.270 vs .308

[8-Ball]

Stiff- I am in a similar situation- just getting into hunting. Better late than never, I figure. Can you tell me where you picked up the Win.M 70, and how much was it? I assume the cost was minus a scope, right? Thanks, 8-Ball.

[Stiff]

Lawdog,

I haven't actually spent the cash, but I think I have settled on the Kimber, and I'm 95% sure I want the .308 just for the flexiblity of powering up for mule deer or elk if I needed to. My only hesitation is that right next it it on the shelf is a 7mm-08 (Kimber M-84) with a super nice piece of wood in the stock for the same money.

I'm expecting some extra cash just after the new year and I'm not in a huge rush to get this done. Also, there is a guy out in Idaho who had advertised to sell his personal gun (Kimber M-84 in .308) for $650. I'm a little leary to buy a gun without actually looking at it and meeting the guy in person, and I think he has a tentative agreement to sell to someone else at this point.

So I think I have my mind made up, I'm just gathering the extra cash at this point. I haven't really looked too closly at optics yet, but I have a feeling I'll settle on a Leupold VX (I or II ??) 3x9.

8-Ball,

That Winchester M-70 was still available last time I was up there. Personally, I think it's a pretty sweet deal. It's on close out and marked for $580 (most others are $630), but I think you get an additional $50 bucks off since it's on "close out gun" - so $530. Also, Gander is running a deal where if you buy a "close out gun", you also get 50% off your ammo up to $100.

Merry Christmas - it's up at the Gander Mtn in Forest Lake.

[8-Ball]

Hey Stiff- Thanks for info- I am heading down to metro tomorrow and hope to stop and check out the rifle at G.M. Good luck with your selection and Merry X-Mas. 8-Ball.

[Pistolero]

Quote:

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My only hesitation is that right next it it on the shelf is a 7mm-08 (Kimber M-84) with a super nice piece of wood in the stock for the same money.

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Stiff,

Tell the clerk to move the Kimber M-84, 7mm-08 to a different spot so you will not be distracted by it.

I have a couple Leupold VII’s in 3x9 and really like them. Great scope for the price.

[tripper]

Stiff, I have a Leupold 3-9 on 06 and a nikon on my 260., both are excellent scopes. The leupold will will give you more leway in eye relief but the nikon seems to be a little clearer.

[Borch]

Stiff,

If you really love the 7mm-08 but hesitate because it's not versitile enough you can stop worrying. The 7mm-08 is fine for elk out to 300 yards with the right bullet. Mule deer won't be an issue either.

It shoots a bit flatter than the .308 and is 100 ft/sec slower than the .270. Use the high enery cartridges and you'll get even better performance.

I have two 7mm-08 that my girls shoot, one .308 my son shoots, personally I shoot a 30-06 or my 50 cal muzzleloader. Every animal shot couldn't tell the difference.

[psegriz]

Not having read all the posts.

I had that exact gun in 270 cal. and i'll tell ya this I sold it and went with the standard weight model. Still 270 but no featherlite. The lighter gun had too much kick for my liking and I don't even notice the extra weight when I carry it.

[wildirishrose]

I'm a little late on this, but do not forget about the .284, the 1st of the "shorts".

[lumbertick]

Stiff...I hope I am not too late...check out a .260 Rem. Low recoil (read shootable!)still plenty of gun for elk! Are you confused yet???

lt

[Tripleplay]

I just bought two of my 12 yr olds 7mm-08's for X-mas as this way I didn't get hit for Christmas presents and then to "help" buy the rifles next fall. I worked thru Capra's in Spring Lake Park and also hit up a friend who used to run the gun department at Scheel's in Fargo and both places were big on this caliber. Of course, they are youth models and I'm not sure I'd buy this caliber as an adult unless I was smaller framed which unfortunately is not an issue. The balistics out to 300 yards are very good and there appears to be plenty of options for bullets and grains so there is some versatility.

I switched over this year to a 7mm Mag after shooting an '06 since I was in 10th grade. I can't tell you how impressed I was with this caliber this whitetail season but it might have been more a component of a short-barreled '06 more than anything.

I'd weigh in in favor of the .270 over the .308 but that is from watching my father-in-law shoot a .308 with apparently the wrong bullet/grain and never knock anything down cleanly. Like an earlier comment, any caliber when paired with accurate shooting and the right bullet/grain will do the job cleanly which is all that matters.

Just my 2 cents!

[GoodToGo]

Everybody likes their own caliber, of course, that's why they own one! I have shot .308 my entire life and have never failed to put down the deer, but I'm also careful not to take "bad shots". My two cents is that there is now low-recoil .308 shells available (also 30-06, maybe others) from Federal and Remington. I think this would be a great starter caliber for kids/women/anyone not used to deer rifles. When the time is right switch to regular loads.

[Stiff]

Well, just for the record - I finally spent the cash on the Kimber M84 in .308 ...

I won a $100 gift card to Gander at the company holiday party over the weekend, and I figured that would be a pretty good use for the money. Thanks for all the input guys.

~t

[Pistolero]

I'm jealous Stiff!!! And happy for you!! I think that it is a lot of fun just figuring out what type/caliber gun a person wants to get. So how excited do you get when you won that gift certificate? I'll bet that you were smiling from ear to ear.

[Stiff]

You would guess right! What was almost more cool was all coworker comments as I went up to get it like "How fitting is that!"

Nope, you just can't beat free money

[cyberamish]

Talk about small world karma.... samething happened to me two years ago when I was getting ready to "pull the trigger" on a new Browning A-Bolt .270 WSM. Went to a D.U. banquet and BAM won $250.00 @ Gander. Paid for the scope (almost)!!