Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .270

I dont currently have one but have had some fine 270 rifles over the years. If I was “forced” to only have one big game rifle, a .270 would do me fine.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/27...7ahcHJ1RXB518yQP__rlfIA2bt-ICjRTA3R1KIAg

Nothing wrong with a 270. I have a Win 70 Classic Featherweight with an older 3x9 Leupold compact on it. One load for everything.

Assuming a 700,they make GREAT donors. Hint………..

That was a good read - thanks.

I’ve owned and hunted my one and only .270 since the late 60’s.
I bought it for all of the reasons mentioned in the article and it’s worked great for all the same reasons.
I keep waiting for the manufacture’s to “update” the .270 in the same manner as the .223 or a few .243’s by giving the .270 a faster twist barrel to run the new rage of longer, heavier bullets......

I think it was JB....? Or someone here that said he ran some 170’ish gr bullets out of a 1/10 .270 and that they stabilized ok..... that would be interesting and worth a look.

I feel the advent and use of the laser range finder has most of us rethinking what we use and how.......
These days I’m content with my 6.5CM and heavy for caliber long, sleek bullets and dialing my drops.

I have a Winchester Featherweight .270 Winchester.

A better picture of the rifle, it has a Leupold 6x on it.

I always liked my 270. Before that my 30-06 got everything done. These days I mostly use my 7mm08 for killing Alabama Whitetails. No idea whats next……

The .270 is just as effective on game today as it was 100 years ago. We simply have more options available today than 100 years ago. A LH KS 270 is my "go to" center fire rifle.

Have had all and am now relying on a Custom Shop 700 in 7-08 for the local whitetails. If I do any traveling for other critters it will probably go along.

Just change bullets depending on critters being hunted.

.270, .280, 7-08 all very hard to beat but there are others that can and do just as well.

I’m a big fan of 270’s…….OH wait, that’s bullet weight! 🤔 Never mind! 😂 memtb

I've hunted with a .270 since 1988 with a Steyr Mannlicher Mod M Professional that I bought in the Graf R&G club.

It's positively my favorite open country deer caliber. Finally shot the barrel out a couple years ago, so I replaced it with a Nolser M48 in .270. When this barrels gone I'll probably re-barrel with a fast twist in .270.

Some guys will try to compare it to the 6.5C with it's higher BC bullets, but with similar BC bullets the .270Win still out runs it to close to 800 yds, well beyond the distances that the vast majority of hunters are killing game.

Going to try 270 grain Hornady bullets in my .375 RUM.

The .270 Win is hardly ever a bad choice for western big game and plains game hunting. It just flat out works. However, most traditional hunting rounds the same can be said.

I’ve hunted with the 30-06 and the 280 much more than the 270. It would be hard to pick one between the three. I don’t use factory ammo, so there’s that.
I’m thinking the 280, but that’s maybe because my favorite 280 is one very accurate rifle. But there’s no hairs on the 270’s or 30-06’s either.

I suspect that if a guy starts with a very accurate rifle in any rifles chambered in one of these three, it will likely be his/her favorite.

If a guy uses factory ammo then that might make a difference too.

Buyer Beware! 😁

I loved the .270 gr. SP’s the older flat base) in my retired H&H…..not so much at the higher velocities from my AI, at least on close range shots. I shot a spike bull elk @ around 80 yards, behind the shoulder hitting only a rib. Yes, the elk promptly died, one large jump before expiration. However, the bullet failed to exit! ☹️ It gave the perfect, classic mushroom, retaining about 65% of it’s original weight. I suspect that, it expanded so rapidly and lost it’s weight very early in it’s path……that penetration suffered!

I really expect exists, no demand with my .375’s, especially broadside hits on smallish elk if only rib meat and lungs are encountered! I still love the Hornady’s …..just not at higher velocities from my AI.

I hope that they work for you! memtb

I wonder if part of the 270's popularity was that for many years after it came out, there was no other cartridge of .277 dia bore and thus the bullets were designed to work at that specific velocity window. In most other cases (pardon the pun) like .257 caliber, the same bullet might be loaded in a 250 Savage or 25-06 which lead to bullet failures and inspired the likes of Nosler to design better bullets.
In any case the 270 works and will continue to put meat in the freezer long after we are all gone.

Count me a fan. With RL26 and 150s at 3000+, short of big bears, there’s little I’d feel unprepared for. Having said, the good old 130g Hornady Spire Points or Partitions never cease to impress me.

What do you think about 2750-2800 fps with the Hornady's, just right or still too fast?

Got 2 they work👍

Hunted with one for 25 years until I discovered the 708, that with 120nbt I don't think I'll ever go back to the 270.

Throughout most of my hunting life I've probably used the 30-06 more than anything else. I'd guess the 30-30 and .308 Win.might be tied for second place with the .270 in the number three spot. The 7x57 and .280 Rem. tied for last place mostly because they've been in my stable the shortest amount of time. Time in the field with any particular cartridge more a matter of choice than anything else. Frankly, for whatever shooting and hunting I might do in the future I could close my eyes turn around and use whichever one my hand touched exclusively and never look back.

I have used the .270 on occasion but for one reason or another usually picked something else. When I finally got a chance to do an antelope hunt the .270 was my first choice. The back up rifle was a 7x57.
PJ

Just right…..that’s about what I was running them in my H&H. Jumping the velocity another 2 or 3 hundred with the AI was a bit much (IMO) for close-up shots. I really like them, and bought a 1000 round “blem” package of them from Lock, Stock, & Barrel before they closed-up shop! memtb

Thanks Memtb!

The 270 has always been a personal favorite and I believe there will always be one in my safe. It's better today than ever, mostly because bullets are better than they ever have been. It's very close to the widely popular 6.5 PRC and stacks and feeds well from a BDL magazine. A 270 with a 150 Partition will handle about anything you may encounter in the lower 48.

My current 270 doesn't get used much these days as I have other rifles that keep me entertained but it's about perfect. A Win 70 from the 90s with a what I believe is a #2 Shilen stainless barrel in a McM featherweight stock with a Leupold VXIII 3.5-10x50 scope. It's never let me down!

The smell of sagebrush and a 270 go hand in hand. I doubt there is a more "Western" cartridge...

Jack O’Conner spoke highly of it👍

You bet, I hope that you can find the magic formula. With the load I was using, they were superbly accurate in my rifle! Though, it was several grains above listed maximum in several manuals! memtb

My dad is a shotgun loony.

He owns exactly 1 centerfire rifle, lol!

Its a Browning ABolt 2 in .270win. Kills deer every year. Was shooting Hornady 130gr SST Superformance. Had shoulder surgery, doc told him to take it easy. Got him some Hornady Lite, its a 120gr SST at about 2600. Rezeroed his gun and kept right on killin stuff.

Too bad that the 270,can't even begin to fhuqking keep pace with the 22-250 based 264 Kreedmire. Hint...............

There is a plethora of cartridges that perform as well as the .270 Win and If I deer hunted the Western states a .270 Win would be a top choice but as I only hunt Eastern Whitetails in the "big woods" where 80 yards is a rather long shot I settled on the .308 Win as My huckleberry....Hb

He also did an article comparing it using 150gr AB or ABLRs (I forget) over RL26 at 3000fps. Beat or equaled the 6.5 CM 147gr on trajectory, wind deflection, and retained velocity out to 500 yards, and no doubt energy too, the penalty being more recoil. Doesn’t make it a better overall choice for everyone, but it is a choice, and a sound one for hunting.

I like the 160gr NP for here in the East, and my son really likes it. Just asked me to load up some more for him as he’s about out. I load a middle of the road charge of W780, of which I still have just over a pound. Every deer he’s shot, and the one I shot using that mild load has just flopped. No doubt 150s would be about the same.

I hunt whitetails in ‘big woods’ and everywhere else, with 270s (and other stuff, too). The 270 works just as good up close as my 308s or other stuff. I am also fond of the 7-08 and the 120NBTs are a good combo….but don’t know of a single thing it does better than a comparable load in a 270.

MOF, my 6.8 SPCs punch above their weight class, too.

Killed most animals with either 30-06 or 270 Win, use 30-06 for elk and 270 for deer and antelope.

I've never been a fan of the 270. Ya, I know it's been effective for years. The 270 is just like a duck-shhitt green 4-door 1974 Ford LTD or Chevy Impala, although as bland as watered down hot chocolate, they worked fine for their purpose and got you there, that's for sure.

I put this one together on a 700. 26 inch Hart bbl, MPI stock, timney trigger. I did the blueprint and build myself. She shoots really tight with 130 Accubonds and sends the 150 Ballistic tip down range at 2960. Looking forward to the bean fields next season!

Great lookin' rig Longshot!

No problem with the 270 win. Never had it fail to hold up and get the job done. 130 horn sp was allways a good bullet in them but I have no doubt the idiots at Hornady will discontinue them in the future. Simply because Hornady fugs up like that all the time. While others anxiously await high bc bullets and tighter twists I have procured a bunch of older 150 gr rn bullets to experience. I once had a 20" m70 carbine it was to loud even with plugs and muffs. Now days most of mine are 22-26" the longer the better. I have more than a couple bags of 130 E tips to try. Old? But still viable with lots of options..mb

^^^ I had an M70 Classic Stainless whacked off to 18” and threaded for suppressor use. It’s one of my ‘woods’ guns. Hearing safe, recoils less than a 243, and more accurate than before. Crazy to lose 6” of barrel? Benefits were worth it. I have other 22-24” 270s.

I have a Kimber 270 BGR I need to get a scope on, try it out.

Well said. I keep a favorite 270 myself.

You have the coolest rifles! :-)

I have thought of converting over to LH just to covet your stuff

I have probably my share: 3 pre-64 M-70s and and 1 M-54 NRA original short rifle in 270 WCF. The first rifle was a lucky M-70, accounting for antelope and
Coues whitetail in NM-AZ. O'Connor was mostly right.
Now they may be chasing AL whitetails or back out west for mule deer.
The cartridge and rifle combination just works in early Winchesters. One is carrying a Lyman Alaskan in Buehler mts and rings.
I like to rescue older unappreciated M-70s. Latest rescue came from CO with a McM stock and 22 in barrel-a featherweight which has the Leupold 20 yr old
original M8-4X scope topside. A working cartridge. Do not own any WSMs and don''t plan to. Model 71s in 348 have taken deer to moose and have filled in the other part of the freezer.

LOL

You both have VERY cool rifles...

I have been messing with my old 270 a bit with the 124 HH's. I am still scratching my head a bit on them to be honest, cause they are fast. I know they reported to be faster on average than other bullets with more bearing surface. I started out and have been using H4831SC in mine with WW cases. As of right now, I have used the same cases for 5X firings and can't see anything resembling pressure on them at all. They come out of the gun so slick and nice with perfect looking primers. Accuracy has been pretty fair so far as well.

Until I started bumping charges up accuracy was sorta okay, not good but not terrible either.





I got up to 64 grains and it started doing better. They say the Hammer's are insensitive to seating depth and at least in the 4 rifles I have been messing with, that is complete BS. They act just like any other bonded or mono bullet and want some jump.



This load is a full .090 off the lands and I just loaded another 6 ten thou shorter to see if I can pull it together a hair.

I did wing three at 400 yesterday just to see what they look like at distance and feel like it might hit an elk



I won't even list the speed as it might turn this thread into a poo slinging match, but a few others around this place are using them and seeing the same stuff.

Anyhow, pretty cool to blend out 2024 awesome bullets with 1955 rifles.. Those old Winchesters aren't too bad.. Kinda makes me wanna use the old 270 a bit more this year.

Y’all need to stop talking up the 270 or you’ll cost me more money. I own exactly 1. A 1968 model 760 that will stack 150 round noses like it was a bolt gun. I just used my last stainless action on a 35W but went back and forth for several months between the 35W and 270.

Both is the answer.. Pretty dynamic pair of cartridges.

Yeah, just get the .270 and that way you have both. When is more guns not a good thing? I have exactly one .270 Win rifle and it’s a Ruger American my wife won 10+ years ago. My son claimed it, but has moved to a 6.5 PRC, so I started loading for the .270 Win. I have even loaded up 165 gr. ABLR’s in it, but at 33ft above sea level where we shoot at it and they will not stabilize. I blew my first primer ever Thursday trying to test the 165’s and RL22. I’m going to go pull the remaining three and stick with 130-150 gr. bullets.

I’m tempted to re-barrel one of mine with a fast twist to run the heavier stuff….just because.

The 160 NPt is a bulldozer on elk. More so, it seems the BC is a bit underrated by Nosler. It shoots flatter than any of the ballistic calculators said it would.

My only problem is this load uses IMR7977 which I have a limited supply of. So I’m kind’ve hoarding this load in case I’m assaulted by any zombie brontosauruses….

Tons of guns chambered in 270. Lots of reasonably cheap factory ammo. Cheap brass. Big bullet selection. Eats most powders. Medium recoil. Flat hunting ranges trajectory. Probably the best, non army, no nonsense hunting cartridge in North America.

After 50 years of not even wanting a .270, but lots of experience hunting wth family and friends who used .270 rifles and demonstrated that it was a very capable cartridge, I finally got one a few months ago. Kinda by accident, it was a nice Sauer 202 switch barrel rifle that came with several barrels, one of them a .270. Now I'm intrigued.

I have hunted with other similar cartridges that I have a fair bit of experience with, such as 25-06 and 7x64, so I don't expect any surprises. For where I live on the northern plains, a .270 is "just right" for a lot of our hunting. Pronghorns, Mule deer, and Whitetails in the open. I don't intend to load it with any bullet weight other than the classic 130 grain. But then I don't want a generalist rifle, I will use it for medium game at medium to longish ( for me) range. It should do the trick.

For the other type of hunting we do here, Moose, Elk, and Bears in the northern bush, the 9.3x62 barrel seems more suitable to me.

What will make the .270 Winchester/150 gr./2800 fps. meat-gitter obsolete?



"... a phased plasma rifle, in the 40-watt range."




GR

A 160 grain at 2800!

Memtb, turns out that I have the .375 RUM loaded up with 250 grain North Fork bullets. Going to use the 270 grain Hornady's in my Whitworth .375 H&H instead.

Thank you for your info I appreciate it very much.

270, 30-06, or 308 and you will be able to buy ammo if any ammo is to be had. All 3 will do the job on 99% of anything you want to shoot.

I'd add the 6.5 CM to that very good list. Here in the middle of elk country, you can count more 6.5 CM SKU's on the shelves than any of the other three, and by a large margin over the 270 and 30-06. Typically second place for availability after the Creedmoor is the 308 Win. It's really amazing how the CM has taken off...

Load your own ammo , shoot any cartridge you want anywhere, all the damned time. Pretty simple if you think about it , ammo is your responsibility not someone else's.
Mb

Who pissed in your cornflakes?

Nobody Brad, just a simple statement of fact. Shooters need to move on from the mind set of some store or factory allways having the ammo they need, when they want it, for how much they want to pay. Ammo business don't work that way anymore. Mb

You bet, I hope that it works good for you! Good Luck on your hunt! memtb

Most hunters don't handload - that's a fact.

Would agree to that but it doesn't change the fact that ammo accessibility has changed and the factory ammo buyers need to note that and change buying habits to keep themselves in ammo. To many shortages in the last 20 years should have taught them that..mb

No they don't. They can actually do whatever the [bleep] they want

even Elmer Kieth talked well of the 270 as a plains/stalking cartridge. He seemed to hate the 30-06 though.

The majority of hunters aren't handloaders.

I wouldn't even consider the majority of hunters to be "shooters"

But your point is still valid. Ammo availability and pricing should be driving more to the reloading bench.

And the idea that .30-06, .308 etc will always be available is no longer the case.

- Jake

My first gun was a 270 Win. It was a good gun. I also got a 270 WSM. I like both guns. I find myself going back to the 270 Win more and more. I got a 30.06 a donor for a 270 Win with a 26 inch barrel. Then I found a 270 with a 26 inch barrel, so that project is on hold. This summer I plan to check it out and see how 26 inch 270 Win shoots. I have shot a lot of animals with my 270 Win.

Heck, probably the majority of hunters…. aren’t “hunters”! 😉 memtb

Touche...

A lot of them can't shoot for chidt too.

.
Jack O'Connor made a living off the .270 Winchester.
I think he also said, that if the .280 Remington was around at the time he adopted the .270, he would have chosen that.

I've had two .270's. An 80's Model 700 ADL that shot 130 grain Sierra's darn near in the same hole. I killed a lot of stuff with that rifle. Including my largest west Texas muley. I sold it to a friend and bought a Browning A-bolt Stainless Stalker in .270 when they first came out. I had to have one. The Browning really likes the 130 grain Sierra as well as the 130 Speer Grand Slam. It wears a sliver Leupold VXIII and it's never let me down. I just don't' shoot it much any more since I bought another 6.5 Swede and a 6.5 PRC.

👍 memtb

I've seen some scary schidt man. Especially with trigger happy elk hunters. Probably strung out on meth, like that stupid fu ck SLM. Some people shouldn't own guns.

Some otherwise normal folks completely “lose it” at the sight of game when hunting. It seems to magnify as the game gets larger or more revered/special to the hunter. memtb

Speaking of no hunting fu cks, found all them pics yet?

I’ll stand by for some target and store shelf pics.

Perhaps a "Prairie Dog" pic! LOL

I’m sure he’ll be along shortly to post some hard charging range pics.

Unless he got another paper cut.

I get a kick out of the ‘I don’t post hunting pics due to respect for the animal’ or however he’s phrased it in the past.

However, apparently posting a pic of a half rotted coyote on the rifle range that he admittedly didn’t even bother to go look at until a few days after he killed it, is just a good respectful way to honor the animal. And he claims someone else is strung out on meth….

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...061133/longest-shot-to-date#Post19061133

Laffin’, he’s a clown.

Can you lend me $40? I’m needing a fix.

I am still trying to get an answer as to what a meth attic is.

Send me a PM if you know where an attic full of meth is.

Thanks,

It's where they cook the meth

Thinking the BullShitArtist drank to much ThunderBird and passed out again.

He was actually referring to SLM being a meth attic in another thread. Just wondering what it is.

He outed my addiction on another thread too?

Towards the end.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/16844190/3

That’s funny.

BSA’, I know they are big words, but I’ll help you out.

attic
1 of 3
noun (1)
at·​tic ˈa-tik
Synonyms of attic
1
: a low story or wall above the main order of a facade in the classical styles
2
: a room behind an attic
3
: a room or a space immediately below the roof of a building : GARRET
4
: something resembling an attic (as in being used for storage)


addict
1 of 2
noun
ad·​dict ˈa-(ˌ)dikt
plural addicts
Synonyms of addict
1
: one exhibiting a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity
a drug addict
opioid addicts
a gambling addict
2
: one strongly inclined to do, use, or indulge in something repeatedly
a television addict
chocolate addicts

Well now, I see SLiMdong already threw that half rotted coyote song and dance out there for the world to see. I missed that thread.

It doesn't matter. He's a meanie and a meth attic regardless, but needing $40 for a fix? Damn, he must be hot rolling with some high quality Scooby Snax.

What did that one dress out?

Getting away from the meth attic genre.

I have always found it interesting when someone points out that hunters should be reloading and taking care of their own ammo situation. Fundamentally, I agree. That said not every hunter is 70+ and lived through all of the shortages. They also have not had the opportunity to amass a huge amount of components. Last Saturday was the first time I had seen LR primers in years north of Bangor, $13.99/100. I’m also on more internet lists than I can shake a stick at and I never had a single notification of availability in 21-23. Not one

That said , all through this current mess I have seen 270 ammo in most places and attainable. Federal, Winchester, Remington for $21-$45 per box.

Yes, I agree to guide the younger generation to pick up components when they see them but not everyone has the luxury of age. My neighbors kid is 16 and just trying to get into reloading. He is certainly a hunter but has a tough road today to get into what a lot of the old bastards on here obtained.

Yep, because .007 makes a lot of difference.

Only the best Scooby Snax money can buy when someone else is paying.

I keep watching my account and haven’t seen the $40 yet?? I’ll pick up some more trash until you get me the $40.

Maybe the BullShitArtist can post a YouTube video or some range pics of a .270 to keep me occupied while I wait impatiently for the $40.

Good point. I always try to couch my lectures on being prudent with that in mind. I’ve also advised some aspiring handloaders that it may not be worth the time and expense unless they shoot a lot. The money spent getting set up these days would buy a lot of ammo, and the dearth and high price of components makes it less compelling than when I started for certain. Still, a simple setup with a Lee loader or hand press and an inexpensive scale can provide good results and get someone started, as well as provide a bit of self-reliance in a pinch. There are still bargains out there on components if you look, and anyone that shoots already has brass available by simply bending over and picking it up.

Yes they do…..it’s a far different world than it was when I started at 14 or 15 with my little Lee Loader for my .308 Win. memtb

One point that needs to be made - not everyone is suited to handloading personality-wise. I've met plenty that shouldn't be doing it, and are just a few more loads away from a trip to the ER with half their face gone.

I have a buddy that wants to learn to load. His attention span isn't suited for such a task.

I gotta admit. I once had a balance beam scale on a less than sturdy surface as I was moving into a new place and hadn’t set up a sturdy loading bench yet, though I did have my press secured. It may have just been a tote that I had the balance beam on. I can’t quite remember.

After weighing a few powder charges and pouring them into the cases, I realized I had set a few boxes of bullets on the same non-sturdy surface, which threw the balance beam off level. I may have leaned on it too, which also threw off the levelness.

Luckily I always shine a light into my cases before seating a bullet to make sure there are no obvious over or under charges, debris in there or whatever else…I noticed a lot of variance in the charge weights and put 2 and 2 together. I dumped that powder, got the balance beam squared away and finished up. That was a learning experience. That is one reason that an electronic scale is nice, and I check the accuracy of it with check weights every 10 rounds or so.