First Time Rifle Caliber Question

I haven't shot all of those calibers, but I really like the .270. It shoots flat and doesn't have the recoil of .308 or .30-06.

Are they all the same model?
If not which do you like the best?
I've never used one, but my brother says similar things about his 270 as WrongHanded.

I really like my 7mm-08, but I say grab the 308. Cheapest most available to shoot. Leads to more range time and you growing more comfortable with larger calibers.

I have shot all these calibers. I recommend them for you, based on your post, in this order:
.243, 7mm-08, .270, .308, .25-06, .30-06, and if the 7mm is 7mm Rem. Mag., way last.

I love my 243 and it has never let me down when it comes to bringing venison home. I don't like recoil either. I can take it, and I have more powerful rifles for when I NEED more power (for example, a black bear- for which I would use my 308) but I don't see a point in getting thumped if there is no need to.

I agree with Entropy when you base your decision on recoil alone. But if it were me I would go with the 308 as it doesn't have alot more recoil and is far cheaper to shoot as Bones pointed out.

Well you do not sound like a handloader yet. We will have to work on that.

The 7mm (mag) and .30-06 should be off your list. Not sure you would enjoy the .308 recoil either. Ammunition is inexpensive like stated above.

.270 Win is a great choice, wide range of bullet weights for most applications.
7mm-08 would be another great choice
.243 works too

.25-06 would be great for me as a handloader. I would really like a 7mm-08 too.

I think the recoil issue is a little over blown. You can look at the relative recoil for each cartridge here:
Recoil Table
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

What brand and model of rifle? If it's a light barrel profile synthetic stocked hunting rifle I'd say 243 or 7mm-08 for light recoil, the next step up being 308 and 270. If it is a heavier wood stocked rifle up to the 270 should be fine. I LOVE the 30-06, and can barely tell the difference between it and 7mm mag recoil wise, but the 7mm-08 is a pussycat and amazing ballistically. The 308 is a bit more on the recoil scale, but if the rifle falls around 7.5-8 lbs with optics, 308 is no problem. A 6 lb 308 has some noticeable recoil, but add a pound or two and it softens up considerably.

the 270 and the 308 are probably some of the more practical cartridges in a lot of different categories, nothing against the others, theres nothing wrong with them. I agree the general consensus will definitely be 7mm mag and 30 06 being for sure out of the question.
A child (age within reason) can shoot a .308, its not THAT bad. However perception and the weight of the rifle all depends of course. What model rifle you won might help with responses. Also both out of curiosity and maybe to help with some more detailed responses, any more information about the recoil sensitivity? Just making sure its not for like underlying medical condition or anything.

SwaneeSR said:

.270 Win is a great choice, wide range of bullet weights for most applications.
7mm-08 would be another great choice
.243 works too

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I second these choices, with my suggestion being the .270, .243, 7mm-08 in that order.

.270 will do just about anything you want, anywhere you'll be.

.243 has negligible recoil, and works fine for deer/antelope.

7mm-08 is a bit less popular so ammo may not be everywhere, but it, too is a great round that will do an awful lot.

Congrats, and have fun with your new rifle!

I would go 7mm-08 or 308 in the patriot. And get some good, in ear noise cancelling plugs. You can throw ear muffs over if you need more, and that'll keep the anxiety down. Have fun with whatever you pick, and congrats on winning a rifle!
Edit: by the way, these two are actually the most quiet out of the options. 243 is light kicking but loud!

for sure, makes sense to me. I would probably agree with the .243 and the 270 suggestions. These are good and common cartridges that will work well in a rifle of that weight for most general purposes. IMO.

What are you going to do with it? Which rifle? The 308 and 243 will have the least expensive and most readily available ammo. The 243 will have the least recoil at around 11 ft lbs and is just fine for deer size game and borderline on game up to elk. The 308 will be a good all around big game cartridge suitable for anything in the lower 48, but with a little more recoil, around 15-18 ft lbs depending on the exact load and weight of the rifle. The 7-08 is a ballistic twin to the 308. What one will do the other does the exact thing. You get about 1 ft lb less recoil with 7-08, but ammo is more expensive and not as readily available.

The long action cartridges like 270, 30-06 and 7 mag offer slightly better performance at longer ranges, but with more expensive ammo and more recoil. The 25-06 is sort of in no mans land. Recoil is similar to 270, performance is slightly, if any better than 243. In fact with better hand loads a 243 will beat it.

I really like the .270. It shoots flat and doesn't have the recoil of .308 or .30-06.

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There is nothing wrong with a 270, great round, but it recoils MORE than 308, slightly less than 30-06 all things being equal.

jmr40 said:

There is nothing wrong with a 270, great round, but it recoils MORE than 308, slightly less than 30-06 all things being equal.

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My perception must be off. It's been a while since I shot .270 and now that I think about it, all my more recent .308 experience was with the metal butt plate of an M14. Thanks for correcting me.

A .308 is a popular caliber. Easy to find in stores, easy to sell,
in the event the raffle rifle is a hassle.

308 for ammo availability. 243 for less recoil.

WrongHanded said:

My perception must be off. It's been a while since I shot .270 and now that I think about it, all my more recent .308 experience was with the metal butt plate of an M14. Thanks for correcting me.

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me too, been awhile since i've messed with any 2 anything cartridge

If you decide on one if the larger calibers,you could invest in a nice recoil pad too.or even a slip on one, until you warm up to the rifle

The local gander mountain closure all the 308's sold out first. I think 270 was next, 243 after that and then finally 30-06. A 7mm-08 hung out for a little while. Seems like 308 is the most generally sought after calibre and possibly might resell better than the others.

A nice butt pad can help with recoil management. My 14 yro daughter quickly blew through 2 mags of 308 when firing my beater cetme last time out at the range if that helps any.

I have to addmit the m14 isn't enjoyable with plate. Its even better when you flip it up (what were they thinking?)

Dave Fritz said:

It is a Mossberg Patriot, the recoil issue is all me... I have a high functioning form of autism so my mind, for lack of a better word, outsmarts me and makes me worry I would not be able to handle a heavy recoil. I am a stout guy so there is nothing physically holding me back, all mental in my case. I am also sensitive to loud noises, but I refuse to make a topic asking which caliber would be the quietest ROFL... the noise I can adjust to (as I have to all of my handguns).

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Get the .243, buy some ammo between 55-80 gr, buy some surefire earplugs, practice till you're comfy, then hunt larger game with ammo 85-100 gr. Practice with that too. Then start handloading addiction practice. You'll be buying another .243 real quick with a faster twist to get the most out of it . Then we'll start going to meetings.

I always find the discussion of "recoil" interesting. Why do so many seem to think that rifles have recoil similar to the kick of a mule? Referencing the recoil tables from Chuck Hawks (as mentioned earlier), an 8 lb. rifle shooting a 165 gr. bullet in .30-06 produces a recoil energy of 20.1 ft. lbs. Similarly, a 12 ga shotgun weighing 7.5 lbs, shooting a 2 3/4" load of 1 1/8 oz at 1200 fps produces 23 ft. lbs. of recoil. This load is the "standard" target load. We think nothing of going to the trap/skeet range and running 100 or more target loads through a shotgun. So, how can we shoot so many more rounds of something that kicks harder than a standard rifle?

There are three things that come to mind in this regard.
1) A quality recoil pad. Way too many rifles come with a crappy pad or no pad at all. Spend a few more bucks on a high quality recoil pad and have it installed by a competent 'smith. LimbSaver and Kick-Eez are just two that provide high quality and reduce felt recoil.
2) Fit. Just as critical as a high quality pad, fit of the rifle to our physique is often overlooked. If the stock is too long or too short, if the pitch is out of whack, if the comb height is wrong for our face, the felt recoil will be greatly exacerbated.
3) Shooting technique. When we shoot a shotgun at a clay target, we are in a standing position where the upper body and shoulder are free to move upon recoil impulse. Most often when we are shooting a rifle from a bench, we are hunched over the bench and there is much less ability for our upper body to flex. I would suggest using a different technique, if possible, or adding additional recoil support, such as a PAST recoil shield that fits on your shoulder using a harness similar to a shoulder holster.

Going back to the OP, ALL of the rifle calibers that were mentioned have less recoil than a 12 gauge shotgun. IF recoil impulse truly is a concern, of the choices listed, .243 would/should be the obvious choice. A 100 gr hunting bullet at 2960 fps out of a 7.5 lb rifle produces only 8.8 ft lbs of recoil energy. And the .243 will kill any deer sized game on the planet.

The force you feel on your shoulder is equal to the rate at which the rifle is shedding momentum. A good recoil pad stretches out that time, and makes a big difference. So ditto on the recoil pad suggestions.

If you're sensitive to blast good ear protection is your friend. A 10 dB increase in the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is a 10x improvement. 20 dB is 100X improvement. Harbor Freight carries 34 dB industrial muffs for $13. If the ratings are accurate, those are 10X better than 24 dB muffs.

Not knowing where you are, or what you might hunt, I'm going to go with 7mm-08 as first choice for an all-around chambering. The recoil is mild, and it's big enough for about anything you will want to do, including elk. The 270 is a good choice too, and if you look at ballistics, it's a bit more zippy than the 7mm-08 with roughly the same bullet diameter and weight. 243 and 308 are also good choices. As mentioned, use 100 grain 243 bullets for hunting anything up to our 250 pound mulies. 25-06 and 7mm Mag may not be ideal choices for you.

Don't stress too much about the choice. We argue about what sometimes amount to minor differences in performance or application. There is a broad range of chamberings that will work well for you, and that you can enjoy shooting. The key is to get something that is fun to take to the range, not something that stops being fun after 15-20 rounds.

The blast and noise will probably be a bigger problem than the recoil energy for the OP. Because of that, I would recommend the .308. On the range my 30 06 delivers more of a "thud" sound compared to my friend's 270 which delivers a higher pitch "crack" sound. Maybe it's like how the trumpet is louder than the baritone, such that if the pressure is the same, the smaller diameter will produce a louder sound.

Whatever cartridge is selected, I would give reduced recoil ammunition a try, and keep your mouth open during the blast.