I am looking at a 2nd deer rifle, something to carry to mix it up from my trusty Rem 700 BDL 30-06. What caliber would you recommend?? I have the following calibers: .223, 22-250, .243, 30-30 and 30-06..

I am thinking a .270 but not set on it.. Will be used for white tails, mule deer and hogs of course.. Do not care for an AR i love bolt action guns. Have around $600 to spend....

Other calibers i have thought about other than .270 is .308, .257, .300 wm ( used to have a wsm good gun ammo prices to much for me ) and a .303.

I'd get the 270 first then a 25-06/257 and stop after I got a 308. Then make my next list.

thanks for the in put .. I was thinking .270 my dad swears by his .270 had the same one since he was 13 and killed everything from deer, hogs, elk, and a few exotics...

.25-06

Get a 30/30 lever gun and don't look back. Way too fun to shoot.

yea got the 30-30 inherited it from my uncle its old style pre 1950 when i got it 5 years ago it had only been shot 5 times.. Love that old gun, always feel like he is there with me hunting.. Killed a huge buck with it a couple of years ago think he might have had something to do with that one..

Never shot a .25-06 what does it compare to as far as range, speed etc??

Some say the 25-06 is the perfect Texas gun.

If you reload I'd say the 257 if you don't the 25-06.

I think the 270 winchester and the 30-06 have too much in common and similarity.

Get something different, at least something based off a different case.

Get a 6.5.

I am wanting an AR in 6.8 to hunt with, probably my next buy.

6.5 Creedmore.

anyone have an opinion on the .308 seems like alot of guys have those, or is that too close to a 30-06??

X infinity

25-06 or 257wby. 3300 vs 3600 fts per 100gr bullet.. I own both

As far as flat well... My 257 is 1.85 high at a 100, dead on at three hundred and only 6" low at 400


While the 270 is a great caliber... It's a little boring

.308 = short action version of .30-06 so it makes a bit less speed with the same bullets.

Did I mention 6.5 Creedmore? Or .260 Rem if you handload.

how about a Thompson center pro hunter? that would give you the options of changing barrels. you could get the muzzle loader barrel if you haven't gotten into it yet and then switch over to a different rifle or even large handgun caliber.

a .25-06 is a .25 caliber bullet in a 30-06 case. it shoots anything from a 100 grain bullet to 120 grains in a common loading. a 117 grain hornady is just under 3000 fps, its a great deer caliber that has light recoil and has been killing things since the 1920's.

alot of people would recommend off the wall calibers like .257 roberts, .260's, 6.5 creedmoor's, etc....but they are not common and ammo can be hard to find. I don't shop at wal mart but if you can't find it at academy then it becomes a hassel unless you order online and buy enough to last you. finding shells for my 7mmwsm is a pain anywhere but bass pro, and then they are $50 a box.

only other caliber I would recommend if you've already assembled an arsenal of what you've mentioned is a 7mm-08. short action, typically come in handy sized rifles and are pure magic on whitetail.

How about rifle style? If all or most of you rifles are full length rifles then maybe a short, handy, easy to carry rifle is what you want. If you have a rifle like that, then maybe a light weight mountain rifle, or a heavy sendero type rifle. figure out a niche and then the cartridge.

I beg to differ with your "off the wall" and "not common" statement about the 6.5 or .260 I've shot in the company of many shooters that use both extensively.

Yes you may have to order 6.5 Creedmore ammo, but there is plenty available, on several websites, in match ammo and hunting ammo. Hornady is doing a great job with the Creedmore. What's wrong with ordering ammo?

Victory favors the preparred.

I just picked up a .260 MK77 in addition to my .308 r700 for this exact duty.

Can't wait to get her to the range!

Another vote for the 25-06, by far my favorite caliber.

Gonna go look this weekend but will prob end up with a 25-06 or .270 Got to spend the money now, before my wife spends it all on Black Friday

I could see doing a couple different things to complement your '06 bolt action, depending on what and where you hunt.
I also think the combo of a '06 & a 270 does not give you much spread in performance. OTOH I have used the 270 & 300WMg combo for over 30 years as they have very very similar drops in 130 & 165 gr bullets, or 150 & 180-200gr bullets out to past 500 yards and I never had to learn a different drop estimation back in those pre BPlex & range finder days

My 1st thought, seeing you are from Hunt County would be to pickup some sort of "brush" gun for stomping around the bois d'arc bottoms with. That could be something like a '06 Remmy pump & a fixed low power scope, a Scout scoped BA carbine, another '06 in SS/Syn for muddy rainy days yadda yadda. While not being a Remmy fan generally, I like the 760-7600's and have seen them shoot equally well to a bolt action even with carbine length barrels out to 250-300yards. A good pre Remington Marlin 30/30 also fits the classic brush gun description. Current Remington era Marlins are not as accurate as the older guns were is what I am hearing.

My 2nd thought was similar only in light to carry rifles in smaller calibers that could be better used as a Varmint Shooter, or to teach a young novice shooter with. Here I favor a good quality BA 223 for the cheap ammo to practice with, or a 25 caliber as a minimum for hogs, and any of several 264 calibers in 260Rem, 260CM, 6.5Swede. FYI a 140gr 264 bullet launched at at 2700fps has the same drop and PER GRAIN ENERGY as a 300WMg in 200'ers at over 500 yards...so don't think the 264/6.5's are not capable of taking down bigger critters at longer ranges with their higher Sectional Density bullets.

A third thought would be a much larger caliber, something like the 9.3x63 Mauser in a CZ for example, and order inexspensive Privi ammo online from Graff's. I've handloaded for 40+ years, and have had outstanding success on WTails with the big Mauser as a meat gun. A 45/70 Marlin also comes to mind ...something totally different from the do everything standard BA '06 you already have.JMHO & YMMV
Cheers
Ron

Thanks for the advise.. I mainly hunt in Coleman County and Childress County.. Do not do much rifle hunting around home other than Varmint hunts and hog hunting.. I guess it is more of me being bored carrying the same rifle.. Want to mix it up some.

How about a non-deer rifle. .17 Remington, appropriate cleaning kit, 15 gr, 18 gr, and 20 gr Berger bullets......a lot of fun. Ya'd be surprised how many time the .17 will be with ya.

Rusty
Texas, I luv u