270 or 308

[Heym SR20]

Given that the OP has a 243, I would go to a 270 or 7x64 or 30-06 for another rifle. For the very simple reason that cartridges are substantially longer and eliminate mistakes when you are trying to get stuff out of the cabinet in a hurry, in the dim light of a cupboard and you have left your glasses on the kitchen table and you don’t want to wake the rest of the house up.

243 and 308, or even worse 243 and 6.5 CM a as re just too easy to get mixed up, especially when in bullet wallets.

And these days post pandemic the writing on the case heads is blurry - I blame it on poor quality workmanship.

 

[Deerstalker6]

270 would be the ticket and pair as others have said with your 243, just like a 30-06 would pair well with a 6.5 creed or 6.5x55 swede.

270 isn't the massive recoil fiend people make it out to be in a correct weighted rifle decent sound moderator it is nice to shoot,
a schultz and larsen is particularly a very nice rifle to have in 270, then again so is a sako 75 or a tikka 695.

308 does give more ammunition options however using standard weight bullets 150gr/165gr/168gr etc it's not as flat got a bit of a curved trajectory in those bullet weights
I've fired a couple of 308's over the years a rem VTR with the integrated muzzle break, an old parker hale they weren't unpleasant to fire.

I'd pick 270 saying you already have 243 but let us know how you get on

 

[yorky07]

Hello,
I’m after a rifle/calibre so shooting red deer, currently got a 243 with a permanent thermal on it. I’m either going 270 or 308 I’m wondering what’s best ? Hopefully not opening a can of worms.

It would depend greatly on the distance you would expect to shoot your deer at? If your shooting out beyond 200 yrs in open areas then probably the .270, but should you be bush hunting with most shots below 200yrds then for for me it would be a .308

 

[Smellydog]

Anyone following this who owns a 270, I know of several boxes of bullets in a few weights.
Opened boxes. They'll be cheap.
Croxton country stores. 01630 620226.
Ask for Duncan.

 

[Fiadh]

.270

 

[Twodogs]

If considering the .270 option also have a look at a 6.5 PRC. Not dissimilar performance but from a modern cartridge design.

 

[Koenig]

Depends where and how you’re shooting your Reds. At usual ranges in England the .308w would be my choice (and indeed is). If you’re shooting at longer ranges up in Scotland for example then a lot of professionals will opt for the .270. Personally I’d probably go with a .30 magnum, buts that’s just me. Another key point is availability of ammo unless you handload in which case things become considerably easier. Always remember you can get a wide variety of .308w pretty much anywhere and its dirt cheap. That’s probably not the case with .270.

 

[south-nofolk-stalker]

Depends , 308 more choice of bullet and more readily available than 270

You don’t need bullet choice with a 270 she’s the queen of all calibres!

130gn is all you need for 90% of anything in the world you want to poke it at!

I’ve said before on the SD I would shoot anything bar dangerous game with a 270 and a 130gn Barnes TTSX

 

[ejg]

I have 3 270 rifles, after testing a few factory cartridges locally available over the chronno, the 270's went into the back corner of the safe. Much better off with 168gr in 308. In the meantime I also use a 6.5CM with high bc bullets as well as a 300wm for longer shots. I think the 6.5PRC will take off and can replace what a 270 should have been.
edi

 

[south-nofolk-stalker]

Depends , 308 more choice of bullet and more readily available than 270

You don’t need bullet choice with a 270 she’s the queen of all calibres!

130gn is all you need for 90% of anything in the world you want to poke it at!

I’ve said before on the SD I would shoot anything bar dangerous game with a 270 and a 130gn Barnes TTSX

 

[paulbshooting]

I have both. I have no real preference and have shot muntie to red with both. It’s more about getting the right platform for what you’re going to use it for combined with an appropriate optic that will make the difference regardless of calibre. My 270 is 22 inch barrel with grs stock and heavy mod and dialling scope and my 308 has a short barrel light mod and scope. The 270 good for gongs and on the hill and I like the 308 for woodland and lowland stalking but this is as much to do with the geometry, weight sights etc as the calibre.

I do the same. 270 for open fields on fallow and reds up North. 308 for walk & stalk on munty and roe, mostly in woodland.

To the OP, 100% go 270 for reds. Set up right with the right ammo, point and shoot at normal stalking ranges and plenty of ammo about if on factory. 270 better in wind too.

 

[sparrow123]

What weight ammo do you use in your 308 ?

 

[south-nofolk-stalker]

What weight ammo do you use in your 308 ?

150’s

I am a firm believer to use the weight of bullet that is designed for the calibre and that’s lead or copper.

Worked for me for the last 15 or more years

 

[Smellydog]

I don't get the " modern case design" thing spouted....they are all the same as per over 100 years ago

 

[south-nofolk-stalker]

I don't get the " modern case design" thing spouted....they are all the same as per over 100 years ago

It’s all Horlicks designed to flog snow to the eskimos

For the golden oldies like us it works , for the young’uns you have to polish it to sell it, where you and I would take a grubby green shell case that’s probably 30 or 40 years old give it a tumble and make it work

 

[308tikka]

At deer ranges none of it makes a difference.

Youll get everyone who has one or other extolling the virues of their choice to gove themselves validation. Others will disparage one or other with false info, especially irrelevancies such as BC.

Both work. What you want to be looking for is ammunition choice, sectional density and wound channel to put the deer down as quickly as possible. There are good choices in both chamberings.

 

[tackb]

270 130gr vs 308 125gr (like for like or as near as poss) both 200m zeros (both factory loads in the interests of fairness)

100m/200m/300m
270 - +1.59''/0.00/-2.35''
308 - +1.51''/0.00/-2.33''

anyone able to hold better than 0.02'' at 300m ?

you can mess around cherry picking loads that are way off like for like to prove your argument but none of it makes the 270 more versatile !

if you want versatility then it has to be the 308 all day long , you can have it as a flat shooting '270' or as a 200gr short range thumper for the woods or even a long range target round , it's up to you.

the 270 is a great round just not the wonder round people would have you believe

 

[JH83]

I went out to buy a rifle to compliment my 6.5x55. I wanted a bona fide red calibre, so 308, 270, 30-06, 7mm RM, 300 WM etc etc

I actually chose the nicest rifle for my budget, within those calibre parameters, which was a bonny, little used SH sako. It happened to be 308. That’d be my advice, find the very best rifle that suits your budget, don’t get hung up on calibres (within reason obviously).

 

[tackb]

I don't get the " modern case design" thing spouted....they are all the same as per over 100 years ago

i do , the wonderful .222 was the benchrest darling for years until the 6 ppc came along

there is a case to be made for case shape (see what i did there !)

we understand internal ballistics better today

 

[UpNorthMI]

It’s always been .308 for me verses .270. Arguing ballistics on the difference is a wast of time. If you want better ballistics step up to a .300 WM or even a .338 WM, I shoot both of these calibers too for red deer.