New to hunting
 

I recently moved to Idaho from California. I'm looking to go hunting a lot now that I got such a beautiful state to do so in. My father in law and I have been going after elk and carabu as of late. I've decided to get my own gun this month. The problem I am running into is either a .270 or a 30-06. With those two calibers in mind, which would be ideal for deer up to elk (with the occasional coyotes thrown in)?

I appreciate any insight, suggestions or food for thought you all can provide.

I'm a .270 fan all the way but there's not a thing wrong with the 30/06...flip a coin then go shoot stuff!

First of all, congratulations on your escape from liberal land. Either of those calibers is a good choice for what you are hunting.

Yes, I second the sentiment that you made a good decision by moving from CA to ID. As far as a hunting rifle goes either the .270 or -06 Will be great for your stated purposes. The .270 will be a little flatter shooting at longer distances. But the 30-06 has a little more whammo. Between the two I'd prefer the 30-06, myself. 30 Cal is just an all around great size of bullet for big game. But either will do. You might want to talk to some friends, family, acquaintances that have some rifles (Idaho is fairly proliferate with hunting rifles) and see if you can shoot a few. See what feels the most comfortable.

You might also want to look into a .308.

After hearing those comments already, which will be repeated throughout this thread; it's a matter of personal preference.

Find the "features" YOU WANT in a rifle, then go to a gun store and handle those.

Finally, close your eyes while envisioning the target ....................... pick up each rifle (that made the "cut") and shoulder the gun.

Open your eyes...................... which one is on target ?!?!

Let the gun pick you !!!

That is fine for shotguns but with rifles it doesn't mean much.

I beg to differ there OT. A rifle fit and feeling right is just as important as it is for a shotgun. And "blind point" is just one good way to tell if a rifle fits you well. If it's uncomfortable or hard to get "acclimated" to it, you dang well will have a hard time shooting it well in field positions. It's just as important as straight stock or pistol grip or any other various stock designs.

As to the OP question about cartridge choices, you all know I'm a proponent of the .30-06. Never bought in to the .270 craze. Personally, I can make a .30-06 round walk all over any .270 round with a little loving on the reloading bench. Too many SUPER good .308 caliber bullets out there nowadays with extremely good BC's that just wasn't around during the .270 craze. Don't get me twisted, the .270 is a fine cartridge and more than enough for what the OP is wanting. But as far as variability goes, the .30-06 is hands down the better cartridge.

Super, I don't have to close my eyes to tell if a rifle is uncomfortable or doesn't fit me correctly when I throw it up. Since you don't aim a shotgun you point it, it is more important for it to come to line of sight than a rifle. It is important if the rifle stock is too long or too short but it doesn't matter all that much if the front sight isn't exactly on target when you throw it up to your shoulder because you are going to settle in and aim it.

One more thing to mention - you will hear that a .30-06 can shoot everything from a 110gr. bullet to a 250gr. bullet.............. which is true.

However, remember it's the twist rate that will determine which weight bullet the barrel will shoot best !!!


http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.270winchester.html

7mm rem mag

I say get both. :D

Either is a great choice for elk and deer. I prefer a 30 cal like the 30-06, but that's just my personal preference.

Good luck in ID. Shoot some wolves.

270, or split the difference, 280 rem or 280 Rem. Ackley Improved.

I can't go with your AI suggestion since he's not a reloader. He needs to go with a common caliber and the 06 and .270 are as good as it gets for what he wants and with easily to be found ammo just about anywhere in either one.

280 Ack is now a SAAMI cartridge so factory ammo is available. Not as plentiful as .270 or 30/06 but it's out there.

"Out there" in more ways than one!! Poor guy would go broke learning how to shoot! The few that even produce the cartridge are charging anywhere from $3.00-$5.00 a round!! Definitely not a round I would suggest to anyone that doesn't reload.

Aaron, I may catch some static over this, but for your first big game rifle you're definitely on the right track considering a .270 or 30-06 (and don't forget the .308) - don't let somebody talk you into a magnum.

Averages about $2.80 a round...half the price of a Weatherby or Lazzeroni lol

I don't agree with this at all. While the sight might not need to be on target when the rifle is raised, the front and rear sights damned well better be in alignment, else you'll never shoot it as well nor acquire your sights as quickly as you could. Proper comb height and stock cast do matter in rifles, as much as they do in shotguns. Guys just tend to be apathetic because they have a rear sight as a reference and they neglect their right to refuse a stock which forces them to sacrifice their cheek weld to align the sights.

True 30-06 may pack a lil more punch but I prefer the flatter shooting 270 .the little size you give up makes less drop improving accuracy allowing you to hit the right spot ,and the 270 is big enough to do the job without as much damage. Also lighter in the field . Enjoy your choice, they are both good and should bring you good memories.

Pretty much what I already said with a little less flair :D

Blessed, as I already stated, I can make a .30-06 shoot JUST as flat as a .270 and have more punch on the end. The .270 being a flatter shooting cartridge is from WAY in the past bubba. With new bullet technology making much higher BC's in the .308 caliber bullets as well as faster/better pressure curved powders there are things you can do nowadays with the venerable old .30-06 that wasn't even dreamed of 30 years ago. For instance, you take a 150gr bullet for the .270, I'll take a 180gr bullet for my .30-06. Now, at 350 yards, which one do you think will have more punch on target and have higher retained speed/energy? Again, this is all due to RELOADING not factory ammo. 99% of factory ammo will be out run by the .270. BUT there really isn't a ton of high BC bullets out there for .277. But theres dang near unlimited supply of extremely efficient high BC bullets in .308 caliber (that's .30cal for the uninitiated).

As far as your statement of "less meat damage", you obviously haven't compared the 2 nor can you make that statement as a general anyway. THAT is dependent upon muzzle velocity, range of target, and bullet type. Smaller faster bullets tend to create MORE damage not LESS! I have to use fairly stout bullets in my 7mm-08 because of close range meat damage. The SST's I used to use would make a deer look like it was hit with a grenade anywhere inside of 70 or so yards! But my Interlocks at close ranges I can dang near eat up to the hole!

I am wondering what a carabu is? I know a fellow who lives in Idaho and I've never heard him speak of such a critter.


If you meant caribou, I also have never heard him speak of hunting them in Idaho either.


:D Al

Caribou, I apologize for the autocorrect. I ended up purchasing a savage 11/111 trophy hunter xp in the 30-06 caliber. Action was more study than the axis 2, I figured the extra $100 would pay off in the long run when I decide to customize the rifle. Now I cannot wait for spring when black bear season opens up😃

Thank you guys for the input and different view points. Deciding factor ended up being the grain range the 30-06 has over the .270 and .308. Plus my father in law uses 30-06 so using ammo on hunting trips will be that more simple. Plus the 30-06 is so accessible and widely produced it makes life easier while I gain more experience in this sport. Once I get more seasoned I'll probably look into different calibers and challenges.

Hint for future reference Aaron, just because a factory loading shoots good in your pops rifle doesn't mean it will shoot well out of yours! It MIGHT, then again, it might NOT. Most every Savage I have owned hasn't been all that particular about loads. I haven't really bought factory ammo in many years so I can't really speak to them much. BUT most every rifle I have ever owned has a particular combination of specs that it shoots absolutely great and some that look like you shot the target with a shotgun at 80 yards rather than a rifle. Experiment with a few different brands and bullet weights to find the one that your rifle likes the best and stick with that until you get the reloading bug!

Are there some brands that tend to be better than others in the hunting world? We avoided wolf ammunition for our AR's (range shooting) and stuck to Remington or federal but that is kind of the extent of that

I'm a big time Hornady bullet fan. I use them ALMOST exclusively. As far as their factory ammo, I have heard very good reports on consistency from box to box. Their "American Whitetail" line of ammo is reasonably priced and the cartridges are loaded with the Interlock bullet which is an OUTSTANDING bullet. Never had one fail me yet on anything from Hogs to Moose! As far as your particular rifle goes, for what you are intending to hunt (up to and including Elk) I wouldn't go under the 165gr bullets myself. Sure you can drop an Elk with 150's. I've dropped them in their tracks with 139gr Interlocks from a 7mm.08 but why hamper the performance of the cartridge? Try out a box of the 165gr BTSP (boat tail spire point) http://www.hornady.com/store/30-06-S...d-165-gr-BTSP/
ANd then a box of 180gr American Whitetail loaded up with FBSP (flat base spire point) http://www.hornady.com/store/30-06-S...can-Whitetail/

See which ones give you the best accuracy from your rifle. If neither, then you are the unlucky owner of a picky rifle of which I have a few. They can be hair pullers. People ask me why I have had a crew cut for 60+ years. I tell them I am a precision rifle shooter..Ask any PRS and they will tell you the first thing you want to do is cut yer hair short so you don't pull it all out :D

Hornady Interlocks are also all I use and they have never let me down either. The three calibers I reload for are .243, 25-06, and 30-06 and they all are very accurate with the Hornady bullets and get the job done quickly on any animal.

Before I started handgun hunting exclusively, I used my 270 on game ranging from coyotes to a massive red stag using cheap Winchester and Remington bullets, with an occasional Federal/Nosler load. Ever since I started handloading, I've become a fan of Hornady and Barnes bullets.