Does a 130 grain bullet in .308 give near identical performance to a .270?

[Leatherneck]

Looking at the ballistics chart of a Barnes TTSX it looks like the factory 130 grain in .308 is even slightly flatter and faster than the .270. On game out to 400 yards is there really any difference? Seems these modern bullets have changed things up a lot. Never hear or read about how flat the .308 can shoot or that it might be able to keep up with a .270.
(I have no skin in the game. Just trying to decide between the two for my next rifle.)

 

[Rob960]

I have been wondering that myself. Comparing a traditional C&C bullet to a mono, the mono is longer rather than being short and stubby.

 

[Wingshooter]

The wider .30 caliber bullet will slow down faster and not penetrate as deeply as the .277 caliber bullet of the same velocity at the muzzle and same bullet weight. It comes down to ballistic coefficient. I wouldn't shoot a 130 grain out of a .308 unless it was something light skinned. A 150 to 165 grain is in my opinion where the .308 is best.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

The bullet can only penetrate as much as there is animal anyways and the copper mono's are not lacking in that area. The only 308 I've shot at an animal was a 130 ttsx, it entered the ~300-400 lb grizzly bear's front shoulder and exited near the other side's hip. More importantly, the bear was dead within seconds. This illustrates just how versatile the 308 can be. However, it still won't match the 270's long range potential.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I am not a rifle guy but I played with some lighter factory rounds in my tikka and remmy 308 a while back. Groups with the tikaka (a sweet shooter) were good at 200 and in. Sub moa. nearly as good as heavier bullets. They started to open up at 300 to 400. +1 moa at least. My only guess was increased wind deflection and there was a cross breeze that day.

I gave up on the idea and went 6.5 creed, grew a neck beard and started drinking matcha like everyone else.

 

[coiloil37]

I’ve shot multiple 130’s from the .270 on deer and elk over a 20+ year timeline including the 129 LRX. Around 2006 I transitioned to the 30-06 as my primary bang stick but lent out the .270 to friends and family and watched many more elk, deer and moose fall to it.
I typically shot 180’s then 165/168 Barnes and accubonds from the ‘06. In 2018 I picked up several hundred 130 Barnes and tried them. Three deer and one moose fell to it that year and they were the four most dramatic kills I’ve ever witnessed That weren’t head shots. All four were chest shot, not spine hit and all four went down like they were hit in the head. The most penetration I required was on the moose. She was on the run and I hit the onside shoulder. The bullet broke the shoulder, exited the offside ribs and left a hole about the size of a golf ball. Lungs were jelly and she folded up instantly. They leave my ‘06 at ~3350 FPS and sighted in 3” high at a hundred let’s me hold on hair to 400 without having to think about anything. from the small sample size I would say they shoot flatter and kill faster then the .270 and the 165/180 .308’s I used to shoot.

 

[coiloil37]

Here’s the onside leg from that moose, I never took a picture of the exit. I have a .338 win mag for the hunts I want maximum penetration but I honestly can’t see why a guy would need a heavier bullet in .308 besides a hangover from the way we used to do it.

Trajectory chart as well for my load. For those of us who don’t mind stalking into a reasonable range it allows for very little thought until I’m on the wrong side of 375 yards.

 

[Vern400]

I shoot 308 but with equally skilled loading the 308 cannot meet the trajectory of a 270. The handloaded 270 can even meet or exceed the trajectory of a 6.5 CM with a good bit more punch. But it's a bit of a kicker. The 270 will get you kill energy maybe 100 yds farther than a 308 with smooth sailing bullet and more powder to burn.

 

[ETtikka]

Shorter action in some cases, a lot more ammo choices, a lot more ammo availability, with the 308,

270 gonna have higher bc obviously if both are 130

I was in same boat until I realized how hard 270 ammo was to acquire

 

[Squincher]

It won't make any difference under 400. I would go with the .270 for no particular reason.

 

[Wrench]

400 yards with todays slick bullets and incredible powders can be reached very effectively with just about every headstamp. Is the 308 the equal to the 270?....no. but it does 85% of what it does with 15grs less powder in a easy to find case and does so with little recoil or muzzle blast.

At 400 and in, I'm not handicapped with any accurate rife and a billet that works in the velocity window.