I am thinking about buying a new rifle in SS w/ a synthetic stock to use as a general purpose hunting rifle. The primary targets will be deer with the possibility of some wild hogs thrown in.

I am looking at the Ruger M77 Mk II rifles in their All-Weather line. The calibers that I have narrowed down to are the 270 Win, 280 Rem, and 30-06. I have experiences with 270's and 30-06's and I do handload. I have never had a 280, so I was kind of thinking about trying it out.

Of these three, which gives the best combination of bullet selection, trajectory, and killing power for the amount of recoil generated?

Which would you guys go with and why?

Thanks,
Mark in GA

These three are about the same. The .280 is so close to the '06 I don't see a point. If it were just deer and hogs I'd get another .25-06 or try a 6.5 something. Maybe a .260 or a Swede. Nate

30-06, more 30 cal bullets than anything else
and will shoot 125gr or 220gr and alot in between. Just works.

Buy the .280 or the 30-06!

My go to rifle is a 30'06 but if recoil is a factor then it is certainly overpowered for deer and eating-size pigs. Still, sometimes a deer hunter gets a chance to hunt bigger game... I'd pass on the 280 unless you are planning to handload. Of the long action cartridges you list the 270 offers plenty of juice and the least recoil. All that said, for a general purpose rifle I'd also consider 308 Win, 7mm08, and 260 Rem (in that order).

I do handload. In fact I don't buy any factory ammo nowdays. Haven't bought any in about 10 years.

Thanks,
Mark in GA

quote:

Originally posted by Mark in GA:

... The primary targets will be deer with the possibility of some wild hogs thrown in.
... The calibers that I have narrowed down to are the 270 Win, 280 Rem, and 30-06. I have experiences with 270's and 30-06's and I do handload. I have never had a 280, so I was kind of thinking about trying it out.

Of these three, which gives the best combination of bullet selection, trajectory, and killing power for the amount of recoil generated?

Which would you guys go with and why?

Thanks,
Mark in GA

I like the .30-06. I've never used a .270 Win or .280 Rem. But, given the criteria you list, and the fact that you've never had one, then I'd pick the .280 Rem. For deer and pigs, there really won't be that much of a difference between the .270 Win, .280 Rem, and .30-06 in effectiveness IMHO.

My two cents...
-Bob F.

If you want a .30 cal rifle, I'd go with either .308, or 30-06. If you want more than gun than that, then I'd opt for the .338 WM.

But as was stated earlier, .30 cal has the largest amount of choice. Whether you plan to handload or not.

mike

30-06. No doubt.

I believe the 280 will give you the best velocity/trajectory with heavier bullet weights. SAAMI pressures are mild, so you can easily increase velocity with careful handloading. The 7mm has bullet weight/design availability that now easily rivals the 30 caliber. I like 160 grain bullets, as meat damage is minimal and penetration is excellent. The 160 Fail Safe and North Fork are just incredible on Elk. If you are on a budget the 160 Grand Slam works pretty darn well. The 140 grain X-bullet is grand for dear and antelope at longer ranges. Having run my big mouth so much about the 280, 30-06 ammo can be had in every nook and cranny of the Globe. The advantages of the 280 are really quite small in the scheme of things, and the 30-06 is just plain classic.

I'm with BobF, I personally believe the .30-06 is the best, but if there is one of the three you've never owned, buy it. All will do a great job and all will do one thing a little better than the other, but not enough to worry about.

Terry

For the uses you mentioned any of them will serve you nicely. Picking one can be drawing straws but we never do that.
Of the three I'm partial to the .280 Remington but the difference is mostly academic. You're a handloader so the availability of ammo isn't a factor.

All I can say is that if you ever want to hunt moose, Elk, or African plains game the .30-06 might be a better choice. That said the other two will also get the job done.

It is a century old but still the best all around cartridge- the 30/06!

I would go for the 280 for general purpose as it will do everything a 30-06 will do but with less recoil. I shoot a 7x64 Brenneke which is almost identical and if you set it 2" high at 100 yds you'll be 2" low at 220 yds with a 140 gn interbond bullet. The 175 grain has an exceptional sectional density making it suitable for moose, elk and red deer.

Regards

Mark

30/06 but think about a .338 win mag as well...............................I feel it may be a bit more versatile than the 30/06, 180 gr through to 300 gr woodleigh's and I don't reckon recoil is bad in a .338. The Ruger rifles are tough and dependable.

As you know as a handloader, there is no free lunch on the recoil issue. If you put a 150gr bullet out there at essentially the same velocity, you will get the same recoil in rifles of the same weight. Newton was right!

With modern bullets, in the range .277 to .308, there is no appreciable difference with bullets of the same weight in killing ability. However, the low end "big game bullet" weight for the .277 is 130gr, for the .284 it's 150gr, and the the .308 it is 165gr.

As you might imagine, the .277 will produce the lightest recoil; however, it will be the least versatile. The 30-06 will be the most versatile, but generate the most recoil. The difference between the two will be insignificant.

Because you reload, you can adjust the 30-06 to do whatever you'd like; slow, fast, heavy or light. I don't think there is a real choice, although I own and love a .270Win and a 7x57, go with the 30-06. Kudude

30-06 in a Remington 7600.

Another vote here for the 06. Your set for just about anything within the lower 48.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark in GA:
I am thinking about buying a new rifle in SS w/ a synthetic stock to use as a general purpose hunting rifle. The primary targets will be deer with the possibility of some wild hogs thrown in.

I am looking at the Ruger M77 Mk II rifles in their All-Weather line. The calibers that I have narrowed down to are the 270 Win, 280 Rem, and 30-06. I have experiences with 270's and 30-06's and I do handload. I have never had a 280, so I was kind of thinking about trying it out.

Of these three, which gives the best combination of bullet selection, trajectory, and killing power for the amount of recoil generated?

Which would you guys go with and why?

Thanks,
Mark in GA

I'm not a fan of the tupperware stocks, but ruger sells their stainless rifles in the laminated stock (up to you as your preference)

any of the cartridges you have listed are effective, but for versaility it's hard t beat either the 30cal or the 7mm for choice of bullets, the 270winchester has somewhat less of a selection available, but after the accubond, the Partition and Barnes TSX's what else do you need?

ALlanD

How is your 257 roberts going?? I have all 3 many times over & there is really no difference in any of them. I would avoid the 280 because you are stuck with Remington brass which is trash & winchester only sells nickle plated brass. Last year my big field rifle was a 270 inspite of the fact that i have 8 30'06's including a Jarette & carolina precision '06. Next year my big field rifle may be an '06. But my swamp rifle will always be a whelen.

Im a big 06 fan, but an even bigger 280 fan. I have more 280 Remingtons than any other rifle and hold it in very high reguard. In a nutshell, it accomplishes the same thing as the 06 with a bit less recoil and a slightly flatter trajectory, and when loaded with the lighter bullets it will easily give the 270 a run for its money. That is a lot to ask of any chambering. If youve never tried one than you should consider it by all means.

For deer & hogs & you handload, get the .280 for sure. The .270 is a good hunting round buit I've never warmed up to it, same for the 06. If I only wanted one rifle to hunt most of the worlds game, it would probably be an 06, just because I can get 200gr bullets, but for NA, w/ the exception of the big bears, hard to beat .280.

Of the three.....30-06.

30-06

Roland

When you said "General Purpose" you answered your own question - The ever popular, ever successful, ever dependable "30-06".

The 7mm Rem mag will easily outperform all 3

My go to gun is my Win. M70 30 06

30-06..stay away from the Ruger 77 if you care about accuracy

30,06, .280 and .270 in that order but there are no lossers in the bunch, all will kill smaller crirrwers dead quick and the 06 is better on the bigger stuff. ...tj3006

In general,30/06 hands down,cant deny that. but for my general uses, it would be .270win.

To answer your specific question; 30-06 period.

I faced the same question 3 years ago and chose the 7X57. I have found it to be the ideal whitetailed deer caliber. While I haven't used it on hogs, I wouldn't hesitate.

TerryR

I prefer a 270, but I don't handload. With that said...if I did handload I'd get the 30-06 due to a nice variety of 30 caliber bullets available for reloading. Good luck.

I would choose the .270 Win. In my opinion, best combination of killing power, trajectory, and recoil going. The .280 is a close second only because I have not had as much luck on the loading bench with the .280 as I have the .270. The .30-06 is rarely the wrong choice, but offers nothing on deer/pig sized game that the others do not with less recoil and flatter trajectory.

-Lou

Tehy are all three so similar! I'll assume you had reason for passing on the 6.5''s, 7x57, 7mm-08 and 308, so given the three I'd take the 280, just because the '06 is really great with 165's and 180's but drop to 150's for whitetail and I'd go 140 from the 280 for good SD and about the same speed. A 160 for hogs and you're set.

I would usually tell someone to go with the .270 - I've used one for years. And, I just bought my 14 year old son his 1st deer rifle in a .270 this weekend.

If you asked my Dad, - he would tell you 30-06.

You can't go wrong with either, but... it is the 100th birthday of the 30-06.

Hummmmmmmmmmm........... maybe I need a 30-06.

I think it's odd that out of 34 responses only four said .270. My choice..........30-06.

Well you couldn't go wrong with any of them.
If you don't reload don't do the 280. If you reload take your pick. Of these three I'd get a 280.

My choice would be the 30-06, as it is the most versatile. But each of the three would work very well. If you have never had a .280, that may be the best choice for you.


I suggest that you find some way of determining what you really want, such as writing the three calibers down on three identical slips of paper then folding them and putting them in a hat. Then draw one out and read it and see whether you are disapointed with what you drew. If you are, then that is not the right choice for you. If you are not disappointed, that is the correct choice for you.

280 Remington.

quote:

Originally posted by Neverflinch:
I think it's odd that out of 34 responses only four said .270. My choice..........30-06.

That's because us 270 owners are out there using our rifles...