308 Winchester or 270?

"First gun purchase" "270 or 308". I do not know what experience you have with firearms. But if it is your first purchase and no experience shooting buy a "lowly" 22lr a cheap scope and a bulk box of shells. You can do all of this for less than $500 and probably have money left over for a box of beer amd some smokes! Start shooting at 25yd then 50 then 75 then 100. Learn trigger control, breathing, hold, etc. A 270 or 308 is not something i would think a person should buy as a first firearm. Again i do not know your personal experience just my 2 cents.
 
308 win for me

308 win is a short action and you get amazing and unique guns chambered for it like 4 lb Kimber mountain ascent, RFBs, M14s etc.
270 is an overbore carthridge and you would usually burn more powder to get similar results and 308 will do it with a shorter, ligher rifle...

I keep hearing how great 270 is with 130 gr bullets, but last time I ckecked Barnes factory ammo:

Cartridge 270 Win
B.C .392
Box QTY 20
Weight/Type 130 TTSX BT
Velocity 3060

Cartridge 308 Win
B.C 350
Box QTY 20
Weight/Type 130 TTSX BT
Velocity 3125

308 win beats 270 win at its own game and the sectional density here is mostly irrelevant with the modern monometals

On top of all this 308 win is a bigger gun, can shoot bigger bullets and has 25% more surface area for much better energy transfer.
 
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the first rifle I bought new almost 30 yrs ago is my Remington 700 in .270win. It has been the only constant in my safes since that time. The old girl is getting the nod for a late fall moose hunt with 130 accubonds over H4831. I have all the confidence in the world in this caliber .
 
Popper - instead of hearing how great the .270 is and then just reading the claimed muzzle velocities, you should try one on game.

If I had to pick then for target shooting I’d take the .308 and for hunting i’d pick the .270 - I have owned and used both.

Now if the question was .270 or .30/06....that would be a tough one! :)
 
I have a 22 inch barreled 270 win pushing a 130gr nosler accubond (bc of .435) to 3100 with r-19. Very very versatile big game rifle. I dont think it can be beat honestly for a deer rifle with a good load like that. A 7mm mag pushing a 140 accubond to 3200 fps would be right there with it. Short range or long the 270 just works.

I sold the one 308 in a hunting rifle I ever had. Because it just never got used. I have a 3006 I liked better. The 270 will shot flatter than both. Deer dont know the difference.
 
i have owned a 270 or two for many years. never hunted with them. also own 308's that i much prefer. my tikka batue is light short and can shoot a 150 swift at 2900 fps. i don't think the 270 can top that in real world use. in reality there isn't much difference between a whole group of cartridges we just like to think so. dead is dead and they all work.
 
Save your money and buy both in pre-64 M70 Winchester. . After that save some more and, again in pre- 64 M70, buy a 30-06 and a 243. If you can find these in F/W's you'll be happy.

I read an article, some years back in The American Rifleman, where the author stated if he had to choose only two calibers for all North American Game, he would choose the 308 Winchester and the 338 Winchester magnum.

To begin it don't matter much as both 308 or 270 will serve you well.
 
1899, I have owned both 270 and 308 and like both - just prefer 308 win.
Currently I own 308 win and 9.3x62 only from the rifle calibers (divorce and had to move out of the house and in a small apartment downtown).
And I had not done any target shooting since I was in the army 30 years ago...
 
Earlier on in the years, I had a few 308's. Then, in an effort to trim 'things' down a little, I took the easy route and hung on to the 30-06. Along with another 30 cal in 308NM, I figured, that was a good enough representation in the 30 cal bracket. Lately, I've added a .270 Win to the 'harem'. Haven't done anything with it yet in the field but that's on the agenda for the near future.
 
Johnn- RL26 is fantastic for the .270 with 150gr Partitions. I’m a hair under 3000 FPS our of a 22” barrel and not at maximum. Lots of folks are exceeding 3000 in 22” barrels. For more old school MRP is close!
 
I am never without a 308 in the safe. Currently I have a 308 set up for target shooting, but have and will take it hunting. I have a 270 set up for hunting most things as well. I love them both. Both will pull double duty, range or hunting. The 308 wins for bullet selection.
Both rifles are 700s and both keepers.
I would choose the 308 for the first rifle. I love the short action.
 
For any Jack O'Connor fans out there ... the .270 would be highly recommended. Coupled with a 130 grain pill, the .270 is a formidable contender as an 'all around' hunting cartridge. I own one in an older Savage 110. I have taken deer, bear, wolves, and coyotes with it. It truly is a great cartridge.

I also own a .308, and can't say anything negative about it either. I appreciate the 20 inch barrel selection on firearms chambered in the .308.

I agree with the others who have suggested that the rifle may be just as important as the cartridge. Pick up and shoulder as many different makes, models and actions that you can. There's a plethora of options out there (unless you are a lefty like myself).

Either calibre will do the trick. Enjoy shopping!
 
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