Thinking of a new gun

[mmt7714]

I am thinking of a new handi. I hunted all this deer season with my 44 handi and loved it. I don't really know why, other than I just did. With that said, I am probably going to get another handi very soon for longer range work. Not super long range, just 200 yd to 300yd max. There are a couple of nice bucks still walking around right now because they came out a little too far for the 44 mag. Anyway, I don't reload as of right now, and am looking for some advice on my choice. 30-06, .308, .270. I know all of these are very capable of killing deer at the ranges mentioned and I have had a little experience with all of them, mostly 30-06 just not in a handi. How do these cartridges rank as far as recoil, accuracy, energy down range and so on. Also, if there are any that would be better suited feel free to let me know.

Mike

[dpe.ahoy]

The 3 you named are all good.  You can include 243, 25-06, 7mm-08, and the 280 on that list.  Any of these will reach out to 300 yd easy.  Don't know where you live, might check around and make sure what you pick is carried by local stores.  DP

[cwlongshot]

Any of those will suit you just fine. As DP mentioned there are others.

I would have a hard time deciding... My 25-06 shoots very well, as does my 280. The '06 I had was a good shooter as well. My 243 is a very fine shooter. The best shooter of them is the survivor 308. Its a tack driver. Mine has been converted to 307 by cutting a rim on the 308 chamber. the Larry modified the extractor so I could still shoot 308's!!!

Again, I know it doesn't answer your question, but I think you would be fine with any of them...


CW

[Ten Ring]

I'd try the 35 Whelen
Jim

[mcwoodduck]

You picked 3 ballistic first cousins.
All toss a 150 grain bullet about the same speed.  Same speed, same grain projectile, same weight rifle - recoil is going to be about the same. 
There is a whole formula that tells you more powder = more recoil.  But you said facotory ammo so We don't know the weights of the powder to compare.  let's just figure on equal and opposite reaction so throwing a 150 grain bullet 2700 to 2900 FPS is throwing a 150 grain bullet 2700 to 2900 FPS.
I am sure there are some out there that have a fondness for one over the other.  I do.
308 and 30-06 will have the widest variety of loaded ammo available.  From Low recoil loads to super high tech bullets.
I would look at your local stores and see what they carry and make a desicion from there.  What ammo is available, and at what costs.
Other than that....
I think your best bet is to go get a Quarter, Dime and Nickel.
Asign each coin a caliber and flip each one.  What ever one comes up odd, buy it.  two heads and a tail- Buy the tail, two tails and a head, buy the head.
And Next year - Think of getting another one

[Big Blue]

Of those you mentioned, the 30-06 has the widest selection of ammo and therefore usages. In my 30-06 I shoot 168gr. Barnes TSX bullets for longer range shots and Hornady RNSP 220gr. bullets for larger critters at closer range.
Don

[bikerbeans]

mmt,

+1 on the '06.  It works just fine for Sourdough in Alaska so should be fine for you.

BB

[Deerhunter#1]

I would go7-08 and then 270 especialy if only for deer. both capable to 300 yards and no need for the 06 unless you plan on going after bigger critters also. 270 ammo is widely available and usually cheaper but if you plan to reload the 08 is a pleasure to shoot.

[briannmilewis]

My personal gun guru says 7mm-08 is the sweetest of them all. When I am ready for a 200-300 yd rifle, it will be a 7mm-08, unless I am after buffalo.

[RussB]

Good advise from everyone....
FWIW: of the three you listed, there is very little difference IMO.
You can split fine hairs and make one shine just a wee bit better than the other under certain circumstances, but in the long run they're all very close to being about the same.
Of course we all have our favorites because we have tried on our own to split those same fine hairs and we made a choice based on we felt was best at the time.

There is one Handi that was only briefly mentioned, but will fit right well in this class of cartridges, and that is the .280.

Of course this is just more of that same fine hair splitting on my part, but if it were added to your selection of the three I think it would be my personal choice, assuming I could get one without that synthetic stock.

Russ

[zackyholdem]

i had the same dilema as you about a year ago either 3006,270,or 308

with 150gr bullets the 308 and 3006 are about the same

the 3006 really shines with larger bullets

the .308 has about a 1/3 less recoil

all that being said i bought the 30-06 and really love it

but if i did it all again and was going to only shoot whitetail and ranges less that 400yds with factory ammo i would
have went with the 308, the 06 is not needed for this situation and 308 factory is readily available and military surplus is
available on the cheap for the .308, i would go with the .308

[cjrjck]

I would go7-08 and then 270 especialy if only for deer. both capable to 300 yards and no need for the 06 unless you plan on going after bigger critters also. 270 ammo is widely available and usually cheaper but if you plan to reload the 08 is a pleasure to shoot.

Ditto. As I age and wither, my affection for those 308 based cartridges grows. For me, the 243 with a good bullet like the Barnes TSX is good medicine for deer out to 200 yards and its bigger brother the 7mm08 out to 300.  Anything more than the 7mm08 in a lightweight Handi starts to take some of the fun out of shooting for me. Exceptions are the pistol cartridges and the 45/70. The pistol cartridges are always fun to shoot and the 45/70 is what it is.

[gcrank1]

45-70

[petemi]

I'd go for the .308.  I've got to admit I'm a traitor here.  Mine is a Ruger M77 MKII.  It'll do all you want, and you can shoot junk milsurp ammo through it.  The most accurate factory ammo out of mine is 168 gr. Winchester Supreme Ballistic Tips.  Fox and coyote aint much of a target at over 300 yards, but the .308 has dumped quite a few out there.  It has put more venison in my freezer than any other rifle.

Pete

[Flynmoose]

I will toss one more vote in for the 30.06. Factory ammo
available from mild to wild. If you load, the sky is the limit!
FM

[mechanic]

I will toss one more vote in for the 30.06. Factory ammo
available from mild to wild. If you load, the sky is the limit!
FM

Yep...........

Ben

[Tencubed]

Nothing has been said that can be really argued with concerning the three calibers you mentioned.  Out to 300 yards they are all so close as to be nearly the same.

I'd go with the '06 for the reasons of ammo selection as has been stated.  There is ammo commercially loaded that will duplicate what is available for the 308 and 270, or so close as to be nit-picking to separate, but with the '06 you do have the option of heavier bullets if you find a need for them.

Aside from that it's my firm belief that everyone should have a 22 Rim fire and and '06 in their stable.  Course a bunch of others don't hurt either.

If you like the bigger bore rifles, like your 44, don't overlook the 45-70.  It's well capable of hitting at 300 yards.

Mike

[OldSchoolRanger]

I know I'm throwing you a curve ball, but, I like the 7x57Mauser a lot. I know that NEF currently doesn't have 7x57 barrels currently in stock, but this is a fantastic round, drops deer dead easily, and kicks like a kiss.
If you reload, you can jazz up the round. I only lost one deer all the years I was using it, and that was when I tried "Hansen" ammo, that Yugo ammo, ran like the car, the bullet hit the deer in the shoulder and broke, the deer ran away, I looked for it for a long time, and couldn't even find blood. The brass also wasn't reloadable (even tho it was boxer primed), because of the way the rim was made, it didn't fit in any of my shell holders.
I learned my lesson, use only American ammo for hunting. If you look around, you'll find some older 7x57 barrels for sale. Any of your choices are good.