Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Just one?....7-08, 6.5, 270, or 308

Alan took an Elk just under 1K
6.5 CM

Impact velocity, bullet construction, shot placement/angle

I am far from recoil shy. I have seen some real hard kickers in .270 and only stated that for someone looking to buy a .270 for the first time. I just stated the facts as I see them. I would not own a .270 anyway, as my 7 mags more than cover what that cartridge will do.

I can certainly understand that - more power to ya brother (pun intended).

Well, I would not own a 7mm Rem Mag as my .270s have their niche covered very well and are lighter to boot. And they kick a bit less. I’ve yet to see what I considered a heavy recoiling .270 (but I’ve only owned eight, starting with my first in 1975). And I’ve owned and shot a bunch of rifles that kicked a lot, and nary a .270 was in that bunch.

I mostly AGREE with your post.

I have one 7 RM that is lighter than 'some' 270s, and I'm waiting on a Tikka T 3 Lite SS 7 RM to get here. I know you said, " my 270s.....lighter". AFter I got my T 3 Lite SS 270 -- I thot -- it kicked as hard as my 7>>>>NOPE. I shot both the same day back to back.

I can't count the # of 270s I've had & shot that others owned. NONE were heavy kickers.

Jerry

Thanks!

But they were still .270s!

Is there a verdict yet?

I'd take a .270 for a stalking type mountain rifle if I were a sheep or goat hunter and wanted the flattest possible trajectory for quick shots that I might not know the exact distance on.

The .308 with 168 TSX's in closer quarters for defense against being ate by a bear or stomped by a moose.
If I was more inclined to be hunting the larger species of big game, which I'm not, then I'd pick a 30-06. And for a secondary rifle(to the Swede or Creed or 243) that I might use on occasion if I was after a giant wild boar I might choose the 30-06, or a 45-70.

The 7-08 for a general purpose medium game rifle.

And the 6.5 Creedmoor if I wanted to spend a lot of time shooting just for fun, but still have an effective medium game rifle. For just one rifle that would get lots of range use, and double as my main hunting rifle, with a good selection of affordable and readily available factory ammo, I think this is hard to beat. But I have a pipsqueak 243 instead, which due to it's higher speed is a little on the loud side and I'd probably rather have a little more recoil and a little less blast.

Now if I wanted to reload a bunch, and have the capability for a little more velocity, and didn't mind possibly a bit heavier and longer gun to get it, then I'd rather have the 6.5x55.
But I'd probably want something a little classy for the Swede like a Sako Bavarian..... or on the slighty cheaper side, a CZ 550 FS even though I believe the Creedmoors more efficient case design makes it a better match for a 20.5" barreled rifle like this.

7-08 or .280

There is something really fun about those .300 mags especially like them in Alberta looking down long pipeline cuts through the heavy forest. But I'm in love with the .270 giving a little pop on the shoulder and meat in the freezer, it's a true classic and probably always will be.

If you loaded the 270 down to the 2800 fps level you would notice a reduction in pressure, blast and recoil. Less is however not more.

Like old Elmer always said`` 270 makes a good groundhog gun". LOL

Works for me!, 7mm08 is a great little round.

HEAR ! H E A R !!

LESS is NOT more.

On P 15 you'll find the 'other' HALF of the FIRST quote here.
Elks said, "2800 fps or 3100 fps"

3100 fps is MORE------2800 fps is LESS, and well......less is.....less.


Jerry

I loaded down the .270 to 2,650 FPS using H-380 and the Hornady 150 gr interlock for a woods load, killed deer just fine It became my favorite load.

I have a savage 7mm-08 wood stock (heavier rifle) and a savage 16 308 with a syn stock. The 308 is far lighter in recoil. Don't ask me why but the 7mm-08 sucks to shoot. I would say 308 just because its a do all round. Pretty much hunt anything with it with ammo available anywhere at a decent price. You will pay about $10 more per box using 7mm-08

280+++

Heck, I could probably roll a 257/25-06, too....yeah, they don’t have as many good bullets, especially high BC stuff, but all I’ll do past 5-600 would be playing and training, anyway. Any critter I’d shoot would likely be under 400. I used to love the 25-06, but haven’t had one in years.

Where I live, south of Fort Worth factory ammo for the 7-08 and especially the 280 is not as common as some here would have you believe. The internet offers a lot of options but if off the shelf ammo is needed for some reason you would have to look around to get it. The 6.5 Creed, 308 and 270 are pretty common on most shelves and even Walmart carries Creed ammo.

There’s that.

Picking a rifle firstest, Tikka, Kimber, W70, Barrett, Nosler, Sako....or whatever, and why? I don’t need a featherweight, as I doubt I’m gonna backpack hunt in the Rockies much. However, I can tend to cover some ground in some nasty hills on occasion, and heavy is out. More fun to shoot would be a higher priority than being under 6# all up. Ideas there appreciated.