Hello, Im looking at a new rifle for long range shooting at the range and hunting big game. I have a .270 for whitetail but I wanted something bigger for moose and elk. I was looking at the 30-06, 300 win mag, and 300 rem ultra mag. Any suggestions?

30-06 isn't that much a step up from a 270. 300 WM is proven, has been around and, in my opinion, will continue to be around. 300 RUM I'm not so sure of.

The .270 has put a lot of elk in freezers over the years. It's very close to the .30-06 in performance, and the only thing the .300s have over either the .30-06 or .270 is the potential for slightly longer shots.

However, my experience has proven to me time and again that even though slightly-built deer and pronghorns can often be dropped at greater distances than one might imagine, elk are tough and demanding of marksmanship rather than unreliable expectations of ballistic "power." Buying a bigger caliber isn't a sure cure to be able to take pokes at elk on the next ridge over. Any hunter who lulls himself into thinking so is probably going to be in for a lot of trailing and lost elk.

If you're thinking that you want to be able to lob bullets across to the next ridgeline, you need to be thinking something more in the class of the .338 Lapua. I've yet to see one of those that I'd like to lug around in the high country, though. Something about those "long tom" barrels...

+1

The .300 Win mag has a good record on elk and moose size critters, and IMO is about the top of most hunter's comfort level for recoil. I killed most of my elk and both of my moose with 180 gr Partitions at .300 Win mag velocities.

If you reload, 2-300 .300 RUM cases will last a hunting lifetime.

My current favorite elk and most everything else caliber is my .300 Weatherby.

You might enjoy looking at this;

http://elkhunter2.tripod.com/

I don't think there is anything in North America you can't kill and well, with a .300 WM. Obviously there are bigger, faster, etc...but overall, the .300WM is tough to beat when you consider everything.

Either a .300 Win Mag or a .338 Win Mag would be a nice step up from your .270. You can do just about anything in NA with the .270, but sometimes bigger is better.

I don't think there is anything in North America one can't take with a 270...but shot placement and bullet choice gets more important with some species...that being said, I really like the 300 WM and it is my go-to caliber for myself and my uncle on our regular Alaska moose hunts.

The 300 RUM is a long range shooter for sure. Great gun for any big game hunting. I just got tired of how big and cumbersome the rifle was.

I switched to a 300 WSM. The shorter action and the shorter barrel made it a pleasure to carry. It is also very good at long ranges.

No one can truly answer your question until you clarify what you consider long range.

To me, extremly long range is 500 or 600 yards. Even when I had my 300 RUM, I only practiced out to 540 yards. Any practice beyond that was almost non-existent. To Ridgerunner, long range is twice that or more.

Good Luck!

I think if it's in north america and you can't get it done with a .270, then you're not going to get it done with a .300WM. Yes, there's more energy there, and more bullet weight, but is it disproportionately more powerful? Eh, not so much. A good bullet, well placed, from a .270win will kill anything in the US.

If you want something "bigger," and are convinced that the 30cal's really are significantly bigger and more powerful, then I'd be spacing it out far enough to make it worth it. Get into a .300WM or WSM.

Another advantage of NOT getting a .30-06 (can't believe I'm advising someone away from an '06!!!) is that mixing up a .300WM and a .270win cartridge is pretty difficult. Mixing up a .30-06 and it's little brother .270win is pretty easy.

If you really want to step up to a harder hitter than a 30cal. Look into a 338-375" diameter. I'd love to get into a .338-06 or .35 Whelen, even though she's none too quick. A .338WM might be a little more in line with what you're looking for. .375 H&H will knock the tar out of anything u touch with it (yourself included-get a pad, get a brake).

So moral of the story, either get a .300wm or a .338wm.