Which Caliber?

I am looking at getting a new hunting rifle. My 2 current rifles are a Winchester model 70 in 7mag and a Winchester 30-30. So now I am looking at getting a new caliber and I was looking at .300, 30-06 or .308. What are y'alls thoughts?

One each then throw in the tried and true .270

Or just go straight to the .270

Yes sir and a .280 for desert!

.257 wby mag

6.5 Creedmoor

Is it for a specific or just general overall purpose? The .270 is hard to beat for an overall caliber. Ammo is easy to find in a variety of loads, even managed recoil if you have kids.

Another vote for the 270!!

Which .300? WM, WSM, Blackout, Savage?

Deer only? Elk? Varmints? Black bear? Long shots? Thick brush? Mountain rifle?

Need more info...

17 hmr

.223

22 short.

25-06

If you want a rifle that has different capabilities than your current rifles ... 223 (fun little tack driver than can be used for deer management or predator control) or 300 win mag (efficient --if slightly big -- deer rifle, with a little extra thump in reserve if you step up to elk/moose/grizzly or Africa plains game).

Skip the .300 and get a .338 WM.

This is settled science

Tikka T3 in 7mm-08 with a DNZ one-piece mount and a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40.
Or similar scope like a vx3 or better, make sure the scope is lite and has good glass.
No Zeiss Tera.



You could also get an AR is 6.8 SPC II 1:11 twist if you want to start messing with the AR-15 platform.
Rumor has it, they are a blast.

7mm08
6.5CM
243

.50 Beowulf. You can shoot everything from squirrels to engine blocks.

30-06=270 minus the trajectory and a slightly smaller bullet
308=30-06 short cased
300=7mag, just diff bullet sizes

(^completely over simplified btw^)

If you want another caliber get a quarter bore: 257 rob or wby, or 25-06. I like 25-06.
Or a 30-06. Or a 270. Just because.

Or a small varmint gun: 22-250

Or an AR15

One of these but flip the order they are listed to fill the gap from what the dude already has

The one that's easy to find on the shelves .308

6.5 creedmoor(i have the 6.5x55)or if you reload 300 win mag with 208 amax or 230 bergers

If you're staying in Texas, I'd go with .270. Shoots fast and flat and ammo is easy to find.
Me personally, I like the .280 because it throws a 140 gr bullet at the same speed and trajectory as a .270 throws a 130 gr., so there more energy on target, and it kicks less than the 30-06, it does the same job.
And speaking of being easy on the shoulder... Love my .260.

I have the .270 & 30.06. Like em both. It would be very difficult to choose one over the other. I do tend to carry the 30.06 more I think. Can't go wrong either way. If it's for coyotes and hogs, might go for a .243 which works great.

7mag >>>> .270, why in the world would he downgrade?

Lol with a 30-30 and 7mag, you're covered everywhere. IMO, AR15 or 22-250 tikka t3 varmint should do ya good

Smaller caliber is not necessarily equal to a "downgrade". But I agree if he is fine with the 7mm the .270 is redundant. But, hey, I've got a lot of redundancy in my rifle collection.....

A .270 may aspire to be equal to the 7 Mag, but alas it cannot be.

^^^this

Only if numbers and power are your only criterion. I just took my .270 on the hunt of a lifetime. I wouldn't have traded it for any 7 Mag on earth when the time came to make the shot.

257wby

Well hell, what else is there?

To me the 7mm mag that you already have is a wash with a 300 mag...(they do about the same thing) I would go 243,6mm, 240 WBY, 257 WBY...great dual purpose varmint or deer rounds. If you want to hunt bigger stuff...338 win mag, 375 H&H are hard to beat. If you want something in the middle the sedate 6.5x55 or 6.5 creed might be a good choice.

I have to agree there is nothing a 270 can do that a 7 mag cannot do a little better...other than 1 or 2 more in the mag box...

Ed

Weight, rifle fit, recoil....to name a few.

I guess everyone should use a .50 BMG and be done with it. At the very least a .338 Lapua.

I agree. He's covered on hunting rifles. I think I would take the money I planned to spend on a new hunring rifle and build something just for fun. Like a custom 10/22, AR15, or something like that. Varmint gun is a good idea too. I just really tend to prefer to not have guns that overlap their purposes too much. I'd rather have a variety of guns instead of 3 deer rifles.

I've tried to include brand variety when deciding on a new firearm. After owning a Remington, Browning, and Winchester, my last purchase was a Marlin.

Weight and rifle fit are ~the same between a 7RM and .270 (outside of a slightly longer bolt throw)

hot 22 cf at a min 22-250 220 swift if you dont reload if you do
224 TTH or 22-08


or a 257 wby

He was speaking in general. Thus, so was I. He asked what else there was besides numbers and power. I gave a few things.

Recoil is, of course, the main difference between the .270 and 7 mag. Probably the reason the .270 Win. is the #3 caliber in America while the 7 mag is between #7-10 (depending on which chart you read).

I agree that the next rifle should be a smaller caliber varmint gun in .223 or.22-250. A lightweight sporter might be more useful than a bull barreled rig, unless he knows a rancher with a troublesome prairie dog colony.

Then next year, when the itch returns, he can go big: a .338 or .375.

Then with the light and heavy ends covered, he can spend the remainder of his life buying guns to fill in the gaps in the great middle area.

204 AR

It takes a YEAR to get the itch??



Well hold on, it makes sense. Next year's only four days away.

Weight- same
Fit- same
Recoil- 7 has a bit more depending on the weight you mentioned.

It is so easy to stir up 270 lovers. Even though you have no hard numbers to call the 270 "better" than the 7 Rem Mag. I threw out a dead minnow and you have it hooked in your throat. I'm gonna have to grab the needle nose pliers to get it out.

I do not own a 338 LM or 50 BMG since I don't live in west Texas where I could regularly stretch it well past 1500. So I'll just settle with my 7 Rem Mag.

JG-You unequivocally state numbers and power are the ONLY criteria upon which to judge a cartridge. (Which is actually pretty much the mindset of those who spend way more time behind a bench punching paper and ringing steel than in the field actually hunting animals).I point out the flawed logic of that. You then deflect and begin lecturing me like a 2 year old on the differences between a .270 and a 7 mag. Do you think I am not aware? I was hunting and killing animals with both-probably when you were still sh*ttin' yellow.

Whatever, dude. It's your world and we're all just living in it. Maybe you can start a petition to melt down all those millions of .270s and turn them into 7 mags and save all of us dumba**es from ourselves.

Carry on stretching it past 1500....

I have a browning 7mm and it's a pill to shoot

You gotta remember in a 7-8 lb rifle 7mm recoil is stiff, a .270 it's a cream puff.

Most hunters will be better served by a .270 than a 7mm. Most people don't shoot past 300 yards so any ballistic advantage to a 7 mm bullet being superior is moot

Highly concur....

Bought one when I was about 20. Rem. 700 stainless. Had every intention of making it my primary rifle. Killed quite a bit of stuff with it. Hated the "punch" of the recoil. Got rid of it. I now mostly shoot my .270 for mid-sized game. That said, my .300 Win. is much more pleasant to shoot and has more power to boot at the ranges I shoot. So I have never been fond of the 7 mag. YMMV.

Numbers don't always tell the tale. Rifles are like women-each are different. And an 8 (or 20) pound sledge is not always better than a 6 pound sledge. Those that use sledges a lot know this. Those that read physics books may not.

Sell both rifles and get on gunbroker.com and find a Steyr model M professional with double triggers in a 30-06. Top with a leupold vari-XIII 2.5 x8, conetrol base and rings. Then hunt anything in the world except dangerous game.

Dude. I'm just messing with you. Did you invent the 270? Do you get royalties from ammunition, components, and .277" barrels? Because you are awfully butt hurt over me poking you a bit about the 270.

I could give a damn if you were shooting and killing when I was a child. You have not got the trigger time nor the hours of study in this that I do. If you're gonna take that stance, and that attitude, toward me we can shoot for it. And I'll leave the 7 Rem Mag at home anf bring the 6.5 Creedmoor. Otherwise shove off a-hole.

If not we can get along. Its up to you.

You started with the attitude. I don't mind being disagreed with. I do mind being condescended to. It's as simple as that.

Well I might have to agree with you but the original question is what he could add to his armory next, and a 7 mm mag would overlap the 270 quite a bit. I don't like the 270...not anything personal just don't like it. Now I will say the 280 and 280 ack improved are my cup of tea...close to the 7 mag with the trimness of the 270,but with the bullet weight advantage of the 7mms.

I will say if I were in his shoes I would choose a good fast 22 or 6mm...but I get to hunt a lot around here on my farm and my families ranch, and a 22-250 or my little blaser in a 6BR Norma is quite useful. I also said if he wants to shoot bigger animals a 375 would be a good selection 200-350 grain bullets makes a useful rifle.

I always get a kick out of forums, in one chain the guy says "I am very recoil tolerant" then in another thread they talk about a "punchy" 7 or 300 mag... I started using recoil brakes a few years ago, but only have them on my 375 ultra, 375 WBY, and my 505 Gibbs...now that one is "punchy".

Ed

I am recoil tolerant. Doesn't mean I don't notice the differences between rifles. Also doesn't mean I won't opt for a rifle of the same (or larger) caliber that I perceive is more pleasant to shoot-as with my .300 Win. Could be for any number of reasons that I find it more pleasant (fit, weight, power burn rate, etc.) I feel much the same about my .338 Win Mag-very pleasant to shoot. I don't care to spend the time to analyze every jot-and-tittle factor that may be at work. Not every answer is in a book or chuckhawks.com. A rifle is a tool to me. A means to an end. When I find a tool I like that is right for the job I tend to use it.

Me to cowboy! I am a hopeless rifle enthusiast, I have, and have owned a lot of calibers, they are all a little different, and I enjoy The attributes each. True not all act the same..one of the most unpleasant rifles I shot was a TC encore in 45-70, and a weatherby MK5 in a 340...flat out vicious. I hope your hunts all go well, and you find your proper tool...

Ed

Reread this trail counselor. I did not attack you, nor the 270. It was just me stirring the pot, toungue and cheek. You took personal offense and then insulted me.

I can let it go if you can.

I never had it to start with. So, I guess I have.

Yup.

Got my wife a T3 in 7mm-08, after the stock swap and Nikon scope it's a shooter.

Go with another 7mm, if you start hand loading you'll have the same caliber bullets albeit different weights. Softer recoil too.

To answer the OP's question, I would get a .300 Win. Mag.

Then sell the 7 mag and get a 6.5x55 or .260.

^ Have this combo, though I recently replaced the Zeiss with a trijicon 3-9. Good go to, all around Texas game rifle that is lightweight and accurately packs a plenty of punch.

Thank you everyone for their input. I forgot to mention that I already have an AR-15 and so with that said. Maybe I should just get a new upper and make it a 300 blackout.

Would you rather have 1 rifle with 2 uppers or 2 complete rifles?

That is a good question. Not sure I know the answer to it. What is a good upper for a 300 blackout that won't break the bank? Something in the 500-750 price range? or am I going to have to go in for a grand? I was hoping to maybe spend extra on good glass.

You can definitely get a good 300 blackout upper for under $750. Been looking at a bunch of them trying to decide then came across a Remington 700 with threaded barrel for $500 at WalMart and snagged it.

Again same crappy performance as a 3030 and you already have that covered. Get something useful

And...
22-250
7Mag
.260
7mm-08
220 Swift
.243

And many many more...

These threads arguing about "which caliber" always amuse me.

He has a 7 Mag, a 30-30, and a .223 AR. He doesn't need anything bigger than 7 Mag unless he is going to hunt dangerous game.

Get a .243 or 7mm-08, it fills in nicely between what you already have and will be more pleasant to shoot while killing most anything you will hunt in Texas.

Thanks Doc. I will look into a 243 since my daughter has started to show some interest in shooting(once we get her comfortable with shooting more).

30-06 is a nobrainer. Start collecting all the other toys/calibers for the gun safe later.