lots of standing water.

My point?

People will act like they know what you need but only you know your situation. I have found that my .270 is my go to at any distance. Plenty of knock down and I can dead hold out to 300 yards with less recoil than my ought 6. My .308 is great for stalking but you have to think about drop a lot more past 200 yards. Have fun picking ok ut your new rifle!

mouser868 · January 15, 2016, 10:18 AM

You couldn't go wrong with a 260 Remington, 6.5X55 or a 7X57

TimSr · January 18, 2016, 09:38 AM

Quote:

If I wanted an all around rifle for deer and elk and was only gonna shoot factory ammo, my first choice would be 30-06.

Quote:

Personally I would go 308 or 30-06 because even gas stations in the areas that I hunt carry those.

Agreed.

Pathfinder45 · January 22, 2016, 02:31 PM

I vote for the 270 Winchester first with 30-'06 coming in a very close second place. Either one, really, as long as it's a model 70 Winchester with a Walnut stock.

Freethought · January 22, 2016, 03:08 PM

There are some high BC 200-215 gr 30 cal bullets available for hand loaders that will do some pretty amazing things at extreme range.
*************************

And the above are aimed at the .30 bracket magnums and .30-06 , while .308/7.62x51 can be loaded past the 175 or so mark you won't be getting optimal results..........especially at extreme ranges. 175-180 grains in .308 are down to the 2500-2600 fps or so mark , you can push to 2700 but that's pushing it.

200 and up in .308? Go to something with more case capacity.Or rein in your distance expectations.

Buzzcook · January 24, 2016, 07:13 PM

Any of the standard rounds from .243 on up will do fine with the right bullet.

Pick a rifle you like and go from there.

stillquietvoice · January 24, 2016, 07:50 PM

pick the rifle that fits you the best. ive read many sports writers say use the biggest caliber that you shoot well. all of the cartridges mentoined will work well all have their merits. i would suggest 308 a little more economical to shoot.

stillquietvoice · January 24, 2016, 08:04 PM

had shoulder surgery a while back. madethe mistake of getting 7mm mag to start replacing my rifle inventory. recoil was never a problem before injury. used to shoot 06 and 7 mag all the time now the 06 is still too much bought 243 win have been shooting now for three years
just purchased 7mm-08 to try and build up tolerance level.
next gun will be 308 then 270 to get back to my fsvorite the 3006.

Roadkill2228 · January 24, 2016, 10:50 PM

Honestly you can't go too wrong getting one of these three all around calibers: .270, .30-06, or .308. No magnum price tag, can be found anywhere hunting ammo is found (certainly can't say the same for 7-08, at least not where I live). If you ever want to hunt something bigger than deer these 3 are called "all around" for a reason. I personally would go with a .270. It's simply a splendid round. I love mine.

Tawaliga · January 25, 2016, 06:30 AM

I have .30-30, .243, .270, and just bought a .260. I have hunted exclusively with the .270 for the last 23 years with a 150 gr Nosler Partition. It has killed many different animals, but was mostly used for whitetails, and most fell within about 15 yards from point of impact if they moved at all. I lost one deer during that time, and it was because I made a poor shot.

Recently I have joined a gun range, (this forum

), have taken a more technical interest in shooting in general, and bought the .260. I gave my .243 to my brother because he always needed to borrow a rifle and it opened up a spot in the safe. I may also get into reloading as well.

I am now realizing how little I know, but my 2 cents on the .270 is that it is all you need in North America outside of brown bears, but as others have stated, depending on your range, you can do just as well with a lower recoil round with a well placed shot.

¤_Ozark_¤_Hunter_¤ · February 2, 2016, 03:45 PM

Unless youre a woman or a small child I'd pass on a 7mm-08 it's just useless in my eyes either go smaller and get a .243 or just get the .308 it's a great cartridge you can get it in basically any rifle platform and it is plenty for deer and with good shot placement it is plenty capable of taking elk which I would not trust the .243 or 7mm-08 to do that cleanly. Buuuuuuuut ultimately I'd go for the .30-06 as previous commentary have suggested. It is probably the most universal cartridges for a reloader (they make 55 gr. bullets for it!!) and it is capable of taking anything in the lower 48 and if I had no other options I wouldn't hesitate to much to hunt brown bear with it although definitely not my first pick but still and excellent cartridge I wIsh they would barrel and AR for 30-06 because it would be on my Christmas list.

January 14, 2016, 12:49 PM	#1
jmicheals32 Junior Member Join Date: December 30, 2015 Posts: 8	Help choosing a first deer rifle caliber I'm just starting the process of beginning to hunt deer (and possibly elk) and after reading a ton online was pretty set on a .308 ...until I went into Sportman's Warehouse today. Now I'm not so sure. The salesman really pushed the .270 and 7-08. So help me...what should I choose?

January 14, 2016, 01:26 PM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	The 7-08 is the best all-around big game cartridge ever invented, IMO. However, if you make your shots (which is all that really matters) there's not a hair's breadth difference between any of those, or a whole bunch of other choices. 7-08 ammo is usually available in any well stocked store but certainly not as common as .308 (or .270) and might be more expensive, for the same load. I don't like recoil and will always choose the cartridge with the least that does the job. That too depends on the gun. A 7lb 7-08 will kick worse than a 9lb .270 for sure and you might not be able to tell the difference even if they're both 7lb guns. Depends on how sensitive you are. All else being equal, the .270 will kick harder though. .270 is one of the most popular and common big game cartridges ever made and has been for decades. .308 is one of the most popular cartridges in world history. Still, I'd take the 7-08. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

January 14, 2016, 03:52 PM	#9
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	If you plan to reload then the cost and availability of ammo is essentially a mute point. None of "what you plan to do" makes any difference in my recommendation. There is so much over-lap in those cartridges that any specific use doesn't change anything. Very few rifles will be available in one cartridge and not also all the others. 7-08 is more likely to not be made but even it is very common and available in almost all rifle choices. 7-08, man, 7-08 __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

January 14, 2016, 04:25 PM	#10
samsmix Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2006 Location: Montana (Montucky?) Posts: 1,273	The .270 will be a bit flatter shooting (desirable!) than the 7-08, and ammo will be cheaper and easier to find. 130gr for deer, 150gr for elk...or just use the elk load for both. __________________ 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?

January 14, 2016, 08:18 PM	#12
Wyosmith Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2010 Location: Shoshoni Wyoming Posts: 2,713	Azar is right. You should get what you want. But if you don't know what you want look at the gun first and then the caliber. For example, if you want a light rifle and an autoloader you will get a light rifle in a short action. Same if you want a lever action. If you want a bolt action there really is no reason to go with a short shell unless it's because the 308 can be made into a 7-08, or a 260 or just left alone and the brass is cheap and in some cases free. Dead is dead, and all the cartridges you named will kill deer and elk. Bullets are actually more important then the shells that hold them. Use a bullet that holds together and you'll be fine on anything from rabbits to elk. My personal favorite is the 270, but not because it's "better" than some other one. There are better shooters and better hunters, but having a cartridge that is 4% (or even 15%) more powerful than some other doesn't actually make it "better". That's just a way for companies to try to sell new products. Even if one shoots 1 foot flatter that another, you still have to hold a 6" wobble on target (the deer's chest) to insure good kills. If you can hold 6" at any given range you obviously can hold it 1 foot higher. If you can't hold that 6" wobble having a flatter trajectory helps you not at all. If we look at a large deer, and have shell X at factor of "10", is the deer going to die better if the factor of shell Y is "10.25"? Or is there some kind of deer that is ".025" harder to kill than a "standard deer"? How does having 5% more power or a trajectory that is 5% flatter help? If you can't hold where you need to, you can't hold. Buy what you like and shoot it until you need a new barrel. Then you will be an excellent marksman with that gun, and nothing else will really matter. All the rest is simply theory and in most cases, the Emperor really is naked! Don't let someone make you believe they are the know it all and there is some special magic to their choice that you need to follow. It's the man that does the job, not the tool. Be a better workman. Last edited by Wyosmith; January 14, 2016 at 08:30 PM.

January 14, 2016, 01:18 PM	#2
alex0535 Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 908	Recoil and range will be about the same for all of them at the ranges your likely to be hunting, it's really splitting hairs beyond ammo availability and price of ammo and rifle.

January 14, 2016, 01:20 PM	#3
Catfish Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 171	They will all work with the right bullet for your needs. The 270 will be the flattest shooting and would be best for varmints, if your looking for that too.

January 14, 2016, 01:22 PM	#4
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	If I wanted an all around rifle for deer and elk and was only gonna shoot factory ammo, my first choice would be 30-06.

January 14, 2016, 01:37 PM	#6
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,693	Tough decision and all will do the job. Personally I would go 308 or 30-06 because even gas stations in the areas that I hunt carry those.

January 14, 2016, 02:45 PM	#7
Wyosmith Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2010 Location: Shoshoni Wyoming Posts: 2,713	The question is a bit too narrow. To give good advice we need to know about YOU and about where you will be hunting. Killing deer an thick forest in New Hampshire doesn't require the same range and accuracy as it does in the mountains of Wyoming. Florida deer are smaller than deer in Nevada. For example, if you are recoil sensitive a semi-auto, or a less powerful cartridge may fill the bill better. Muzzle breaks may be wanted, but some guns are set up for them from the factory and some are not. Are you going to reload? That will be a huge help, but if you are not going to load your own you need to look at what is available to you. Are you left handed? If so you will not have all the options that someone else may have. Asking "what's the best rifle" is like asking what's the best motor vehicle. Depends on who's asking, and what they need to do.

January 14, 2016, 05:54 PM	#11
azar92 Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2009 Location: Utah Posts: 209	Do you know why the salesman was pushing the .270 or 7mm-08? Was it just his (or hers) unsolicited opinion or was there something you may have said that caused the recommendations? Personally, I don't think there is going to be much difference between .270, 7mm-08, .308, .30-06 (or .280, 7mm Rem mag...). Get the one you want the most and don't let a salesman (or any of us here) sway you to purchase something you may not really want. You really only have to answer to yourself and you may find yourself regretting the decision to get a 7mm-08 or .270 if it's not what you really wanted. If you really want a .308, get it! It will work for both deer and elk. If you are simply waffling because you don't know which cartridge you really want then assign 6 different cartridges to a number on a die. Roll it and let it pick for you. If you find you are disappointed that it picked .270 when you really wanted a .308 then you'll know what your heart really desires. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into telling you what you want.

January 14, 2016, 08:52 PM	#13
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	I don't think you'd go wrong with any of those cartridges.

January 14, 2016, 09:10 PM	#14
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,809	For deer only a 243 is as good as it gets. If you include elk it is very borderline. The 7-08 will do anything a 270 will do 50 yards closer and a 308 anything a 30-06 will do 50 yards closer. Both are viable elk rounds to at least 400-450 yards. The 270 or 30-06 will recoil more and give you about 50 more yards before bullet velocity reaches the point that you may not get adequate expansion. An extra 50 yards most people aren't good enough to take advantage of. Either of those would be my picks as an all around North American cartridge. Although the 260/6.5 Creedmore option is starting to interest me as well. The 7-08 looks a little better on paper, but I doubt it offers any real advantages over 308. Ammo for a 308 is a lot easier to find and usually less expensive. I give a slight nod to the 308. The 7-08 tops out at about 175 gr in bullet weight. There are some high BC 200-215 gr 30 cal bullets available for hand loaders that will do some pretty amazing things at extreme range. I know they are classic rounds, but I can no longer recommend 30-06 or 270. Nothing wrong with them, but the more modern short action options do 99% of what they do in a smaller package and with less recoil. If a 308 or 7-08 won't do the job you really need a lot more gun than 270 or 30-06.

January 15, 2016, 09:33 AM	#15
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	Caliber is a personal choice. I have bolt guns in .308 win, .270 win, 30-06, and 300wsm. Here in eastern NC shots can be up to 500 yards and the pine rows are super thick. I have hunted Virginia, Maryland and Wisconsin as well and the pocosins of eastern NC provide unique tracking problems. Mainly thick brush and lots of standing water. My point? People will act like they know what you need but only you know your situation. I have found that my .270 is my go to at any distance. Plenty of knock down and I can dead hold out to 300 yards with less recoil than my ought 6. My .308 is great for stalking but you have to think about drop a lot more past 200 yards. Have fun picking ok ut your new rifle!

January 15, 2016, 10:18 AM	#16
mouser868 Member Join Date: September 29, 2011 Posts: 56	You couldn't go wrong with a 260 Remington, 6.5X55 or a 7X57

January 22, 2016, 02:31 PM	#18
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	I vote for the 270 Winchester first with 30-'06 coming in a very close second place. Either one, really, as long as it's a model 70 Winchester with a Walnut stock.

January 22, 2016, 03:08 PM	#19
Freethought Junior member Join Date: January 12, 2016 Posts: 50	There are some high BC 200-215 gr 30 cal bullets available for hand loaders that will do some pretty amazing things at extreme range. ************************* And the above are aimed at the .30 bracket magnums and .30-06 , while .308/7.62x51 can be loaded past the 175 or so mark you won't be getting optimal results..........especially at extreme ranges. 175-180 grains in .308 are down to the 2500-2600 fps or so mark , you can push to 2700 but that's pushing it. 200 and up in .308? Go to something with more case capacity.Or rein in your distance expectations.

January 24, 2016, 07:13 PM	#20
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	Any of the standard rounds from .243 on up will do fine with the right bullet. Pick a rifle you like and go from there.

January 24, 2016, 07:50 PM	#21
stillquietvoice Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2015 Location: UPSTATE NY Posts: 179	pick the rifle that fits you the best. ive read many sports writers say use the biggest caliber that you shoot well. all of the cartridges mentoined will work well all have their merits. i would suggest 308 a little more economical to shoot. __________________ actions speak louder than words flatter tragectories quicker results.

January 24, 2016, 08:04 PM	#22
stillquietvoice Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2015 Location: UPSTATE NY Posts: 179	had shoulder surgery a while back. madethe mistake of getting 7mm mag to start replacing my rifle inventory. recoil was never a problem before injury. used to shoot 06 and 7 mag all the time now the 06 is still too much bought 243 win have been shooting now for three years just purchased 7mm-08 to try and build up tolerance level. next gun will be 308 then 270 to get back to my fsvorite the 3006. __________________ actions speak louder than words flatter tragectories quicker results.

January 24, 2016, 10:50 PM	#23
Roadkill2228 Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2014 Location: Nipawin, Saskatchewan Posts: 311	Honestly you can't go too wrong getting one of these three all around calibers: .270, .30-06, or .308. No magnum price tag, can be found anywhere hunting ammo is found (certainly can't say the same for 7-08, at least not where I live). If you ever want to hunt something bigger than deer these 3 are called "all around" for a reason. I personally would go with a .270. It's simply a splendid round. I love mine.

January 25, 2016, 06:30 AM	#24
Tawaliga Member Join Date: January 24, 2016 Posts: 34	I have .30-30, .243, .270, and just bought a .260. I have hunted exclusively with the .270 for the last 23 years with a 150 gr Nosler Partition. It has killed many different animals, but was mostly used for whitetails, and most fell within about 15 yards from point of impact if they moved at all. I lost one deer during that time, and it was because I made a poor shot. Recently I have joined a gun range, (this forum ), have taken a more technical interest in shooting in general, and bought the .260. I gave my .243 to my brother because he always needed to borrow a rifle and it opened up a spot in the safe. I may also get into reloading as well. I am now realizing how little I know, but my 2 cents on the .270 is that it is all you need in North America outside of brown bears, but as others have stated, depending on your range, you can do just as well with a lower recoil round with a well placed shot.

February 2, 2016, 03:45 PM	#25
¤_Ozark_¤_Hunter_¤ Member Join Date: October 10, 2015 Location: North Arkansas Posts: 50	Unless youre a woman or a small child I'd pass on a 7mm-08 it's just useless in my eyes either go smaller and get a .243 or just get the .308 it's a great cartridge you can get it in basically any rifle platform and it is plenty for deer and with good shot placement it is plenty capable of taking elk which I would not trust the .243 or 7mm-08 to do that cleanly. Buuuuuuuut ultimately I'd go for the .30-06 as previous commentary have suggested. It is probably the most universal cartridges for a reloader (they make 55 gr. bullets for it!!) and it is capable of taking anything in the lower 48 and if I had no other options I wouldn't hesitate to much to hunt brown bear with it although definitely not my first pick but still and excellent cartridge I wIsh they would barrel and AR for 30-06 because it would be on my Christmas list. __________________ Dumb and inexperienced. But willing to learn.