308 or 270
 

My stepson has drew and interest in hunting . He is 18 and not recoil sensitive since he has shot my 270 a good bit practicing. I'm gonna buy him his first rifle and have had mixed feelings on which caliber. 308 or 270. I have had good luck with both and I know shot placement is key but what do you guys think. Shots out to 150 yards. Not handoading

They are both great and proven. You will find many fans of each. .308/150 grain and .270/130 grain recoil is similar in like rifles.

In our hunting party, new young hunters seem to be winding up with the short action calibers, like 308 or 7mm-08. The light, synthetic stock, short action, 22" barrel models seem to fit and be easy for them to handle. The ones with the stock length inserts mean they may never need another rifle.

I suggest a simple scope. The scopes with a lot of "features" in the reticule seem to have a learning curve. Scopes set too high for close or moving game cause issues. I know it's all experience, but its tough to be mentoring new hunters and have them "blow" hunting situations because of complex scopes. No issues with a 4X fixed with a simple 4-plex.

Either would be just fine but since you are already a .270 Win shooter it might make some sense to stick with a .270 for him. If you both use the same cartridge it should make the ammunition situation easier.

Kinda the same opinion here, a fellow could hunt whitetails for a lifetime with either and never really see a difference...If most of the hunting is woods hunting and as you said, shots within 250 yards or so, I would probably go .308...If shots were over bean fields where you might want to reach out past 300, I would lean to a .270...

That being said, a .308 was used by snipers for years......

What one will do the other will, both are great. If you truly want "the best of both" then take a look at the 7-08! :s4:

Only one gun, go with the .308.

Deer gun, go with the .270.


Get a good scope !!!

I am also a fan of the 308 if you want a big caliber. How ever a 7MM 08 has a lot to offer. Lot more bullet selection and even better if you reload. Will reach across just about any bean field yet still work in heavy wooded swamps. With the right bullet selection will even take a coyote with out to much damage.

:D Al

I would get a 270 because this is what you carry and to be able to share ammo if needed.

I'm partial to the .308 myself. As said, either one will do whatever the other one will. I like the short actions, so if I were looking for something different than .30, I'd go with a 7MM-08. All are petty common cartridges so finding ammo would not factor into my decision!

The 270 is all that he needs.

Like everyone stated there is no wrong answer.But I would go .308 just to mix things up and to have a heavier bullit if you ever want to go after anything heavier in the future or tough like hogs.

If he is used to the 270 I would get him one just like he has been shooting so everything would be the same for him and he his used to it.

Get him a 270. You can share ammo and he has shot a 270. If he ever starts reloading when he grows up he will give you some ammo for being a good dad.

Either would be good. I have both. My go-to-gun is always the .270. You won't go wrong with either one of them.

I have two 308's, and one 270, and a 270 weatherby mag, I always liked the 308 for deer and black bear due to the short action and it feels a bit more nimble.

But, I have seen some great shots with the 270, and its a fairly flat shooter with energy to spare, and lately I have been using my 270 ADL much more for deer.

can go wrong with either, i say first really good deal you come across in either one buy it.

I've killed more hogs than I care to count with .270, 7mm-08, .243, and even a few with .223 and a few more with a little ole .22-250! I dare say that a .270 will drop Hogzilla where he stands with proper placement.

As far as the posters question, since you already have him working well on the .270, then by all means stay with it. If he (being 18 he probably will) wants something different, I, like several other posters, am a HUGE fan of the 7mm-08 for whitetail and even for Elk at reasonable ranges out to 250. I personally feel that the 7mm-08 is what was really intended (in ballistics) for the .308 to be. Minimal recoil, more speed than you can shake a stick at, HUGE bullet weight variety as well as several bullet profiles. The 7mm-08 is a reloaders dream. Get both of yourselves into reloading and you will find a whole other realm of shooting sports being opened up to you.

Why not take a buddy with a .308 to the range with your son and let him shoot it. It would probably be best if your son made the decision on which caliber. I would try to introduce a 25-06 to him too, and other calibers that are of common usage for the game in your area. I have a weakness for the 30-06, tho a good all-around caliber it kicks a little more and should be used with a limbsaver or other good protection when shooting on a range. If your son makes the decision it may mean more to him.

I'd get a .308, just so you'd have one of each in the safe to use interchangably when you want to.

I believe it comes down to the shooters preference. As was previously, said, in most circumstances what one will do, so will the other. I'm in Germany mostly hunting Roe Deer (Whitetail), Red Deer and Boar. I own both calibers and a few others but definitely have preferences depending on what game I'm likely to come across. Roe Deer/Boar, the .270win/150gr; Boar/Red Deer, the .308/165 or 180gr; mature Red Deer bucks (weighing around 500 lbs), my 30.06/180gr. My range for those games is almost always less than 300 yards. I mounted quality scopes on them all. I think you all agree it's important to have the right tool for the job... :barmy:

This is not how forums work. You ask about two different cartridges and then the replies should throw both of those out the window and tell you to get something else.................. Ill go with the .375 H&H. Will do anything he wants, wherever he wants and relatively mild recoil. ;)

Do you reload? Will It be a life time gun that might some day be a long range shooter also? If he is experienced at shooting or even moderate padi-wan go with a heavy barrel and great glass and he will be set for a long time. I own both rifle calibers and love them. 270 and 308 will both reach out a long way. My 270 happens to be me 200 and under range and slim barrel Remington. My 308 is a 26" bull barrel long range shooter and fun gun.

7-08 is right between both and offers more versatility in bullet grain sizes.

Well hell, how bout 338 lapua?
Question was 270 or 308. Not 7-08. And if not reloading it is not as versatile as ammo is harder to find.

My "go-to" deer rifle is a 270W. I had the same decision some time ago that you do now. I bought him a 20" carry-around all-weather 308. Latter when he could afford his own rifles, he bought a nice wood stocked 270W. Now, He hunts with both depending on his hunt conditions.

Both. Discussion over.

Get him a 270. You can share ammo and he has shot a 270. If he ever starts reloading when he grows up he will give you some ammo for being a good dad.

Give the boy a copy of "The Hunting Rifle" by O'Connor. After he has read that he will know what he wants.

My first CF rifle was an old Remington ADL in 270. Killed an absolute mountain of game with that gun. Later carried a 788 in 308 (and still do). Kinda partial to a Montana in 308 these days when the going will be steep and long.

No wrong answers here.

I agree with the majority and say the .270. I've owned and hunted with both and my experiences make my confidence level higher with the .270.

I've always wanted a .308,shot 1 many years ago that my Dad owned and sold in a Browning!

I shoot a 30-06 and bought myself a .243 & a 7mm-08 because I wanted a Rifle with less recoil....look at several makes & models then decide which Caliber best suits His needs! ;)

There are orders of magnitude of difference between the 243/308 calibers and the 270/30-06 ones.

It is easy to *say* "not recoil sensitive, but you should test this at the range with both guns and about a dozen rounds each.

If really not recoil sensitive, then ask him which he likes better.

Some shooters like less recoil. Others like more power and tighter groups.

My personal view is that a 270 is vastly superior than a 243 or a 308.

But then again, my personal view is that a 300RUM is vastly superior to anything else ever needed in North or South America.

Exactly right!

Some shooters eventually find out that they like less recoil more than anything else.

I myself have tried .223, 30-30, 7-08, .308, 30-06, 300 and 338.

I don't care much about recoil but the 338 was way too much.

For me the 300RUM is perfect.

This is true -- the 270 is one of the most superior hunting calibers that there is.

Only the 300RUM is in fact superior, but you must be able to take the recoil of a 300RUM in order to like it.