I'm getting a new rifle next week, a stainless Tikka T3 Lite. Got it narrowed down to two, possibly three calibers.
-.30-06
-7mm-08
-.270
I already have two .270's but they're wood stocks and one got in pretty bad shape last year after spending a week in the rain during rifle season in Oklahoma. Made up my mind then that I'd go stainless and synthetic for a go-to/all weather type rifle. Too much can go wrong with rusting and swelling wood, neither are bedded stocks. So, it kinda doesn't make sense to have another .270 except that I love the caliber. The primary purpose for this rifle is whitetail and pigs and I don't reload so I have to use factory ammo.
So, the .30-06 is appealing because of the ammo selection and availability of ammo and if a rifle elk hunt comes up in a year or two (hopefully) I'll have the means to do that and can jump up to a heavily constructed 165-180 grain bullet and get the job done. So it's more of a jack of all trades and master of none.
Pros: versatile round, hard hitting, wide selection of bullets/ammo
Cons: most recoil of the 3 options
The 7mm-08 is ideal for whitetail and pigs but a little light for elk if this is supposed to be my all purpose rifle. I know it's killed plenty but it might be a smaller margin for error with that caliber. Such a light kicking caliber too for the performance you get, which is a plus.
Pros: light recoil, very effective on deer/pigs, short action (doesn't matter on the Tikka)
Cons: limited ammo selection/availability in stores, might be too light of a caliber for a future hunt
The .270 is what it is. Absolute poison on deer and can handle elk too, although I've heard guides usually prefer a minimum of a .30-06.
Pros: moderate recoil. flat shooting, hard hitting, great ammo selection, can handle larger game
Cons: already have two rifles in this caliber
Nothing above a .30-06 is even under consideration, I'm just not a fan of a ton of recoil and I've shot a 7mm Rem Magnum plenty, that's above my teeth rattling limit
Kind of a secondary question, if I went 7mm-08, what's a premium factory ammo selection? I've seen 140 grain TTSX, Trophy Bonded Tip and Accubonds....anything else I should look at? No matter which caliber, I'll buy 3 boxes of the best stuff and see which one the rifle likes best.
-.30-06
-7mm-08
-.270
I already have two .270's but they're wood stocks and one got in pretty bad shape last year after spending a week in the rain during rifle season in Oklahoma. Made up my mind then that I'd go stainless and synthetic for a go-to/all weather type rifle. Too much can go wrong with rusting and swelling wood, neither are bedded stocks. So, it kinda doesn't make sense to have another .270 except that I love the caliber. The primary purpose for this rifle is whitetail and pigs and I don't reload so I have to use factory ammo.
So, the .30-06 is appealing because of the ammo selection and availability of ammo and if a rifle elk hunt comes up in a year or two (hopefully) I'll have the means to do that and can jump up to a heavily constructed 165-180 grain bullet and get the job done. So it's more of a jack of all trades and master of none.
Pros: versatile round, hard hitting, wide selection of bullets/ammo
Cons: most recoil of the 3 options
The 7mm-08 is ideal for whitetail and pigs but a little light for elk if this is supposed to be my all purpose rifle. I know it's killed plenty but it might be a smaller margin for error with that caliber. Such a light kicking caliber too for the performance you get, which is a plus.
Pros: light recoil, very effective on deer/pigs, short action (doesn't matter on the Tikka)
Cons: limited ammo selection/availability in stores, might be too light of a caliber for a future hunt
The .270 is what it is. Absolute poison on deer and can handle elk too, although I've heard guides usually prefer a minimum of a .30-06.
Pros: moderate recoil. flat shooting, hard hitting, great ammo selection, can handle larger game
Cons: already have two rifles in this caliber
Nothing above a .30-06 is even under consideration, I'm just not a fan of a ton of recoil and I've shot a 7mm Rem Magnum plenty, that's above my teeth rattling limit
Kind of a secondary question, if I went 7mm-08, what's a premium factory ammo selection? I've seen 140 grain TTSX, Trophy Bonded Tip and Accubonds....anything else I should look at? No matter which caliber, I'll buy 3 boxes of the best stuff and see which one the rifle likes best.
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