Thread: .270 is the best caliber ever made.

I started my hunting career with a 6.5x55. It was good. Then I bought my first 270, followed shortly after by a better .270. Being young and single, I also bought a 7mm Rem mag, a 308, a 223, a 280acklyImp barrel when I wore out the 270, a 30/06 which I shortly rebarrlled too 6.5/284, a 6.5 Grendal and another 223.

When I decided to shout myself a one great rifle for the rest of my career, there was really no contest. accurate, Less recoil than the /284,Mag or 06. Kills well, as flat shooting or flatter than any of them over the distances I wish to shoot. Ammo available everywhere and common /easy to get. Most projectiles are designed specifically for it.
I can pick it up and walk out the door with no need for a rangefinder or app or special scope of any sort. It was and will be the ideal rifle for NZ hunting for some time.

My first rifle, which is still own, love and use regularly, is a Tikka M695 in .270 Winchester. A lot of people whine and moan about things like the fact that .270 win rifles need the longer barrel for velocity, the long action adds weight, and that there is a bit more recoil.
While all true, they neglect the perks of the .270win.

With a well developed handload and a 150m zero you can practically shoot out to 300 meters distance or more with no need to make major adjustments for drop. Components and ammo are also relatively cheap given how common of a caliber it is.
I have dialable scopes on other rifles in other calibers, but I find myself going back to the .270 time and time again because it is just a great generalist rifle because of that flat trajectory and swift velocity. This flat trajectory means that for most hunting applications you don't need a big dial up scope, which again saves weight on your rifle and makes it easier to handle.

Thanks to modern technology, we have limb-saver recoil pads and light suppressors which remedy recoil concerns. Modern bullets like the Hornady SST 130gr, when paired with the speed of the .270win that can be gained from handloading, make it a really effective and humane hunting rifle.

Yes I agree that the longer barrel can be a pain in the tight stuff, no doubt about it, but where I grew up in the South Island it was something I was willing to put up with because that same length gave me the speed and flat trajectory that allowed me to take animals across a variety of hunting situations. I've used it on red deer in the bush, Tahr in alpine situations, and fallow on medium range farmland shooting. You could begin a hunt in the bush, climb to the open country, and know that the rifle had you covered no matter how open or tight the country was.

If you reload with lighter projectiles it makes a great varmint rifle also.

I think the .270win gets so much undeserved hate because people do not recognise it as the generalist cartridge it is. It is the do-it-all cartrige. It is a great chambering especially if you reload. If you want a cartridge that can do it all, it is a very solid contender.

Originally Posted by Floundering Around

My first rifle, which is still own, love and use regularly, is a Tikka M695 in .270 Winchester. A lot of people whine and moan about things like the fact that .270 win rifles need the longer barrel for velocity, the long action adds weight, and that there is a bit more recoil.
While all true, they neglect the perks of the .270win.

With a well developed handload and a 150m zero you can practically shoot out to 300 meters distance or more with no need to make major adjustments for drop. Components and ammo are also relatively cheap given how common of a caliber it is.
I have dialable scopes on other rifles in other calibers, but I find myself going back to the .270 time and time again because it is just a great generalist rifle because of that flat trajectory and swift velocity. This flat trajectory means that for most hunting applications you don't need a big dial up scope, which again saves weight on your rifle and makes it easier to handle.

Thanks to modern technology, we have limb-saver recoil pads and light suppressors which remedy recoil concerns. Modern bullets like the Hornady SST 130gr, when paired with the speed of the .270win that can be gained from handloading, make it a really effective and humane hunting rifle.

Yes I agree that the longer barrel can be a pain in the tight stuff, no doubt about it, but where I grew up in the South Island it was something I was willing to put up with because that same length gave me the speed and flat trajectory that allowed me to take animals across a variety of hunting situations. I've used it on red deer in the bush, Tahr in alpine situations, and fallow on medium range farmland shooting. You could begin a hunt in the bush, climb to the open country, and know that the rifle had you covered no matter how open or tight the country was.

If you reload with lighter projectiles it makes a great varmint rifle also.

I think the .270win gets so much undeserved hate because people do not recognise it as the generalist cartridge it is. It is the do-it-all cartrige. It is a great chambering especially if you reload. If you want a cartridge that can do it all, it is a very solid contender.Attachment 260786

I think it appeals to those of us that really just want one rifle to do everything in a simple system.

I must admit I get a feeling of superiority if Im hunting with someone and I have my 270 draped across my daypack, reticle on the animal, and am waiting for the other person to range the animal and dial. Knowing I could have it dead all ready...

Originally Posted by whanahuia

I think it appeals to those of us that really just want one rifle to do everything in a simple system.

I must admit I get a feeling of superiority if Im hunting with someone and I have my 270 draped across my daypack, reticle on the animal, and am waiting for the other person to range the animal and dial. Knowing I could have it dead all ready...

Spot on. For general meat hunting in the hands of a competent shooter it is great for that purpose. Quick to deploy, hard hitting and unsophisticated.

Sub 400m it’s very capable with modern ammunition.If I expect to shoot further than that, then I bring out the rifles with adjustable scope turrets etc.