270 Winchester OR 308 Round

**MARINE DIVISION TWO** · October 31st, 2024, 07:44 PM

Have a few Hunters disagreeing about the two rounds, I have taken deer with both but does one over the other have less recoil ? Old man asking for a friend .

**Rural Ruger** · October 31st, 2024, 08:03 PM

Felt or actual? Theoretically the 308 probably has a hair more recoil due to larger caliber, but in real world conditions, I doubt that any one could tell in a blind study.

**arjohnson** · October 31st, 2024, 10:40 PM

If everything was identical, same gun, barrel length, weight, bullet projectile weight etc the 308 would have a little less felt recoil.

If you were shooting 168*s out of the 308 and 130*s out of the 270, I*d say it would be very similar. I have both calibers and the 308 feels like it has less felt recoil but my guns are not the same weight, my 308*s are a little heavier than my 270.

**RLS** · November 1st, 2024, 04:17 PM

I was curious, so I did a search and came across this page:
https://www.sportsmans.com/270-winch...ter-cartridges

In short: 270 308
Recoil Energy 17 15.8
Recoil Velocity 11.7 11.7
Recoil Score* 3.09 2.97

Rick

**wstrayer** · February 14th, 2025, 05:12 PM

New light recoil ammo can play a part in the decision for you. Lighter bullets generate less recoil.
I find felt recoil to be dependent upon the rifle. Some guns seem to recoil more, to me. I grew up hunting in PA. The land of the Remington 760. Like most others, I had one in 30-06. I found the recoil to be heavy beyond the caliber. I just picked up a Remington 660 in 308 Win. They are reported to have heavy recoil, but with such a light gun, it is expected. I will let you know as soon as I get a chance to shoot it. I can tell you that the one I had in 350 Remington mag was a shooting machine but the recoil was really heavy.
Summer shooting from a bench in a light shirt is very different than hunting season. I can't remember ever even knowing that the gun went off when shooting deer.

**eatmydust** · February 14th, 2025, 09:00 PM

Short action vs long action, my $$ is on 270 having more recoil with similar weight bullets.

**northny** · February 14th, 2025, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by RLS

I was curious, so I did a search and came across this page:
https://www.sportsmans.com/270-winch...ter-cartridges

In short: 270 308
Recoil Energy 17 15.8
Recoil Velocity 11.7 11.7
Recoil Score* 3.09 2.97

Rick

This about sums it up with one caveat. The .270 has more felt recoil, everything being equal. The problem is rarely is everything equal. A heavier rifle will have less felt recoil. A good recoil pad can make recoil feel less. A poorly designed stock can make recoil feel a lot worse, especially if it wacks your cheek bone

Either caliber can punish you (I have matching Winchester 70 featherweights with no recoil pads, both are a dream to carry on a hunt, both will punish you at the bench). The 270 punishes you a little more

A varmint barrel 308 with a recoil pad I have shot a 100 round match in shirt sleeves and it was very enjoyable

**guncollector** · February 16th, 2025, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by northny

This about sums it up with one caveat. The .270 has more felt recoil, everything being equal. The problem is rarely is everything equal. A heavier rifle will have less felt recoil. A good recoil pad can make recoil feel less. A poorly designed stock can make recoil feel a lot worse, especially if it wacks your cheek bone

Either caliber can punish you (I have matching Winchester 70 featherweights with no recoil pads, both are a dream to carry on a hunt, both will punish you at the bench). The 270 punishes you a little more

A varmint barrel 308 with a recoil pad I have shot a 100 round match in shirt sleeves and it was very enjoyable

All the above is true so based on the fact that it would be a hunting rifle I would suspect that it would be as light as possible so it seems the choice would be for the 308.