What about .270 Winchester?

[300lightweight]

So I have been thinking about adding a .270 Win to the safe. The reason being during the ammo shortage you could ALWAYS find it on the shelf locally. I mean everyone had it and lots of it. When .308, 30-06, and 300 Win Mag were all gone there were boxes off .270 everywhere.

So what is everyone's opinion on the old .270? I'll be looking for a moderately priced hunting type rifle. What barrel length, twist, and all of that? Any certain make or model you recommend in the $1000 or less price range?

Also, I'll add- the ability to purchase factory ammo now has way more influence on me than ever before. I have tons of bullets, brass, and powder. The problem is that primers are tough to find and expensive!

I have a .270win (SAKO 85 Carbon Wolf) which is slightly out of your indicated price range. But have had .270 for ages. Fantastic caliber imo! I use it for everything from fox to moose. Ususally with 150gr Barnes TSX. V0 around 900m/s. Very good effect in game without a lot of meat damage. Highly recommended caliber!

 

[john k]

Ron Spomer just released a video on YouTube about the .270. Very interesting. Said Browning building XBolt with a fast twist barrel this year. Great video for the .270 crowd.

 

[IndianaMatt]

Ron Spomer just released a video on YouTube about the .270. Very interesting. Said Browning building XBolt with a fast twist barrel this year. Great video for the .270 crowd.

After scouring the web and trying to decide what I should or shouldn't do I have found many articles and comments regarding fast twist .270 for longer heavier bullets. From what I understand that is the entire purpose for the 6.8 western and 27 Nosler.
That all appears to be very interesting but my original draw behind wanting a .270 was I kept seeing box after box of ammo in stores at discount prices.

I have toyed around with the idea of building a custom rifle. It's definitely something I will do someday but time and other obligations just don't allow for all of that at this time. I'd love to build a Sherman Short at some point.

All that leads to this- I have a CZ557 in .30-06. It sits in a Manners stock. It doesn't shoot well. I'm thinking I re-barrel it too .270 and "should" have a nice usable rifle. I would prefer to keep it short. Hiking spoil banks in the old coal country is tough and long rifles snag on everything. So all that comes down to this question- how short is too short? Can I still retain decent velocity at 18 inches?

 

[xsn10s]

After scouring the web and trying to decide what I should or shouldn't do I have found many articles and comments regarding fast twist .270 for longer heavier bullets. From what I understand that is the entire purpose for the 6.8 western and 27 Nosler.
That all appears to be very interesting but my original draw behind wanting a .270 was I kept seeing box after box of ammo in stores at discount prices.

I have toyed around with the idea of building a custom rifle. It's definitely something I will do someday but time and other obligations just don't allow for all of that at this time. I'd love to build a Sherman Short at some point.

All that leads to this- I have a CZ557 in .30-06. It sits in a Manners stock. It doesn't shoot well. I'm thinking I re-barrel it too .270 and "should" have a nice usable rifle. I would prefer to keep it short. Hiking spoil banks in the old coal country is tough and long rifles snag on everything. So all that comes down to this question- how short is too short? Can I still retain decent velocity at 18 inches?

It really depends on how far your shots will be and what you're trying to hunt. My buddy's go to rifle for ages was a 270 Win with 18" barrel. He wasn't into long range hunting so it was his elk rifle out to 200-300 yards. Sorry I can't remember the velocity loss on it.

 

[xsn10s]

John Barsness got close to 2800 fps with the 170 EOL 22" barrel. So lets say just for shites and gaggles you got 2675 fps with the 170 gr EOL. It still gives you 1500 ft/lbs out to almost 550 yards.

 

[Hand Skills]

It really depends on how far your shots will be and what you're trying to hunt.

see post #9

 

[IndianaMatt]

It really depends on how far your shots will be and what you're trying to hunt. My buddy's go to rifle for ages was a 270 Win with 18" barrel. He wasn't into long range hunting so it was his elk rifle out to 200-300 yards. Sorry I can't remember the velocity loss on it.

All shots will be 300 yards or less. Mostly hunting Whitetail deer. Last year for example my furthest shot was 85 yards and my daughter actually took that shot.

 

[Window]

All shots will be 300 yards or less. Mostly hunting Whitetail deer. Last year for example my furthest shot was 85 yards and my daughter actually took that shot.

The 117 Hammer Hunter.

 

[Hand Skills]

I'm tempted to try the 116gr Absolute, myself.

 

[Window]

I'm tempted to try the 116gr Absolute, myself.

That'd be a good choice as well. I'm running the 117 Hammer Hunters out of three 270 Weatherby Mags. According to Steve, he recommended the Hammer Hunters out of that round stating there wouldn't be much of a gain out of that cartridge. (Results may have changed between now and then and if they have, please someone or Steve chime in) This conversation took place not long after they introduced the Absolutes and he said the greatest gains with Absolutes were with standard cartridges. Everything he's told me from the beginning till now has been dead on so I've never experimented with Absolutes and have stuck with the Hammer Hunters. Give the Absolutes a go and please report how they perform.

 

[xsn10s]

All shots will be 300 yards or less. Mostly hunting Whitetail deer. Last year for example my furthest shot was 85 yards and my daughter actually took that shot.

Yeah even a Nosler Ballistic Tip 130 gr going 2800 fps will be fine for 300 yards or less. So a 18" barrel will be fine.

 

[xsn10s]

All shots will be 300 yards or less. Mostly hunting Whitetail deer. Last year for example my furthest shot was 85 yards and my daughter actually took that shot.

Others have listed Hornadys, Sierra heck just about any big game hunting 130-150 gr is going to work for you. The 270 Win, 308 Win, 30-06 and a host of others are just fine for whitetails 300 yards and less.

 

[IndianaMatt]

The 117 Hammer Hunter.

I'm tempted to try the 116gr Absolute, myself.

Can you share your data?
What twist is recommended for the lightweights?
Would the same twist work for off the shelf 130-150's?

I have had issues in the past with bullet performance when up close and personal. For example- I shot a buck last year at about 20ish yards with a 30-06 using a 178gr Hornady bullet. Sorry, I don't recall the name of the bullet. Long story short I thought I missed. No blood, deer ran off acting normal, absolutely no sign of being hit. This was my target buck, I was crushed, called my wife and said I think I missed. Deer was dead about 40 yards away. There was a pin hole in and out.

People say, well you need to use a different gun or caliber or whatever for those close shots. I had no intention on getting him
that close. That same day same sit could have resulted in a 200 yard shot. So what should a fella do?

 

[xsn10s]

For example- I shot a buck last year at about 20ish yards with a 30-06 using a 178gr Hornady bullet.

The 178 ELDM has a reputation of being too splashy/ explosive with impact velocities of 2300 fps and up. I shot a Texas Whitetail with a 20" 308 Win and a Nosler 168gr Ballistic Tip @ 60 yards on the should with no issues. Shot a Oregon Mule deer at 50 yards with my 30-06 and a 165 gr BT DRT on the shoulder. Both exited and I dug the 165 BT out of a dead tree behind the buck. Chub Eastman, Steve Timms, and Matt Smith pushed a 100-120 grain BT out of a 6.5-280 AI to take deer, elk and moose.