Now Help with a Caliber...30.06 or .308

Keystone, here's how I'd handle it:

I would not buy a new chambering that shares a case with a cartridge you already shoot, unless it was exactly the same chambering.

You've got a 7mm-08, so no 308, 243's, or whatever.

You've got a 270 so no 25 or 30-06's, Whelens, or whatever.

You have and prefer a 270 (me too) so another in that exact chambering would be practical, unless you're a handloader who neck sizes, or less for a specific rifle....

Sounds like you might move up in target/body size, I wouldn't pussyfoot around - I'd get a 338 Mag and be done with it. Give the 270 to the upcoming kids as you've indicated, shoot the 7mm-08 for the PA deer in the future, and bust the butt of any future elk with the 338.

Or buy another 270. Did I mention that I love my 270?

Side note - I had rifles for years that shared the same parent case. That is no longer a desirable situation to me in my old-aged-conservative-persnicketedeyness. Too much overlap and too much of an opportunity to get somewhere and not have what you need, or worse.
 
a .338 federal would be near perfect. They shoot flatter than .308's, about as flat as an 06, and more energy than either with probably less recoil than the 06. Good factory loads are available too, with tsx, partition, and accubonds from federal.
 
If you're going after moose in AK, I think I'd go along with the 300 WM or 338 WM as stated above.

I agree with a lot of the posters about you having rounds so close to each other.

Couple ideas to ponder. One hunter I know uses a Ruger 77, 300WM for elk, and also has a 270 Ruger 77, for deer. Both rifles are identical except for caliber so it feels the same to pick up one or the other. He uses 200gr partitions in the 300.

A guy I work with, has lived here for the last couple years, but the previous 20 in AK, where he will go back in '09 when he and I retire. He uses his 338WM for everything. He uses 225gr for everything else, and 250 for moose. He says he carried the 338, not cause moose are so hard to kill, but for the bears that might like moose too.

Get a 300 or 338. The 338 federal might be a good second choice.
 
The 35 Colonel with a 250gr NosPart or Hot-Cor will drop anything a 338Win will. It is also more inherently accurate, recoils less, and uses less powder........
 
I agree with many of the other posters that when going for these much larger animals a gun of larger caliber should be considered.

Having said that, my choice would be a 7 Mag with hand loads of the 154g Hornady Sp at 3250 fps with 72-73g of R#25 will kill any of the animals you mentioned real dead and is extremely flat shooting.

If you so elected, the 7mm 175g Spbt has a really high BC and is accurately shot at 2900 fps with R#25.

My second choice would be the 300 Winchester Mag shooting the Hornady 190g SPBT that kills like a streek of lightening.

Lots of folks like the 300WSM and the 338 WM, but I just am not crazy about the trajectory.
 
Last I checked, the 7mm and 308 cals were already mentioned. Neither the 7mag nor the 300 will kill anything any more easily than an '06 will. Just shoot a little flatter after 300yds.....

A 338 Win or 35 Colonel are in a totally different "thump" class. The Whelen being extremely efficient in the process.......
 
Keystone, with the 270, you have most game covered - until you threw in moose. I consider the 270 capable, but light for elk, primarily because of bullet weight. For moose, I would consider the 30-06, with 180 gr bullets, a fairly light load; and a 200 gr bullet, much better. That said, new bullet technology (premium controlled-expansion bullets) is changing the old rules quickly. However, keep in mind that ANY new big game cartridge is instantly compared to the old '06 (a benchmark).
Mark
 
I think your asking a little too much from either the 308 Win or 30-06 when it comes to moose. I know a few Alaska guides that won't even let you leave camp with less than a 300 mag. You don't need more than a 308 to take caribou, but keep in mind the other hunter up there is a Grizzly. A one ton moose is dangerous game, but if your cocky enough to take em on with a 308 Win, you should win most of the time. Fred Bear did it many times with a bow, but had a guide with a .338 Win Mag backing him up. Many oldtimers got away with using a 30-30 or less, but again, some didn't. In heavy timber, close-in, either would be on the light side for big bull elk. In open country it would not be adequate at all. Just not enough energy there at over 200 yards where many shots are taken.
 
There is nothing in north america that you can't kill with an '06 and ballistically it does have an advantage over the .308 and there are wide wide wide variety of bullets to choose from pick your flavor. The .308 is inherently a more accurate round, however the '06 can be loaded to be very accurate as well if the shooter can do his part.

Don't forget this , If you plan on passing this rifle down to the kids as you are going to do with youre .270 the barrel life of the .308 is much greater than the '06.

I hope I muddied the waters some.
 
I would have to go with the 300win mag... everything else is so close that really it makes very little difference... the 300 mag will offer you a little flatter shooting better bullet weight for the larger game and more knockdown power... if all you had were small calibers it would be different but with the 270 and the 7mm08 you have the calibers covered that would be the light end ones.
 
One poster mentioned something very important, are there Griz up where you are going? If so, then you have a whole new ball game.

By the way, I shoot the 180's in my 30/06 at 2850 fps loaded with 58.5g of H4350 shooting 3/4" groups, it may be a fast barrel. My 300 WM shot the same bullet at 3050 loaded with 75.5g of R#22.

I believe that it is fair to say that the 30/06 will shoot the 200g bullets about the same velocity accurately as the 308 shoots the 180g bullets.
 
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