Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Kevin Gibson (formerly Gun Geek) - .270 question

Stanimal-
yes, although it sounds like you don't really need a 338/340 for most elk hunting, I like shooting mine alot. I do get tired of packing them around the Idaho elk mountains sometimes, though! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I took the long way home... I started out with the 270 and used it exclusively for 15 years and had no complaints. I started believing the hype about the magnum cartridges and bought a .300 Win mag. After killing stuff with the Winnie for half-a-dozen years, I realized it wasn't nearly as much fun to shoot, and I honestly couldn't see much, if any difference, on game. So, for the past several years I'm back with the .270, shooting more, and plan on staying.

Alan- <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />--have I told you about my love afair with the 340?

Schneider tubes of course, I am on my 4th one and they have all shot like a drill!

I can find many ways to spend your moolah.....grins

Mark D

You may just be a bad influence <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Now if I just had as much moolah as you have ideas for it ...

For now I'll just work on the .270 or 30-06 but I do like the larger guns (just can't find a reason to "need" one yet).

Kevin, NOW YOUR TALKIN' IN THE SPIRIT!!!!!!

Go man!

Pat

Although I don't get to pack around the Idaho elk mountains, I could see that was going to be an issue with the .338 I had so I let it go. Maybe I should just make it worth my while and go all the way to .375 H&H <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I guess the other problem I had with it was when your bullet weighs more in grains than the largest animal you will get to shoot in pounds it seems to be JUST a bit of overkill. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hmm....over kill, this has always been my thoughts on this concept.

Overkill is when you walk up to the recently deceased and proceed to empty the rest of the rounds from your rifle into it.

Now that is overkill.

That said I've been awfully hard over the years on chucks at long range with my beloved 340.

Mark D

Cool, somebody else that shoots rockchucks with his 340!

I have several rifles in my gun safe from a .22rf to a .375 H&H to a P-17 waiting to get turned into a big bore (probably the .460 WBY). I have often said if everything disappeared and I only had enough money to get one rifle the .270 Win would be a top contender.

Mark - Kevin - anyone else who cares to answer:

I understand that the main differences in the .270 and the .30-06 are the obvious bullet diameter and weight ranges and trajectory as well as some recoil reduction. I also agree with Kevin's earlier post that these advantages are mostly on paper and either will do the job in the field.

My question for everyone is: what kinds of advantages (real or perceived) do you see in the .270 vs the '06? Do you like the 130 grain's flat trajectory? Does the .270 just "speak to you"? (I'll admit the 30-06 has always done that for me) Do you like the lighter recoil? Do you like the really light bullets for coyote / varmint shooting? It seems to me that with today's great bullets either would work on similar game (even up through elk) but I admit the 180 grain 30-06 gives me more of a "warm fuzzy" there.

I guess it just comes down to which cartridge you happen to like better.

Now in light of that - I had originally intended to have the '06 since I started with that gun in 30-06 and have a backup also in 30-06. One of my reasons was that my primary and my backup could share ammo. However, this may not be likely since each gun will probably like its own load anyway (although you could still interchange them in a pinch) so perhaps having a different caliber would actually help to keep the ammo separated by each gun. I'm reaching here but looking for pro's and con's of having both guns in the same caliber.

Thoughts?

Stanimal, I really think it comes down to some inward impetus or the toss of a coin. A 150 Partition from a 270 at 2,900 will do nearly anything a 180 Partition at 2,750 will do but will fly a touch flatter and recoil a bit less. You really couldn't go wrong with either IMO. I could be as happy with one as the other. Since I was trying to simplify life and think it's smart to have two BG rifles (one for backup) I have a 30-06 and 300 WSM. Both use the same bullets and powder. I think a case for a 270 and 270 WSM as a pair would be equally valid and I could as easily do that.

I bought my first 30-06 in 1972, and my first 270 Win. in 1978. I've used 150, 165, and 180 gr. loads extensively in the 30-06, and mostly 130 gr. Nosler Partition loads in the 270 Win.

I've always preferred the 130 gr. Nosler Partition @ 3140 fps. out of the 270 Win., and it's long been my favorite mule deer, pronghorn, and Texas whitetail load. It shoots a little flatter and kicks a little less than the 30-06 (although the difference is small), and it always seems as though it flattens medium game a little more dramatically than does the 30-06.

But the 30-06 with premium 180s hammers elk harder than the 270 Win. does in my experience, and lighter 150 gr. loads out of the '06 shoot almost as flat as the 130 gr. 270 loads do, and they kill lighter animals in just about the same manner.

For all-around use, I think the 30-06 is a better cartridge, but the 270 Win. remains a sentimental favorite of mine.........

AD

Stanimal,

I refer you back to my original post�There just isn�t much of a difference. Does it speak to me? Well, sort of. The fact that it will do what the �06 will do with a touch less recoil does speak to me a little. Now, for a cartridge that really speaks to me, I�ll have to refer you to the .257 Roberts.

I just have to be honest with you. Some see a world of difference from one cartridge to the next. I gave out a list of several cartridges that I really haven�t seen much difference in the field. I�ve watched the .257 Roberts drop a caribou just has hard as my buddy�s .300 Weatherby Magnum, literally shooting side by side. Good bullets and proper placement is the magic ingredient, not the cartridge.

So, why do I hunt with the .270 more than most other cartridges? Easy, I have a cool .270 that I like. If that same gun were in .257 Roberts or .30-06, I wouldn�t feel any more or less armed. As the saying goes, �It�s the Indian, not the arrow.� I just don�t sweat cartridge selection much anymore.

These days, I�m moved by �cool� guns. If I see a cool gun, I grab it and hunt with it knowing that if I�m up to the task, whatever caliber it�s chambered for will do the job. I�m currently negotiating for a Lee Speed rifle that�s really cool, but it doesn�t like anything other than 215gr Woodliegh�s�I can live with that, and I can make it work just fine�The gun�s just cool and it will add flavor to my hunt.

Kevin, how many elk have you killed with the 270?

Gotta agree, there's just not as much difference from one cartridge to the next as many purport.

Not justahunter here, but I couldn't resist piling on. I just got into reloading a little while back, and have a late-model M70 in .270. I never got past what Mark D. said above--57 R22 and a NP 150 shoot very well in my rifle. Actually I use 56.5.

Guys,

I've been using a 270 for well over forty years now. I use really good 130 grin bullets and H-4831 exclusively. The last time I looked, I think I had five rifles in the vault chambered for the 270, and I'm quite happy with them all. I have used my 270's on everything from a European roe deer weighing perhaps 50-55 pounds, up to and including an Alaska-Yukon moose weighing perhaps 1500 pounds or more. Needless to say, I'm a big fan of the 270.

Having said that, I agree with AD that the 30-06 is a bit more versatile and there is nothing that I can do with my 270s that I can't do equally well with a 30-06. The only difference is a bit less recoil and a slightly flatter trajectory, neither of which means much in the field.

The real reason that I usually reach for a 270 first is that I like them, they work for me, and I'm perfectly comfortable with the fact that if I do my part, my 270s will do theirs. But then, so will an '06.

Tom Turpin

Stanimal

The phenomenal groups come from Mule Deer's suggestion of 60g H4831 and a 130g bullet. I used H4831sc and a 130g Sierra. Am getting .5" and less. Of course maybe I was just having good days. 58.5g of H4831sc and the 140g Accubond. Getting 1.25" groups. I tried H4831sc with 150g PT, but it didn't do well. The 150g PT is the most accurate factory load I have used so far so was a little surprised it shot so poor. 56.5g of RL22 has cured the 150g PT problem.

By the way Mule Deer's 150g load was 57g of H4831. I don't have the article in front of me, but it is what I have in my notes.

The thing that cracks me up, to no end, is when I come across a conversation or thread wherein everyone's waxing nostalgic about using cartridges like the 6.5mm Swede or 7mm Mauser on elk (both of which are great rounds and surely suited for such an endeavor).

However, mention the good ol' .270 WCF for the same purpose and it's like you're proposing a trip to the moon on a hang-glider. Sheesh! That's when I KNOW they have no clue about the subject at hand. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

scott

Guys - thanks again for all the info. I think I have found a bit of help in the quest. I have a .270 coming in for my brother in law now in a similar gun and I may just take it and my existing 30-06 out and see what I think side by side. If nothing else it gives me an excuse for another range trip which is never a bad thing.

Anyone using H-4350 in the .270? It works well for me in the 30-06 and thought I'd share powder if I go .270.

I know that if I were buying a new gun I'd pick based on the gun rather than on the difference between .270 and 30-06 but since I'm buying a barrel there's nothing driving me in either direction. Decisions, decisions ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />