Here's the conditions, I'm in a finantial bind right now and am going to be selling all of my guns for money, but wan't to have at least 1 rifle. I handle my 338 win fine but would like something a little lighter recoiling for the range and others to shoot. I'm baisically replacing all my guns with one rifle.

The type of game it would be used on would be deer mainly, maybe a black bear some time.

I already have dies for the 270 and was just going to get a Marlin XL7 bolt rifle for really cheap, to get a little more cash back.

but... the 35 whelen just keeps drawing me in.
but I'm thinking the only guns chambered for this round are more than $500 and the very light kick of the 270 would be nice.

I'm leaning towards the 270 because I have dies, ammo avalability and price, cheap rifle, and I could always get a 375 h&h later if I need something bigger cause I've always wanted one.

So what do you guys think?

As much a I love the .338 Win. Mag. and .35 Whelen, I think the .270 would best serve your needs as you've described them.

Sounds like the 270 to me, and you wont be undergunned at all on the things you want to shoot.
I would definatly pass on the whelen, it is more of a specialty caliber, big bullet, major thump, short range.
The 338 would be a great all arounder, 180 grainer for deer and load it heavy for whatever you need to put a whuppin on.
But if you are in a crunch, the 270 is a lot less expensive to load and shoot, and very , very versatile.

Given your criteria the 270 from your options. The Whelen is a great round, but the 270 is a little more vesatile for deer, black bear etc. especially if you want the option of a little more distance.

BUT then, there is always the old standby '06...

what animal in North America can you not kill with a .270 Winchester? If I had one gun and one gun only I would not get a 30-06, .243, or 35 Whelen. I guess I read to much Jack O as a boy. Another consideration, the 280 Remington another fine choice.

if you feel comfortable carrying a .270 on a black bear hunt, go for it.

I do understand the financial constraints.

If I were going to be a one rifle, lower 48 guy, I would sell everything and get a .280

I like the 7mm bullet selection.

quote:

if you feel comfortable carrying a .270 on a black bear hunt, go for it.

You're kidding, right?

shot placement kills!!!

The 270 is MORE THAN adequate for any black bear anywhere. I intend to prove that to myself next year and to anyone who doubts its capability.

You already have all the reasons to have a 270. Sounds like a no-brainer to me. I will ALWAYS have a 270. And, I wouldn't hesitate to hunt bears with it, or moose, or elk. I do have other rifles that are considered to be more adequate, but we are talking about you and ONE rifle.

The 280 is also an excellent choice, and for that matter, I'd bypass that and go with a 280 AI. Great bullet selection and closer to a 7mag with less recoil.

However, are we to believe that there is a lack of .277 bullet selection? Hardly. Please tell me what a 270 and a 150 partition or Aframe or TTSX cannot handle based on deer/bears?

If you aren't going to hunt anything huge a 25-06 might do just as well as the 270 with less recoil and a bit more speed.

quote:

Originally posted by SDhunter:

quote:

if you feel comfortable carrying a .270 on a black bear hunt, go for it.

You're kidding, right?

shot placement kills!!!

let me explain:
i have never seen a blackie in real life, that's why i didn't comment on its bear capabilities.
however, they have large teeth's.

but for everything non-DG in NA the .270 will do just fine(deers, moose, etc).

270. Hands down.

quote:

but for everything non-DG in NA the .270 will do just fine(deers, moose, etc).

Correct, and it is more than adequate for a Black Bear.

I have absolutely no love for the 270, but in your particular case, it sounds like the best choice for you. Me, I would keep the 338winmag & load up or down for it, but that is just me.

I must confess that I am a huge fan of the .35 Whelen. However, if you don't plan on anything bigger than a black Bear or the occasional elk, go with the .270. Most people would disagree with me, but I'm a one load kind of guy so for my 270, I use only 150 gr. Speer Hot-cores for the light stuff and if I go after elk, the 150 gr. Nosler partition, both loads worked to to hit the same point of impact out to 200 yards.
Paul B.

I agree with Paul and most of the others. Go with the 270 win. and when things are better get another 35 whelen(or your first one). Good Luck to ya.

When times are tough, no matter what the reason,
get a 30-06.

I have both and think they are great calibers. Both will do fine and they are very versatile. I dont think the Whelen kick that much more than the 270 but that might be stock design.

Choosing the right bullets, field testing trajectory and knowing your limits help a lot.

screw it....sell em all and pick up a used .30-06.

You'll have the best for anything that walks that way!

I just chose a Marlin XL7(.270) for my oldest son's first "do everything" rifle here in Montana. In the hands of a responsible hunter it is an excellent choice.

.270 is hard to beat. I've taken many black bear with the .270 and it's fantastic all-around caliber. I've had complete penetration on moose at almost 300 yards with a 150gr Partition - it'll do the job on big animals no problem as well.

If you didn't already have dies, I'd likely suggest a .30-06 as it is a very potent all-rounder as well for deer/black bear/elk/moose.

I would most likely opt for proven budget rifles like the Weatherby Vanguard, Remington M700 SPS, and Savage 110 before the Marlin, just personal preference after having heard some horror stories (granted I heard them on the Internet) about other budget models.

I'm sure Marlin did a fine job engineering the XL7 as usual but would rather wait a year or two for the feedback from current owners after a few hundred rounds before diving in myself.

quote:

Originally posted by oldun:
When times are tough, no matter what the reason,
get a 30-06.

Have to agree with this and a 270 Win is what I have hunted with the most.

With a 30-06 you have a large selection of bullet weights including heavier suitable for just about anything on the continent.

Good, inexpensive used rifles are widely available. Brass and components are widely available and reloading is relatively inexpensive.

The Marlin XL7 can be purchased in 30/06 as well. You can probably sell your .270 dies for about half price which would mean spending $20.00 on some new 06 dies.

Still, based on what you have described, the .270 is the perfect caliber for you. It is basically the perfect caliber for myself as well. Deer, antelope, elk and moose are all easily harvested by the .270. Unless you plan to be in dangerous bear country, I would opt for the 270 or 30/06.

Personally, I consider the 338/06 a better round than the 35 Whelen.

270 win - great all around cartridge for north america.

re: rifle - just pick up a used rem model 700 and a used leupold scope off the classifieds here and you are set for life.

gohip2000,
I’m to sorry to hear that you are in a financial bind.

This almost sounds like the one rifle scenario question?

I like the 270 & the (280 a little more).
BUT < a BIG but
I’m a 35 Whelen fan myself and would take it over anything else if I had to be left with 1 gun. Trade your 270 die set in with the guns, get a Whelen die set , load 200 gainers for deer 250 grainer for bear & Shoot handgun 158 grain 357 bullets for 20 yard - in the morning - off your deck in your pajama’s for close up deer……..

If a 357 handgun can do it, so can a Whelen.

Seriously you can get a NEW 35 Whelen CDL for $549.00 I’ll tell you where after I pick one up on Sept 1st.

Vg

35 Whelen for less than $500?

You betcha! Check out Gunbroker.com and you'll find a bunch of Rem 700 Classics in 35 Whelen which are very inexpensive. I just scored one for $450 plus shipping.

I've had a 270, 30-06, 300 win, and 338 win
my favorite 2 out of those where the 270 and the 338. I do have a new ziess conquest scope that took off my 338 and replaced with a nikon pro staff to sell with the rifle. I'll keep the ziess for the new rifle I get.
I've had a savage 30-06 and I loved the looks, but didn't like the feel. it seamed to kick more than the 300 win I replaced it with and I just couldn't seem to shoot that rifle accurately (bad fit) I guess. The 270 remington fit me well, but remingtons have all jumped up a couple hundred bucks along with every other brand. I'm looking for the $300-$400 range preferably. I will definately keep and eye on the used guns too.

I would buy the Marlin XL7 in .270 then.

I bought the Shooting Times issue with the XL7 review in it and was actually impressed by the gun. If you compare it to the Mossberg 4X4 I was pondering over, the XL7 appears to be a much better gun. Once I read about safety issues with the Mossberg, goodbye.

Perhaps the engineers at Marlin sent a tweaked out gun for the review, perhaps not, but you could probably do some really easy refinments to get that gun shooting MOA. The triggers looks to be properly designed which will make one glad.

You could start by chopping out the stock, getting rid of those cheesy rubber pressure pads, and glass bed it with free floating.

270 is probabley the better choice. But latly I have herd some black bear stories that might make me prefer a 30,06.
...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:
270 is probabley the better choice. But latly I have herd some black bear stories that might make me prefer a 30,06.

Yup, and if it is going to be used for black bear's specifically... ...definately going to be in bear country.

The .270 will shoot a 140 grain bullet at about 3000 fps.

The 30/06 will shoot a 180 grain at about 2750.

The question is will the extra 40 grains give one that much more stopping power at a charging bear? Another reason I liked the idea of selling my 270 and buying a .300 mag. I don't hunt bear but when in elk country... ...usually in bear country.

ok I think it'l be a 270 for sure.
I was thinking the marlin XL7 because it's gotten good reviews so far, but other's I didn't think of are stevens, weatherby vanguard, Howa 1500

I want the cost to be under $400

quote:

Originally posted by gohip2000:
ok I think it'l be a 270 for sure.
I was thinking the marlin XL7 because it's gotten good reviews so far, but other's I didn't think of are stevens, weatherby vanguard, Howa 1500

I want the cost to be under $400

Were it me and I wanted one gun that cost me under $400 I'd seek out any number of used Mausers. The JC Higgins model 50 or 51, available in .270 or .30-06. The Interarms Mk X also available in those cartridges. Heck, I even bought two FN Sporters this year for under $400. One a 1952 in .270 set me back Less than $300, the other was a newer 7mm Rem in like new condition, $395.

I like the .270 a lot but if I had to have only one cartridge it would be the .30-06.

I know of a nice Interarms Mk X in .270 for only $350. The older style with the in the bow release. Nice stick of walnut.

.270 Winchester, Enough snuff out to 300 for good sized red deer this side of the pond.

I think I made a decision.
My 45-70 H&R buffalo classic was purchased for about $350 and I bet I wouldn't get more than $200 for it when trading in, so I will probably just keep it as I feel I could hit a deer vitaly up to 200 yards with it which is all I'd really need for Minnesota. + with the right bullet I can take any north american game at short to medium range with it.
It was my last gun to clean before I take them in to sell them this weekend and as I was cleaning the bore I looked through it and got this strong feeling that I can't sell it. the bore was so shiny still and it feels good to shoot.
I've got good finger adjustable sites on it and I bet if I put a scope on it, it would be damb accurate.
with the open sites, I can keep 40 out of 40 shots on a license plate at 100 yards and can get 2" groups when I concentrate.

Gohip2000,

Sorry to hear about the challenging times ... happening to a lot of folks. Times'll get better.

The .45-70 will do fine for a while.

When you get back toward your feet, the .270 is a great choice. I'm something of a rifle caliber collector (.223, 6mm Rem, .264 Win Mag, .270 Win, .308 Win, .30-06, .338-06, .338 Win Mag, 9,3x62, etc, etc). Recently got the .270 and it is fun to shoot, accurate, and easy to load for.

270win all the way !

.270win all the way.

I had a bout with not liking it due to excessive damage to Texas deer, but after shooting a sizeable hog between the eyes..... The bullet exited the lower rear leg. End to end after passing through and removing most of the hogs forehead. I was impressed.

My only gripe is it may be too fast for smaller game, but that's another discussion

I'd keep the .338. Guess I read too much Elmer Keith as a boy.

I think you have answered your own question.
IMHO I like larger heavy bullets on game that may fight back. (black bears) That said the chances of that are very slim.
It all biols down to the age old statement. Shot placement kills animals! The 270 is more than capible of killing most things on the planet if the bullet does it's job and holds together and you do your part and but it on target.
Dead is dead! The animal doesn't care what you killed it with.
MM

gohip2000,

Gun trading will take some of your money and mine as well. Keep the 338 Ruger and load for it. A light bullet loaded down just a little would be fine for deer etc. from that round.

I read of an accident with that Marlin where a pin fell out of the bolt/lugs.