Caliber question

[tmalega]

So i am new here and been reading around awhile. Learned a little hoping to learn more.

However i can't seem to work the search function on my phone.

So i am curious of the following. I am looking at getting the savage rifles that walmart has for sale and was leaning to the 270 cal but can't find one to save my life that i like. So i have found some 308s and was wondering how much a difference there is between the two. I plan to reload my own ammo and hopefully cast my own for it to so ammo should be easy to get done. Is the 308 more universal a rifle then the 270 is?

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[fgw_in_fla]

I think the die sets are in the top 5 sellers for both of those calibers. .270 has been around a long time & the .308 has been in use for some time by the military & hunters as well.

You'll have no trouble finding bullets for either, brass is common & they both use powders within similar ranges.

Think of it this way....
A .270 is a 30.06 with a smaller bullet.

A .308 is a 30.06 only a little bit shorter.

Make sense?

Frank in Fla

[tmalega]

I should have mentioned that i plan on using it mainly for target shooting and possibly go hunting eventually with it. It might be the rifle i end up taking a long range rifle class in my department with. So given that i am starting to lean to the 308 i believe that is the preferred round for that. I was also wondering and this may be hard to answer since it changes per person i suppose but how does the felt recoil of the 308 compare to the 270 or a 7mm. I have shot those two calibers before. Never a 308. Thank you.

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[thomae]

Welcome to the forum. Glad to have you around.
Continue to read and search from your computer. You will learn a lot about subjects you never thought about before.

If you can answer a few questions forum members can give you a more educated opinion:
1. Most important: What do you wish to do with this rifle. Hunting (and if so, what kind of game?)? Informal Target Shooting? Plinking?
2. What is the model of the Walmart Rifle and what is the price. Sometimes you can get a better deal in the classifieds here on this forum, although you have to be a paid member to view/use them.
3. Where are you? (Rough idea, not a street address) so folks know if they are close enough to meet you at a range somewhere, or sell you something face to face, etc....

Armed with the additional information, perhaps we can help you better.

[tmalega]

I appreciate the welcome. Most of my plan is to use it for target shooting. Most likely indoor ranges. I can't find a outdoor one around me i get easy access too. I am not sure of the model number at walmart. It is a entry level rifle i do know that for sure. Which is ok by me since this is my first bolt action. I own multiple ar 15 rifles and have always wanted a bolt action. The prices are under the 350 mark but my wife works there and i get a nice discount so that's one reason i was looking there. They come with a cheap scope which i understand is cheap, also most of them have a removable bottom mag, which is a selling point also. I am not a fan of working a bolt to remove the loaded rounds that might be left.

If my memory serves me they also have the accu trrigger. Which i understand is a huge benifit.

I live in the oklahoma city metro area. Hope i answered all the questions as best i could. As i can't see them at this point.

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[fgw_in_fla]

From what you're describing, you may want to look at other calibers as well. By the way, the cheapo rifles, like the Edge / Axis do not come with the accutrigger feature.

On the good side, they can be modified / adjusted to work a little smoother.

For the possibilty of competition, some of the guys here can steer you in the right direction however, I do have to agree with thomae....
Lots & lots of reading on the calibers you're interested in. Be an educated buyer.

Good luck with your decision...

Frank in Fla

[tmalega]

Not that i am being arguemenitive because lord knows i make mistakes but i could swear i saw the tag hanging off the rifles saying accutrigger. I will check in the next few days. To be sure. I don't forse myself getting out past 500 yards that often if ever. What other caliber would you all suggest? I do t expect to hunting large game like elk and such at the most i believe it would be deer and coyotes. From what some of my hunting friends have suggested the 270 would be minimal to be humane for those. And some suggested the 308 so i coupd ise it for the sherrifs office if i decide to take the long rifle training. I really appreciate all the help so far. I will add it seems that the only calibers in stock are 22lr 308 and the 223/5.56 ar15 they have in stock around the area.

Having said that i am not hung on buying it at walmart but it would be nice to save the little extra i could use to get some factory stuff i could take to zero the scope and get the brass stash going.

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[M.O.A.]

What kinda ranges are you going to be shooting? If no more than 500yards you might look at a 223 that way you don't have to buy more than one type of ammo

[tmalega]

Ok i was told thay 223 was not that effective past 400. If i take the classes i beloeve they may get out to 800 yards. Not sure. Trying to get a all around caliber if there is one.

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[6mmBR_Shooter]

I would not shoot a deer at 500 yards with a 223, no matter what load. I have never shot a coyote past 300-350 yards with a 223, but it did get the job done out that far. If you want something to shoot deer size game out to 500, a 270 or 308 would both be fine.

308 has plenty of match quality ammo readily available, but I have never seen match ammo for 270. May not be a factor if you plan to reload, but there are a lot more match suited components for the 308.

A 223 will make it to 800 yards, but a 308 with quality handloads will make life a bit easier to make consistent hits that far out.

A 308 is about as much as an all around caliber as you will find in a factory rifle.

[Gmac5]

308 gets my vote, since you said target , hunting , and CASTING , 308 are easier to cast better bullets than 270 s . Ive been casting for rifles and pistols for 25 + years. Not saying you can not get good 270 cast , just that larger selection of 30 cal than 270

[tmalega]

The larger selection of dies was yet another reason i was leaning to 308. Not to sure but even the wife said the same thing. Which worries me. Is she trying to get me out of her hair more? Or is ghat what she wants? I will go look tonight to see model numbers at Wal-Mart this evening. Hopefully rhat can help. I am def staying way away from those evil 770 rifles they have. Not a fan of that brand. I have fired a few savages and never had one that didn't feel good.

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[tmalega]

Ok i didn't mean dies i meant molds sorry. However i should also apologize i spent all day reasing and reading and reading reviews info on calibers. All the info i could. I had all bit settled on a 308 with accutrigger. When my wife called to tell me about a display model on sale at walmart. It was the ruger american 30-06 i paid 325 or so after all the discounts i got. I own a savage so i didn't turn completely and i may still get the 308 one day. But this was too good to pass up. I had seen them as cheap as 375 all day. The trigger is adjustable but is so smooth where it is now. I may keep it that way. Thanks for all the recommendations. I truely mean that. I took them all to heart and read all the reviews i could which is why i stayed away from the axis models. My thought was less then a hundred more and much better rifle was worth it.

Now to find some glass to out on this beauty. I saw a burris mill spec i think it was. Now to research the heck out of those options.

Thanks again. Truely.
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[dacaur]

I guess its a little late now, but if you want to shoot long range, you should definitely keep looking for a .308. There actualy is a reason so many people shoot long range with .308's rather than 30-06's or .270's. .308 is one of the most inherently accurate cartridges out there, and is a more efficient cartridge than a 30-06. (Using the same bullet and powder, it takes more powder to get the same speed in a .30-06 as in a .308, which also equates to more recoil)

[thermaler]

If the main purpose is for indoor target shooting--I'd get a 45 acp : )

I shoot both 308 and 270--I see this classic argument go round and round in circles on every hunting forum. The only meaningful difference for me is that I take a little less shoulder punishment from the 308 than the 270 on the range when firing lots of rounds. Other than a bit o wallop--I don't believe you can go wrong with the 30 06 as a hunting rifle--availability of ammo, fast and hard hitting at longer ranges etc. The only reason I got the 270 instead was the (arguably) slightly better BD performance over the 30 06.

That said, I will always have at least a couple of 308's as it is the foundation for so many subsidiary calibers and it's what my AR 10 eats. I guess if it came down to if I was allowed to have one and only one caliber rifle--it would be 308--but lucky for us we get a wide range of choices. : )

[Blue Avenger]

they all spit out bullets from the skinny end. Have fun!

[tmalega]

I appreciate that. I saw there was a little more bullet drop on the 06 but it wasn't there until 600 plus yards. And for the immediate future i will be 200 and in. However once i get decent at that i hope to have found a longer range by that time and can really start in on the fun.

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[rgburrill]

Sorry I'm so late gettinginto this thread and hope the OP is still watching. First thing is that you are in an Axis forum and a lot of the info above, even your own, is for other models. You really have to watch the model numbers. Second, there are basically short action cartridges and long action cartridges. To say that the 308 is basically a 30.06 but shorter is way off the mark. The 308 is a short action cartridge while the 270 is a long action (i.e. magnum). 800 yards accurately with a 308 is stretching to say the least. The only short action I would try for that distance is a 243 - with a 95 grain bullet is has very close to the same trajectory as a 270.

Oh, and back to the Axis forum issue, if you want accuracy to 800 yards you nee to move away from the Axis and into something like a Model 11.

[Gmac5]

I completely agree rgburill , but would again say for only a few hundred more dollars he could go from an 11 to say a prec target action , which is far more rigid than even a single shot model 12 . Whats a few hundred dollars ?
Do you understand why the remington 788 was such a popular choice for both bench rest and custom target rifles ? You got it , it was rigid and had a fast lock time and was their entry level gun . Im pretty sure the original poster knows hes at axis , maybe thats why he posted the question here and not on the other.
Just saying ,it seems you are the one one the wrong site , if you dont subscribe to the axis , do not dismiss others for doing so .
Hope this helps ,GARY

[thermaler]

Sorry I'm so late gettinginto this thread and hope the OP is still watching. First thing is that you are in an Axis forum and a lot of the info above, even your own, is for other models. You really have to watch the model numbers. Second, there are basically short action cartridges and long action cartridges. To say that the 308 is basically a 30.06 but shorter is way off the mark. The 308 is a short action cartridge while the 270 is a long action (i.e. magnum). 800 yards accurately with a 308 is stretching to say the least. The only short action I would try for that distance is a 243 - with a 95 grain bullet is has very close to the same trajectory as a 270.

Oh, and back to the Axis forum issue, if you want accuracy to 800 yards you nee to move away from the Axis and into something like a Model 11.

243 intermediate range? paper yes, put-down power for big game vs. 308/30 06/270 I don't think so.