.... Unless I have to carry it in rough country a whole lot...
When the 270 was introduced in the M54 Winchester, it had a 24" barrel and an advertised velocity with the 130 gr bullet of 3160.When the M70 was introduced in 1937 it was chambered in the 270 and also had a 24" tube.Even JOC's early, custom 270's had 24" barrels.
Eventually he (and others)got around to building shorter, lighter 270's for rough country use...."mountain rifles".....at the same time powders like IMR4350 and WW II H4831,slower powders,were brought into play and allowed over 3100 fps from 22" barrels.
This led to the introduction of things like the pre 64 M70 FW with a 22" barrel,which followed the trend of shorter and lighter rifles.O'Connors customs set the pace for this activity and even today many common 270's are still built with 22" inch barrels.
This sort of "works" as such rifles produce 98-99% of the velocities attainable with longer tubes,yet are a bit handier in tight quarters (depending how you feel about those things).
Personally I never felt the extra velocity was worth the barrel length,and have used 22" 270's on game out to a bit past 400 yards,and on whitetail and mule deer hustling past at woods distances.I have never noticed any degree of handicap in any sort of country.
I know lots of stuff works, but if I am going to lug 24" of barrel I'll take a magnum chambering myself
