New hunter need some advice...

Savage makes a fine product at a reasonable price. Some manufacturers put low quality scopes on their rifles for certain marketing reasons. You may want to upgrade, depending on what comes with it.

You have some pretty serious game in Canada, which should be handled well by .30-06 and quality ammo.

 

30-06 for sure. There is no other cartridge with as many options available in factory ammo or reloading components than the 30-06.

 

I would not recommend a 30-06 for prairie shooting go with the 270. It will drop any animal the flat lands have to offer. It is a flatter shooter than a 30-06.
I hunt Elk and Moose. In B.C. And even took a Grizzly. All with a 165 gr. Nosler Partition.
The hydro static shock value from a 270 is simply awesome.

 

Apples and oranges. The 270 is a flatter shooter than the 30-06 - except when it isn't.

The problem with 270 Win (and don't get me wrong: I have one and love it!) is that there are very few bullet weights and styles when compared to 30 caliber. The 270 just isn't as versatile as the 30-06. And for a one-gun hunter, the 30-06 is king. Second choice would be a 308 Win.

Now, if you have a 300 WM or 338WM or 35 Whelen, then a 270 WIn makes an excellent choice for a 2nd rifle. Unless, of course, you are only going to hunt one species of animal.

 

The term flater shooter means trajectory. Or bullet arc. the longer the shot the more you have to hold on the target.
Yes the 30-06 has a wider range of loads and bullet weights BUT the leads are also heavier and don't have the bullet coefficients that the 270 has a 165 grain 270 round VS 165 grain 30-06 sound the same but are very much different. 270 round is faster and more stable with more energy than a 30-06.
Range of loads is a trick In the FACT that a rifle will shoot only one load at max performance. Also as soon as you change loads you have to re sight in the gun. So it doesnt really mater if you can shoot a from 135-a 200 grain round if the gun shoots like crap. Also it takes more powder to shoot a 30-06 round of equal weight as the 270. So it will kick harder.

 

Bear_Down,

All of that is true and I agree with you 100%. BUT, if I was limited to a single rifle, it would be 30-06 or 308. With my 30-06, I can get saboted 22s that go 4050 fps, and I can get 220gr monolithic solids that go 2350 fps. And in my Remington 700, all loads give minute of deer accuracy out to about 500 yards if I do my part. Sure, it kicks harder for a given bullet weight, but its not like I shoot 100 rounds a session out of my 30-06.

So, the only thing I disagree with you on is which cartridge makes the better 1-gun battery. The 270 is a most excellent round, and truth be known, I generally shoot only 2 rounds out of my 30-06, but then, I have a significant collection of rifles In many other calibers.

 

I see we could debate over this all day when in fact either cal would make an excellent choice.
I am just speaking from my experiences hunting in Saskatchewan. And yes I also own an extensive collection of rifles and calibers.
We did our part now it is going to come down to you're choice.
Good luck in you're decision.

 

I'd like to put my vote in for the 30-06. It's a powerful cartridge but most anyone can learn to live with the recoil. Do not forget to practice like crazy tho.

 

I will also post my vote for the .30-06 , I like both rifles but for only one gun in the vault I would definately put the .30 cal. You have to remember that flat trajectory isnt the only factor in the equation. A .27 calibre bullet
has more wind deflection from side to side than the .30 cal. So even a cross breeze of 10-20 miles per hour can send your shot at 300 yards 10-12 inches left or right. (a defininate factor on the prairies) This effect can mean the difference between a gut shot deer and a vital shot deer. The biggest bullet weight commercially for a .270 is 150 grains while a .30-06 has readily available bullets from 125-220 grains. And like mentioned before, the 55 grain sabot varmint bullet at 4080 feet/sec is no laughing matter to prairie dogs. WHOOMP
There is not too much difference in velocity and the trajectory difference is only maybe 2-4 inches at 300 yards.(which your scope will correct for) I would always try to close the distance on any animal and not rely on Flat shots at long distance if possible.Long distance shooting takes velocity off any caliber bullet and affects penetration. Stalking skills are important in hunting to be sure you get as close as possible to maximize your chances of a well placed shot. Too many variables to contend with in long shots and really its not responsible to rely on flat trajectories as your only means of taking game. The .30-06 has been around for 100 years and taken more big game on every continent than any other caliber. All those hunters cant be wrong. I am not saying that bearguy is wrong, I just know that there are other considerations when taking game, and with a quality round, the .30-06 is seriously formidable. By the way, the 7mm magnum has about 40-44 pounds of "felt recoil" when fired, alot to take on the shoulder, while the .30-06 averages 25-28 pounds depending on the weight of the rifle and weight of the bullet/powder charge. It is at about the ceiling of tolerable recoil. The .270 is somewhat lower in recoil. But using a good recoil pad will make the .30-06 feel good to shoot and give you confidence to take down whatever walks into your crosshairs. AND PRACTICE LOTS!!!!!!!!!

 

I don't agree with that, but that is for another disscusion. I vote for the 30-06 also. I think you would be happier with it than the 270.

 

I do lot's of moose hunting, and my favorite is my 7mm Rem mag Browning, but for an overall rifle I don't think the 30-06 is beatable, with all the grain of shell you can buy for this caliber it will allow you to hunt just about anything!!

 

Which Gun

I know this may be a little late in getting to you in time but I can't help putting in my two cents worth. I have been hunting and shooting all my life and have had the honner of doing with some of the finest. An old man told me one time guns as like women (or men). What I like in a woman may not be what you like as preferences are a very personel thing. The most important thing is you get one you like and can do with it what you wan't to do. Caliber size means very little. What counts is true gun control (bullet placement) Many an Elk, Moose, Dear and Bear have been killed by a .22 with proper bullet placement. (not that I would recomend a .22 for that all the time) What I recomend is you go and shoot the weapons you think you might want and remember the fit of the weapon will have as much to do with your shooting and recoil as much as the cal. You need to make your own choice based on your desires and abilities.

 

I think all of the calibers are great ones for the hunting you want to do. Things to keep in mind is the terain....brush, fields and the range of the shots.
What can your shoulder take...every person is different and can handle different calibers. You do not want a rifle that you will flinch on if you are to worried about the recoil. I enjoy bog bore rifles and enjoy the 40 calibers, 45-70 is awsome but not a great rifle for range unless you keep shooting it. I would recommend the .308. It all comes down to what is comfortable with you. Go to the ranges and see what others are shooting and see if they will let you throw one down range. Anyway good luck!

 

The Savage is a very accurate rifle right out of the box. I purchased a 110 model with scope this past year and it was great!

I opted for the 30.06 because that's what the rest of the family uses, so there's always spare ammo if someone needed. Plus, it's enough to take down just about anything I'd plan to hunt.

 

30-06

I bought a Remington 700 in 30-06 thinking that I was going to Colorado to shoot at elk. The hunting trip fell through, but I have been using it for deer in Western PA. It is accurate and the 30-06 has great knock-down power. I have had particularly good luck with Core-Lokt ammo.

 

Living in Canada you probably have access to a lot of old Enfields in .303 British. I have an old No.1 MKIII that shoots very accurately and puts deer down quickly - in fact it was a very popular cartidge up there throughout the last century! Other than that I would go for the 30-06. The most versatile in terms of bullet weights avaiable for everything from varmint shooting to big game.