I've been a huge fan of the .308, it is a very versatile round, and has the benefit of cheap military surplus ammo for practice.

It's really a tossup between all the rounds mentioned, I wouldn't hesitate to use any of them for any Lower 48 game, and out to 300 yds. If you throw the 300 WSM in the mix, then you'd have what I'd consider a good minimum for all NA game.

Well for deer and hogs, any of those would would work very well. If you might be doing some bigger game hunting in the future, then I would prefer the .308 for its bigger bullet capabilities...unless it's going to be long range, then the .270 Winnie might be the better choice.

I have always been a 30 caliber slut. That said in the past few years I have come to believe that the 7x57 is about the best pure deer cartridge I have used. With that in mind I voted for the 7mm/08.

I use my .338 Win Mag for all big game hunting in NA...you can load up or down depending on what you hunting.

JMHO

quote:

Originally posted by muzzleblast525:
I've posted this elsewhere, but wanted to check if see what you think....For hunting deer/hogs in Texas, and maybe going somewhere else in the future, which would you choose....

Of the choices you gave I went with the 7mm-08 because of my experience with it. Being from Texas, I was surprised you didn't have the 25-06 as a choice.

A 270 and 300 win mag are all you'll ever need. Of the 2 the 300 would be my choice if I could only have one. Little large for whitetail and hogs but you can eat right up to the hole. I go out of state for Mule Deer, Elk, and antelope and use the 300 for the first 2 and the 270 for antelope (although you can load the 300 to shoot as flat as the 270).


Without guns we are subjects, with guns we are citizens

I agree with Woods except that I'd get a .270 first. Most deer are killed at 100 yards or less (in my experience) in the Texas hill country but there is an occasion to shoot across some wide draws, power lines etc. and the .270 is a nice flat shooting cartridge. My second choice for a lighter rifle would be a .280

posted by Cobra "Of the choices you gave I went with the 7mm-08 because of my experience with it. Being from Texas, I was surprised you didn't have the 25-06 as a choice"

I've always thought that the 25-06 was a perfect Texas hill country cartridge. Just right for deer, turkeys , coyotes etc.

The 270 WSM doesn't have the history of the other cartridges you mentioned.

It will however, loaded with 140-150 gr. premium bullets do anything the others will and considerably more.

I believe it is the perfect "Texas" deer, pig, coyote and bobcat gun.

Cobra,

Actually, I have a Remington 22-250, Encore .243, Encore Pistol in 25-06 and Browning 25 WSSM, so thats why I went with the others.

270 WSM. I know people will say it's not much more than a 270 but with more noise. However, it is faster without that much additional punishment.
I'm actually suprised you don't have a 30-06 on the list. It's one of the best "compromise" cartidge out there. Good at a lot of things but not great at anything. I personally don't like the 30-06 but it is a good round. Something along that line would be logical.
A bigger cartidge than a 308 or 7-08 should be next, since you have a couple of rifles that are in that power class already.
That is why I chose the 270WSM. The ballistics are pretty close to a 7remmag with the lighter bullets. The most power of the bunch without a lot of unneeded recoil.

Never had much use for the 30-06.

Hunted Texas all my life and given one rifle I would select a 300 magnum of some sort with 180 gr. bullets...

Some of the longest shots I have made were down one of those long senderos in So. Texas, easy to get a 400 to 600 yd. shot opertunity and with a good rest from a Texas stand, its a pretty valid shot, and you sure want to put them down quick, because tracking in that dense thick stickery s---t on that blood absorbing sand can be tough.....

Well you first mitioned,which caliber do we like. well you have 2 of the sams calibers mitioned in your line up 270 win. and 270 wsm. same caliber different cartridge. which is .277 . DO you want to know which caliber or which cartridge to use. well i like the 7-MM or a .264 caliber. but i think i know what you mean I love mt 7MM-08 for what you are hunting I also like my .260 rem. for the same

mb525,

You got more votes for "Other" than any of your other choices.

Distance (range) COULD be a BIG (Texas pun) factor in Texas.

The world's greatest Pig hunting cartridge IMHO is the 9.3x62.

quote:

Originally posted by muzzleblast525:
Never had much use for the 30-06.

Well, then you have even less use for the .308.

I like both as they are fine cartridges. Factory ballistics are about dead even. Handloads however favor the .30-06.

All the texas deer I ever shot but one were killed with my .30-30. The exception fell to my .30-06.

The .308 is always a good choice - so is the 7X57mm Mauser with a relatively fast-twist barrel and 175-grain bullets. It is as versatile as the .308 or the .30/'06, and can handle longer, heavier bullets better than the 7/'08.

I voted for .270 win because it is a great round for hunting as you described. Ammo can be found in just about any small town and performance is great for the level of recoil. If you hand load (high factory ammo cost) you might also consider a .257 weatherby which will yield about the same recoil but is easily capable of 3600 fps with 100 grain bullets. Veloctiy with a bullet that will hold together reasonably well is the combination that seems to work well for me.

30-06 is a better all around cartridge than any you mention - more than adequate power with the 30 caliber bullet selection.

I have used a .243, .270, .280. 30-06, .300 win mag and .375 H&H.

All work fine, the .243 kills things dead as well as the .375 H&H. Shoot what you like.

I'm with Ray. For a one rifle battery it would hard to beat a 300Mag. Close or far, big or small a 300mag will get the job done.

Terry

Of those listed,only the .308" is a caliber.The rest are cartridges.

I say 30-06 og 7mmrem mag, both have plenty of punch if you want to hunt something bigger later and you can easyly load em down too!

quote:

Originally posted by muzzleblast525:
I've posted this elsewhere, but wanted to check if see what you think....For hunting deer/hogs in Texas, and maybe going somewhere else in the future, which would you choose....

I checked your pole and it looks like the 270 is the winner. Why am I writing this?? There are better choices, and all start with .308 bullets.
I am sure this will start a fight, but here goes anyway. I'm not a 270 fan, and without Jack singing its praises I think it would have long ago been put on the back burner. It is not a matter of power, rather it is a matter of bullet. The 270 is one of those cartridges that deserves a premium bullet, and needs one to do its best. Anything less will just make a big hole.

I voted "other", and that other is the .25-06
Remington. A 100 gr Barnes TSX load, would be
my choice, to put pork, or venison, on the
grill. Even tough hog sides, will not be
enough armor to stop that Barnes TSX...

Squeeze

.308 Win.
But I am pretty biases. Easy to reload, lots of factory ammo, great bullet choices, etc.

Of course you could say the same about any 30 cal.