270 vs. 308 for elk?

[WSU]

I am try to decide which caliber to buy for my fiance. I want a gun that is fairly low recoil, which both are, and can be used for elk. I know that both will work, but which do people think is better? She is inexperienced so she won't be shooting more than 200, maybe 300 yards. What are your experiences?

[brshooter]

Don't over look the 7-08. Nice little gun in a model 7. Can pack it all day long. No problem on elk at 200 yards.

[Yeti]

.270, .308, 7MM-08 are all good low recoil rounds for elk. Some will argue that the 308 is better because heavier bullets are available. Simple fact is with a premium bullet both the 270 and 7mm-08 are perfectly adequate given good shot placement. As far as recoil alot depends on the gun and load. Try to get your hands on guns in the two rounds and she what she likes. If you can get ahold of a 7mm-08 I would highly recommend trying it as well.

If you hand load the 120gr Barnes TSX loaded to 3,100 fps makes a great low recoil load. I shoot this one out of my 7mm-08 and it is a flat shooting super efficient load. I would not hesitate to use it on elk inside 300 yds.

[Washington Hunter]

Both the 308 and the 270 are good choices for what you want. The elk surely won't be able to tell the difference. I am only going to say the 270 because you can go to lighter bullets than are available in the 308, and mainly what I'm thinking of is the Barnes Triple Shock in 130 grain. These are available in factory loads, by Federal, and I would think that they would be about as low recoil as you can get. Wouldn't be anything wrong with the 308 using 150 grain Barnes X bullets either, but I think the recoil would be slightly more.

[WSU]

Also, does either one have more recoil than the other?

[Blue Seaduction]

I don't think you can go wrong with either !
Both great calibers.

[fishrite7]

7-08 hand loads can achieve 270 preformance and it will kick less. My father has shot a model 7 for 7 or 8 years and killed dear elk and bear no prob with good bullets in the correct spot

[Washington Hunter]

Originally Posted by WSU

Also, does either one have more recoil than the other?

Probably not enough difference that you could tell the difference. The weight of the rifle makes more difference than whether it's a 270 or a 308.

Here's a recoil calculator if you want to play around with some numbers. But you'll need to know the amount of powder in each load, which you can look up if you have any reloading books. Or, there are sources online as well.

[baltz526]

they will both shoot a 150gr partition at approximately 2900fps, out to 300yds nothing you shoot with either will know the difference

[Hunt'nFish]

Both good choices. but....Here's a couple things to think about.

1. How big/strong is she? A .270 is a long action & typically a half pound or more heavier. A short action like the .308/7mm08 is lighter and shorter and generally women will pick them over a longer, heavier rifle.

2. a 180gr .308Win will hit harder that a 140gr .270win. Energy is not the end all, say all of elk rifle performance. I'll take big & slow over light & fast anyday when elk are involved.

3. there are .308Win "Lite-Magnum" loads available from Hornaday that close the gap on the .30-06 should you/she want more FPS down the road.

4. Don't overlook a good used .284Win....best of the .270/.280 rolled into a .308 length short action rifle. Also look at the 7mm-08 hard as well.

5. Whatever you get her, make sure you can put a Simms Limbsaver Butt pad on it for her. Makes a .30-06 feel like a .308 and a .270/.280 feel like a 7mm-08. Get one and put it on.

6. Get her some shooting sticks, it'll help her steady the rifle and take most of the weight so she doesn't have to hold it up.

7. If you handload or know someone who does, you could load up some reduced velocity .30-06 loads w/ a slow powder and lengthen the burn time and soften the recoil. Slower burn rate powders can convert a sharp recoil into more of a hard "shove". Combine that w/ the Limbsaver butt pad and I'll bet she'll think the .30-06 is a pussycat.
Good luck and have fun. Above all....MAKE SURE SHE HAS FUN!
Hunt'nFish

PS: Mount the scope as far forward as eye relief will allow. Women tend to crowd the scope. Would'nt want her to get bit by it.

[CombinationLicense]

Hunt'nFish has it right! There's not much to add except that I will second the recommendation to pay attention to the recoil. I would opt for the .308 or 7mm - 08 myself because shot placement with today's premium bullets makes power less relevant. She will shoot a rifle with less recoil more often and probably enjoy it more too. More practice = better shot placement = success!

[Chromaflage]

FYI - The Rem. 700 ADL .270 (blued/wood) that I've shot for years has a lot more recoil than my Ruger M77 MkII 30-06 (SS/Synth) or my Rem 788 .308 Carbine. I've shot many rounds through each of these and the .270 by far has significantly more recoil than the other two. Maybe it's just that particular gun, who knows?

CrF

[Quaka Wacka]

Both would work well. Recoil is probably pretty comperable depending on the load. And thier are reduced recoil loads for both as well.

I'm considering an "extra" rifle for myself, and for my niece when she gets old enough to shoot and hunt. And have pretty much decided on a 7-08. It is probably one of the most underated calibers out there. Very effecient and pleasant to shoot, especially with a SIMMS pad on it. And as has already been said, a gun that is pleasant to shoot will be shot more often and probably more accurately.

[Hunt'nFish]

Just one other thing to add......
Women tend to look at things differantly than men. (Oh Really?..like we didn't know that. )
But hear me out....they tend to like things a little more purty than we do. We look at a rifle as just a tool. We judge it based on things like: accuracy, balance, handling and such. Not so as much with women. Correct me if I'm wrong here gals, but you like a nice purty rifle over an old used beat up rifle. So w/ that in mind buy her a nice new purty SS rifle....maybe even a gold trigger. (insert Browning A-Bolt Medallion plug here, he, he)
I also think gals warm up to the plam swell on the A-Bolt stocks too.

She is going to latch onto a new purty rifle as "Her's" and probably tolerate a little more from it because it is "Her's". Mount up a nice new Leupold and she'll be the envy of camp.

So perhaps you need to go take her shopping.
Much like shopping for a ring, she should be part of the decision process.
Hunt'nFish

[toas243]

Also if you want a SA what about a .270 WSM ,and as far as using a partition bullit @150 grn what about a 140 grn Barnes since the keep 100% of their weight after killing

[the_taxidermist]

My personal choice would be the .308!
Heavier bullets available; lower velocity means less felt recoil.
Alot of elk have been killed with .270's, but generally by people with more shooting experience!
Give a beginner the best odds with more knockdown and less trigger flinch!
Many .270's kick like a mule!
They are loaded for speed and are often lightweight = more kick!

[GSD]

Originally Posted by the_taxidermist

My personal choice would be the .308!
Heavier bullets available

Just curious Mike, what would be your bullet weight & style choice in the .308?

William {GSD}

ps. Welcome to this side of Ifish!

[Washington Hunter]

Originally Posted by the_taxidermist

My personal choice would be the .308!
Heavier bullets available; lower velocity means less felt recoil.

Heavier bullets=more recoil

Try the recoil calculator.

Also, a rifle in 308 will be lighter than a 270 because it's a short action, which also equals more recoil.

[7pointbull]

Get her a Semi auto Remington 7400 in .270 or .06 it eats up a lot of recoil pushing the shell in the chamber. Its short light and she does not have to think about much. I have my kids shooting semi auto guns for that very reason. Me personally i don't like them for myself.

[Rogue Hunter]

270 Wsm.........sims Vibration Butt Pad........i Shot A 280 Class Bull And Three Deer With My Wifes New 270 Wsm Last Season,all Dropped Within 80 Or Less Yards.(bull Within 20)i Loved That Gun But,then My Wife Put A Pink Stock On It And Said It Made It Look Cute And Girly.whatever.back To The 300 Mag I Guess.

[the_taxidermist]

Originally Posted by GSD

Just curious Mike, what would be your bullet weight & style choice in the .308?

William {GSD}

ps. Welcome to this side of Ifish!

When I hunt elk with a .308 I like 180 or 200 grain; can't beat Barnes triple shock.
For deer I go down to a 140 grain triple shock.
A .308 is an inherently accurate round, and I use boattails for even more stable bullets.

[the_taxidermist]

Originally Posted by Washington Hunter

Heavier bullets=more recoil

Try the recoil calculator.

Also, a rifle in 308 will be lighter than a 270 because it's a short action, which also equals more recoil.

Maybe I should say felt recoil?
I've put hundreds of rounds through my .308 (it's what i was shooting when I learned to reload) and never felt it kick like a .270 !

In fact I'm a pretty stout fellow and even a my .338 doesn't bother me; but we're not talking about me.

[Ethical hunter]

I would be happy with either. I have a m700 in 7mm mag that I use for elk.

I have heard lots of good reviews on the Mossberg ATR and I believe it comes in both those calibers.

EH

[Hogwild]

Between the 2 choices I like the 308 with 180 grain bullets. 150-180 grains bullets the recoil is just about the same. Once you get over 200 grains you want feel a little more recoil. The 308 does not produce much recoil and there are things that can be done to the rifle to reduce the recoil or felt recoil even farther. Just my .02

[LilSteelie]

I've never shot a 270 so can't compare the 2, but I've not heard of anything bad about the 270. I've been hunting with my brother's 308 (until I can get my own) and I really like it. I've shot both 150 and 180 grain (prefer 180) and I've felt no difference in recoil. Last year was the first year I elk hunted with it, but my brother has gotten a lot of elk with it. I'm 5'2" and it fits me fine. We've done nothing to it to reduce recoil, but then I'm not a typical girl when it comes to guns. I would say it does kick a little harder than my Dad's 30-06.

[Duckwheat]

I bought one for my son and one for the neighbor kid. They have been killing elk, deer, antelope ever since. You are not going to go wrong with either.

That model 7 Remington is a good gun. I bought a Rem 600 for my son. And a Rem 700 Mtn rifle for the neighbor kid. Both can shoot them very well.

Good luck.

Duckwheat

[Jedcraft]

Did I miss it or did we all overlook a muzzlebrake option? Can remove up to 50% recoil or more. Have an accubrake on Wby 300 and can shoot it all day.
Will be loud but very comfortable to shoot.

[bait dunker]

i say go with the 308. it can kill anything that walks in north america, is a little more versatile, i like heavier bullets. and the recoil although light isnt quite as sharp as the 270. if you get her a lighter gun there will be more felt recoil.if the gun isnt comfortable for her youll be soon hunting alone!

[LanceinOregon]

Originally Posted by WSU

I am try to decide which caliber to buy for my fiance. I want a gun that is fairly low recoil, which both are, and can be used for elk. I know that both will work, but which do people think is better? She is inexperienced so she won't be shooting more than 200, maybe 300 yards. What are your experiences?

If you handload, the 260 Remington would be idea. Although Remington does have a nice 125 gr partition bullet load that would be great for Elk. Recoil would be very easy to handle.

Otherwise, go with the .270 Win, and a tough 130 grain bullet, like the new Federal Fusion load, or Hornady's Interbond load.

Lance

[goforchrome]

Both are good cartridges.
Both will do the job.
The 270 will have more muzzle blast and that's a turn-off.
I agree that bigger and slower is better.
I own a 7mm-08 and would vote that first.
.308 second.

[kelso]

I bought my 11 yr old son a Ruger m77 in a 270. A little bit to much for him, so I put a muzzle brake and a recoil pad on it. He was able to shoot it all day long. Almost zero felt recoil. It is a liitle on the loud side from the muzzle brake. In fact I was standing next to him watching through binocs as he shot his first deer. Darn near knocked my hat off and thought I was deaf for 1/2 an hour. That being said, we dont regret the 270, or the muzzle break. In fact he is16 now, and I tried to get him a new 7mm and he wants to shoot nothing but the 270. It could have something to do with the elk he shot last year at 256 yds. 1 shot 1 kill.

[Santiam338]

I have all three...308,7mm-08 and 270...If I had to choose just one,the 270 without question...270's use a fairly slow powder and felt recoil is more of a push...308's tend to use a faster powder and recoil can be quite a jolt...

7mm-08 would probably be the best choice though for a woman...

I kinda chuckle though about the guys that say they get 270 performance out of their 7-08's..

They should say they get 'CLOSE" to 270 performance..

[drano100]

Buy the 270, less recoil is more important for beginners flinch can take years to recover from, it shoots a little flatter too.. If you can get her under 200yds she should have no problem killing an elk. Bullet placement is as important if not MORE important then the extra 30g of bullet weight, and the extra speed almost makes up for the loss of mass. Buy the gun now and get her shooting. Head east with the new rifle and some 22's and do some varmint hunting, set up for some yotes, and shoot some rabbits( great offhand shooting and really teaches follow thru). Get her shooting a lot and at live animals outdoors, she will get a much better idea how to judge wind, terrain, and distance, paper is ok but the more you can get her out before hunting season(only 6 months away) the more confident she will be when she pulls the trigger on her first bull.

[privatepilot]

Hard to beat a .270 in my opinion!

[nehalemguy]

I have hunted with two ladies for elk. One shot a Remington 700 youth in .308. The other shoots a Ruger M77 Compact in 7mm-08

. Here is the bull shot with the Ruger at 248 yds(my wife last season).




Here is the .308 bull from 2005.





Both gals shot just fine.

E

[CombinationLicense]

Nice Post Nehalemguy - Kind of backs up what I said 25 posts ago



"CL"

[Tilla]

My 5' 110 lb wife has no problem with a lightweight Ruger M77 in .270 accurately.

[James in Idaho]

I love my .270, although I haven't shot an elk with it. Did shoot a moose. I've killed most of my elk with a good old 30-06, and in the last few years I've carried a .35 Whelen. But for my kid, whose maybe 5' and 90 pounds, I put together a 7 x 57 Mauser. It is a puppy dog to shoot, slightly better ballistically (that's not a real word so I don't have to spell it correctly) than the 7-08. Had I gone off the shelf, it would have been a 260 or 7-08 however. I've seriously considered a Kimber ultra light in 7-08 for myself (hey, I'm getting old). Pretty tough to top the 7mm for bullet selection. I think only the 30 caliber has more choices. Never been a huge .308 fan, no real reason.

Oh, for elk I load my girl's shells with 140 grain partitions, and she has a set of shooting sticks. I pretty much shoot partitions at everything except antelope. The 250 grain one in the Whelen is a pretty impressive bullet, looks like your little finger.

[scottishsetter]

Yes on the 250grs.

[Shiner]

Both are great choices. One that has been overlooked is a 280 Remington. If you hand load you can load light bullets (100 - 110 grain) for practice and varmits and good 140 - 160 grain bullets hunting. With experience you can load this cartage up for improved performance. The 280 ( 7mm)has a better bullet selection than the 270 and has the ability to go lighter than the 308.

[toas243]

I say .270 it is the best gun for all North American game ,it will shoot father flatter than a .308 ,and you can get 100-200 grn bullets ,if you are curious come to my home and shoot my .270 with hand loads ,Oh yeah Barnes bullets

[HuntingNut]

It amazing in the last 41 posts how people’s perception of recoil differs? Some say 270 kicks more than 308, and some the opposite.
My personal experience shooting numerous hunting calibers from 243 to 338, is that any caliber can punish my shoulder terribly. I have found (for me) that overall rifle weight, rifle balance, and butt size are the common factors that effect felt (perceived) recoil the most. I have shot some small caliber rifles with very skinny butt pads that hurt like &*% despite what I thought was adequate rifle weight. I have shot rifles that were ill balanced in the way I hold them that kicked me unexpectedly despite good weight and butt-stock.

My current elk rifle is a Ruger M77 in 308 (SS/Syn) shooting Federal Premium 180 grain Nosler partition.
I find the recoil light despite my thought that the butt might be too narrow.

[WSU]

I think that we are going to go with .270. The gun will probably be the Stevens 200. We went to sportsman's and she looked at it and held it and said she will like it. I've heard and read that it is accurate and reliable. Any experiences? Thanks for all your advice.

[Washington Hunter]

That's a good choice, both rifle and cartridge. Stay with 130 grain bullets and recoil isn't bad at all.

[Mike P.]

I would say that it might not be a bad idea to start off with reduced recoil loads the first time she shoots it...as we know the first impression is very important and we want this gun to be a good experience.

[bigjake_888]

If she has never hunted before, you should read Mike Simmons book called, bullets, blood and backstraps. He taught his wife how to hunt and you can too.