Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .270 Win. & 20" bbl

In Bob Hagel's book "The Game Rifle" he states in chapter 5 that the .270 Win:

Now, the comparison between .280's and .30-06's doesn't make much sense to me...I can't figure out why the .270 would be better than either of those in a 20" barrel BUT it did get me thinking: exactly how well does a .270 do with a 20" barrel?

I've never chronographed one, but I'd be curious to hear about others' experiences with them. I've always liked Ruger's UL but have stayed away from it because of the 20" barrel. Hagel seems to indicate the velocity loss in a .270 Win is not as bad as other cartridges...is this true?

I'm a fan of the .270, and have three of them. But I would have absolutely no use for one with a 20" barrel, it would just be a 7/08 with alot more muzzle blast IMO.

Weird... It was my understanding that the 270 sucked no matter the tube length.

Never woulda thought Hagel gay, but you learn something new every day...

Here are a few I chronographed on my Oehler 35P


Browning A-Bolt 11 Review Rifle BOSS equipped with 20" Barrel.

100gn Barnes X - 55gn IMR 4320 = 3337fps
100gn Barnes X - 54gn Varget = 3324fps

110gn Sierra - 55gn IMR 4350 = 3018fps
110gn Sierra - 55gn Rel 19 = 3038fps
110gn Sierra - 52gn IMR 4320 = 3154fps


130gn Sierra - 59gn Rel 19 = 3010fps
130gn Speer - 55gn IMR 4350 = 3076fps
PMC 130gn - Factory load = 2779fps

140gn Hornady BT - 54.5gn Rel 22 = 2661fps

150gn Sierra - 56gn IMR4831 = 2850fps
150gn Speer - 55gn Rel 22 = 2755fps

John

I've owned two .270's with short barrels, a Mark X Mauser with a 20" barrel (it was originally full-length stocked), and a custom FN with a 20.5" barrel. It was easy to get 3000+ fps with 130-grain bullets from each, using published reloading data.

Every time short barrels are brought up, somebody always says "that will just be a load blah...blah...blah," which is one of the oldest myths in rifle shooting. More powder capacity always results in more velocity, even from short barrels. And unless there's a BIG difference in barrel length, a smaller cartridge will have a hard time matching a bigger one. It's also pretty easy to get 3000 fps out of a 22"-barreled .270 and 140-grain bullets. Let's compare that to the 7mm-08 data in the new Nosler manual, which comes from a 26" barrel. Does the 7mm-08 get 3000 with a 140? The fastest 140 load listed gets 2953 fps--and a lot of people consider Nosler data on the fast side.

I've heard the same BS about .300 magnums with short barrels, suggesting they're no faster than a .30-06. Guess what? I once had a 22" .300 Winchester Magnum, and it was easy to get 3000 fps with 180-grain bullets using published data. It's hard to get 3000 fps with a 180 from a 26" barreled .30-06, even when pushing handloads past the standard SAAMI level.

..............But wait a minute! All 300 mags including the 300 WSM according to the "hunting and shooters bible", if there was such a book, should all have barrels no less than 24".....Otherwise they say, "might as well just own and be shooting a 30-06.".....Yep! That is bullcrap.

Happen to have a short `n handy 16.5" barreled 300 WSM Ruger carbine, that can ballistically out perform any 22"-24" tubed 30-06.

More powder capacity, can more than make up for shorter barrel lengths.

I was just checking out a Savage 300 WSM that had a 20" barrel, dealer has had it for 3 years collecting dust, at $399 maybe I should grab it...

.....Offer between $299 and $325 and see what he says.

You`ll have nice `n handy and long range rifle if needed, with an OAL that`s only about 40" long as well.

Go for it.

Not only that, but would be very enlightening fired at dusk!!!

I had a 20" M70 pushfeed Carbine in 270, it had very nice wood, it shot nice groups, it was VERY loud with plugs and muffs so it went down the road. I sold it for more than I paid for it, alot more. So it is one of my favorite ex guns.It's not the velocity you lose, it's the muzzle blast and decibels you gain, well it was for me anyway.150 gr NBT's 51.0 of H4350 worked well. Best of luck . Magnum man

I have an older Vanguard with 20 in. barrel and synthetic stock in .270 Winchester. It is a great gun that fills a spot in my battery. Have had it for a long time. Put a few deer in the freezer with it. Don't have to load it loud and can use something else to do the heavy or long work. I use 130's and a little less than full throttle. I like it and don't have any reason to bash the 20 inch barrel nor bash the .270 Winchester. If it was my only gun, I might want a different configuration. Fun too shoot, works well to carry in the thick stuff, and feels really good while dragging another one back to camp. If I were to start fresh and build a new battery I'd likely choose comparable performance with a short action. I'm in the Pacific N.W. and don't shoot across canyons nor wide open flats and bean fields where I use it to hunt.

Marv

Thats the point I was trying to make, not really about velocity. A friend had one with a 20' barrel and it was was quite the light show, with sound effects to match.

How much am I losing with my Ruger 77 RSI 7mm08 with 18 1/2 in.
barrel shooting Remington Factory 140 gr. Core Locks Ammo?

...........Vs a 24" 7/08, you`d be losing around 3 3/4% - 4%.

Dick Metcalf published an article several years ago, where took a new 16.5" barreled 7/08 Ruger Frontier and chrony tested the same factory ammo from that Frontier vs from a 24" barreled 7/08. I don`t remember exactly what brand the ammo was or what the bullet weight was. IIRC it was over 130 gr.

The velocity difference averaged 4.5% from a barrel 7 1/2" shorter.

I have a 20" 30-06. My handloads get about 100 fps more speed than standard published velocities from my 22" guns. The 20" gun is almost 100 fps slower, but still beats published speeds for factory loads from a 24" barrel with my handloads.

Here is a good read on shorter barrels and velocity from many different rounds, including 270.


http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/short-barrel-magnum-velocity-19346/

I gave my great nephew one of those Model 70 push-feed carbines in .270 last year. He says it kills hogs just fine.

Jocko, I didn't have a problem with the way it killed sh*t, just the way it beat up my ears. Maagnum Man

MM, I fully understand.

I never shot it myself but figured it would be plenty noisy. I prefer 24" barrels on my rifles and noise is one of the reasons.

Chet Brown, founder of Brown Precision, suggested the 20" 270 and he had a lot more experience than just about everybody. Nuf said!

Oh, forgot he also suggested 150 partitions.

I never understand the point of 'too loud'. Not trying to stir the pot, but you are 'shooting a gun', not pool. I have had my BAR in 270 safari w/BOSS for 12 years and always wear electronic muffs. First by peltor. Then by pro ears. I don't discharge a 22 while hunting w/o hearing and eye protection. Ear protection is uncomfortable. Same as eye protection. You only get one chance with your eyes and ears.
I never had any velocity problems with loading for the short barrel with the BAR.
Cheers!