The Virtues Of The 0.270
BY Herschel Smith
11 years, 10 months ago
According to gun writer Chuck Hawks, the .270 made its debut in 1925 and was created to challenge the popular .30-06. (The .270 is a necked down 30-06). Famous Outdoor writer Jack O’Connor helped make the .270 popular when he recounted the .270’s lightning-quick kills at 300 yards! At that time the .270 was considered to be the flattest shooting big-game round in the world, according to Hawks. The .30-06 spits a 180 grain bullet at 2,700 feet per second. The .270 releases a 130-grain bullet at 3,140 feet per second. Equally impressive, according to the ballistics students, is the .270’s capacity to sustain its velocity down range: 130 grain bullet registers 2,320 feet per second at 300 yards!
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I also like the .270’s relative civility when it comes to recoil. A fellow elk hunter, who hunts with a Winchester .300 Magnum, always leaves the shooting range with a bruised, tender shoulder after zeroing his cannon. He also rations his rounds due to the cost. Granted, I’ll stick with him during a grizzly-bear charge, but the rest of the time give me the .270.
I have to say that I like the “relative civility” when it comes to recoil as well (as I have written before). The 0.270 is a sweet round. I can shoot a 12 gauge shotgun for hours (here substitute a large game round), but then my shoulder and chest complain to me for days.
I don’t know if anyone else has problems with this, but I lift weights, and with a somewhat enlarged chest there is little real “shoulder” left in which to fit the butt of the rifle (or shotgun). It simply sits across my chest / deltoids. The last time I shot clays I had a bruise as straight as a board down my right pectoral (I am right handed but left eye dominant, which is yet another problem in that I still shoot with my right eye).
I like moderate recoil, which is one reason I like carbine rounds. I consider the 0.270 to be a large game round without the kick.
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On February 8, 2013 at 4:34 am, GunRights4US said:
The .270 is my favorite caliber as well. Recoil has never been an issue for me however, and I can put a hundred rounds down range and not really feel any ill effects. I’ve been tweaking my own load for the .270 using IMR 4350 and Berger 150 grain VLDs. Fired out of my accu-trigger equipped Savage bolt action, it is phenomenally accurate!
On February 8, 2013 at 9:52 am, jean said:
A little family rifle heritage, my Grandfather was a WWI infantryman (28th ID). I recall a deer camp story, he was talking about shooting all day on his shoulder, then changing shoulders to shoot left handed. He was the “designated marksman” for his platoon. No modified stock or buffer springs. One my cousins brought an AR15 to camp. The old salts had nothing good to say about 5.56….
On February 8, 2013 at 10:31 am, Herschel Smith said:
Jean, of course they didn’t. Hard for old dogs to learn new tricks. And in my opinion, recoil is the enemy of good shooting. It makes it harder to recapture a good sight picture, less pleasant to shoot, and more prone to tearing up your machinery from the shock. I’m an engineer, and I think about things like wear and tear on the machinery. A Scout Sniper in my son’s platoon (Daniel was a DM, but not the full Scout training) told me once that after shooting several dozen rounds of .50, he had a headache the rest of the day. People can act like studs all they want to. But the reality is that the less the recoil, the better the machine.
GunRights4US, yea, I saw that you took down your last buck – I’m guessing – with the 0.270?
On February 8, 2013 at 2:25 pm, jean said:
The 50 cal is a bear as a crew service, so I can not imagine the wear and tear of firing that weapon on an individual. The research that is coming out about traumatic brain injury is concerning. Most servicemen that deployed after 2008 were given pre deployment screening: aka a photo of the brain, pre and post deployment. I have counseled many returning veterans on the importance of medical follow up for mental and physical issues.
On February 10, 2013 at 3:12 pm, Brooks said:
I too, love the humble .270, and chose the 130 grain Ballistic tip.
My choice is the Remington 700 ADL, with synthetic stock, Black.
Topped with the “original” Simmons Aetec 2.8 -12 x 44,
matte black, w/sun shade.
I did have to armor the scope body to keep the ejected shells from striking it.
Which will leave little brass marks, and could compromise the zero over time.
Simply take the small diameter black pipe insulation and ranger bands.
Using a razor blade, remove the unneeded material around the windage and elevation knobs. Place super glue on the seam of the insulation to keep closed.
Then cover ends with ranger bands to give a finished look. and protect them from snags. Works, and looks, like a factory upgrade.
I just recently installed the medium Harris bi-pod.
Over all, a great looking and high performance rig, if I say so my self.
My only regret, is that it’s not an H-Bar.
But that gives me something to look forward to get next.
On February 12, 2013 at 4:30 pm, Firehand said:
For my home-defense shotgun I went to Winchester Ranger low-recoil buckshot; really a noticeable difference from standard buckshot, so faster recovery. And in practice it’s a LOT easier on my shoulder. Which was injured in an accident years back, and now lets me know about it- sometimes loudly- when I shoot too much of the heavy-recoiling stuff.