I'm buying my first rifle next month and I've been doing some research but I am not 100% sure of what calibur to get. I hunt whitetail mostly, yet I want a large enough calibur to effectively take down elk when I go west. I'm thinking a .270. All advice is much appreciated.
Buying my first rifle: Advice
- Thread starter jvidrine
- Start date
brooks
Member
Jon Boy
Active Member
270 will work. I think 30/06 will better serve you. Probably the most common round in both the whitetail woods as well as the elk woods, at least from my experience.
I use a 7mm myself but lots of guys like the .270 for all big game. Guy E uses a savage .270 now for his hunts. I like the 7mm due to the great ballistics.
sjsmallfield
Veteran member
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
I think your uses are pretty straightforward. If you hunt whitetails and elk every year, then go ahead and spring for a 7mm or 300 magnum. If you hunt whitetails every year, and only elk every few years, I think the 270 is a fine choice. It is just about perfect for whitetail hunting, and will work just fine for those future elk hunts.
The .270 is difficult to beat as is the .7mm. I've owned and killed lots of whitetails with both. However, don't overlook the .308 Win. Or for that matter the .7mm 08. With today's wonderful bullets and factory loads any of these are great choices. As for the .300's I prefer the .300 Weatherby or .300 Remington Ultra Mag over the .300 Win. better ballistics and on game performance. I'd have to agree with Bitterroot on this one though, if you will mainly be hunting whitetails then stick with the .270 or the .308, easy to shoot and devastating on either animal when you stick 'em in the boiler room.
Jon Boy
Active Member
Also forgot to throw out the 270 wsm. Loaded with some 140 accubonds would be good elk medicine. lets us know what u decide
Elkoholic307
Banned
jay
Active Member
a 270 will drop either one. Just depends on what grain of bullet you like and if you load your own...If you buy ammo off the shelf, the 30-06 has more variety on ammo all the way up to 180 grains compared to the 270 at 150 grains. But like I said, if you load your own this won't be an issue. A 150 grain 270 will drop an elk, but some guys like heavier bullets.
Ranchhand02
Member
Muleys 24/7
Veteran member
I like to have the ability to reach out across canyons if needed, so I shoot a .300 Weatherby. It has long range capability with plenty of knock down for anything in North America. How ever you can't buy ammo at your local walmart.
If your going to mainly hunt whitetails and the occasional trip out west 30.06 sounds like a good round for you. Good luck
If your going to mainly hunt whitetails and the occasional trip out west 30.06 sounds like a good round for you. Good luck
dustyboots
Member
I would definitely say the 30-06 is a great option widest variety of ammunition choices from small accelerator bullets,to standard and managed recoil loads. Probably the most universal gun you could buy will serve you well no matter what you hunt
EdD270
New Member
I really like the 270 (note the username). It does fine on the elk I've taken as well as mule deer, whitetail and antelope, and also coyotes and other varmints. I hand load for mine, but there are a variety of loads available for it. I prefer the .270 over the .30-06 because it kicks less, is not as loud and the ammo is cheaper.
The .30-06 is no doubt the standard by which all others are judged. It's the most versatile and available cartridge around. There is a huge variety of factory loads available for it, not to mention a galaxy of handloading possibilities.
I see you're in LA, so I'm guessing elk won't be an every year hunt for you, mostly whitetail. When I lived and hunted elk in Colorado and New Mexico and now here in AZ, I've never found a need for magnum calibres to reach out at long ranges, I just get closer. They're certainly not needed for whitetail. I'd recommend the .270, or the .30-06 as a second choice, either would be fine. Or the 7mm-08 or similar would be good, too.
For a rifle, I suggest the new Savages, or a Sako or Browning, Rugers are OK, too. There are lots of good quality rifles on the market for reasonable prices. Not sure what your conditions are in LA, haven't been there in several years and never hunted there. I think a quality scope can't hurt, no matter what your conditions are. I recommend a 3-9X, not golly-gee-whizbang, but it will do anything you need it to do, and at an economical price. Figure on paying as much or more for your scope sight as you do for your rifle. It's much better to put a top quality scope on a mediocre rifle than to put a cheap scope on a top quality rifle.
Hope that helps.
The .30-06 is no doubt the standard by which all others are judged. It's the most versatile and available cartridge around. There is a huge variety of factory loads available for it, not to mention a galaxy of handloading possibilities.
I see you're in LA, so I'm guessing elk won't be an every year hunt for you, mostly whitetail. When I lived and hunted elk in Colorado and New Mexico and now here in AZ, I've never found a need for magnum calibres to reach out at long ranges, I just get closer. They're certainly not needed for whitetail. I'd recommend the .270, or the .30-06 as a second choice, either would be fine. Or the 7mm-08 or similar would be good, too.
For a rifle, I suggest the new Savages, or a Sako or Browning, Rugers are OK, too. There are lots of good quality rifles on the market for reasonable prices. Not sure what your conditions are in LA, haven't been there in several years and never hunted there. I think a quality scope can't hurt, no matter what your conditions are. I recommend a 3-9X, not golly-gee-whizbang, but it will do anything you need it to do, and at an economical price. Figure on paying as much or more for your scope sight as you do for your rifle. It's much better to put a top quality scope on a mediocre rifle than to put a cheap scope on a top quality rifle.
Hope that helps.
HuskyMusky
Veteran member
.270win. is light for Elk IMO, deer/elk rifles, maybe 30-06 or 7mm Rem.Mag.
great elk rifles 300 and 338mags.
a perfect 100yd broadside shot vs. a 400yd 1/4 away shot at dusk, 2 different things.
great elk rifles 300 and 338mags.
a perfect 100yd broadside shot vs. a 400yd 1/4 away shot at dusk, 2 different things.
EdD270
Hey I appreciate the insight! You were very helpful. My two main concerns are 1. Weight (I dont want to pack a heavy rifle around the mountains) and 2. Power (I want to make a clean ethical shot and be able to shoot from distance, 300 yrds max)
My sister just moved to Longmont, CO and I'm expecting to make atleast one hunt a year, maybe more if I have the chance. Also, Im kinda set on the Browning X-bolt. I was raised on Brownings and they are buy far my favorite maunfacturer. Your thoughts....
Thanks again for all of your knowledge and any more advice is much welcomed.
Hey I appreciate the insight! You were very helpful. My two main concerns are 1. Weight (I dont want to pack a heavy rifle around the mountains) and 2. Power (I want to make a clean ethical shot and be able to shoot from distance, 300 yrds max)
My sister just moved to Longmont, CO and I'm expecting to make atleast one hunt a year, maybe more if I have the chance. Also, Im kinda set on the Browning X-bolt. I was raised on Brownings and they are buy far my favorite maunfacturer. Your thoughts....
Thanks again for all of your knowledge and any more advice is much welcomed.
Last edited:
tommyp
Active Member
Wyoflightmedic
New Member
- Mar 11, 2011
- 42
- 0
How about the reborn 30-30 thanks to Hornady Levelution ammo. Bullets are available for reloading finally.