30-06 or 270

[poncaguy]

My first rifle was a Remington 700 30-06, never did like it. Sold it and got a 700 270, loved it. Jack O'Conner fan..........would use the 270 or 280 on elk..............

[WyoStillhunter]

Simple answer: 30'06.

I have killed elk with 280, '06, 35 Whelen, and 444Marlin.  Given today's wide range of ammo for the 270 I would be just as happy with it.  In fact I wish the Remington 700 Mountain Rifle I passed on to my son was a 270 instead of a 280.

Bottom line -- I own two '06s and no 270.

[Coyote Hunter]

Either one will work but I prefer the heavier bullets (150g) in the .270 Win for elk.  A .30-06 with a good 165g would be my choice.  May be what I use this fall, in fact.  By "good bullet" I'm talking bonded or Partition at a minimum, TSX/MRX, Trophy Bonded, A-Frame or North Fork.

Since 1982, though, my primary elk rifle has been 7mm Rem Mag with 160g bullets.  Its taken its share of coyotes, too, and more than a few prairie rats.

[MGMorden]

I vote .30-06.  It is THE "Best all Around" rifle cartridge of all time.  Ammo is plentiful (and cheap) anywhere you go, and you'll not find ANYTHING on this continent that can't be hunted with it.  Sure it's a bit much on the lower end (varmints), and a bit on the light side for the high end (grizzlies and moose), but it does span that entire range.  My family has hunted with the cartridge for 3 generations now (though my father is now hunting with a Ruger MKII .270 - he ditched his Remington 742 .30-06 more because of the gun than the cartridge.  He used that gun for over 20 years though.).

My opinion has always been: if you can only afford or have ONE gun, it should be a .12ga shotgun.  If you can swing a second one it should be a .30-06 .

Mike