[PGH2TX]

Hey everyone,

I am in the market for a new .270 or 30-06. This would be my first rifle purchase, and still somewhat new to the shooting community. Got into handguns and rifles(briefly) in basic training. Have spent many a Saturday shooting my uncles .22 as a kid. fun times always.

My question is what are your recommendations for a reliable .270 or 30-06. This would be an all year adventure, whether it be at the range blowing off steam or out on a hunt.
Spent alota time looking online talking to gun shops, but would still like to get some feedback from fellow shooters. I am looking for a good gun that won't break the bank. Prefer to stay under 500$.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks to all.

PGH2TX

 

[rugermike]

270

PGH2TX

Shoot me an e-mail to [email protected] I might be able to help you out?

 

[truevil1313]

A good gun that I have had a lot of success with is a Remington 700 sps. Mine is chambered in 7mm Rem Mag, but I believe they make them in the calibers you listed. It was under $500, and straight out of the box it shoots 1" groups. You will still need optics for it, but you only asked about a rifle.

 

[Txhillbilly]

Depends on what you are really planning on hunting for. If you are wanting to hunt deer/varmits etc.,here in Tx. I would suggest anything like 243,257 Roberts,260 Remington,25/06 or the 270 caliber rifles. If you are going to hunt bigger game go with a 7mm,30/06,etc.
Personally I like the 25/06 and 257 Roberts,but all listed have very good ballistics and will handle any game you will hunt in this state,plus don't have near the recoil of the bigger calibers,and are easy to find ammo at most any place that sells ammo.
Savage,Howa,Browning,Remington all make guns you might look at for the price range you want,and you can find some pretty nice used guns for good prices if you look around a little.

 

[dnthmn2004]

Either caliber is great and will take down just about any animal in North America. You will be able to find ammo for either in just about every gun shop you walk into. The 30-06, however, does have more options as far as bullet weights and ballistics. I would recommend a Remington 700 or a Howa. Both are reliable, accurate enough, and will be under or around your $500 limit.

 

[robocop10mm]

.30-06 because of the versatility. Bullet weights from 110-220 for any North American game. Surplus ammo still available for SHTF situations. .30 components more available. .270 is also very popular and should be available nearly as easily as -06.

 

[PGH2TX]

Thanks for all your input so far. We've got a gun show coming up this weekend, so hopefully I find something there, if not it will be an informative and exciting day to just see what people are selling and buying these days.

Again, Thanks.

PGH2TX

 

[hunter Joe]

Have you ever considered looking at the T/C Arms Encore? 1 frame, 93 different calibers, including pistol. You take the fore stock off, pull the hinge pin, change the barrel. I have a 15" pistol barrel in .308 ,a 209X50 black powder barrel, and a 7mm 08 barrel that I use for whitetails. My next will be a 30-06 heavy barrel for long range hunting. I have other long guns that mostly take up room in the gun cabinet. The Encore would be an excellent first time purchase.

 

[trucker]

Just picked up a Tikka 30-06 on clearance at Dicks sporting goods , added a scope and rings , sling , for just under $500.00 . Its a great gun and will be hard pressed to find a better gun at that price.

 

[robocop10mm]

Have you ever considered looking at the T/C Arms Encore? 1 frame, 93 different calibers, including pistol. You take the fore stock off, pull the hinge pin, change the barrel. I have a 15" pistol barrel in .308 ,a 209X50 black powder barrel, and a 7mm 08 barrel that I use for whitetails. My next will be a 30-06 heavy barrel for long range hunting. I have other long guns that mostly take up room in the gun cabinet. The Encore would be an excellent first time purchase.

I hate to be a spoil sport but putting the 15" bbl on an encore frame is a violation of Federal law. Unless you take off the shoulder stock first. Some ATFers will interpret the possession of the sub 16" barrel and the shoulder stock to be "intent". Unless perhaps you also have a T/C handgun frame.

 

[J33Nelson]

.270 Tikka!! You will not find a smoother bolt action or a more accurate rifle for the price.

I hunted deer with one for three years and just sold it last year and really miss that great gun!

 

[tuck2]

One of the best buys now is a Weathergy Vanguard rifle with a composit stock. The question about which is best , the 270 Win or 30-06 has ben going on for years. They both are great cartridges or they would not have so great a number of fans. People who do not reload ammo could go to Remington - Home of America's Oldest Gunmaker then click on products, ammo - Ballistics -select 270 and 30-06. You then can see the bullet weight, MV, bullet drop, and energy of the bullet at various ranges.. When I was a kid growing up out in the country in western Nebr. I read Jack O'Conners articals about the 270 Win cartridge and Win Mld 70 rifles. I was one proud kid when I could get one back in the fall of 1952. I started reloading the following year. Any wild thing that walked or squaked was shot. Shot a few mule deer and a pronghorn with the 270 before getting my first elk the fall of 1957. Over the years I have gotten a few 30-06 rifles. Save up some more money get a good quilty rifle in the 270 or 30-06 . When you an old man like me you can pick up the old rifle and have a flood of hunting trips come to mind..

 

[big shrek]

.270 is a good round against deer & smaller.

If you have predators in your area (bear/wolf/cougar) you will want the extra power of a .30-06

 

[Uncle Tom]

and .308?

I read an interesting article the other day that argued that the .308 was the best all-around big game cartridge -- almost .30-06 power with 20% less recoil on average. The highly rated .270 was said to only realize its benefts at the 250 yard or longer ranges which are rarely advisable and infrequently attempted.

 

[Xl7]

Go with a Marlin XL7. I got a 270 and love the way it fires and how smooth the bolt worked. and paid $326, Hell of a rifle for the price, sales person at academy told me that they were selling it for $289, but were a introductory price.

 

[SOC3]

.308 against 30-06

There is no way i would even begin to compare the 308 to the 30-06 in terms of power or range, although since recoil is lighter with the 308 beginners would handle it easier.

 

[SlamFire]

I found a Weatherby Vanguard, (Made for Weatherby by Howa, Japan) synthetic stock, Leupold 3 - 9x VX III on it, in 85% condition (easily) in a pawn shop for $350 out the door. Locally there's a decent gun shop and the regulars "change rifles" like most people change socks. Lots of stuff on the rack in the $350 range . . .

Most used guns are in the shop because someone got "tired" of it, or needed some $$$. Never have I bought a used gun that wasn't completely straight. And the shop will back it up if it's not straight.

30-06 is pretty popular. Out in the boonies you can find 30-06 ammo anywhere -- Bubba will have a box in the truck, or a few rounds behind the sofa cushions.

30-06 bullets are .308" dia. and available from 65 gr. to about 225 gr. As noted elsewhere, the 30-06 will manage any game in No. America -- with the possible exception of prairie dogs at 300 yds. But then if loaded right, the 30-06 will have the dogs put on notice too.

But I'd suggest you start looking in the shops, get familiar with calibers, and see what's available used. Learn to know a decent scope from a cheapo . . . (Hard to go wrong with Leupold, and it's a local product here.)

For your applications, you could go 270, 243, 30-30, 44 mag. carbine, 308 Win. 30-06, 6.5 X 55 Swede, 8mm Mauser, and some others.

This might be your "first rifle" but there's every chance it wont be your last.

Shop around in the used section until you have a feel for what's available, and eventually there's gonna be one that tells you to take her home . . . Just like goin' to the dance on Friday night.

 

[bigbad-ratman]

in my (somewhat limited experience) the 30.06 might be a little too heavy recoiling for a beginer. it is managable, my wife just fell in love with mine, but if your are not ready it can set you to flinch (which she did until i corrected her) and other bad habits. i would back up the remington 700, but unless you are planning to hunt bigger more dangerous game such elk, bear, are anything in alaska, i would look at the smaller cartridges, such as .243, maybe up to .308. hope it helps.

 

[sgtdeath66]

in my (somewhat limited experience) the 30.06 might be a little too heavy recoiling for a beginer. it is managable, my wife just fell in love with mine, but if your are not ready it can set you to flinch (which she did until i corrected her) and other bad habits. i would back up the remington 700, but unless you are planning to hunt bigger more dangerous game such elf, bear, are anything in alaska, i would look at the smaller cartridges, such as .243, maybe up to .308. hope it helps.

your typo made me laugh for a moment i didnt realize elves were a dangerous game

 

[bigbad-ratman]

your typo made me laugh for a moment i didnt realize elves were a dangerous game

fixed it. but then i guess you have never met an "elf" in dark alley in the middle of the night, on the bad side of town...