The 30-06 is deffinatly one of the most versitale cartrages around .They make sabbeted varmint cartrages and you can go upto 220 grain bullets.What more could you want.

I have owned both and got rid of the 06 I find for me the .270win does everything I want it to and more. It will take any animal in north america. I love that it is very flat shooting and dont have to worry about hold over at anything up to 150 yards. Works for me.

If you are trying to make a choice between the 06 and the .270, you should go to Winchesters web site and check out their ballestics compareson. The .270 carries it's knetic energy to a much greater distance. That's comparing a 130grn .270 to a 180grn 06.

at 500yds the .30-06 180grn drops from 2913ft lbs to 625
at the same distance the 130grn WSM drops from 2702 to 1243

This seems a very odd comparison to make - a 180 grain 30-06 with a 130 grain 270. I don't know why you'd compare these two bullets which, to me would have such different uses, they certainly wouldn't be expected to perform at all alike. Plus, maybe you do, but I don't know anyone who is very concerned with performance at 500 yards, certainly not with a run of the mill 180 grain slug out of a 30-06. You just wouldn't use that shot.

Let's make a more useful comparison of bullets as well as distances: a 150 grain 30-06 to the 150 grain in 270. From the Winchester site, using Supreme Power Point Plus (only because they have it in 150 gr for both). To me, I would look at how the guns compared at the far more useful and practical ranges of 100 - 300 yards, but I'll put in 500 just because you mentioned it.

150 gr 30-06: 100: 2402 300: 1391 500:757
150 gr 270 100: 2391 300: 1589 500:1016

In my opinion, except at 500 yds, this not very significant, in an apples to apples comparison. And frankly, the 270 is marginal out there as well. You'd really have to look at other factors such as drop (if that happens to be important for your hunts) or having the option of going up to a larger slug if you feel you need it.

Drop (above cartridges)

30-06 100: +1.7 300: -8.0 500 -51.9

270 100: +1.7 300: -7.6 500 -46.6

My opinion? These differences are irrelevant to all practical hunting situations, assuming you practice with and know the guy you're using. I DO NOT BELIEVE that with the drops given, you are going to shoot either at game at 500 yds. 46 inches or 52 inches - I wouldn't touch either - maybe some would, but not often or likely. Therefore, the better (but still marginal) performance of this particular bullet at 500 yards is irrelevant. If you wanted to, you could find either in a bullet (for instance a ballistic tip) that would carry significantly more energy to 500 yards, but the drop would still be quite large, and therefore you wouldn't use it. But if you want to make that comparison, look at a 150 in ballistic tip in both and I do believe you won't see huge differences.

The drop at the more practical range of 300 yds is virtually identical. The 270 does deliver slightly more energy at that range, but both are killers.

You'd have to look at sectional density and what the bullet does to the animal, and again, my guess is little or no practical difference. I suspect you can do whatever you want to whatever game you want at 100 - 300 yds with either cartridge.

Therefore, my conclusion is that the performance of the round at medium weights and practical distances is not the decision maker. Both are excellent, almost equally so. To me, it's whether or not you would want to substitute the option of going ligher, faster, flatter in a 270 (130 gr for instance) for the option of heavier (180, 220) slugs you can get an '06 round in heavier bullets.

Medium slug, medium range - no difference.

Now that was a great answer!!!!

And you are right, I was looking at the high veloicty ballistics tip.

You are comparing a .270 winchester short mag to a .3006? Why not compare a .270 WSM to a .300WSM. That would make more sense and you could draw realistic comparisons of down range ballistics between the two calibers. Also realize that a .3006 can be loaded to drive a 180 gr. bullet to 2800 fps or 3000fps for a 165 gr. bullet which would both surpass what you can do with a .270 win. Not knocking the .270 but look at all the facts. Brochures from ammo makers trying to sell new stuff are not a good source of information to make comparisons from. Consult a modern reloading manual that has the new rounds included.

Also not sure what loads you are comparing but it looks like you are comparing a round nose 30 cal to the spitzer .270. A lot of magazine writers pull that lame trick to promote whatever they are writing about in an article. A 180 gr 3006 load would still have 1550 lbs of energy at 500yds and a.270 150gr. would have 1376 lbs. The .270 would be shooting 4 inches flatter at 500 yds than the 06. This data is based on maximum loads in both calibers both shooting nosler ballistic tip bullets.

I was comparing the rounds based on the two most common types of ammo sold at our local wal-mart for those types of caliber. I had to ask my son who works in the sporting goods dept there.

270 WSM.............have had a 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag and a 270.........270 WSM is a GREAT round.....better choice than the others for deer and black bear....

thats hillarious cuz thats exactly what i have a rem 589 22lr, a rem 870 12gauge, and a savage 30-06