Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Perfect battery for a serious Hunter--choose ONE

For me, it is about the whole package, rifle, cartridge, scope, and how it shoots. That said, my very favorite rifle happens to be a .270. It is an old Remington Sportsman 78 action bedded in a nice ADL walnut stock wearing a Leupold VX2 3-9X40. I have owned this rifle a very long time, killed lots of critters from rock chucks to elk with it, and tried dozens of loads (including some that will put 3 shots in 3/8" @ 100 yards). I have utmost confidence in this rig, would not hesitate to take it on any deer/antelope hunt. It carries nice, a little over 7 lb., and rides nice in a scabbard too.

If it were in .280 I would possibly love it just as much. I have rifles in other cartridges, including .308 and .30-06 and 7MM-08. They are all great rifles, but the .270 just seems to have that magical "lighting bolt kill" at long range without much recoil. YMMV.

Well that's probably true, for most of us.

I talk to Rick before and after each of his trips and he gives me good blow by blow info on all the bullet performance from the 270. He goes over there and shoots 30-50 head of game and reports back.

It really is surprising how little difference there is between the 270, 280,7 Rem Mag, 30/06, 300 mags etc.......at the distances he is shooting. Bullets seem to mean more than cartridges and headstamps.

His PH over there corroborates most all of this. He used to be a 30/06 shooter(we are talking thousands of animals). He now shoots a 270 instead, finding virtually no difference between the 270 and 30/06 on game up to eland. I am not about to argue with that level of actual killing experience,which makes most on here seem insignificant.

Rick hates heavy rifles and dislikes recoil....no doubt this affects his choice. I also suspect if he were doing more John Burns type LR shooting he may choose differently.


My own choice in a portable shorter would be a 7.5 pound 7 Rem Mag with stout 160 - 175 gr bullets; on a standard case a 27,280, or 30/06, if someone would pay for 8 weeks in Africa per year. A 300 magnum recoils too much for the sustained shooting offered in Africa,at least for me.

Mine would have to be a 35 Whelen. Big enough for anything in North America and most stuff anywhere else. Recoil is relatively light. Easy to reload. What more could one ask for.

For some reason I've never felt recoil when shooting big game and generally there are just one or a few shots involved.

Some of you like Burnsey-boy feel it I guess and avoid certain cartridges.
Oh yeah, I forgot, light recoil is better for long range, so they say.

I have/had 700 Ti's in 260, 270, 280, 06, 300's

but.....

this just got put together and it's not my first one either.

Rem 700 XCR2 placed in a McMillan Edge Classic.
Leupold VX3 3.5x10 CDS set in Talley's
It may end up wearing a VX6 which will add about 3-4 oz.

Weighs 7 lbs 12 oz.

300 Win Mag, with the right bullet weight will do everything the 264 Win Mag, 7mm Mashburn will do, maybe better.

And I especially love what 200 grain Partitions do to elk when leaving the muzzle at 3K.

And if I ever make that fabled bear hunt to AK, I won't feel under gunned.

SU excellent choice..

One of the finest rifles I've ever seen is in the introduction to the book "Bill Ruger & His Guns." It's a Dog-Leg Bolt M77 in 308 Win that was used by an Australian Professional Hunter to take over 10,00 animals.

Now that's a "serious" rifle... and apparently for him a "perfect battery."

Me, I'm a 308 and 270 guy... I doubt anyone could ever tell the difference between the two in the field.

I would enjoy spending a couple of weeks driving around with John Burns in his pickup. I would learn a lot and have a great time. Would say the same about EdM, Brad, and many others. Always more to learn.

I prefer to get really close, like bow hunting close.
I built a 7STW and practiced and practiced. I ended up putting the sneak on my pronghorn and got him at 85 yards. Good fun.

I can.

You're amazing.

I can also.. Maybe you just don't pay attention.

Boom...

Pretty partial to that set up (close to it). Could give a schit if it was chambered in 270, 30-06, or 7RM.

Let's hear all your 308 experience...

On game you would be spot on.

The 270 is a bit flatter so drop compensation is a bit different.

But then you already knew that.



To correct the record and maintain my ego I will point out that recoil does not, within reason, bother me.

I love shooting big stuff like .577s, .600 Nitro and Seyfried's brainchild .585 Nyeti.

That being said, physics be physics, and controlling the rifle while the bullet is in the barrel, from field positions, is simply much easier with moderately recoiling rounds.

It's like a science thing.

I seem to be pretty content these days with 2 centerfire cartridges, the 30-06 and a 222. I went through a 257 Roberts, 308, 270, 300WSM, 375, 280, 35 Rem stage but kept coming back to the 30-06. So many rifles and bullets available it rarely becomes dull. I find myself using 150 grain bullets at non-challant velocities more now that bigger game hunting is probably behind me. A well balanced rifle of 7 to 7.5 pounds works well for me.

If not a 30-06, Id choose a 270 or 280. The 308 is fine, Ive just never been enarmored by short actions.

I hear ya John, and too true..


On another note, of my choice for a 300 Mag.

I hunt public land.

I don't know if hunting in Africa makes any difference where there are more animals than people out in the field.
Maybe you have a little more time for better shot selection and therefore a smaller caliber works just fine.

But I do know this, in in my experience, I need a hammer round that anchors animals.
I don't need them walking off into other peoples camps
which has happened to me on a few occasions.

Bob,

Choices make the world go around.

Killing them dead right there is never a bad thing.

Thanks to all for a nice discussion and RinB for an interesting thread.

It's almost like sitting around a campfire.

John

Buddy of mine with lots of African experience borrowed my 270 to take over there. He previously shot a lot 300 magnum. When I asked why he said, unlike North American hunting where you hunt days for one trophy ,and may take one or two shots, in Africa you are constantly shooting to fill tags, quotas for bait,varmints, etc

The sustained pounding from a 300 magnum gets under some peoples skin. I loaded 150 Partitions and he liked it much better as a light rifle.

For a couple shots anybody can handle anything.

Mr Burns,
You still using the .264?

.270 is good. .30-06 is better. More may be desired, but is not needed.

Since I have a pair of BRNO ZG-47 in 30-06.. I would say a two 30-06.

Or, 7x64 & 9,3x62 if I spend more money on them..