Help with Rifle purchase / .270 or .308 or .30/06

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I like the .30-06 but there's nothing wrong with the .308 either if you want a short action rifle. I don't happen to like the .270 round but it's well respected and proven.

None of the claibers you mentioned will reach out and touch someone at 1,000 yards, really!!! If you want to shoot out to 1,000 yards you better start thinking 416 Barrett or .50 BMG and many Thousands of dollars for the rifle, bipod and scope.

The Barret Model 99 will run you about $4,000 stripped.
http://www.barrettrifles.com/

The ArmaLite AR-50 will run you about $3,000 stripped and it's a great light .50 Cal. rifle. http://www.armalite.com/sales/catalog/rifles/ar50.htm

The ArmaLite AR-30M in .338 Lapua will easilt get out to 1000 yards and will do so for $1,650. http://www.armalite.com/sales/catalog/rifles/ar30.htm

Save you bucks and have fun...
 
None of the claibers you mentioned will reach out and touch someone at 1,000 yards, really!!!
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Interesting.

I guess Carlos Hathcock was full of baloney then? Along with multitudes of other snipers past and present who are using the .308 to make 1000 yard + shots with fairly common regularity?

They may not be the best choice for long shots but they are certainly capable of touching someone at 1000 + yards.
 
One of the first guns I bought was a Savage 111 in 30-06. It was cheap and remains extremely effective. As was mentioned earlier, you cant go wrong with the 06, its a jack of all trades (but a master of none).
 
Kansas

If you haven't noticed, people are just recommending what they own.

Totally a tossup. There's nothing about any of those rounds that makes one markedly better. Ammo prices will all be about the same for all three. They're all loaded by the factory with any bullet you could possibly need and easily available at Walmart.

None of those are a 1000 yard cartridge, and you average deer rifles is not a 1000 yard gun. 500 yards is pushing your luck (past 300 really).

Don't fall into the short action trap. It doesn't matter in this case.

SHTF??? There's plenty of 270 ammo around. It is easily one of the most popular rounds ever.

The deer/coyotes won't know the difference. Because we're talking about hunting rifles, I'd opt for 06 over 08. You won't see the accuracy difference.

270 Win or 30-06.
 
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If you get the 30-06 you will have great ammo availability and selection and that is about it. However, be warned, if you get the 308 you may watch your ammo cache grow a M1A or FAL. :)
 
For hunting any of the game you mentioned will not know the difference.

1000 yard shooting is another matter altogether! For that get the heaviest rifle you can find, bolt action with a really good trigger. The 30-06 is the clear winner of this group, being able to launch a heavier, which you need, target bullet faster for the long range involved.

I n the early part of the 1900's the 30-06 was used in 1000 yard matches, until it was bested by the 300 H&H mag., for the above reasons. You do not need a 50 bmg for this distance, some folks are shooting 1000 yard matches today using black powder and basically 45-70 class rifles.
 
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nteresting.

I guess Carlos Hathcock was full of baloney then? Along with multitudes of other snipers past and present who are using the .308 to make 1000 yard + shots with fairly common regularity?

They may not be the best choice for long shots but they are certainly capable of touching someone at 1000 + yards.
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H&Hhunter,
I probably should have said, "Most shooters, including myself, won't be able to shoot the Calibers mentioned out to 1,000 yards." It takes a very special shooter, IMO, to hit a target a 1,000 yards out with a .308 Winchester round, especially with the common hunting rifle like Tikka T3. He would be much more likely to make that shot with a AR-30M with a .308 Win. round but he's talking about a Tikka which does not lend itself to very long shots like a AR-30M would.

Mine you, I'm an old guy with bad eyes so I doubt any combination would help me make a shot like that!! LOL
 
Yeah... The 1,000 yds comment I made was just a long-term goal... Believe me, I am not of the mind-set that I can buy a tikka t3 is ANY caliber go out to the farm and start nailing 1,000 yd. shots.... It's just something I'd like to work up to eventually.

Great information and insight everyone!!
 
if you plan on shooting nothing bigger than deer, or even elk, then a 270 firing some 140 or 160 grain bullets, will give you some great b.c. and flat and long trajectory, it will also generally be a lighter weapon, though not allways.
the 3006 will be the most versatile, with the greatest amount of bullets available. the 308 will be the cheapest to shoot, if you do not handload.
but most 308 and 3006 bullets are in the 150 to 175 grain weight category, and their diameter is 7.62. the 270 bullet at 140 to 160 grain weight, is pretty much the same, but is a whole milimeter thinner in diameter, which means it is longer, and more shaped like a javelin, longer and thinner. this gives you the higher b.c. ratings, using about the same amount of powder as the other two, but with the longer , thinner bullet, gives you a long straight flight path, with less movement from wind pressure. So I really like the idea of 160 grainers, in the 270.
 
jkingrph said:
1000 yard shooting is another matter altogether! For that get the heaviest rifle you can find, bolt action with a really good trigger. The 30-06 is the clear winner of this group, being able to launch a heavier, which you need, target bullet faster for the long range involved.
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I don't agree that the 30-06 is the "clear winner". Perhaps the 30-06 gets the nod over the 308 due to the 30-06 being able to use slightly larger bullets than the 308, but for 200 grain and smaller bullets the two calibers really seem to be rather equivalent. For the OP's purpose of a first medium bore rifle, I don't think he would go wrong with either a 308 or a 30-06. If the OP really gets into long range shooting he may well want to 'upgrade' into a 300 magnum to put some serious oomph behind a 240 grain match BTHP in a few years anyhow.

Disclaimer: Yes, I suppose part of this is from my own decision to go with the 308 platform.

I hope we've made your decision making process more confusing for you! :neener: I'm sure that you'll be happy with any of the choices that have been suggested. Again, find yourself a rifle that you'll go out and shoot with regularly. Everything else (caliber, etc.) is second to that.
 
Well... I'm still somewhat debating that... I can get a Tikka Hunter (Wood/blue) or a Tikka Lite (Synthetic/Stainless).... There is a fairly large gun show here in 1 week, so I am thinking about going to that show before I get the rifle, just to see if there is anything there I like.

I like the idea of the Tikka Lite, because it's nice to not worry about it getting dinged-up, etc... but I like to pull my guns out and admire them, my favorite guns are the ones that have nice wood stocks.

I'm also trying to decide on a good Scope... I'm thinking something like a 3-9x40. Any suggestions.
 
I think I'll wait until after the gun show to get whatever I decide, but this (below) has now found itself in the running to join the other "friends" in the gun safe :D

vgd_deluxe.gif



http://www.weatherby.com/products/guns.asp?prd=Rifles&prd_sub_type=3&prod_code=VGX300NR4O
 
Any will work. The 308 does kick less than the 06. Here the 06 surplus ammo is WW2 vintage. FMJ surplus is not much good for hunting and will ricochets way pass your boundary. The 270 seems to have a better resale value and not much difference in recoil with 130 grs. than the 308 with 150. As far as bullets go the 100 grs for varmits, 130 for deer, 150 for the bigger stuff is all the 270 needs.
 
When comparing the .308, .30-06, or .270 it's a 36-24-36 in your choice of blonde, brunette, or red-head.

Toss in grizz or such and the .30-06 takes the cake, elsewise, roll the dice and buy whichever the gunstore has in stock.

As for what I really think, I can say that the I do own the T3 hunter in .270, and am impressed with it. It shoots 150gr Federal Partition loads more than accurate enough that I feel handloading will not give me any better accuracy.

I will make mention, if you're deadset on the Tikka T3 series, it uses the same action for standard and short action cartridges. So unless recoil is an issue, you may as well stick with a standard length cartridge.
 
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