I need some advice. If someone wanted one rifle for everything-long range sniping, deer, coyote, bear, elk, moose, a few targets here and there, what would it be? I like the 06 because it's time tested, but so is the .308-both have served as US military rounds. The .270 i've heard is very flat shooting. what would you pick for woods deer, and also being able to confidently take a shot at 500 yard-just for the heck of it? Any opinions, I appreicate.
Thanks

I need some advice. If someone wanted one rifle for everything-long range sniping, deer, coyote, bear, elk, moose, a few targets here and there, what would it be? I like the 06 because it's time tested, but so is the .308-both have served as US military rounds. The .270 i've heard is very flat shooting. what would you pick for woods deer, and also being able to confidently take a shot at 500 yard-just for the heck of it? Any opinions, I appreicate.
Thanks
I'd choose the .270, only because you mention long range shooting a couple of times. The .270 with the right bullets will be Adequate for bear, elk, and moose, but just Adequate. The 30-06 is a better choice for the larger game, but the .270 shoots a good bit flatter. If you are serious about shooting past 300yds, get the .270. If realisticly you will be staying under 300yds get the '06 and never look back.

Dairy,

Matt's advice is well heeded. I happen to own and shoot all three, and have found the 270 to excel in long range situations, although I will admit that I would be very hesitant to shoot one past 400 yards. Every 270 that I have owned has been surprisingly accurate.

The 308 mirrors its performance close in on the big stuff, but its real advantage is that it excels in handy, lightwieght rifles.

The 06 outshines either in that it can use super heavy 30 caliber bullets, that are decisive if you decide to go towards elk, moose, or bear. I am very partial to the 220 Nosler, and it can be pushed faster than one would think.

The 06 with a 150 grain boattail that it likes will also be effective close to 400 yards, provided that you practice and know where its striking at all of the ranges in between.

I guess the real question you want to ask yourself is how commited you are to 500 yards, and if the answer is very commited, then its a 270. If you can live with a bona fide 400 yard rifle, I think the 06 would be a better choice.

I am confident that you will be happy with either one of these that you end up with, all are strong candidates for the "do it all".

Good luck to you friend,

Steve

Dairyman

This one gun thing has been bantered around and beat to death for ever. To be frank I don't feel one gun for everything is really a good idea. Moose and Alaska/Canadian big bears require a larger (more humane) rifle than the three you mentioned given the fact your throwing in long range shooting.

I shoot varmits to elk, moose and bears and have several different rifles for those specific hunting experiences. I use fast small bore high velocity rifles for varmits i.e. 20, 224 and 243 calibres, Medium bore's, i.e. 7mm, 30 and 8mm's for big game.

The best recommendation I could give you for a one gun shooter would be to shoot one of the 30 calibre magnums with a good recoil pad such as the limbsaver and have it ported if you are recoil sensitive. My suggestion would then be to reload for the game and velocity you wanted. This would allow you to load bullet weights specific for the game and ranges you want to shoot

You can duplicate any of the cartridges velocity and trejectory you talked about with that one gun and still have the advantage of high velocity and flat trejectory the magnum affords with attendent energy that velocity gives you. Remember you can always load down, but loading up a 308 to kill a moose at 500 yards is a lot harder.

Well you should get some interesting answers to this question, but remember the idea is to kill game in a humane fashion. any of the guns you mentioned will do that out to 300 yards and even beyond. To be frank in 45 years of hunting I've only shot animals past three hundred yards twice. I know it sounds great to talk about those long shots and killing game that far away, but in reality it does not happen all that often.

I shoot these rifles
Ruger .204
22-250
243 Winchester
280 Remington
308 Winchester
8mm Remington Mag
44 Remington Mag

I also put a brick or two of 22 long rifle a month thru the CZ bolt rifle and 22 pistols I shoot. I think shooting a small bore rifle with the same action as your big game rifle from field positions makes you a better game shot.

Good luck in your quest and always remember you can never own enough guns.

I don't believe there is such a thing as "500 yards just for the heck of it". That's a long way, especially when conditions aren't perfect like pretty much all hunting situations. I own a 270 and a 308, and I have never shot the 270 past about 250 yards. The 308 is sighted in at 100 because it is my woods gun.

For an "all-around gun", the ones you mentioned are great, but I wouldn't call any of them a 500 yard gun unless they were in the hands of someone who knew exactly what they were doing with them. That goes for any cartridge, not just the ones you mentioned. No, I wouldn't want to be standing 500 yards away with you shooting at me with them, but the chance of wounding game is much higher with the increased distance.

Assuming that the shooter would learn their limitations, all of the above would be sufficient, although a 500 yard shot at a Moose with a 130 gr 270 bullet would be very foolish and disrespectful to the animal.

For a similar trajectory to the 270 with slightly heavier bullets, don't forget the 7mm Rem Mag. I'm surprised no one else mentioned it yet. Although, I have never personally shot one, I know they have a pretty large following.

amndouglas

If your looking for one rifle to cover a wide range of possible hunting situations, the 30-06 seems to fill the ticket. The 30-06 is not perfect for all situations, but it has a wide range of bullet weights & load characteristics which makes it the most versatile choice. Ammo is available almost everywhere, and it is relatively inexpensive. I have owned and used all three; go with the 30-06.

dairyman,

Oh my, living here in the pacific northwest thats like asking me to use just one flyrod, I'd have to pick an eight weight.

Using just one rifle will be a compromise at best and with your rules, the 30-06 would be my choice. In factory loads more bullet weight are available, but remember only one rifle. It has only one barrel and twist rate so it will only stabilize one bullet weight well. The 110 grain pills will not do well at long range, compared to a 22 or 25 caliber varmit rifle. In the same breath, the -06 can throw 220 gr. pills for some of the bigger beast, but much better calibers are made. In any event the 30-06 works at lower pressures and would get the job done. It would be up to the shooter to pick the bullet and stick to a distance where to bullet works.

The 270 Winchester is a great round and seems to shoot well out of most rifles and is easy to reload. It will not throw the heavy bullets like the -06.

The 308 is a shorter round, some say the reduced length helps in the accuracy department, but has to work at higher pressures to match the 30-06. Past 180 grain bullet weights the -06 leaves the 308 in the dust.

Buy a couple guns, help the economy!

Hoopie,

30-06.

BTW, take a look at the 30-06 and 270 at 400 yards. The 30-06 drop is not much greater. The drop at 400 yards should not be the deciding factor.

Geoff

hmmmm I got a 270, it shoots flat and kills well. Mostly I zero for 200 yards, 500 yards is a bit much. Think of what you want to shoot, deer or less the 270 rocks. Heavier animals like western bear or elk and you might want an 06. truthfully, 270 out of the box will shoot a bit better. 308 has lots of good cheap ammo and will not handle bullets over 180 grains. 30-006 is an old standard, very pickup truck like, it will do it all but not get you heated.

truthfully, just went thru this in my quest for a nice pre 64 m70 for hunting gun, got a 1948 270, am thinking of selling off several to buy 270 ammo now.

30-06.

BTW, take a look at the 30-06 and 270 at 400 yards. The 30-06 drop is not much greater. The drop at 400 yards should not be the deciding factor.

Geoff

Well, Geoff beat me to it.

It is a common misconception that the .270 is significantly flatter than the .30-06. The difference is minimal and can basically be disregarded.

People often envision a rainbow trajectory for the .30-06 and a laser line for the .270. It just ain't so. They are both plenty flat.

RSY

How about the 280 Remington?

to everybody that put in their two cents about what caliber to get, thanks a bunch. I think I'll go with a 270, now, and have a 30.06 by next year.


"If he runs, he'll only die tired"

I heard the .338winmag complements the .270win pretty well

WV Hoopie you say (but remember only one rifle. It has only one barrel and twist rate so it will only stabilize one bullet weight well.) I'm sorry but you may have been mis informed just because a rifle has a certan twist rate does not mean it will only stabalize one weight bullet! a 1-10 is prett standard on the avarage hunting rifle ...out of the 3 carts listed in this post you start to have problems with the heavier you go so say a 1-10 twist you may start to have problem with say a 190-200 grain pill but anything all the way down to a 110 in a .308 or 06 NO PROBLEM! so your statement was either just from being misinformed or you may not have been aware but it's simply not true! as for the carts listed I would pick a .308 you can load 110 or 125 for small critters and it will shoot super flat or you can load 175's 180's and have a good BC and buck the wind well... plus the .308 has better factory ammo offerings than the rest IMHO ...the 06 coming in as a close second. Another thing 500 yards is not that far really! a .308 can make easy work of a 500 yard shot! now sure don't get me wrong shooting at a moose at 500 yards with a .308 is not the smartest thing in the world..and to be honest out of the 3 rifles mentiond , I"m sure plenty has taken moose cleanly ...but none of them are really addiquit Moose Carts. Remember just because you can put the bullet ther in lazer beam fashion @ 500 yard does not mean you have enough kenetic energy for the bullet to do it's job.

Keith :)

I prefer the .30-06 over the .270 simply because of the available bullet choices in the .30-06. 55 gr .224 caliber sabot bullets and 110 gr spitzer for varmints, 125/150/165/180 gr bullets for deer/caribou, and 180/200/220 gr bullets for moose, elk, or bear. I don't think the .270 can match that range.

If you're going with the .270 now, may I respectfully suggest that you reconsider purchase of the .30-06 later, and go with something either up or down from the .270/.30-06. The .270 and the .30-06 are virtually identical in trajectory and power, given similar bullet weights, and you're just duplicating utility. I would suggest a good .224/.243/.257 caliber for varmints if you like to hunt them, or a .338/.35/.375 for larger game if that is where your interests lie. Just a suggestion, take it for what it's worth.

Regards,
Mike

not that it matter but, the multitude of available bullets requires rezero of the 06 and 308. Oddly the 270 shoots the three common avialable weights to pretty much the same imapct point, least well enough for a hunt of big game.

And no i prefer rezero or staying with one load but somefolks like switching back and forth. For what ever reason 270 hits close with the common three.

And no its not a laser rifle but I spent years with a sako 06, truthfully, recoil is less and it is a little bit flatter. Not that it matters of course. The kicker for 270 over 06 is velocity which does matter on thin skin game. It matters not at all on Bear or thick skinned game. Bullet mass is the key there.

The old standard calibers work very well. A 270 with 130, 140 or 150 grain loads, 30-06 with dedicated 150 or 180 grain loads, or a 308 with dedicated 125 or 150 grain loads will suffice for probably 95 percent of all uses you can think of for a rifle. It is the remaining 5 percent that make rifle shooting fun

Jack O'Connor's rifle books convinced me that the .270 Win was the perfect "one gun" rifle in the mid 1960's. Now I have lots of rifles and I love my rebarreled Savage 111 in 338-06, but I think I would vote for the 7mm Rem Mag for only one gun. Good luck.

George

While I would never limit myself to one rifle, this discussion has made me realize that I have a rifle that comes very close to meeting these "all around" requirements. This rifle is a Browning BLR in .284 Winchester, with a 2x7 Bushnell Elite 3200 scope. My 139 Hornady spire point loads leave the muzzle at over 2900 fps. I get 2700 fps with the 154 gr and over 2500 fps with the 175 grain RN.

This is a very handy package, easy to carry and quick to point and shoot. With my 139 grain bullets I can reach out, certainly up to 400 yards with authority, and the 154 and 175 grain loads will adequately handle Elk and probably even Moose.

I'm really sorry but I just cant do the "one rifle" thing!

But all that aside I'd go with the .270....in fact, I have to because it's what I handload and hunt with. It's equipped with a Mueller Eradicator 8.5-25x50mm red dot scope that really helps with those reaching shots. You will need a scope of this clarity and power to know what you are doing out there over 250yds. I readily shoot to 350yds but anything beyond takes a second thought because of calculating drop. Sight about 3" high at 100 and you'll be about 3" low at 300yds. Not bad. It's a very forgiving rifle and really does give the impression it shoots like a laser.

I would walk out the back door and shoot 400yds (into the backstop, of course) with no prob's...and would reach out there for the big buck this next week. However, 500yds would make me think too much and would lose confidence because I dont readily practice at that range. And you will need lots of practice to shoot and hit that far out.



Perferator

Dairyman,

If you are really serious about this question then "potential" and "flat trajectory" and "handiness" don't really factor into the answer INMHO.

If I were to try to live out the "one gun" myth then I would have to go with "one load" as well.

In that case my answer is 30-06 with 180 gr. Nosler Partition bullet at 2700 fps muzzle velocity. From there it is "Practice, practice, practice." Much of that practice would have to involve range estimation. Without accurate range estimation you might as well forget about shooting at anything over about 300 yards with any expectation of hitting it.

300 yds. is very do-able with large targets like elk and moose IF they are in full view and undisturbed. Even that is a stretch.

The only thing I would shoot at "for the heck of it" at ANY RANGE is inanimate targets with a safe backstop (bullseyes, milk jugs, metal silhouettes). Years ago I gave up shooting at any living creature just for the sake of seeing if I could hit it. Just my personal choice after killing a considerable number of groundhogs, sparrows, crows, etc. in years gone by.

My answer is 30-06 but I could argue for 270 or 308, as well. My deal is that it needs to be "one gun AND one load." When you start using this load for that and another load for the next thing you lose the advantage of "one gun" INMHO.

I have always liked the 280......

While I would never limit myself to one rifle, this discussion has made me realize that I have a rifle that comes very close to meeting these "all around" requirements. This rifle is a Browning BLR in .284 Winchester, with a 2x7 Bushnell Elite 3200 scope. My 139 Hornady spire point loads leave the muzzle at over 2900 fps. I get 2700 fps with the 154 gr and over 2500 fps with the 175 grain RN.

This is a very handy package, easy to carry and quick to point and shoot. With my 139 grain bullets I can reach out, certainly up to 400 yards with authority, and the 154 and 175 grain loads will adequately handle Elk and probably even Moose. .




The Browning BLR in .284 gets my vote. However, since this rifle/caliber combination is not readily available, I would go with the new Browning BLR Lightweight '81 in either .270 WSM or 7mm WSM.

The BLR is quick to the shoulder, fast on follow-up shots, dependable, accurate, and the .270 WSM & 7mm WSM shoot very flat and have all of the horsepower that you will ever need.

(8iowa, If you ever decide to sell your BLR/.284, please advise. Thanks)

JJ

There is so little difference, you can't go wrong except that the only reason you should consider the 308 is if you get it in a short-action rifle which means lighter and shorter. The 30-06 and 270 have very slight advantages over eachother but I'm not sure why you are not considering the 7mm Rem Mag. Some folks shy away from the word "Magnum" but the recoil is no more than the 30-06 and is more powerfull as well as being flatter shooting than the 270. Ammo can be found anywhere the 270 and 06 is including the nearest neighbor. It beats both, but if you choose one of the others, again you can't go wrong!!!

i would go with a 300 mag. if recoil is going to be a problem get a muzzle brake and limb saver pad. my 300 win mag kicks like a 243 with a break and limbsaver pad. the 300 is good for bear/deer and can be used for coyotes ( a bit much but it works) my gun groups great and i shoot 500 meaters alot and i would have no problems shooting a deer at that range. practice alot then alot more again and again and know the hold over ( put in on the stock of your gun).

I'm not sure I agree that the 7MM Rem Mag is any more powerful than the 06. Hornady lists the max loads for the 154, 162, 175 gr 7 Mag vs 150, 165, 180 gr 30-06 as pretty much dead even if you use the same barrel lengths. If you want to get heavier than that, the 06 has an advantage. If you want to go lighter, the 139gr 7mm has more utility than the light 30-06 offerings. So is the 7mm Mag really more powerful?

Ummmmmmm YOU have a question that can never produce the perfect answer in regards to hunting all species of game you listed in your post.

My take is to latch onto a 30-06 and I'll be glad to tell you why!

First off deer shot in the woods are taken at less than 70 yards, 40 is more the norm. The 06 with a 165 grain bullet will cover any deer hunt to a tea.

Now next up is the hunting of elk you say! Well, there is only one thing wrong with that idea if your hunting places that I hunt......Grizzly Bears!!! So that lets the .270 off the hook quick. Again the 30-06 with a 180 or 200 grain premium bullet will suffice just fine. The .308 runs out of gas with using 180 grain bullets and is not the one to look to for taking care of bear problems.

Moose hunting once again you got those blessed bears tracking around the area's so the 30-06 with a 220 grain bullet will penetrate deep on any moose and is sour grapes for the Big Grizzly too.

I really like the 35 Whelen or better yet in down range energy would be the 338/06.......Now you got the best of both worlds. It can be used with a 180 grain bullet for long range work or shove a 225 or 250 grain out the tube for the biggest and baddest of big game animals. Sorry to rain on your parade but those last two calibers have one heck of a track record on big game period.

So is the 7mm Mag really more powerful?

More powerful? Not really, but I think it's more versatile. I know a lot will disagree because of the wider range of bullets/weights for the .30-06 ... But most will also agree that using a 130gr bullet in the -06 is kinda light. And, contrary to popular belief, you don't NEED a super heavy bullet to kill a moose or an elk. With the velocity that a 7mmRemMag pushes a 175gr bullet, it will easily drop a large elk or moose - as long as you place the shot where it should be placed... but that goes for any rifle.

Some of the "finer points" that most here agree on is that a bullet "long for caliber" is a good thing. Since the 7mm is skinnier than the -06, the lighter bullets, as well as the heavier ones, will be relatively longer for caliber in the 7mm than the -06, which will aid in accuracy over long range. Also, with all the bullet technology of today, a 175gr bullet made for deep penetration before rapid expansion will be just as effective as that heavier bullet that expands more quickly. (there's so much more, but I'm too tired to keep going on the finer points).

As per this thread topic, there is no "one perfect rifle" ... And of the choices you listed, I would go with the .270 or the .30-06 ... not the .308 - only because you get a little more "ooomf" out of the other two, and both can be loaded more lightly to emulate what the .308 can do. The only advantage the .308 has is a tad smaller/lighter rifle. But I gotta tell you, my .270 isnt heavy, nor is it big... it's very easy to weild around whether in a stand or on the ground. The .30-06 is basically the same as the .270, just a tad bigger bullet. After all, a .270 is just a necked down .30-06....

So here's the real breakdown:
.30-06 gives you a heavier bullet travelling a tad slower than the .270, but delivering good energy because of the extra bullet mass...
.270 is a necked down .30-06 that's loaded up a little hotter, giving you a lighter bullet moving a lot faster, which gives you a good amount of energy.

In the end, if you feel you're going to need bullets over ~150gr, go with the .30-06 .... if you feel like you could use the smaller faster loads, go with the .270...

Of course you could split the difference and go w/ the 7mmRemMag and get bullets up to 175gr moving very fast and delivering plenty of punch without anymore recoil than a .30-06

good luck deciding.

A good and oft asked question.

Keeping it simple by sticking with the three calibers first mentioned so I do not cloud the issue...

The 270 and the 30-06 are basically 6 of one, a half dozen of the other proposition. The big difference is speed on the side of the 270 and heavier bullets on the side of the -06.

The 308 is accurate enough but living in Alaska and bopping about in bear country, let alone Brown Bear country looking for moose, I want a little more than the 308 can provide. With light for caliber bullets the 308 is not much behind the -06, but once you go to more than 165 grain bullets, it begins to lose ground to the old warhorse pretty quick.

The 270, by pushing bullets faster even though they are lighter generates respectable energy like the -06. Recoil is less when using any bullet in the 270 when compared to using similar weight for caliber bullets in the -06. .270 caliber 150s thump you less than 165 or 180 grain bullets from the -06. That is why I found a 270 in the same rifle for my ex after she asked if she could buy my -06.

So, for my $.04, go with the 270 or the 30-06. They wouldn't still be part of this question if they didn't have such a good track record over the long haul.

Same ole bull!!! 308 is good until you start with heavier bullets. .270 is faster until you get to the same weight. 308 is more accurate because its a short action - great on a benchrest rifle but isn't much of a factor in a hunting rifle.
A good 30-06 with a 24" barrel will perform on almost everything in north america that you can hunt. Handloaded or Factory , choice of bullets is larger than almost anything else and you won't go wrong.

Bamajohn

Same ole bull!!! 308 is good until you start with heavier bullets. .270 is faster until you get to the same weight. 308 is more accurate because its a short action - great on a benchrest rifle but isn't much of a factor in a hunting rifle.
A good 30-06 with a 24" barrel will perform on almost everything in north america that you can hunt. Handloaded or Factory , choice of bullets is larger than almost anything else and you won't go wrong.

Bamajohn
I really like the 270, but the 270 is the grain of bullet I like in my 375 H&H..Love my 30/06 for deer though.Never had much use for anything smaller as the big grizz likes to walk where I usually hunt.

When push came to shove, I chose a 280 Rem for my one rifle. First in a Browning Composite stalker, then later in a Marlin MR-7.
However, I missed the lever gun I sold to buy the one-gun, so bought another later. Also bought a BLR 81 in 284, but it will probably never see the woods...pity. :cool:

Sav

Rifles are like boats, you really need 5 but 3 will get you by.

For North America the minimum needed is;
A center fire 22 or 6mm/243
A small bore 25 to 7mm (308Win case size, the 308Win could go here too)
A med bore 30 to 338 (like any of the 30 mags or the 338Win/340Wby)

Now the 270 can kill a moose, but where I hunted moose the varmints ran 600-800lbs and came running to a shot. It was comforting to know that I had a rifle full of 300gr 375's handy.

I need some advice. If someone wanted one rifle for everything-long range sniping, deer, coyote, bear, elk, moose, a few targets here and there, what would it be? I like the 06 because it's time tested, but so is the .308-both have served as US military rounds. The .270 i've heard is very flat shooting. what would you pick for woods deer, and also being able to confidently take a shot at 500 yard-just for the heck of it? Any opinions, I appreicate.
Thanks
This question has been asked a million times and with similar answers over and over. In summary, the 30-06 offers versatlity with heavier bullets at decent velocity, the .270 offers higher velocity and flatter shooting with slightly less recoil, the .308 offers (maybe) better accuracy potential but lower velocity with heavier bullets and a shorter more handy rifle, and (if you decide to include it) the 7mm Remington Magnum offers high velocity, flat shooting but more expensive ammo, heavier recoil and the stupid belt on the case.
A year ago, I decided to return to shooting and hunting after 5 years off. I had sold off my .30-06, 7mm-08, .243's and .223 Rem. rifles, and decided to try the one rifle for everything. Since I live and hunt in Easten Washington and have no immediate plans to vist Grizzly country, I didn't really need big bullet capability. I am somewhat recoil sensitive, so I narrowed my choice down to 25-06, 270 Win., 7mm-08 and .308 Win. As I was trying to make up my mind, I was wandering through the local Walmart and noticed a strange looking black synthetic stocked model 70 in the case. While I wasn't initially impressed by the stock's swerving lines and raised bumps instead of checkering, the caliber intrigued me. So I started researching the Winchester .270 Short Magnum. To me, it seemed the best of all worlds, sort of a .270 Win on steroids, without the expense of Weatherby ammo and lacking the unnecessary belt on the case. It can push the 130 gr bullet almost 3300 fps out of its' 24" barrel and the 150 factory loads are rated at 3150. These numbers compare favorably to the 7mm REmington Magnum. And if you are recoil sensitive, you can handload it down to .270 Win levels and still have tolerable recoil. The added bonus is that with its' short action, you still have a reasonably lightweight rifle that is the same overall length of a .270 or 30-06 with a 22" barrel. So that became my choice. My one load is a Nosler Accubond 140 gr bullet with 65.0 gr of Vihtavuori N-165 and a Federal 210 primer. It should chronograph around 3000 fps and shoots very flat with the long plastic tipped bullet. I also believe it will work on deer and elk just fine. If it doesn't, I can always switch the Nosler 150 gr Partition, if I need more penetration. For rockchucks, I can substitute a 130 or 140 gr Ballistic Tip Bullet, but I admit to having just purchased some 90 gr Sierra Hollow Points, to see how fast I can push them and what happens to ground squirrels and rock chucks when I do.
So that was my choice: A Model 70 Super Shadow in .270 WSM. High velocity with medium weight bullets, flat shooting with tolerable recoil in a fairly lightweight, nice handling rifle. Less than $400 at my local walmart. Yes, I am cheap, too.

Dairyman,

If you are really serious about this question then "potential" and "flat trajectory" and "handiness" don't really factor into the answer INMHO.

If I were to try to live out the "one gun" myth then I would have to go with "one load" as well.

In that case my answer is 30-06 with 180 gr. Nosler Partition bullet at 2700 fps muzzle velocity. From there it is "Practice, practice, practice." Much of that practice would have to involve range estimation. Without accurate range estimation you might as well forget about shooting at anything over about 300 yards with any expectation of hitting it.

300 yds. is very do-able with large targets like elk and moose IF they are in full view and undisturbed. Even that is a stretch.

The only thing I would shoot at "for the heck of it" at ANY RANGE is inanimate targets with a safe backstop (bullseyes, milk jugs, metal silhouettes). Years ago I gave up shooting at any living creature just for the sake of seeing if I could hit it. Just my personal choice after killing a considerable number of groundhogs, sparrows, crows, etc. in years gone by.

My answer is 30-06 but I could argue for 270 or 308, as well. My deal is that it needs to be "one gun AND one load." When you start using this load for that and another load for the next thing you lose the advantage of "one gun" INMHO.

AMEN to that!

One gun one load was Elmer Keith's advice and it's very sound advice indeed. Pick a load that covers your needs for a particular gun and leave it alone. Learn that load and rifle intimately and you'll be deadly as sin with it on all game.

As for this topic, I'd have to say - the 30-06 and a good 180gr bullet if I could only have one rifle for everything. Mine's a Ruger M77/MkII stainless/synthetic with 4x Burris compact. It's light and handy and a sweet shooter :)

PS: A few brothers here have mentioned the .280 Rem... That's another FINE round and perhaps just as good with those .284" bullets and high sectional density with flat trajectory.

I always opt for heavy-for-caliber bullets in my rifles and sixguns... just my preference.

I didn't see a brand rifle mentioned. I'd get the NEF or Encore. Then many different caliber barrels can be added.
To the answer for the question. The .30-06 is the one rifle every hunter should have. You can load bullets from 100 gr that can reach velocity's over 3500fps, or 220gr bonded bullets that will drop a 1200 lb Grizzly in his tracks. (just in case you need a follow-up shot on that Grizz, you wouldn't want a .270)

dont see to many votes for the 308, but, as that is the only bolt hunting rifle I own, it gets the nod.

I can go from 110grain to 200grain, although the 200s are a bit heavy and I tend to stick to 180....









but one gun, one caliber...a lever thutty-thutty :D

Well my choice on this would be the 270 WIN or 270 WSM and don't overlook the 270 WBY all are good choices.

hoeram :D

I didn't see a brand rifle mentioned. I'd get the NEF or Encore. Then many different caliber barrels can be added.
To the answer for the question. The .30-06 is the one rifle every hunter should have. You can load bullets from 100 gr that can reach velocity's over 3500fps, or 220gr bonded bullets that will drop a 1200 lb Grizzly in his tracks. (just in case you need a follow-up shot on that Grizz, you wouldn't want a .270)

The Encore system is simply great. I am a bolt action man, but I love my Encore and its flexability. The original question was .30-06, .308, or .270. If that is the choice, it's .30-06 all the way for hunting. It simply does anything the other two can and some things they can't (handle heavy bullet loads and medium dangerous game). It is by far the most popular rifle in Alaska. You don't see many .270s there. Not only does the .30-06 stack up well vs the .270 ballistically, but Hornady lists the same max load for the 150 grain 30-06 and the 154 gr 7mm Mag - 3000 FPS. Same for the 160-168 class bullets. I am sure you could push both a little farther and the 7mm a little more so, but the .30-06 is certainly better than the .270 with these weight bullets.

All 3 rounds would be great in the woods. Can't really go wrong. I wouldn't get both a 270 and 30-06. Basically buying 2 of the same rifle. Do you really need a second? (ok so thats a rhetorical question, of course you do) What do you want that second rifle to do? Maybe specialize a little more with the second. If you specialize with the second you can do the same with the first. I would go with the 06 personally.

That,s a Easy One 30.06

.30'06 180 grain out of 3 different rifles since 1962. 35yards to 350, fallow deer to grizzly. Doesn't mean that's the best combination, just the one for me.

Some posts never die.....just when you think they're dead and buried, someone digs them back up and revives 'em.

The 270 win was developed as a high intensity round from the get go so you may as well say it is a non belted magnum of the group you have selected so all around the .270 if factory ammo is to be used. When handloading for a modern firearm the 30-06 does fit the bill as a good all around round. It has won at a 1000yds and I have personally seen bench guns in 06 that rival the most modern cartridges around. The .308 win is the most well balanced of the group, very accurate and easy to load for. I would recommend the 30-06 to meet all your criteria for the all around rifle.

Just because you brought it up, and I have wondered so many times but never have stopped to ask... What exactly are the criteria that must be met to qualify a cartridge as a "magnum" ?

it goes boom instead of bang.... :p

Just because you brought it up, and I have wondered so many times but never have stopped to ask... What exactly are the criteria that must be met to qualify a cartridge as a "magnum" ?

The term comes from the "Magnums" of Champagne, or much larger bottles than the standard offering. I believe H&H was the first to use for their cartridge lineup and was basically used to inform the shooter the cartridge case had more volume than the other same caliber cartridges available. Also used to indicate a significant improvement in peformance or reaching levels of performance not met by other cartridges of the same caliber. H&H did belt their first magnums, but not to denote it was a larger powder capacity case, but provide adequate headspacing. The true moniker for the 375 H&H Mag is actually .375 Belted Rimless Magnum. The 350 Rigby was also known as a "magnum" though it did not have the belt.

While I understand where you're going with that response, I'm still kinda confused. What you seem to be saying is that you can't develop a completely new cartridge (in any given caliber) as a "magnum" since there's not a standard cartridge already available in the range... hence, you cant have "more capacity" if there's nothing already there that has set a baseline case size? That's just odd to me since a .270wby is obviously a magnum but it's not referred to as one... yes a .270wsm is a "magnum" when it's not nearly as powerful as the .270wby.

I know that catridge names have all come from different things... the .30-30 came from a .30cal over 30grains powder. the .30-06 came from the .30cal developed in 1906. I know that the .308 got it's name from it's actual measurement in caliber... and that the 7mm-08 got it's name from using a 7mm dia. bullet in a necked-down .308 case. It's just that something that's used across the board, such as "magnum" should mean more than what it does... it just seems decieving to me the way it's used today... ie: .270wsm. For all practical purposes it's the same thing as the .270win, but it's called a "magnum" ??? Just doesn't make sense to me.

While I understand where you're going with that response, I'm still kinda confused. What you seem to be saying is that you can't develop a completely new cartridge (in any given caliber) as a "magnum" since there's not a standard cartridge already available in the range... hence, you cant have "more capacity" if there's nothing already there that has set a baseline case size? That's just odd to me since a .270wby is obviously a magnum but it's not referred to as one... yes a .270wsm is a "magnum" when it's not nearly as powerful as the .270wby.

I know that catridge names have all come from different things... the .30-30 came from a .30cal over 30grains powder. the .30-06 came from the .30cal developed in 1906. I know that the .308 got it's name from it's actual measurement in caliber... and that the 7mm-08 got it's name from using a 7mm dia. bullet in a necked-down .308 case. It's just that something that's used across the board, such as "magnum" should mean more than what it does... it just seems decieving to me the way it's used today... ie: .270wsm. For all practical purposes it's the same thing as the .270win, but it's called a "magnum" ??? Just doesn't make sense to me.
The 270 Wby is called the 270 Weatherby Magnum, same as all of Roy Weatherby's creations. I think Winchester and Remington have both stretched the term "magnum" by applying it to the shorties. When necking down or up an existing "magnum" case, I can see keeping the magnum moniker, but as you state the WSM's, WSSM's, RSAUM's, etc.. are really pushing things. Those I guess they do provide more performance than other cartridges of the same caliber and the same case length. Still think they are pushing things.

All 3 rounds would be great in the woods. Can't really go wrong. I wouldn't get both a 270 and 30-06. Basically buying 2 of the same rifle. Do you really need a second? (ok so thats a rhetorical question, of course you do) What do you want that second rifle to do? Maybe specialize a little more with the second. If you specialize with the second you can do the same with the first. I would go with the 06 personally.

Yes a 270 and a 30/06 are similar.

But a 270 with a 35 Whelen would compliment each other nicely!

As would a 25/06 with any of either a 30/06, 8mm/06, 338/06.

However some of those are best left to the reloaders.

The question is "one gun?" The answer is 30-06...for all the reasons given above. There is one caveat: forget 500 yard shots, for any reason.

In this day and age of sport hunting there simply is no ethical defense for 99% of us to shoot at an unwounded game animal beyond about 300 yards.

The other 1% are trained military/law enformcement snipers. They are all serving overseas or on active duty training new snipers. And I venture to say that these professionals would not have any interest in shooting at game animals at extreme range.

The main reason people do this is ego. The animals we pursue deserve better.

While I understand where you're going with that response, I'm still kinda confused. What you seem to be saying is that you can't develop a completely new cartridge (in any given caliber) as a "magnum" since there's not a standard cartridge already available in the range... hence, you cant have "more capacity" if there's nothing already there that has set a baseline case size? That's just odd to me since a .270wby is obviously a magnum but it's not referred to as one... yes a .270wsm is a "magnum" when it's not nearly as powerful as the .270wby.

I know that catridge names have all come from different things... the .30-30 came from a .30cal over 30grains powder. the .30-06 came from the .30cal developed in 1906. I know that the .308 got it's name from it's actual measurement in caliber... and that the 7mm-08 got it's name from using a 7mm dia. bullet in a necked-down .308 case. It's just that something that's used across the board, such as "magnum" should mean more than what it does... it just seems decieving to me the way it's used today... ie: .270wsm. For all practical purposes it's the same thing as the .270win, but it's called a "magnum" ??? Just doesn't make sense to me.
The problem is that any manufacturer can stick "Magnum" onto any cartridge they choose. Like the .222 Reminton Magnum. Sure it provides a little more pop than a standard .222, but it pales beside a .22-250 or a .220 Swift (or even a .223 WSSM!) And just for arguments sake, the .270WSM is a heck of a cartridge, and pushing a 140 gr Nosler Accubond over 3100 fps out the muzzle qualifies it as a magnum in my book. Certainly more than a 6.5 Remington Magnum, which can only claim to be a magnum because it has the worthless belt on the case. And show me someone who is pushing a 150gr .270 bullet out of a 24" barrel in a standard .270 Win. at over 3100 fps, and I will show you someone who is probably pushing 70,000 psi and probably has to use a 5 pound sledge hammer to open his bolt. There is a significant performance edge in the .270WSM vs. the standard .270. Greater case capacity at equal pressure = greater performance. Add higher pressure, and you get an even bigger performance boost.

I own a Ruger in a .270 winchester and I have to say that I am more than happy with the performance.

I live in Australia and shoot mostly in open field type situations, with lots of shot past 200m, I have never shot an animal and had it run off, the 270 loaded with 90 grainer hollow points is potent as all heckfire on smaller game and the 130 grainer solids drop bigger game fantastically
The.270 is also a sexy looking bullet !!

why do people so assuredly beat up the ought six and say it isnt a long range round, the only wya a 270 is flatter shooting than the 06 is with lighter bullets, u get into the 150's and heavier and the advantage starts to turn towards the ought six, and so many people over look the 150's in thirty caliber, i shoot 150s in my 06, my 300 win and my 308 . now with that said I do have a special place in my heart for a model 70 featehrweight in 270 :D

All I want to say is lookout for the guy with one rifle with one bullet weight.. He knows pretty well where that bullet is going to strike at a reasonable hunting range. Shot placement is probably the most important factor in ethical hunting..
If you have different loads and bullet weights for different animals you might come across while hunting with one rifle you might just end up getting confused as exactly where to aim to place a killing shot.

All I want to say is lookout for the guy with one rifle with one bullet weight.. He knows pretty well where that bullet is going to strike at a reasonable hunting range. Shot placement is probably the most important factor in ethical hunting..
If you have different loads and bullet weights for different animals you might come across while hunting with one rifle you might just end up getting confused as exactly where to aim to place a killing shot.

That's a heck of a good point, and for those who own several rifles, give some consideration to keeping the trajectories / loads similar enough for the usual hunting ranges you encounter.

Example, for the rifles I have that shoot bottleneck cartridges with spitzers, they're all set up for medium-weight bullets in the 2800-2900fps range. They're all zeroed two inches high at 100 yards, and that should yield a 200 yard zero (have tested some at that range but not all).

Lever guns are still zeroed 2 inches high at 100, but that yields a 150 yard zero for bottlenecks (.30-30 and .35 Rem) and about 125 yard zero for straight cartridges (.45 colt in a rifle).

Basically, I can zero every single gun the same at the 100 yard line, and not have to remember a bunch of stuff in the field, just know the range limitations.

One rifle for EVERYTHING that you might come across in North America? Well, that is the epitome of comprimise, but here's my take on it:

If I had to, I would go with the 30-06, with Nosler 180gr Partitions. Exclusively. Then shoot a ton of them in practice. Learn to shoot it. A coyote won't know the difference between that and a 125gr for sure, and a big ol' grizz probably won't be able to make that much of a distinction either. Heavier bullets may be better for the stuff that hunts you, but remember, this is the epitome of comprimise. The 180 Partitions will get enough velocity in the '06 for reasonably flat trajectory at long range, and good expansion and penetration are virtually assured. Maybe not Ideal for everything, but certainly Adequate for everything. And Adequate is all you need to bring home meat.

I've heard it said, "Beware of the man with only 1 gun... he likely knows how to use it." I think there's a lot of truth in that statement. Stick with one gun, learn how to use it, and you'll be way ahead of the guys that have a different rifle for everything. That's just too much to remember.

I don't know guys, if you look at the people that have a safe full of guns, typically these guys shoot thousands of rounds a year and know what their guns will do. A lot of the people with one rifle shoot a box or less in a year. Think that's a little too broad of statement to be truthful.

I don't think you'll see any of the world class competition shooters with only one gun in the safe. Nor will see many hunters that hunt a variety of game with one gun in the house.

It has been said, "Beware the man with one rifle..." over and over here. I think more important than that is that the hunter know his rifle and ammo inside and out. If you know that your 30-06 shoots 180 grain spitzers very well and the only thing that changes the point of impact is whether they are Federal or Remington factory loads or the handload that you spent 6 months on getting just right, then you could feel safe in being fairly confident.

As for the choice between .270, .308 or 30-06?

That is easy to answer. My 24 inch Kimber Barreled 30-06 Vz-24 with a Timney trigger, shooting a Sierra, Speer or Hornady 180 grain spitzer over 55.2 grains of IMR 4350 with a CCI LR primer in an R-P case for an average 2765 fps or swap those bullets for a Nosler Partition 180 grain at 2760 fps average. 4.25 inches high at 100 yards puts me back on zero at 265 yards and 5 inches low at 325.

Marmot, grouse, rabbit, fox, deer, black bear, moose, none seemed to know it was an old and slow 30-06 and not something "more" potent.

She isn't pretty but she's mine and she shoots.

One rifle for all conditions is like trying to play gholf with one gholf club.
What I was trying to say is that you should know your shooting stick intimately: know the bullet trajectory etc for good shot placement. Hopefully the "guy with one rilfe" has that knowledge of his firearm..