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Which rifle and round to get next? 270 7mm-08 7mm Rem Mag

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Ranger1

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This is my first posting in the forum. I am looking for opinions on which new rifle and caliber to purchase. I can't seem to make my mind up and every few days decide on a different one. So here is my dilemma...

The two rifles I am debating are the Winchester XPR Hunter with the Kuiu camo or the Howa 1500 Gameking.

As far caliber I have a .30-30 .308, and .30-06, and of course a few .223/5.56 rifles. I am looking for something in a sub .30 caliber. Currently I am leaning toward either the .270 7mm-08 or 7mm Rem mag. I am going to start reloading so I am not concerned about ammo cost being an issue.

To date, I have only ever hunted Texas whitetail and feral hogs (aside from pheasants in South Dakota and Iowa). But have been wanting to go on a black bear hunt or OTC elk hunt and am finally planning on going this fall. I'd also like to hunt antelope at some point but that is probably not going to happen anytime in the next year.

Any advice??
 
6.5 creed or .243

Lots of good bullets out there for reloaders , and will nicely fill the gap between the .223 and .30 cals...
 
I am in the same boat as you...kinda. I have a decent synthetic do-all shotgun, a 300 WSM for larger animals, a 257 Weatherby for about everything. I have a few handguns and 22mag rifle for fun. I am strongly considering a 7mm-08 as good do-all caliber for my son. I really hope Buzz chimes in. I am considering that caliber because of his praise and many published exploits with that caliber. Both my rifles are Howa action (Weatherby Vanguard) and they will easily shoot sub MOA. I am trying to locate a Weatherby Vanguard WBY-X Volt in 7mm-08 for my son. I think it will be a fun project for this summer.

Given all that, have you considered the 257 Weatherby in a Howa action? With the guns you already have that would cover just about anything else you might consider hunting. I even took a 340 class bull elk in Wyoming with mine before I got the 300WsM. I love the caliber! It has reasonable recoil, very accurate, easy to reload and very fun to shoot.
 
Given what you already have and that this is for your son, i'd go with the 7mm-08.
 
What ranges are you wanting to shoot at. If distance is your goal do the 7 mag. If an ultra light weight rifle is your goal go with the 7-08. The 270 would be a good tweener.

Honestly looking at your current rifles a .260 rem or 6.5 creedmore may give a slightly different selection. Truthfully if distance, recoil, or weight were not the major issues id pick the rifle I wanted and let fate pick the caliber based on the cost or availability.

Either gun you mentioned would be a fine rifle. There are many good options in that price range.
 
I've never known anyone who bought a 7mm-08 and didn't fall in love with it. That cartridge just puts a smile on your face...
 
Your 308 cases can be sized and loaded for the 7mmOTOA, which is basically a 308 w slightly lighter bullets. I hunt elk w a heavy 7 mag and a light 270. @ less than 300 yds the 270 does everything the big 7 does, w less recoil and noise. If you are mainly hunting deer/bear sized game, I see no need for the magnum. I have great confidence in my 7 mag because it was my one and only for 20+ years, and killed everything it hit w one shot. Without that emotional consideration, the 270 is better suited to most of my hunting needs for elk in CO: carrying all day, shooting 300 yd max, 90% of shots under 200. Mono, bonded and partition bullets allow better penetration and weight retention than my standard for years, green box cup-and-core bullets. Congratulations on recruiting your son as a new hunter.
 
7mm mag if your not concerned with recoil. It has a great bc and versatility. 139gr-175+grains. If your going to reload, go 7 mag. Get your some 168gr vid's and some Retumbo.
 
I've got a 7mm08 and 7mm Rem Mag, both Tikka with Leopold optics. If you're not worried about the recoil then I'd recommend the rem mag. Both are nice to shoot but I have suppressed mine, not sure i'd be keen on the reg mag otherwise.
 
I went through a similar process looking for a rifle for my dad and if short action wasn't a criteria I would have gone with the 270. 7mm08 ammo is available in my area but only at a couple places and finding a rifle in that chambering proved impossible so as much as I love that cartridge I had to go with a 308.

I think the 270 is capable of everything on your list and the added benefit to reloading is matching the bullet to the game. Load it up with heavy bonded bullets or monos for elk and lighter ballistic tips for deer and antelope. It shoots flatter than the 7mm08 and recoil from a light 270 won't beat you up like a 7 mag. If you loose or forget ammo while you're on a trip you could find it literally anywhere that sells ammo.

The 7 mag will give you distance at the cost of magnum powder charges and recoil, 270 will give you slightly less distance with less powder and a little more flexibility, and 7mm08 gives you a short action lightweight gun that's a dream to shoot and will kill elk with good shot placement and good bullets. I don't really think you could lose no matter what you go with, just figure out what your priorities are and use that to make your decision.
 
A 25-06 is a nice caliber for the smaller stuff and yet will certainly take elk on the larger end of things. Good ballistics and not much hurt on the shooter!
 
First off, I love Kimber, Nosler and Leupold. I usually look to these folks for the data to support my decisions. A main difference between the 7mm-08 and 270 is size of the gun and associated weight. The 270 is usually a 24" barrel. In the case of a Kimber Montana that makes it 8 oz. heavier than the 5.2 oz 7mm-08. I personally own the Kimber Montana in a 270 WSM and 7mm-08. They are very different guns with the WSM being 13 ozs heavier than the 7mm-08. If physical weight and comfort of use are your objective - say you plan on hiking a bunch to get your animal, then the lighter gun might be better. On the other hand, if impact at distance is your objective then a 270 or 270 WSM are better choices. The new Kimber Montana (which is what you should buy :hump:) includes a threaded end for muzzle break/silencer. Just add a break to your new gun order for $80.00 and any of these calibers are even more fun to shoot - really easy on the shoulder. The hard core boys on Hunt Talk don't care for muzzle breaks, but I'm enjoying my wife's new .308 in the Montana with the muzzle break - very easy to shoot. I wear hearing protection any way so the "bang" doesn't bother me. One last point - if you are looking at the 7mm Mag - maybe consider the 280 AI. This caliber can achieve Mag performance without the weight of a mag gun among other advantages. Several threads on here about the advantages of the 280 AI.
 
It would be tough to beat a 7mm-08 or 6.5 something or other since you've got a few 30 cal rifles.
 
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