lfootmatt Report post Posted February 4, 2009 I'm leaning toward 7mm-08 or .270 at this point. I've got my buddies .270 sitting at home and may take it out and see how Mitch handles it. Pima Pistol Club is only 10 Minutes from my front door. I'm planning on hitting that often after getting home. Thanks for the input! Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Sniper Report post Posted February 4, 2009 A very good cartridge with excellent long range potential (read - won't grow out of) that hasn't been mentioned is the 7mm WSM. Nothing wrong with the two you are considering either. But that 7mm WSM... nice round. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted February 4, 2009 there is no reason to blaspheme and mention the divinely inspired .270 in the same sentence as that other genetically inferior thing based on a .308 case. get him a .270 and your done. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
desertdog Report post Posted February 4, 2009 If your considering the .270 then I would say take a good long look at the .280. The only advantage the .270 has over the .280 is the wide range of factory ammo. The Ballistics's of the .270 cant add up. You get the 7mm bullet and all its advantages. Nothing against the .270 it is a great round and always will be. You can never go wrong with the .270. My thing is what ever round you end up with practice is the key. Shot placement is what it is all about period. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted February 5, 2009 ok, what are the ballistic advantages of a 7mm bullet? it is .284 diameter, a .270 is .277 (which, by the way, is actually 7mm diameter. europeans like to measure bore diameter inside the lands, not bullet diameter). that is .007" larger in diameter. 7 thousandths of an inch. wrap a piece of tissue around a .270 bullet and it will be over .284 diameter. they make a lotta big bullets for a .284, but big bullets in a small caliber don't do much good. too slow, high pressures, drop like a rock. if you need a big bullet, you need a big gun. nothing wrong with the .284 diameter, but it isn't ballistically superior to a .277. one thing a .270 does have over a .284 is that a 1 in 10 inch twist will stabilize any .270 bullet. you can experience accuracy deficiency with a .284 with various bullet weights, with most barrels, becaue they don't have an ideal twist, like the .270 and .338 cal's do. that's why the name changed from .280 rem to the 7mm express and back again, because they changed the barrel twist, trying to get folks to buy them. the .280 was remington's copycat of the .270 like the .244/6mm rem was a copycat of the .243. there are 2 big reasons they never did well in sales. both cases were made a little longer than the .270 or .243 to keep someone from chambering them in the wrong gun. this intern wouldn't allow an '06 to be easily necked down to the .280 and wouldn't allow the .308 to be easily necked down to a .244/6mm. and they twisted both barrels wrong to stabilize the bullets hunters wanted to use, instead of what they wanted them to use. the .280 would be a great gun, if there wasn't already the .270 and if you could neck down '06 brass without a lotta work. the .244/6mm is the same story. all guns are good, some are better, and the .270 is the best, having been divinely designed and all. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted February 5, 2009 there is no reason to blaspheme and mention the divinely inspired .270 in the same sentence as that other genetically inferior thing based on a .308 case. get him a .270 and your done. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KGAINES Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Get him a real rifle that will take down most anything and has a variety of bullets available nowdays from light loads to a little more. My vote is for a 45/70 lever action Marlin, they have several different models available, the XLR models developed for the leverevolution bullets, there are a few different 1895's in differing lengths that all shoot the 45/70. I have two and shooting the cowboy loads they don't have much of a kick at all, the cor-bons, buffalo bore or my heavy reloads kick a little harder out of the guide gun, but you still don't feel them much in the 1895C. A 325 grain leverevolution bullet is plenty for an elk and a good bullet for anything in Arizona, but you can get 300 grain to 500 grain bullets for just about anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
audsley Report post Posted February 6, 2009 I think the best advice you got was to go with the .270 Win. The WSM version does have more recoil. My son shot a .270 for about 10 years before getting the WSM and noticed the increased recoil right away. Another advantage of the .270 is that will work for anything in Arizona. If it's a good one he'll never need another rifle. Can't say the same about a .243. I was glad someone also mentioned the 6.5x55. It's an excellent caliber with much less recoil than even the .270 Win. The problem is finding a good one without having to pay too much. The military surplus guns often don't shoot as well as you'd like. Some do, but many don't. I have four 6.5x55s, 1 a near-mint condition military rifle in original form, 2 other military mausers that have been sporterized and a Sako 85 that cost me $900 used. Some day I'll probably pick up a used Winchester featherweight in that caliber. I guess I just have a 6.5x55 fetish. For the .270, the Weatherby Vanguard with 2 stocks from Wal Mart should work just fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lfootmatt Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Get him a real rifle that will take down most anything and has a variety of bullets available nowdays from light loads to a little more. My vote is for a 45/70 lever action Marlin, they have several different models available, the XLR models developed for the leverevolution bullets, there are a few different 1895's in differing lengths that all shoot the 45/70. I have two and shooting the cowboy loads they don't have much of a kick at all, the cor-bons, buffalo bore or my heavy reloads kick a little harder out of the guide gun, but you still don't feel them much in the 1895C. A 325 grain leverevolution bullet is plenty for an elk and a good bullet for anything in Arizona, but you can get 300 grain to 500 grain bullets for just about anything. 500 grains, that should just about be enough to take down one of those highly dangerous tough hided hadr to kill Coues Whitetails I actually love 45/70. My buddy Brian has a trap door and a rolling block that are a blast to shoot! I'm going to pour some gas on the fire now. My same buddy, now living in Guam, just informed me that a friend of his offered him an unfired NIB SS Remington Custom Shop Model 7 in 7mm08, 22" barrel, 40-X Trigger, all on a composite McMillan stock. This was made by the same guy that made my Modle 700 .300SAUM. It it is basically their Alaska Wilderness Rifle, dressed just like my .300. These Rifles were made by a friend of Brian's that has since retired. We're talking full on hand built custom rifles at less than Walmart prices. My .300SAUM does under 7/8" 3 shot groups at 200 yards all day long with 180 grain Barnes TSX bullets doing just a hair under 3000fps even in very hard gusty wind conditions. I also have a Custom Shop Model 700 VS-SF II in .204 Ruger that is very sweet. the triggers on these rifles are just incredible! Regardless of the caliber debate I'd be stupid to pass up this opportunity. Very versatile round in AZ with low recoil, and in a configuration my boy can handle, and a heirloom quality rifle. Given the circumstances I've got to go with this rifle. I'm anxiously awaiting my his reply! That take care of one boy, I still have two more to go! Later, Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted February 6, 2009 Get him a real rifle that will take down most anything and has a variety of bullets available nowdays from light loads to a little more. My vote is for a 45/70 lever action Marlin, they have several different models available, the XLR models developed for the leverevolution bullets, there are a few different 1895's in differing lengths that all shoot the 45/70. I have two and shooting the cowboy loads they don't have much of a kick at all, the cor-bons, buffalo bore or my heavy reloads kick a little harder out of the guide gun, but you still don't feel them much in the 1895C. A 325 grain leverevolution bullet is plenty for an elk and a good bullet for anything in Arizona, but you can get 300 grain to 500 grain bullets for just about anything. 500 grains, that should just about be enough to take down one of those highly dangerous tough hided hadr to kill Coues Whitetails I actually love 45/70. My buddy Brian has a trap door and a rolling block that are a blast to shoot! I'm going to pour some gas on the fire now. My same buddy, now living in Guam, just informed me that a friend of his offered him an unfired NIB SS Remington Custom Shop Model 7 in 7mm08, 22" barrel, 40-X Trigger, all on a composite McMillan stock. This was made by the same guy that made my Modle 700 .300SAUM. It it is basically their Alaska Wilderness Rifle, dressed just like my .300. These Rifles were made by a friend of Brian's that has since retired. We're talking full on hand built custom rifles at less than Walmart prices. My .300SAUM does under 7/8" 3 shot groups at 200 yards all day long with 180 grain Barnes TSX bullets doing just a hair under 3000fps even in very hard gusty wind conditions. I also have a Custom Shop Model 700 VS-SF II in .204 Ruger that is very sweet. the triggers on these rifles are just incredible! Regardless of the caliber debate I'd be stupid to pass up this opportunity. Very versatile round in AZ with low recoil, and in a configuration my boy can handle, and a heirloom quality rifle. Given the circumstances I've got to go with this rifle. I'm anxiously awaiting my his reply! That take care of one boy, I still have two more to go! Later, Matt Good for you I think even Lark would have to say GO FOR IT Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
presnative Report post Posted February 6, 2009 I am also in the same position with regards to my son. My decision is the 270 cal. in a bolt action. We wont be disappointed in our choice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted February 7, 2009 A .470 Nitro Express. If he can handle that, then everything else is cake. I would pick a .270. When I was 12 my Dad got me a Remington 788 in a .308 caliber. That gun was a short barreled beast that kicked like a mule with no recoil pad, it was not a pleasant gun to shoot for a bony 12 year old. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted February 7, 2009 Why saddle the little guy with just one rifle for a lifetime of hunting? Get him that 7mm/08 or a .243 now, add a .270 or a .25-06 to his battery in a couple of years, and a .338 a few years after that. When he's all grown up, he'll buy his own 7 mm Rem Mag and .416 Remington and be equipped to hunt anything in the world. Bill Quimby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lfootmatt Report post Posted February 7, 2009 Why saddle the little guy with just one rifle for a lifetime of hunting? Get him that 7mm/08 or a .243 now, add a .270 or a .25-06 to his battery in a couple of years, and a .338 a few years after that. When he's all grown up, he'll buy his own 7 mm Rem Mag and .416 Remington and be equipped to hunt anything in the world. Bill Quimby Bill, I'm close on that 7mm/08. Just waiting to see if the owner is serious about parting with it. I like the way you think! One can never have too many guns. Thanks for all of the input! That is why this is such a great site. Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted February 8, 2009 I forgot to mention that you could always get him a larger more powerful caliber and put a muzzle brake on it to reduce the felt recoil. My semi custom 30-06 has a muzzle brake, and it shoots like a .243, however, It is a loud son of a gun when you shoot it without hearing protection. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
