I have been on the answering end of this question for years but now am trying to decide which caliber to stay with. Its time to thin the herd of guns out a bit and make life a bit more simple. I am probably done going far away on hunts and really only need a couple rifles. One for Varmints and small game and one for deer and MAYBE elk but probably not. I will have my rimfires and my Browning BPS. Those are a given. I shoot Black Powdwe and Long range steel targets with the 45-70 so they will have to stay. However I am torn between the 270 and the 308. Now I know that its about a toss up between these calibers and both are excellent deer rifles and will certainly handle a elk when used by a experienced hunter. Looking at new brass today, the 308 is one dollar cheaper per 50 than 270 so thats not really a factor. The 270 might have a little edge in range and the 308 the edge in both bullet weight and bullet choice. Having said all this, How do I decide? I have spent my life just buying both to settle the argument. Help me make sense of this, if you can.

IMO it depends on what type of hunting you do. It is obvious by your posts that you know how to use a rifle. I do think the 308 is slightly more accurate. If you are wanting a carry rifle I would also give the edge to the short action. I definitely prefer the 30 caliber. but then I have never been a fan of the 270, I have a fondness for the 30-06, even if it is not the "COOL" cartridge. And as you said, the 308 definitely has the bullet selection edge.

It sounds like 308 to me. Tom.

It depend on what terrain you will be hunting in. If I was hunting timber or brushy area I would use the 308win. If I was hunting more open terrain like sage brush and wheat fields I would use the 270win.

i have nothing good to say about the .270.

i think the .308 is one of the most accurate rounds, the ammunition is cheaper, and canbe found in any store.

Go .308

Wow, James, thinning out the safe?? Gonna keep the 6.5 x 55? Given a choice between cartridges, I always go for more frontal area, unless you need that extra reach from the long zero of the 270. I have to admit, the 270 has one of the best long zeroes considering it is not a belted super whatzit magnum fire breather.

Both are outstanding rounds and have weathered the test of time. With today's choice of good bullets available either will get the job done in the lower 48.
It's really a personal choice.

There is no way you will go wrong with either caliber. I have thinned my hunting caliber selection down to 22-250, 30-30, 308, and 270. I am keeping both 308 and 270. I have been killing deer for 25 years with a 270 and accumulated an even 100 deer body count as of Wednesday. The only reason I am keeping the 308 in my selection is for the heavier bullet weights available for 30 cals. I have always used 150 gr bullets in my 270 and have loaded a few of the Nosler PT 160 grs, but I do like the option of being able to shoot 180-220 gr bullets if I ever needed to.

If I HAD to only keep one or the other, I would keep a 270 (mainly because my favorite rifle is chambered in it and I reload for it).

I am not a fan of the .270 at all, and the .308 is my all time favorite! My opinion would be biased, so I won't give it to you!

Dang, there are sure a lot of .270 "non-fans" on here.
Why is that?

I own both and have recently been faced with the same decision on a new rifle.

I thought I had my mind made up on a bull barrel .308 until I tried to place the order and the rifle in question is out of stock- everywhere.
So with that delay I'm back to flipping the coin between the two calibers.

I've killed many a deer,yote & pig with my .270 so I have much confidence in the caliber.

When I compare ballistics it is hard to get away from the flatter-ness (new word) of the 130 .270 compared to the 150 .308 when looking at long ranges.

Is the .308 inherently more accurate?

My 6.5x55 is going to my youngest son. He doesn't hunt much now but he may later in life. I am tired of reloading for upteen dozen calibers. Having dozens of powders and ten shelves of bullets is getting old. I can always borrow them back from my kids if I want to but I need to scale back yet don't want them just settting in the safe.

I have hunted with about every caliber out there but have taken the most deer with the 6.5x55, 308 and 30-06. I have owned and used the 300 Win Mag and Weatherby Mag for deer and once even used a 416 Rem Mag. I guesss about the most bang,flop kills have been with the 270. The 6.5x55 did a very good job but mostly because you coulkd hit a dime every time at 100 yards the Swedish Mauser it came in was a real tack driver.

When I shot steel silhouettes all the time I loaded the 190 grain Hornady BTHP's they were extremely effective on deer as well. The last few years I have been loading the 150 grain Sioerra Pro-Hunters and they have worked real well too. Having used them all, I have seen very little diference in performance from the 300 Mags and the 270, 280 and 30-06/308. So it really is tough to rule any of them out for deer hunting. My other two favorite have been the 250-3000 and the 25-06. ( after I started using Nosler ballistic tips ).

Most of my shots on deer are from 100 yards to 250 yards. ( prarie hunting )