270 vs 7mm-08 vs 308 vs 30/06

[Pharmseller]

Does your Leupold have CDS, or were you just eyeballing it?

And by pretty good do you mean hitting an 8” circle every time?




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[Wmidaho]

Does your Leupold have CDS, or were you just eyeballing it?

And by pretty good do you mean hitting an 8” circle every time?

View attachment 566436


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I was using the cds and it worked perfect. It was a 8” circle and I was hitting it most of the time (wind picked up a little sometimes and I’m sure a couple of the shots were my fault but also the trigger has a lot of creep in it) by most of the time I mean 4/5 shots. I definitely need practice and that tikka has a much better trigger

 

[Pharmseller]

Good to hear. It takes a ton of practice to get good enough to shoot at game at 600 yards.

If it’s windy they’re safe from me.




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[EmperorMA]

I out to 400, it doesn’t matter. Out to 600, whatever you shoot best with heavy, high-BC bullets.

For me, it would be 6.5 Creedmoor or 7-08.

 

[EMAZ]

Take a look at the first 2 images from Nosler using accubond bullets (180gr for the .30-06 & 150gr for the .270)…these are common elk rounds for the respective rifles for elk. Look at the 600yd mark for energy and drop. As I recommended in my earlier post, for factory ammo, the .30-06 is not the best choice for 600yds. It’s not as flat shooting as the .270 (7RM will carry even more energy with 160gr—3rd pic). The .270 will recoil less, and the 7RM about the same comparing the 160gr to the .30-06 180gr. Buy whatever you prefer, but based on your purpose and cartridge choices, the .270 or 7RM are better options than the .30-06

 

[Pharmseller]

Look at the data again with the 178 eldx at 2750 fps from a 30-06.

 

[bmart2622]

Velocity is what you need to be looking at

 

[MAP1]

30-06 shooting Barnes 175 LRX plenty capable at long distance. Otherwise consider 7mm mag as recoil is similar

 

[Pharmseller]

To the OP, is the 7mm Rem Mag an option? The recoil between it and the 30-06 is similar.



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[ElkArcher918]

If a 600 yard shot on an elk is a consideration, and a classic cartridge set up is what you prefer versus the newer ones, a 7rem mag is probably the way to go for your stated purpose of an all around for everything but brown bear

Out to 400, any you listed should work well; kind of at the limit for drop versus the others in your list on the .30-06. It will also recoil the most for what you are asking about…the .270 and 7mm-08 are what I’d lean towards for 400 and in.

For a do-all caliber at the distances you specify, I would go with a classic caliber like 7RM.

 

[EMAZ]

Look at the data again with the 178 eldx at 2750 fps from a 30-06.

Factory data on hornady was only listed to 500yards…that’s why I used Nosler across the board

 

[bmart2622]

What was the velocities listed at those distances?

 

[Pharmseller]

The 178 eldx .30-06 factory load carries 1800 fps (velocity performance floor) out to 750 yards. Mv 2750, g7 bc .278.

600 yards is 1973 fps. That’s plenty for elk.




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[EMAZ]

What was the velocities listed at those distances?

Faster for both the .270 and 7RM…not sure what you are getting at in dropping an elk at 600yds

Faster, flatter (less drop), more energy at 600yds over the .30-06.

I have no issues with a .30-06; I’ve owned and shot all the questioned caliber/cartridges. I’ve killed elk, oryx, pigs all with my .30-06–it’s not what I’d take on a long range hunt.

 

[bmart2622]

Faster for both the .270 and 7RM…not sure what you are getting at in dropping an elk at 600yds

What Im getting at is that its muzzle velocity that dictates bullet expansion, not energy, which is why bullet manufacturers list minimum velocity for reliable bullet expansion and not energy. Sooooo...if the cartridges listed with the bullets you listed drop below said value then it is inadequate to use at that range.

 

[Pharmseller]

I pay zero attention to energy.



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[Wmidaho]

To the OP, is the 7mm Rem Mag an option? The recoil between it and the 30-06 is similar.



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Its an option. I’ve never shot a 30-06 or 7rm so I don’t know how they compare. Ballistically the 7 mag beats everything. Ammo is a little more pricey but it’s not a problem. I though because it was a magnum it’s recoil would be pretty bad.

 

[bmart2622]

^^^^^ I agree, Id go 300wm with your favorite muzzle device and be done

 

[Wmidaho]

^^^^^ I agree, Id go 300wm with your favorite muzzle device and be done

I’m against muzzle brakes because of how loud they are and sometimes I just don’t have time to put in ear protection. And I’m against suppressors because of how much length and weight they add and how expensive they are. That being said I’ve seen ported barrels. I know they take away recoil but are they as loud as brakes?

 

[EMAZ]

What Im getting at is that its muzzle velocity that dictates bullet expansion, not energy, which is why bullet manufacturers list minimum velocity for reliable bullet expansion and not energy. Sooooo...if the cartridges listed with the bullets you listed drop below said value then it is inadequate to use at that range.

The .270 has more velocity both at the muzzle and at the 600 yard distance (also translating to less drop). It also has more retained energy at that distance—what am I missing?

Normally a .30-06 is selected as a harder hitting cartridge over a .270, and a .270 is over a .30-06 for open terrain (longer distance shots). Inside 400, even 500 yds, I’d say go with either with the edge favoring the ‘06.

At 600, that shifts in favor of the .270 and even more so with the 7RM.

YMMV