.270 vs 338

[300UltraMagShooter]

which one and why?
just curious about responses.... i have zero clue at this point.

[1bugman]

Depends on what you want to hunt with it. I do most of my hunting with my 270. Killed a lot a deer. Just bought a 300 win mag. for elk. do know much about the 338,but it maybe a little over kill for Deer.

[wsucowboy]

my dad has killed alot of deer with his 338 and it's not over kill. It's over kill when he shoots coyotes in the pasture with it but it's fine on deer.

[carpsniperg2]

more details needed

what are you hunting?
how far are you wanting to shoot?
does ammo price matter?
do you handload?

[300UltraMagShooter]

no, don't hand load.

obviously i shoot a 300 rum.... and i love how accurate it is with factor ammo.

I got it cause I wanted to have a gun to hunt anything and everything with.  Just one gun.

I'm simply trying to figure out if I could not have done the same thing with something smaller.

i figured I'd go on the light side and on the upper and lower end of the spectrum to see if I could get some opinions.

[FC]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_D.M._Bell

Bell shot over 1500 elephants during his career. He was noted for using high speed, smaller calibre bullets[7] rather than than the bigger slower calibres that were popular with other big game hunters[8]. Over a thousand of these kills were made with English manufactured copies of German Mauser rifles in 7x57mm calibre. A further 300 were killed with Mannlicher-Schoenauer 6.5x54mm[9] carbines, and another 200 with a .303 British[10]. He insisted on using military Full Metal Jacket bullets weighing from approx 150 to 200 grains, rather than the 400+ grain bullets popular at the time[11] Bell refused to use soft point bullets under any circumstances.

Shot placement is what it's all about, I would take the .270 out of those two.

[Tony 270]

which one and why?
just curious about responses.... i have zero clue at this point.

For what game and what ranges?

[shedcrazy]

I use both, they are my big game rifles. You can never kill them to dead. i love em both!!

[Tony 270]

I'd say if you already have a 300 ultra then go down to a 270. Really not going to gain anything by using a 338 on top of what you already have. But the 270 can be used well in addition to it, without overlapping.

[bobcat]

I'd say if you already have a 300 ultra then go down to a 270. Really not going to gain anything by using a 338 on top of what you already have. But the 270 can be used well in addition to it, without overlapping.

  You definitely won't gain anything by going to a 338, over a 300 Ultra Mag. But if you get a 270 you'll have a rifle that you actually might enjoy shooting more than that Ultra Mag, and it's probably going to be quite a bit lighter and easier to carry all day while hunting.

[Skinnyman]

Do you have to pick?? Two totally different guns, each having its own benefits. I personally have a 338 WM and love it, dont have a 270. But the recoil on the 338 WM for some might be a little stiff, although it doesn't bother me. Also, if you dont reload, 338 WM factory ammo is A LOT more expensive than 270 factory ammo. And at the range, you can put more 270 rounds downrange before your shoulder craps out.

If I had both guns, I would choose a 270 for deer and smaller, and a 338 for everything bigger. But I only have a 338, and I dont think a 338 is too big for deer (is there such a thing as too much gun, or too dead of an animal).

[Gutpile]

Talk about comparing apples and oranges.

[C-Money]

I sure dont like hurting, so I shoot something that is friendly to the shoulder. I shoot ether a .270win (most of the time) or a 30-06. Never felt under gunned. Made good shots at 300 ish yards with both. Deer fall over dead!

[1bugman]

If I had both guns, I would choose a 270 for deer and smaller, and a 338 for everything bigger. But I only have a 338, and I dont think a 338 is too big for deer (is there such a thing as too much gun, or too dead of an animal)

Yes, There is such a thing as over kill. I've seen some deer shot ,once in the shoulder, with 30-06's that where only good for burger, and noting else. The only time I've had that happen with my .270, I shot the poor thing 5 times thinking I was missing. and not wanting it to go dawn that steep hill.

[bobcat]

Yes, There is such a thing as over kill. I've seen some deer shot ,once in the shoulder, with 30-06's that where only good for burger, and noting else. The only time I've had that happen with my .270, I shot the poor thing 5 times thinking I was missing. and not wanting it to go dawn that steep hill.

A 30-06 will do no more damage to meat than a 270. They are virtually the same as far as that aspect goes. It's the type of bullet used that really makes a difference.