Which Rifle 270 OR 30-06
- Thread starter cityhunter1
- Start date
You said one thing that woud tell me to buy a 30-06
MOOSE!
Not that a 270 will not work, but a 150 gr bullet vs a 180 makes a difference sometimes.
And you can go with 165s for deer and smaller game.
Just my $.02
MOOSE!
Not that a 270 will not work, but a 150 gr bullet vs a 180 makes a difference sometimes.
And you can go with 165s for deer and smaller game.
Just my $.02
Both the 270 and 30/06 use the same brass case. Bullet dia is .277" and .308" respectively.
Heaviest factory 270 ammo is 150grains while the heaviest 30/06 ammo is 220grains.
30/06 with a 180gr or heavier bullet makes more sense for moose, but a 270 with a good heavy premium bullet will work well too.
Clear as mud?
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Heaviest factory 270 ammo is 150grains while the heaviest 30/06 ammo is 220grains.
30/06 with a 180gr or heavier bullet makes more sense for moose, but a 270 with a good heavy premium bullet will work well too.
Clear as mud?
.
- Location
- British Canuckistan
your first shot should count. if your bullet is placed right the animal is down...the 30.06 will help ensure that your animal goes down.
a fair argument I've heard and appreciate is that no bullet/caliber is too big. if you put the bullet in the right spot, you're not going to be eating any of that anyhow (not cause it was ruined, but cause of the area you should shoot).
and as mentioned, you can drop down to a lighter bullet with the 30.06 for deer, which would cover the ground the .270 would have.
my thoughts from an armchair hunter (PAL test is this Wednesday, but I've already got my CORE) who's read a lot of stuff and filtered a lot of opinions.
a fair argument I've heard and appreciate is that no bullet/caliber is too big. if you put the bullet in the right spot, you're not going to be eating any of that anyhow (not cause it was ruined, but cause of the area you should shoot).
and as mentioned, you can drop down to a lighter bullet with the 30.06 for deer, which would cover the ground the .270 would have.
my thoughts from an armchair hunter (PAL test is this Wednesday, but I've already got my CORE) who's read a lot of stuff and filtered a lot of opinions.
moose more then deer get a .30-06
deer more then moose get a .270
I've killed and seen many killed (I guide moose) with both and never saw a difference.
the 30-06 with a 180gr bullet is the benchmark all moose rifles should be measured by. it doesn;t get much better then that
deer more then moose get a .270
I've killed and seen many killed (I guide moose) with both and never saw a difference.
the 30-06 with a 180gr bullet is the benchmark all moose rifles should be measured by. it doesn;t get much better then that
Pathfinder
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- Location
- Northeast Ontario
You cant go wrong with either, it really come down to a personal preference. If you prefer softer recoil then buy a 270. In any case I would choose a heavy for caliber bullet for Moose. Jack O'Connor loaded his .270 with 130 grains for anything right up to Alaskan Moose so that should tell you its enought.
Bullet placement is still King......
FYI: This thread will surely go right to the sewer within a few pages. Shoudnt' take long before someone chimes in to tell us that a .270 cant kill moose or is only a short range bush gun
Bullet placement is still King......
FYI: This thread will surely go right to the sewer within a few pages. Shoudnt' take long before someone chimes in to tell us that a .270 cant kill moose or is only a short range bush gun
I too was stuck with that same decision 25 years ago. I went with the .30-06 because it carries a little more punch and has heavier bullets available. I've used 180's for everything (deer, caribou, and moose) and it blows a big exit hole everytime.
Can't go wrong with either of the two though.
Can't go wrong with either of the two though.
I have used a 270 for years have shot deer,elk and moose and never had a prob but the moose have all been close my elk was 410 yrd and got it but the lead just made it through the lung and stuck in chest cavity.To make a long story short I would buy the 30.06 for more punch out far but I love my 270
considering factory ammo in the .30-06 is more available in every mom and pop store and comes in more weights than a .270, your best bet is the
.30-06 You will carry more lead downrange, meaning a "possibly more efficient kill", I stress possibly, because if you cant hit the vitals, it doesn't matter if its a .50 cal , you need a gun that fits your body first and foremost, and thats comfortable to shoot. Nothing wrong with a .270 at all, its just that with 150 grain bullets being your max for caliber, they better be premium for the bigger moose/elk or they may fall short of maximizing a quick ethical kill. This is just from my personal experience, and I know MANY MANY people have taken lots of big game with a .270 I prefer a larger bullet so that the impact and penetration are a little more substantial. Several of my friends have complained to me that their 270's made a wound on the way in, but no exit wound, so the animal thats not hit in the vitals will bleed a lot less with one hole (and sometimes if there is only one hole, the skin moves to cover the entry wound hole and limits blood loss, resulting in a longer chase and recovery of a wounded animal)
.30-06 You will carry more lead downrange, meaning a "possibly more efficient kill", I stress possibly, because if you cant hit the vitals, it doesn't matter if its a .50 cal , you need a gun that fits your body first and foremost, and thats comfortable to shoot. Nothing wrong with a .270 at all, its just that with 150 grain bullets being your max for caliber, they better be premium for the bigger moose/elk or they may fall short of maximizing a quick ethical kill. This is just from my personal experience, and I know MANY MANY people have taken lots of big game with a .270 I prefer a larger bullet so that the impact and penetration are a little more substantial. Several of my friends have complained to me that their 270's made a wound on the way in, but no exit wound, so the animal thats not hit in the vitals will bleed a lot less with one hole (and sometimes if there is only one hole, the skin moves to cover the entry wound hole and limits blood loss, resulting in a longer chase and recovery of a wounded animal)
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The .270 was really built around the 130gr bullet. Some may argue that but the point of impact does not vary too much between 100 and 300 metres at a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps.
This takes a lot of the guess work out of trying to determine bullet drop etc...
A fast bullet hitting soft tissue (ie lungs and heart) at this velocity is devastating especially when the bullet is not likely to exit. This means the animal absorbs the entire energy of the projectile. I've seen deer hit so hard by this combo that the water on its back went airborne as though vaporized into mist. I have not seen deer run after being shot with a .270 winchester. They die on the spot.
The .30-06 has bone crunching penetration. More appropriate for moose especially if a quartering shot. I have seen several deer run 100+ metres after being hit in the lungs with the .30-06. They bleed to death while on the run. The animal does not absorb the energy of the bullet and although the bullet placement is correct it passes right through them.
The right calibre for the right animal.
I have and use both.
130gr in the .270 (Thin skinned game like deer or Elk)
180gr in the .30-06 (Muscled animals: Moose to Black Bear)
Stick with what the rifle shoots well and don't vary from it.
This takes a lot of the guess work out of trying to determine bullet drop etc...
A fast bullet hitting soft tissue (ie lungs and heart) at this velocity is devastating especially when the bullet is not likely to exit. This means the animal absorbs the entire energy of the projectile. I've seen deer hit so hard by this combo that the water on its back went airborne as though vaporized into mist. I have not seen deer run after being shot with a .270 winchester. They die on the spot.
The .30-06 has bone crunching penetration. More appropriate for moose especially if a quartering shot. I have seen several deer run 100+ metres after being hit in the lungs with the .30-06. They bleed to death while on the run. The animal does not absorb the energy of the bullet and although the bullet placement is correct it passes right through them.
The right calibre for the right animal.
I have and use both.
130gr in the .270 (Thin skinned game like deer or Elk)
180gr in the .30-06 (Muscled animals: Moose to Black Bear)
Stick with what the rifle shoots well and don't vary from it.
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- Location
- British Canuckistan
what about the .303?
