Help me spend my money

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Jezz

New member
So iv decided to buy myself a new rifle with this year’s tax check. I presently have a CZ 452 .22lr and a Tikka T3 .223, so im thinking its time add a rifle capable of bigger game.

I presently only really shoot rabbits, foxes and kangaroos (with the proper permits of course) id like to start getting in to goat, deer and feral pig shooting, so id like to choose a caliber suitable for that, some suggestions have been the .308, 7mm, .300wm, 30-06 and the .270. i have to say i do like the look of the .270 as it’s a fairly diverse caliber, but i have no real experience with bigger centre fire so any input would be great.

So what calibers and set ups do you guys use for deer, pigs and goats?
 
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Tim R

New member
The 270 Win is a fine caliber and will do what you want it to do and more. I would also look at the 30-06 and 308. I know, I know you would rather have a 303. But there is a very wide varity of bullet weights available.

I hunt with a Winchester Feather Weight XTR in 30-06. It has never let me down. It kicks hard when shooting at paper targets but when the cross hairs are on a animal, there is no kick and no boom. ;)

Another caliber I would look at is 243. It should do what you want without killing your shoulder.
 
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phil mcwilliam

New member
Nothing wrong with a .270, .308 or 30/06 for what you intend to hunt- anything bigger is just going to make more noise & recoil more - your choice though.
Ive hunted deer in South Australia & you have mainly Fallow & Reds, which are found in numbers in the south-east of your state, close to the Victorian boarder. If you travel into Victoria you will need a .270 minimum to hunt Reds & Sambar deer by law, although a .243 is ok for the smaller fallow. I couldn't see where you are restricted by law to the minimum caliber for deer hunting in South Australia, but better to get minimum .270 in case you ever want to hunt Victoria in future.
If you have a gun that covers deer,then pigs & goats wont be a problem.
I have mates that use .270 & 30/06's & I use a .308. All the pigs, goats & deer we have shot have reacted the same when hit with either of these calibers.
Don't know how big your tax cheque is, but I recently bought a Sako Bavarian in .308 - these are nice rifles & with our relatively strick Aussie gun laws, every rifle I buy is a keeper, so I don't mind spending a bit more upfront.
If you ever get the chance you should drive through Water Valley station in South Australia during the rut. You will need permission ,but it is granted if you are not hunting. The property is several hundred thousand acres with the most Fallow, Red , Sambar, Elk that I have ever seen- literally thousands of deer.
 
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sir_n0thing

New member
Another vote for .270 WIN. For me it hits the sweet spot combination of versatility, availability of factory ammo, reasonable recoil. The .270 WIN is a classic that's hard to beat.
 
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Abel

New member
The 270 is great. But I think that the 30-06 is a better choice in almost all circumstances. The 30-06 kicks a little more.
 
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Jezz

New member
thanks for the replys guys,

i have to say im really do like the sound of getting a .270,

Phil my home town is Mt Gambier, so we have frequently hunted deer in both the south east and western victoria so i think a min of a .270 is a good idea. my gun club has an annual trip to the flinders rangers to help deal with the feral goat problem so it will double for that as well.


Guns iv been thinking of are the Sako a7, Tikka t3 (i really like my .223 varmint) and the browning x-bolt
 
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Abel

New member
I have picked up a bunch of rifles lately and the X-Bolt feels better to me than anything else, by a wide margin. Browning has really done their homework on this one.
 
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ndking1126

New member
I've always been a .308/.30-06 kinda guy, so I can't believe I'm going to say this, but .270 is definitely what you want. I've actually considered selling my .30-06 to get one! :eek: Thankfully, common sense kicked in and I decided to keep the .30-06 and buy a .270 when the funds allow. :D
 
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ripnbst

New member
I also agree with a .270, its extremely flat shooting and is very versatile. Ammo is easily found just about anywhere and its not expensive comparatively speaking. If I was going to go for more than that I would jump to a .308. The next rifle I buy will be a .308. Great distance gun and still packs enough wallop to take down anything I ever see myself hunting.
 
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MOshooter65202

New member
All the cartridges you listed will make a fine big game hunting cartridge,sounds like you are leaning towards the 270 which is a fine cartridge.One question Ammo What's common and readily available in your area that you can pick up just about any where? from your choices.
If I could only have one rifle besides a 22lr it would be the flat shooting hard hitting 7mm rem mag.,I have taken a lot of whitetail deer,coyotes,and a couple elk with that rifle. I also shoot and hunt and reload 30-06,.308,.280 rem,7mm-08,6mm rem,22-250,223.
 
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Jezz

New member
cheers guys

i think im sold on the .270, the 7mm is tempting but i cant justify it atm coz at the ranges ill be shooting the .270 will be more than capable of dropping my intended game. that and the only 7mm mag i shot kicked a touch to much....mind you i was 13 at the time :D

but a long range hunting/target rifle is the next on the list but im thinking a .338 but that project wont be happening for a very long time, so ill address that latter :)
 
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Rifleman1776

New member
I am a 30-06 fan. As far as recoil is concerned, I am not very big and, with the exception of max loads and 200 gr or larger bullets, the recoil is not an issue. Even the whomper stomper loads are not killers (at the shooters end ;) ). As for the 'flat shooting' myth of the .270, there isn't a whif of difference between it and the 30-06. Check the charts. But, for what the poster asked, any of the popular deer calibers will do just fine for him. Matter of personal preference.
 
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sir_n0thing

New member
You mentioned Tikka... my . 270 is a T3 Lite. Love that gun! Smooth as silk action and great trigger. I added a Decelerator pad to make range days more relaxing.

Sent via Tapatalk ~Android~
 
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Jezz

New member
sir_n0thing

yeah i love my Tikka T3 varmint....the trigger is so nice and the smoothest action i have encountered in my brief shooting life. Im a fan of European rifles, and considering the Tikkas are made in the same factory as Sako you cant do too much better than a T3 for the price i recon. mine will shoot half moa at 100m all day with good loads
 
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