30-06 vs 7 Rem Mag vs 270

[user2026]

If you take an impartial dive into the ballistics you’ll see that your current rifle has more than enough energy at the ranges you’re talking about.

If you want a new gun, for the sake of buying a new gun, go for it. But you’re not going to find anything magical about the “authority” one of those other guns will have over your current set up. I’d look at the bullets you’re using right now and see if you can find one that dumps more energy into whitetails. You’re probably getting through and through shots now, which is wasting energy into the dirt, instead of the critter.


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I am not buying a new rifle for the cartridge, but rather because I love my dads xbolt, and have been drooling over one. I figured I would try to get the best cartridge for what I want to do, since I'm buying a new rifle anyway. I also will be able to use my dads 270 dies, which saves a few hundred bucks. I currently use partitions, but I think I will try the swift scirrocco, or a nosler accubond in the new rifle when I get it.

 

[tt_johnsclist]

I voted 30-06 because you said you wanted to see 30 caliber holes. The others will fall short in that regard, but they will all make deer dead, including your 6.5 creed you forgot to include in the poll!

 

[Wolverine270]

Which cartridge for whitetail, inside of 400 yards?

I'm looking at getting a new rifle this spring, for deer hunting. I'm 90% decided on an x-bolt, but can't decide on a cartridge.

The top choices for me are 270, 30-06, and 7mm rem mag. I hunt on a dairy farm, with quite a few different stands, in very different areas. Some days I'm in the woods with tighter shots (10-150 yards), and those same afternoons, I might be in a spot where I can shoot anywhere from 20-400+ yards. I would say 95% of shots are inside 300, 70% are inside 200, and 50% are inside 100.

I want to have some authority when I shoot a deer, at least compared to my 6.5 creed that I currently use. I'm not recoil sensitive, but practicing with a cheaper lower recoiling cartridge is always going to better. However hitting with a bigger cartridge will always be better. Something flat shooting would be nice, but the 30 cal hole would be nice too. See my self induced conundrum?

I think I would love a 280 ackley, but can't get one in an x-bolt. I do reload, so availability of these cartridges isnt very important, and they are all pretty ubiquitous anyway. I know bullet selection and shot placement are more important than the cartridge, but if I'm buying a new rifle, I need to choose one anyway. What would you choose, and why?

270win everything you want and a little less recoil

 

[streamerfish]

I get wanting a new rifle totally...

But you have a 6.5 creed already....

Either go big...7 mag or higher.

Or go small with a 6mm.

Give yourself some variety. The 270 is too close to what you already....

 

[user2026]

I get wanting a new rifle totally...

But you have a 6.5 creed already....

Either go big...7 mag or higher.

Or go small with a 6mm.

Give yourself some variety. The 270 is too close to what you already....

A bigger and smaller rifle is in the future plans haha. I bought my 6.5 when I was 11 years old, and the gun was great for the money, and it would be the last gun I'd ever sell, but It's not incredibly accurate, and I don't care for the accutrigger. I also much prefer the 60 degree throw from an x-bolt. I'm planning on putting a howa mini 22 arc, in a bell and carlson m40 stock as a truck gun for varmints and such. And I want to hunt elk someday, but that day is probably at least 5 years away, and its another good excuse to buy another gun (of the larger variety) in the future. I hunt whitetail a lot, and want a dedicated rifle for it. And if I want, I can always hunt elk or bigger with the 270.

 

[bcv]

I have all 3. The one I grab more often is the 06... because it's the most accurate. I'm not saying that caliber is more accurate, I'm saying the rifle I own in 30-06 is super accurate. All 3 kill but I'd give dropping power, dead where they stand, to the 06 and 7 mag.

 

[270-300]

I am not buying a new rifle for the cartridge, but rather because I love my dads xbolt, and have been drooling over one. I figured I would try to get the best cartridge for what I want to do, since I'm buying a new rifle anyway. I also will be able to use my dads 270 dies, which saves a few hundred bucks. I currently use partitions, but I think I will try the swift scirrocco, or a nosler accubond in the new rifle when I get it.

Ive not been over whelmed with my x bolt. I find it a lot slower to work than my holland and holland double.

 

[270-300]

Where I hunt, you are are not consistently stalking to within 200 yards let alone 100. These deer are very highly pressured, and rarely stay in a field for more than a minute if they even stay for more than 10 seconds. If you aren't already on the ground, then by the time you could walk 100 yards closer the deer will be gone, even without getting spooked, just because these deer never stop moving. I'm not saying they are hard to hunt, but they are very difficult to stalk to within close range. I have killed them with a bow many times, and will continue to do so, but I've also had seasons where I never got a chance at any deer within bow range.

Sounds like you should figure out where they exit the field, and use a double barrel with #4 buck. Thats perfect medicine for those twitchy deer that just disappear in seconds.