.270 or .308

[Sellers85]

I am wanting to get back into hunting and wondering what would be the better calliber for me. I have hunted before when I was younger, but always with a bow. Last year I bought a Remington model 710 270 ( I know it is a piece of junk) in hopes of getting back into hunting, but didn't have a licence yet. I have recently finished school and got a good job, so I would like to buy some nicer things while I have the money with no family to support. I am looking for a rifle I can shoot many rounds through at the range without going home with a bruised shoulder, but also be there when that huge buck comes walking up( I hope). The reason I have come up with the 270 and the 308 is because I have shot both of them. I shot a friends Winchester 308 and really liked it. The recoil wasn't bad at all, where as my 270 kicks pretty hard. I have been told by everyone who has shot the 270 that its recoil was really bad for a 270. These are the only two centerfire rifles I have ever shot. When I first fired the 270 the recoil wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I could tell a huge difference between it and the 308. Should the 308's recoil be better or worse than the 270? I am not afraid to shoot a more powerful gun with a heavy recoil, I am just planing on shooting a lot at the range between now and deer season and want something fairly light on my shoulder. I am not going to be taking any really long shots because I have a hereditary trait that causes me to shake and not be too accurate, so I don't need anything for real long distances. Most of my shots will be well under 150 yards. I am really looking forward to getting back into hunting and hope to learn a lot from this forum. I would appreciate any help offered. Thanks.

[gumpokc]

Either one is a good choice.

As far as recoil goes, alot depends on the rifle itself, and the ammo used.

in general the .308 should kick a little harder, all things being equal, but if you were firing light loads in the .308 and heavy in the .270 that could explainit.

or your .270 _may_ have very tight tolerances in the barrel?

there's any number of things it could be, but a decent gunsmith should be able to look it over and tell you what is causing it.

again either one would be a fine choice for almost all hunting available in north america, depending on user skill, and proper loadings.

pcik the one that you like, and feels best for you, for general purposes most people wouldn't notice the differences in them.

[Sellers85]

I was using Hornady 130 grain in the 270 and I'm not sure about the 308. My guess was that the 270 being a cheaper gun some how contributed to the harder recoil. I still don't know a lot about rifles, but am trying to learn.

[rem 700]

Both rifles recoil about the same. I'd stick with a 308 due to absolutely super cheap ammunition you can plink with, and the fact that the 308 has overall a better selection of ammuntion and user friendly accuracy.

[Sellers85]

What is a good model 308. For the 270 I was thinking about a Remington 700 but I don't think they offer the 308 caliber

[gumpokc]

If i was looking for a remington in .308, i personally would be lookign for one of the new remington 798's or for a used but good condition 722.

I'd also consider some of the savage rifles. In particular if one could be found for a decent price, a savage model 99 in .308, but the 99 is a lever action and you might not care for it.

[fishnfrank]

I have had a 308 for years and love it. I have killed lots of deer, coyotes and other game with no problem. I know I will never get rid of my 308 and I will propably buy another one down the road. So I say 308. Just my $.02

[Sellers85]

My dad has a lever action .22 but I think I am just going to stick with a bolt action for now.

[fabsroman]

All of the rifles I have bought so far have been Rugers. I believe they have their target model in a .308 and they probably offer their hunting rifles in .308 too. I have the target model in .220 Swift and the stainless steel hunting model in .300 Win Mag. I love both guns and will be buying the .25-06 Ruger MKIIVT (i.e., target model) right after I get an AR-15 and AR-10.

I have shot both the .308 and the .270, and I don't think I have noticed a difference in recoil in either of them. Of course, the .270 was in a Remington 700 and the .308 was on a Browning BAR. To get an exact feel for the difference in recoil, you would need to shoot the exact same model gun in both calibers with the maximum load you will ever use.

At first, my .300 Win Mag kicked like a mule, but I changed the stock and added a bipod to it and now I can shoot it all day.

[muskrat30]

You would not go wrong with either caliber. I would go with a 308 though. It has been my favorite deer round for over 25 years.
I would think the Rem 700 comes in 308, at least some version. A few other common choices are Ruger, Savage, & a Browning A-Bolt. I have an A-Bolt & Mod 70 in 308 & both are fine. A Mod 70 may be getting a little hard to come by soon.

I would look at a regular sporter weight with most likely a 22" barrel. If the trigger is over 4 lbs I would get it down to 3 or so. How to do that depends on the model you get. Try to get at least a mid-grade scope. Check out a Nikon Monarch and Leupold first and if you need to lower it by $100 Burris has some good ones. I shoot a Varix-III 1.75-6 on my A-bolt. Whatever you get I wouldn't go over a 3-9pwr. A 2-7 is a nice size also. I used to live in MS & have seen the deer towers overlooking the 'beanfield'. If that is your type of hunting a higher pwr scope in a heavier package may be appropriate. I usually hunt on foot & seldom sit down. One guy's setup may not be the first choice for another.

[L. Cooper]

For North America and shots under 200 yards, the caliber choice you are deliberating is irrelevant. Far more important than .308 vs .270 is the choice of gun. The gun choice will determine which round recoils more. The gun choice will determine how you feel about the whole package. You need to do more research to determine the actual gun choice than the caliber choice, and it needs to be very personal in my opinion.

Any gun of any action type from any manufacturer will be capable of doing what you want with eihter caliber. Go to some shops and "feel them out". Remember, you will carry the gun about 10,000 times (someone should do a study) more time than you will spend shooting it at game. Get a gun you really like, and the caliber (whichever you choose) will likely seem to be perfect.

As some have suggested, do not skimp on the scope. The Rifle/Scope combination will be a package you live with for a long time and will be a critical factor in how much you enjoy your hunting. You will not need high power on your scope.

I actually like fixed power scopes. They tend to be smaller, don't have parts that can go wrong, and I found I was never changing the power in the field anyway, but a 2-7x variable of good quality will certainly suffice. I have a fixed 4 power Leupold on my deer rifle which happens to be a Winchester Model 70 bolt action in .270.

[Jack]

The 308 has been one of the five most popular cartridges in the US for many years- and so has the 270. Every major brand of rifle is available in 308- as a matter of fact, you'll have to stop and think a bit to find a rifle that is NOT made in 308.
Recoil of the 2 rounds is relatively similar.
The 270 shoots a lighter bullet faster, and has a slightly flatter trajectory.
The 308 makes bigger holes.
Since Sellers says his typical shot will be 150 yards or less, whatever flatter trajectory advantage the 270 may have is irrelevant.
One possible advantage of the 308 is that surplus (read cheap) ammo is available.
This is win-win: both cartridges are proven outstanding deer killers, so there is no wrong choice.
Personally, I'd lean towards 308, for the bigger hole and surplus ammo availability, but, Sellers, you'll be happy with either one, I think.

[Aim to maim]

Plenty of thoughtful advice here. It was best summarized by L. Cooper. Carefully read his post over and over again, especially the first two paragraphs, until you almost know it by heart. That's all you need to make a good choice.

[Sellers85]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to check the thread for a few days. I appreciate all the good advice. I am thinking about a Winchester Model 70 in .308. I want to handle one a little bit first of course. I got a chance to shoot for a while this weekend. I have a new .22 mag that needed to be broke in. I shot about 125 rounds through it and a few through the .270. We had a great time.

[muledeer]

First welcome to HuntChat!
I'll have to agree with Jack regarding the 270 or 308 based on 150 yards or less.
Another reason for more recoil with the 270 might be your stock design.
muledeer