Thread: I need help! 270 barrel chop, cant make a decision

Hi guys,
Ok so I've inherited my grandfathers Winchester model 70 lightweight in 270.. so far with the advice from some good buggers on the forum pillar bedded the rifle, free floated the barrel, sanded stock down and re oiled, fitted a limbsaver.
The rifle will be Cerakoted midnight blue at the end and a new scope fitted. Now my predicament is I wasn't originally going to thread or suppress the rifle BUT it is 2023 and i enjoy my hearing, I also hunt with a dog and friends, and can hunt/shoot in some reasonably built up areas so i feel that maybe i should suppress or at least thread it before cerakote..
DPT will do me a custom thread cap to fit the barrel contour as best as possible to make the cap less visible, I've requested this to try and keep the rifle somewhat authentic as my grandad thinks suppressors are for pussy's and why would you want a dildo on the end of your rifle haha but he is deaf and probably has a wicked flinch id imagine!
So if i cut and thread what length and why!? I hunt mainly the kaimai's and love a short barrel, and handloading so can work with a shorter barrel, but for the guys who have done it let me know your opinions, if it was a rifle with no meaning to me I would chop it to 16-18'' and into it but I am trying to keep things abit original at the same time, my heart is saying leave the damn thing alone at 22'' and use it like my grandad did, but my mind is saying suppress or at least thread as it will hopefully one day become my grandsons..
Maybe 20'' is a happy medium?
So ill be dropping the rifle off on saturday morning for the final outcome so have a couple of days to make a decision, Im open to anybody and everybodys opinions on what to do to help sway my decision if you can be bothered leaving a comment id appreciate it. Sorry for the life story just at work bored and this has been keeping me awake at night!
Photos have been taken during the process and ill put a post up on projects and home builds when im all done for you guys to have a gander at
Cheers Troy

Probably the most versatile 270 I've had (and I've had one or two) would have been 19" T3, it was nice to point and carry with dpt on it and could still poke 150 LRABs out at 2850 which puts the hurt on to really far away. If you want to run it without a suppresor sometimes I'd go to 20" mainly because rifles start to look really silly to me any shorter than that with no suppressor on them, plus it keeps the loud bit just that little bit further away. Any longer than 20" and you have a rifle that will be really long with a suppresor on it, and any shorter than 18" and you'll have to really work to make the rifle viable over 400yds.
My vote is 19", 150gr projectile and some reloder 23 and live happily ever after

My 2 c don't cut it or ceracoat it, have it reblued properly and keep it true to it's origins. Buy some "cheap" modern rifle second hand for a reasonable price and chop that if you wish. Being a grumpy old bugger sometimes, it both amuses and annoys me when people buy a 300 win mag or similar, chop most of the barrel off then find it's a bit of a camel and express surprise at the result.
There are plenty of calibres suited to hunting that type of country without alteration and taking shots in open country as well, 3030, 7.62x39, 308 spring to mind

Listen to Ryan 19 or 20" I wouldn't go shorter in a .270.
The other things you are doing will make this a much more usable rifle that will last you for years.

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If it was my Grandads rifle, I sure as hell wouldnt be chopping it or ceracoating it. Out of respect to my Grandad, I may tidy it up, and maybe redo the stock as you have done. But if the metalwork wasnt looking flash, I'd cough up for a nice blueing job, scope with a period correct scope and have at it. Then I would go buy some more modern rifle, possibly the same calibre just to make it easier. And chop the shit outa that if you want to. But not Grandads rifle.

And I'd swap the limbsaver out for a period correct decent butt pad. I find the limbsavers look pretty bloody average and dont last too long.

To me its all about practicality. Yes it would be nice to keep the rifle in original condition but if that means it doesn't fit your requirements then whats the point? So I agree with the 20" barrel approach, in my opinion this is an absolute minimum length for a cartridge like the 270, Even the at that length you will need the suppressor to get the muzzle blast back to something manageable. You will then have a rifle which is handy to use in the bush and be able to reach our for longer shots, 20" with a suppressor should also balance quite nicely.

It will be 20" now so take off only enough to tidy up crown n thread. Trust me on this,it will be fine in the bush and if you get to really really crappy area and decide Micky ducks name is mud as it's tangling. Unscrew it and put thread cap or insulation tape on it until back in clearer stuff.my howa is 2" longer than the model 70 is and it doesn't bother me...and I hunt some really crappy bush. Slow down and it really won't matter.if your going fast enough for it to matter,your going too fast lol

The original butt pad was hard red rubber n friggin useless.lumbsaver is gooderer by far lol

20 would be ideal. I've got a 20" 243 featherweight with dpt. Balances and carrys well in the bush.
In fact, it's currently my preferred bush rifle. I'm a confirmed 270 guy and wouldnt go under 20 personally.

The Duleys went 18 or 19 from memory but with a magnum can, that must mess with the balance but neeed to tame the blast.

22 with a can is a tad longer, no problem in the open country and tames the 150 grainer ssts I shoot nicely.

Are you sure it's 22"???? Mine sure as hell wasn't..

cut it mines 19 inch get it suppressed . if its loud you wont use it

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Are you sure it's 22"???? Mine sure as hell wasn't..

Can confirm its factory 22'' (measured it) from the comments thus far it seems 20'' might be my best bet

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

The original butt pad was hard red rubber n friggin useless.lumbsaver is gooderer by far lol

Agreed the original was almost pointless as far as recoil reduction the limbsaver has made a huge difference to the shoulder

A 19" or 20" surpressed 270 would ideal.

if I could have bought Howa with a longer barrel , 24-25" barrel I would have done so...... the little bit extra length would just make that little bit more velocity... and has been said the hole in the end is a little bit further from your ears...it DOES make a difference.