Caliber choices

[Red Devil]

I'm in the market for a new rifle and if you had to choose between the .270 and the 7mm, which would you opt for and why. Thanks

[LaAngler]

I've taken animals with the .270 win and 7 rem mag. I like the 7mm a good bit better, it has a better ballistic coefficient. You have a wide variety of choices with the .284 dia bullet....... 7mm-08, .280 rem, 7 rem mag, etc.... I don't think a 7 mag is overkill for 100 lb deer, but the extra power is not needed to make clean kills out to 500 yards on thin-skinned deer. I'm trying out 7-08 for the first time this year, haven't drawn blood with it yet though.

I've read that Jack O'Connor, a famous writer who touted the .270 for years, secretly thought .280 may have been a slight bit better. His last custom rifle before he died was to be chambered in .280

[Red Devil]

Thanks Bruce. I've been shooting a .270 for years and that's what my wife is getting for X mas. I'm going to upgrade and was looking for opinions. Just wanted to make sure I made a good decision.

[BIGJ]

Both are good calibers, But I rather the .270 over the 7MM.
The .270 seems to be a flatter shooter rifle and seems to drop more
deer in their tracks. The deer I shot with the 7MM seem to break out running for a short distance and then fall. The main thing to remember with any gun is to shoot it and match the right bullet with that gun.

[supercajun]

270 short mag all day. i own both and prefer the 270 short mag. about the same recoil as the standard 270 but the ballistics are superior. its hard to beat the ballistics on the 270 short. i shoot 140 accubonds and haven't tracked a deer or pig yet with it most take 2 steps and down. i own a few calibers 7mag, 257. weatherby mag, 243, 308, 30-06, and 300 weatherby mag and i pick the 270short as the best. 308 second.

[JDd]

.270

[bluewing]

2x .270

[Deerfarmer]

Originally Posted by BIGJ

Both are good calibers, But I rather the .270 over the 7MM.
The .270 seems to be a flatter shooter rifle and seems to drop more
deer in their tracks. The deer I shot with the 7MM seem to break out running for a short distance and then fall. The main thing to remember with any gun is to shoot it and match the right bullet with that gun.

BigJ is right on target. You have to shoot the right bullet for different caliber rifles. I know people that shoot the 7MM and have trouble with them running aways. I have killed 50 - 60 deer with my 7MM. Only one of them has taken a step. I shoot the Winchester soft power point. They are also cheaper than the ballistic tips and do a wounderful job. Both are good calibers. I have used both. I like the 7MM better. It has more ft/lbs of energy, a better coeeficient and is flatter shooting using same grain bullets as a 270. Go online and check out the ballistics on each. You will see.

[Deerfarmer]

Do a search for Winchester Ballistics. They have a site where you can compare 5 different calibers, bullet weights and types of bullets. It graphs our each so you can see trajectory of each. The 7 mm wsm is awsome on ballistics, haven't shot with it though.

[longsidelandry]

I shoot a .270 and love it but I'll be upgrading to a bigger rifle in a few years to go on an elk hunt so I'll be in the same boat you're in.

[yak'em-n-stack'em]

my buddy just bought a .338 short mag with a ziess scope from a friend for 400 bucks, total value was 1500. he said he likes it, but i think its overkill


i would imagine a .300 or .308 would be plenty even for a long shot on elk

[LPfishnTIM]

Originally Posted by yak'em-n-stack'em

my buddy just bought a .338 short mag with a ziess scope from a friend for 400 bucks, total value was 1500. he said he likes it, but i think its overkill


i would imagine a .300 or .308 would be plenty even for a long shot on elk

.300 or 30-06 w/ 180 gr bullet
is that .338 srt mag like a .338-06 custom round