Thread: 270 win. capabilities

I just aquired an old winchester in 270 cal with low round count fired through it(approx 200).My question is this caliber capable of killing big game effectively at 500yds.I was advised to use 150 gr bullet or should I be using something different.The big game would be mule deer and elk,just dont have experience with centerfire rifles,more experience with shotgun and rimfires

The .270 is a great round, and can kill as far as most people can shoot accurately. If you're in the 10% or so of the population that can accurately engage a target at 500 meters, the .270 will be there for you

The 270 will handle mule deer and elk very well. It's an awesome round.

nothing against the 270, or your question, But I would work on my hunting skills & try to get a bit closer. A 500 yard shot at a deer or an elk is a stunt. But that's just my opinion. Best of luck, Mike.

The .270 will do everything a 30.06 or .280 will do, and it will do what you're asking.

We had this discusion a few months back and there were a couple of 'tards who responded less than favorably.

I have seen 270 130 gr bounce off elk hinde quarter ,oh I forgot about the shot placement , but when the wind is blowing 20 knots/hr from west to east and you are 300 yards away south of your target shooting 150gr, what do aim to have your neck shot? and for those that all they need is a stick, try the stick when the bulls are not in rot.

I'll do the author of this post a favor and keep his identity hidden, but you get the picture.

I have been reloading both .270 Win and .30-'06 for years. My favorite load for both is 55 gr of IMR 4350. I shoot Nosler Partitions in both......150 gr in .270 (2750 FPS), and 180 gr (2650 FPS) in the '06. The ballistics are quite similar, but the '06 provides just a bit more energy downrange.

Both calibers are very effective on both deer and elk, but I don't believe most ethical hunters would consider a 500 yard shot as reasonable.

At 500 yrds,a 150 gr partition going 2800 fps at the muzzle is going 1900 fps.With 1240 ft/lbs of energy.More than enough to kill a muley,if you can consistently hit a pie plate,off of shooting sticks,at that distance.Personally,I am not that good of a shot.I don't know that I have seen anybody do it either.500 yrds is a long way to shoot.

Thanks for the input,I was looking for your opinions,so it sounds like its capable in the right hands.I'll have to do a lot of shooting first before considering such a long shot,after all it's my first centerfire rifle and have a huge learning curve ahead of me

My faith is restored. I am very pleasantly surprised at the vast majority here who would caution against a 500 yard shot at any creature worthy of respect. And, as mentioned by at least one person here, the persons actually capable of making a 500 yard shot on ANYTHING number quite few, and only after extensive and exhaustive practice.

If your first centerfire is a .270, you have made a choice that will not need much re-evaluating later. If you want to try 500 yards, find an unsuspecting milk jug or paper plate. The experiment will humble you severely prior to anything that can be called success.

If you really want to drop something at 500 yards, like Spitpatch said; practice, practice, practice. To do that, stick with one rifle and shoot the **** out of it. Roll your own ammo and get intimate with the rifle. Whats that saying: "beware the man with only one rifle because he surely knows how to use it" Something to that effect. Consistency is key. If you can only hit a paper plate or milk jug at 500 yards with 1-2 out of every 10 shots, then you are totally disrespecting the animal you try to bring down at that distance by simply flinging rounds at it in the hope of scoring a hit. 500 yards is humbling even when on the rifle range, in the prone, with a tight sling and range flags to aid in wind doping. Trying to dope the wind for a shot that far, in the mountains or plains with swirling winds and whatnot, takes a better rifleman than myself!

Personally, I load 130 or 140gr Nosler BT's on top of H1000. Thats the best I've found for my rifle

I have been hunting with .270s most of my life. I cannot guess how many deer and elk I have taken with the round, (I use 130gr for deer and 150gr for elk), and have never had an issue with performance over the ranges I shoot, which is usually 300 and under. I have never considered a shot at 500 yards on game.

.270 lover here too. Personally I too would never consider a shot at 500 yards, heck I got it, now I have to go out there and get it and haul it back. no thanks. IMHO 500yard shots are not hunting anyway, the skill lies in getting close enough for an assured one shot clean kill on deer or elk. Sure would hate to have to track a wounded animal another 1000 yards only to find it suffocating on its own blood. Now coyotes and other varmits are a different story, willing to take risky shots at them, a lot lighter load to carry back (still would like a humane kill).

Many deer and elk have been taken by the .270 cartridge. Ive rolled over a few deer with mine. Mine were in the range of 100-200 yards. I dont feel the need to shoot 500 yards

I can't remember for certain, but I was advised that either the 130 or 140 grain is optimal for the 270. The only problem is, I can't remember which one.

The .270win and 130 gr bullets go together like peas and carrots.

Optimally it all depends upon the barrel twist which bullet it likes best...but there are other consideration too. So it is useless to say all 270's like a certain load or bullet mass. Jack O'Conner (RIP) really promoted this cartridge and was a huge advocate about using it rather than all the magnum mania which was spinning up in the 60s and 70's. He shot basically every big game in North America with this cartridge and documented it in all the mainstream hunting rags of the day including some books. While it isn't as sexy or has the high CDI factor the short and regular magnums have now...it is plenty of cartridge for Pacific North Wet mammals on both sides of the Cascades.

I took out a bull elk at 330 yards with one shot once in my lifetime with a .270. He dropped like a rock. The round expended all its energy inside the thoracic cavity and the 150 Nosler Partition worked better than advertised. I did this with a 22" barrel and didn't need a magnum with more recoil, report, and barrel length to get the job done. All my other .270 hunts/shots were in the 35 yards to 150 range on both sides of the Cascades. If I recall I've never needed to take a follow up shot. If the bullet hit the critter was done immediately or very soon thereafter. I did shoot a black tail buck once and had to track him for about 50 yards or less. That is the furthest I've ever tracked one.

The only reason I don't continue to use the .270 is because I'm using Black Powder Cartridge or Muzzle Loaders now. Ammo is cheaper than the magnums, find a load that works for you and shoot it a lot and more than just off the bench at the target range. Get good with it and it will serve you well.

Awesome thread.

I want a .270 Sendero 700.

whack em in the vitals and they are done. squirls to moose

Great news as I just traded to get a winchester m70 in 270.