Which would you pick.. 7mm08 - 270

[coop2564]

.270 would be my pick but either will do.

 

[Bigeclipse]

Recoils is of high importance because I started off shooting a 300 WM and while it put down whatever I hit, I developed bad shooting form due to the high recoil. I'd also like to see bullet impacts on game/targets. Muzzle brakes are great but not on the ears while hunting

What weight rifle are we talking? I have a 7mm rem mag which has a finished weight, with scope, at about 9.5lbs and the recoil is not bad at all. Less than my 3006 in a 8.5lb setup.

 

[timberelk]

What weight rifle are we talking? I have a 7mm rem mag which has a finished weight, with scope, at about 9.5lbs and the recoil is not bad at all. Less than my 3006 in a 8.5lb setup.

I'm looking for a lighter weight option which is why I'd like to get away from calibers like the 300 WM

 

[midnightmalloy]

Ok so you say "maybe elk" so if elk is not really a likelyhood and is a "maybe every 5 years" type of thing then I would consider the 6.5 cartridges and simply limit your distances if you go elk hunting to say 300 yards as a general distance.

The two problems you will run into with the cartridges you selected is a 7mm-08 can't produce decent velocities in the higher bc for caliber bullets and it usually comes with a 1:9.5" twist barrel which is less than ideal for the 160+ gr bullets.

For the 270 you have few high bc bullets that work well in the stock barrel twist.

For barrel length in any cartridges listed I would want 24" as a minimum to get the most velocity.

 

[timberelk]

Ok so you say "maybe elk" so if elk is not really a likelyhood and is a "maybe every 5 years" type of thing the. I would consider the 6.5 cartridges and simply limit your distances if you go elk hunting to say 300 yards as a general distance.

The two problems you will run into with the cartridges you selected is a 7mm-08 can't produce decent velocities in the higher bc for caliber bullets and it usually comes with a 1:9.5" twist barrel which is less than ideal for the 160+ gr bullets.

For the 270 you have few high bc bullets that work well in the stock barrel twist.

For barrel length in any cartridges listed I would want 24" as a minimum to get the most velocity.

It was my understanding that going from a 20 to a 24" barrel in the 7mm08 only resulted in a 30-35 FPS gain but an additional half pound-one pound in additional weight

 

[timberelk]

Ok so you say "maybe elk" so if elk is not really a likelyhood and is a "maybe every 5 years" type of thing then I would consider the 6.5 cartridges and simply limit your distances if you go elk hunting to say 300 yards as a general distance.

The two problems you will run into with the cartridges you selected is a 7mm-08 can't produce decent velocities in the higher bc for caliber bullets and it usually comes with a 1:9.5" twist barrel which is less than ideal for the 160+ gr bullets.

For the 270 you have few high bc bullets that work well in the stock barrel twist.

For barrel length in any cartridges listed I would want 24" as a minimum to get the most velocity.

I typically hunt archery elk but if I do not tag out with a bow, I go to hunting them with a rifle

 

[jbmarshtx]

I preferred the 7-08 to the 270 though it was for TX whitetail. I had more DRT with the 7-08 than the 270, and my shot placement has generally not changed over the years, behind the shoulder into the vitals. Given your 7-08 vs 270, the 7-08 gets my vote.

 

[Timnterra]

Of the two choices listed I'd go with the 270. And I'm not going to wax nostalgic about Jack O'Connor. I think the 270 has become highly underestimated since the long range shooting craz hit the world of Facebook. A 270 will out shoot a 6.5 creedmoor or a 260 remington any day at any distance. The 270 loaded with a 150 lrab will make it to 1000 yds with 5 MOA less drop and 300 more ft lbs of energy than a 143 eldx fired from one of the 6.5. As to the 7mm-08 I think it was just the first step from 308 to the 260. It doesn't seem to be a very useful chambering to me. It hasn't got the case capacity to be a capable long range caliber. The case is too long to seat high bc bullets to short action mag length without hindering the capacity even further. If the choice comes down to short vs long action caliber I'd choose a 6.5 over the 7mm-08 for the short action and the 270 for the long.

 

[timberelk]

Of the two choices listed I'd go with the 270. And I'm not going to wax nostalgic about Jack O'Connor. I think the 270 has become highly underestimated since the long range shooting craz hit the world of Facebook. A 270 will out shoot a 6.5 creedmoor or a 260 remington any day at any distance. The 270 loaded with a 150 lrab will make it to 1000 yds with 5 MOA less drop and 300 more ft lbs of energy than a 143 eldx fired from one of the 6.5. As to the 7mm-08 I think it was just the first step from 308 to the 260. It doesn't seem to be a very useful chambering to me. It hasn't got the case capacity to be a capable long range caliber. The case is too long to seat high bc bullets to short action mag length without hindering the capacity even further. If the choice comes down to short vs long action caliber I'd choose a 6.5 over the 7mm-08 for the short action and the 270 for the long.

According to the ft lb numbers and velocity and drop, the 270 certainly beats the 6.5 and 7mm-08. However, the 270 has approx 35% more recoil then the 7mm08 and I believe about 45% more recoil than the 6.5 Creed. I think too few people give thought to recoil because they believe they are manly enough to shoot anything (some guys can certainly shoot anything well but many can't and I believe I'm in the latter group)

 

[CTK]

270 all day.

 

[jbmarshtx]

According to the ft lb numbers and velocity and drop, the 270 certainly beats the 6.5 and 7mm-08. However, the 270 has approx 35% more recoil then the 7mm08 and I believe about 45% more recoil than the 6.5 Creed. I think too few people give thought to recoil because they believe they are manly enough to shoot anything (some guys can certainly shoot anything well but many can't and I believe I'm in the latter group)

I agree with this, but I'm light. I felt like my 270 would kick like a mule when compared to a 7-08 or creedmoor of the same weight. Heck, I felt like an '06 that was about the same weight was more "pleasant" to shoot than the 270.

 

[Timnterra]

It is true that Recoil is very different from the 270 to the 7-08 to the 6.5 creedmoor. I watched my best friend cut a half moon on his eyebrow with a 270's recoil. But if it is a hunting rifle you won't be sitting behind it at a bench all day. Everyone has a recoil threshold, I am not a small guy, and I've learned to handle recoil well, by adjusting my shooting position. However, i have owned rifles that had unexplainable recoil. I had a 30-06 that was terrible with recoil, and a 7wsm that was also and recently i have been trying to get rid of a 7lb 338 Win mag that i just don't enjoy shooting because it has massive recoil. I have yet to experience the same problem with a 270 though. I think some rifles just recoil worse than others. I've had several 300 Win mags and didn't notice them having a lot of recoil. Honestly if recoil is a high concern the 6.5 creedmoor should be top of your list.

 

[Blacktail]

Neither. I'd look at the same two rifles for a .260 Rem, 6.5CM, or 6.5x55 and for a 7mm RM or 300wm and if available then decide between two of those.

With recoil being of great importance to you then I'd definitely be looking at the 6.5's.

Flatter shooting, less recoil.

The 7mm-08 is just underpowered as 7mm's go and ballistically inferior to the 6.5's mentioned above.

The .270 is just not a caliber that has ever impressed me, I'd take the ..280 Rem or .284win over it any day and certainly over the 7mm-08.

You also have a vast array of great bullets on the market in the 6.5's and 7mm's and comparatively limited choices in the .270.

One of the great things about living in this country is that when it comes to firearms we are far more limited by our own imaginations than we are available options and choices.

Are u baisng hte 7/08 being underpowered due to the SD of the 6.5? My daughters 7/08 AI pushes a 120 at 3160 with 47.5 grains fo varget. My 270 took 59 grains to get a 130 to 3000. I can get a 140 to 3k no pressure signs. What are u or other guys getting out of the 6.5s i assume u are talking about he creedmoor? if that the case I havent seen to many people publishing 140 out of creedmore at 3000. I too am trying to decide between another 7/08 and a creedmoor for my son. And I know minimal but .284 little bit bigger hole as well. I know splitting hairs here.

 

[Timnterra]

Are u baisng hte 7/08 being underpowered due to the SD of the 6.5? My daughters 7/08 AI pushes a 120 at 3160 with 47.5 grains fo varget. My 270 took 59 grains to get a 130 to 3000. I can get a 140 to 3k no pressure signs. What are u or other guys getting out of the 6.5s i assume u are talking about he creedmoor? if that the case I havent seen to many people publishing 140 out of creedmore at 3000. I too am trying to decide between another 7/08 and a creedmoor for my son. And I know minimal but .284 little bit bigger hole as well. I know splitting hairs here.

The numbers you gave for your daughters 7-08ai with a 120gr bullet at 3142fps is giving me a 1,000 ftlbs of energy at only 540yds. The 6.5 creedmoor with a 143 eldx starting off at only 2720 fps still has 1000 ft lbs of energy at 790yds. I think that is the point he was making.