Newbie Looking For Advice... 270 or 308

[tomt]

Tikka T3 stainless in .308 win. hands down

With Remington brass, 44 gns. of Varget, Winchester LR primers, 168 bergers seated to just shay of magazine length is lights out to deer and it's a pleasure to shoot.

Tom

 

[gunlover05]

Tikka T3 stainless in .308 win. hands down

With Remington brass, 44 gns. of Varget, Winchester LR primers, 168 bergers seated to just shay of magazine length is lights out to deer and it's a pleasure to shoot.

Tom

+1 on tikka stainless T3.

for light weight hunting rig for the vast majority of game, I would fully agree. And if you don't prefer the stock for whatever reason, there are several drop-ins to choose from. Many say add a prefit $35 limbsaver, would see that would help

If I didn't already have a stainless howa sporter in 308 that shoots ok now and I got at a great deal, a T3 stainless would be on my list for all around rig

 

[Barrelnut]

Personally, I would not get a Tikka. I would get a stainless steel Savage Weather Warrior in model 16 (short action) or model 116 (long action) for whatever caliber you choose. They are chambered in 7-08, 308, 270. etc. They also come in the popular 6.5 cartridges including the 6.5 creedmoor and 6.5x284 Normal, which Tikka chambers neither of.

There is no real comparison in quality between the two. Tikka has a pure tupperware stock, uses plastic for the bolt shroud, trigger guard and magazine. It also only has a two position safety.

Tikka can also have stock bedding issues because they do not have a recoil lug that is attached to the action/barrel assembly. The recoil lug is nothing more than a piece of aluminum that is inserted into a slot in the plastic stock. Then there's a slot in the action that the aluminum lug fits into when the action is attached to the stock. This can cause problems and does not wear well with repeated recoil.

A Savage Weather Warrior on the other hand has a full length aluminum bedding block in the stock. Has a metal trigger guard and magazine slot. Uses all metal magazines (they do not wear out like plastic ones). The Savage also has a three position safety that allows you to unload the rifle without having the rifle in full fire mode.

The Savage Model 16/116 uses a steel lug sandwiched between the action and barrel in the traditional manner that fits into a slot in the aluminum bedding block. This is much more robust and durable.

A Savage factory barrel is button rifled. They tend to shoot better hot than hammer forged barrels in Tikkas. Button rifled barrels are also highly regarded in the accuracy department. Plus you can change a barrel on a Savage yourself, if you decide on a different cartridge latter on. There are several aftermarket barrel manufactures that make high quality replacement barrels for Savage rifles. This is one of the reasons Savages rifles are often used as a base for building accurate long range hunting and target rifles.

Savage just brings so much more to the table at about the same price point. And they are made in America.

 

[Xtremetj]

Speaking of the 6.5x284, that is actually the calibur I REALLY want! I work with a couple of guys that hunt with it and swear by them (custom guns). However since I don't reload, I figured I'd be better off with a calibur that has ammo readily available that I can buy anywhere. Which is what lead me to the 308 and 270.

I have looked at the Savage Weather Warrior only because they offer it in 6.5x284 but I have just never been a fan of Savage. No reason in particular, other than I grew up thinking they were junk...I'll blame it on my dad!

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'll make up my mind in the next day or two.

Thoughts on the 6.5x284?

 

[Barrelnut]

I have looked at the Savage Weather Warrior only because they offer it in 6.5x284 but I have just never been a fan of Savage. No reason in particular, other than I grew up thinking they were junk...I'll blame it on my dad!

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'll make up my mind in the next day or two.

Thoughts on the 6.5x284?

I know the feeling. They always seemed to be cheap looking junk to me too. Only thing I ever had was an old Stevens shotgun. That all changed for me when I got my first Savage rifle about 6 years ago. I have a 25-06 Savage 116 that will put 5 rounds into less than an inch at 200 yards. When I'm shooting good of course and that's with handloads, but they can be very accurate.

As far as 6.5x284 goes, Nosler and HSM make excellent ammo for it.

Good luck

 

[Pacecount]

Tikka.. SAKO... You can not go wrong for the money. I am a 308 fan, as they will kill anything (including pigs), with either 168s or 175s depending on barrel twist rate. Having said that if you did not have the 7mm i would be talking 270.

 

[Xtremetj]

Tikka.. SAKO... You can not go wrong for the money. I am a 308 fan, as they will kill anything (including pigs), with either 168s or 175s depending on barrel twist rate. Having said that if you did not have the 7mm i would be talking 270.

I have to agree. I actually came to that same conclusion last week, eliminate the 270 since I have the 7mm.

That being said, I think I had my mind made up for me. I found a Montanna Rifle Coompany X2 in a 6.5x284 that I am eyeing. I hadn't heard much about this company before but from the little reading I've done, they seem pretty decent. This was the calibur I really wanted anyway, but since I don't reload, I kept going back to the 308 and 270.

Anyone have any thoughts on the MRC rifles?

 

[ohiohunter]

I have to agree. I actually came to that same conclusion last week, eliminate the 270 since I have the 7mm.

That being said, I think I had my mind made up for me. I found a Montanna Rifle Coompany X2 in a 6.5x284 that I am eyeing. I hadn't heard much about this company before but from the little reading I've done, they seem pretty decent. This was the calibur I really wanted anyway, but since I don't reload, I kept going back to the 308 and 270.

Anyone have any thoughts on the MRC rifles?

Montanas are gtg and the 6.5x284 is a laser! But I forsee problems in the future if you do take up reloading for this caliber. Chances are it is on a short action and the 6.5x284 is best off in a long action. I agree w/ an earlier statement of the 6.5cm.

The CM is a true short action round with great factory ammo available.

But if you always wanted the 6.5x284 then by all means scratch that itch b/c you will not be fulfilled until it is part of your arsenal.

 

[Pacecount]

If you are going down the 6.5 path go 6.5 Saum w a 24" barrel and make sure you are an avid reloader... If you do not absolutely love to reload go in a different direction.

 

[Barrelnut]

FWIW. Savage chambers the 6.5-284 in a long action. As said before excellent factory ammo from HSM and Nosler is available. If reloading is in the future that is good but not necessary.

I plan on rebarreling my Savage 116 next season to 6.5-284. I already have a Savage in Creedmoor for target and long range practice. The 6.5-284 will be a carry rifle with some long range accuracy and punch when I need it.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Those that know me know that I would vote for the 308 for the context of this post.

Like always, .270 or 7mm pills of equal weight and form factor will always have higher BCs than the 30s but between the 270 and 308, with the vast multitude of options available for the 308, I personally could never see myself owning a 270. With 26" barrels, the right powder and a little patience, and finding 2700'sec with the 185-190 grain bullets is attainable in the 308. Running those numbers you'll find they are impressive for such a small case.

The 185 Hybrid (Litz BC .576G1) at 2700'sec offers 1000 foot pounds at 1000 yards at 5000' elevation and 59 degrees F. with 62" of full value 10MPH drift. The 6.5-284 numbers with the 140VLD at 2950'sec are 984 foot pounds and 52" of drift in the same air.

Now there certainly are more factors than just wind and energy to compare (trajectory, recoil, barrel life, cost and many more etc...) so I would never say this is apples to apples nor conclusive and I certainly am not saying the 308 outperforms the 6.5-284 or is better because there are so many more factors here but it does give you an idea of where the 308 is at today versus 20 years ago. One maybe better than the other in a couple given categories but neither are superior to each other nor does one make the other obsolete. It's a matter of which advantages matter most to you. If barrel life is most important to you, then the 308 is superior over it. If high ballistic performance to recoil ratio is the most important to you, then the 6.5-284 is superior to the 308. I'm only using the 6.5-284 in these examples because it was brought up several times earlier in this thread.

The 270 will have disadvantages and advantages compared against the 308 and vice versa. And that goes with all cartridges.

All things considered, with the current .277 bullet selection (which is getting better), I think the 308, with a fair selection of bullets (185-200+ grains) will hit harder further out than the 270 win. Unfortunately, it will hit you harder too.

Not knocking the 270. Just putting .02$ on my perspective between the 2.

 

[Xtremetj]

Thanks for all the information guys. I really appreciate all the insight.

I will keep you posted on what I decide. I'm really leaning towards the 6.5x284 with the 308 coming in second. Problem is finding the 6.5x284 in a good rifle. I've all the positive comments on Savage but I tend to like the finer things in life and would like to find something in the $1200 - $1500 range asumming that will get me a better quality gun.

I found a Montana Rifle Company Xtreme X2 but it has a 1-9 twist. From what I've read, I want a 1-8 twist since I want to hunt with 140 grain bullet. One guy tells me I'll be fine with the 1-9 and others are saying no, I need the 1-8. I think I do too much research.... my head is starting to spin and now I think I'm over thinking all of it...

Greg.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Mathematically, a 9 twist with the 140 VLD at 2950'sec is stable at sea level in zero degree air but it is getting on the low end. That said, stable is stable. Is 1.11SG optimum? No. Is it adequate? Yes. At 5000' elevation and 60 degrees the SG is over 1.5.

 

[backyardsniper]

I shoot a 308 in an AR 10 platform and I think it is one of the best all around hunting rigs a man could own. It is well worth considering the benefits of a semi auto in a highly accurate platform