Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game All-Around Rifle (Sheep, Deer, Elk): 270 Win. or 30-06??

Gentlemen:

I could use a little advise on a very idiosyncratic question which, arguably, is not worthy of the wealth of knowledge available here. But I digress...

I have a Sauer 202 synthetic lightweight rifle---everything but the barrel. As many of you probably know, barrels for this rifle interchange. I can't decide whether to order a .270 Win or .30-06 barrel for my rifle. It will be used for Mule Deer, Elk and sheep (someday, I hope). The Sauer 202 Syn is a light rifle. Factory barrels from Sig Arms are fluted and about 22" long.

As between the '06 and .270 Win., the obvious difference is the capability of flatter trajectory with the .270 (shooting a 130 grain bullet) versus the capacity to throw a much bigger projectile with the '06. I try to adhere to the KISS principle, and have decided to load a 150 grain premium bullet if I go with .270 Win. and a premium 165 grainer if I choose the '06. (I am not interested in messing around testing a fistful of different bullets and loads). I am generalizing here, but ballistic coefficients as between the two calibers with the above-referenced bullet weights are about equal.

Velocity as between these choices is also basically a wash. If I am lucky, I might get 3000 fps with a 150 grain pill in .270 Win. and if similarly lucky, I might get 3000 fps with a 165 grain pill in the '06.

Any advise or experience to help me choose as between these two cartridges for my intended application would be appreciated. The rifle will be primarily a mule deer gun, but I'd like for it to be an efficient and adequate elk killer as well. And if that sheep hunt dream comes true, I don't want to have to buy another rifle (or barrel)!

Thanks,


Jordan <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

You have quite the pickle!! I'll vote for the 270, I use a 140gn TSX and get 3100fps from a 22" factory Win pipe, accuracy is outstanding (as good as .76 for 3 shots @ 200yds). I am a bit soured on the 30-06 for a very trivial, non-performance, non-scientific reason. When I was a kid (say Jr. High through early college) every person I knew that used a 30-06 was a slob hunter. Part of the "take it to the store and have it bore-sighted for season" crowd, gut-shooters, carriers of multiple extra clips, no adjustment caps on their scopes, grind the barrel into the dirt/mud/snow on the truck floor types. So I have a Freudian childhood aversion to the 30-06 despite outstanding results by others worldwide for more than 3x my lifetime, and on paper looking like the best single N/A sporting cartrige ever. I just can't buy/use one because of what happened during my childhood.

I'd go .270 with 150gr Partitions and never look back...I'm a diagnosed .270 fanatic though<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mike

Make mine the ought-six.

It likes the 22" barrel, I like the heavier bullets for elk (I'd jump to 180s), and for versatility, the ought-six is hard to beat.

Rick

Twer it me I would no doubt go with an 06 Improved.......that's what I call the good old 270.

Mark D

.30-06

It always wins the "one gun" debate for good cause. The .270 ain't that much flatter for the first 300 yds. If you ever do draw a sheep tag, the '06 will work for that too, but it's also a chance to treat yourself to a new rifle--.257 Weatherby?

Happy Birthday Waders<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mike

I'd go 06,,,,had a 270 for years and I can now do about anything the 270 could with my smaller less noise and less kick 7mm-08s,,,,cant say the same thing about the 06,,,with heavier bullets the 06 has alot more umph than the 270.

Don't think you can go wrong with either rounds.Perfer the 06 myself.It's ability to handle a heavier slug is what does it for me.

The 30-06 with one bullet weight, a well made 165 grainer, will do all of your killing chores well...

Take out a coin and say to yourself that 'heads' means 270 Win., and 'tails' means 30-06.

Keep flipping 'til you land 'heads'......... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

AD

I'd go with the '06 even though It would'nt be my first choice. Too bad .280 wasn't available.

Good one, allenday! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Get both! I have one of each. Is there another type of rifle out there you really like and want? I have a 1968 Ruger #1 in 30/06. It's not just a tool to me, but a work of art - the walnut, the craftsmanship, fit, everything. My .270 is a left-handed bolt with a laminated stock and stainless metal - more like a tool. When the weather turns bad or I absolutely know I'm going to be squeezing through palo verde and cat claw brush - this one gets the call. But for now, if I was looking at that particular set-up you have and elk were an occassional thing, I would say it would be hard not to choose a .270.

The two main differences are the ability to use a heavier bullet, and the better blood trails should you need one.

The .308 diameter is the dividing line between a blood trail and no blood or very little blood when hunting bigger game. Don't just look at the .031 difference in diameter, look at the percentage of area the .308 diameter increase gets you. It's much bigger, and provides a much better blood trail. Just looking at the numbers I think it's close to 20 or 25% more surface area, that is significant!

This is an important difference from the 270 to the .308 diameter. Having to find lost and wounded game for my living maybe this is more important to me then to the average guy? However I've always been of the mind that collecting the game is a big part of hunting trip, not just killing it.

If you have not yet read the post I put up regarding the performance of the 30/06 using the 165 grain bullet in Africa this year, it's worth the time to search out and re-read. 51 animals were killed with that combination by 6 different hunters, most of these were much bigger then deer sized game too. The recoil is so easily managed that lady hunters and kids use my rifle every year without complaint.

Good question, lots of opinions, find and read that post about the 30/06 and the 165 grain bullets and it should clear up most of your concerns over this decision.

Here is the post I was refering you to, it was easy to find

[color:"blue"] https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads...part=1&vc=1 [/color]

If elk's in the mix you gotta go with the '06. If you're going to stick to deer and sheep then the .270 is a good choice.

The best factory .270 load available today, IMHO, is the Federal 140g Trophy Bonded High Energy load @ 3100fps. This load would do for elk well beyond any range at which I would take a shot.

Don't own either, but I'd grab the .270 and never look back.

In a really light rifle, most people are not going to enjoy shooting the heavier loads which give the .30-06 an edge on big game. Since a barrel costs $600, it is cheaper to buy a second rifle in the caliber you least use. That is why I suggest the .270 Win for this rifle.

I have a Sauer with wood and synthetic stocks and 308 and .270 barrels (not light ones). The .308 barrel has been on there now for 3 years. If I put on the .270 barrel, it would probably stay on there a while, too. These rifles really shoot.

Sign me up for the 270 side please <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

One more vote for the 06!