could the .270 Winchester see a resurgence with the new 6.8 bullets ???

I was killing game at long range with a .270 long before I found out it was terrible at it. Several coyotes and prairie dogs were killed north of 400 yards, and my largest mule deer buck to date was 560 yards all done with 130 grain SGK bullets and a healthy dose of I4831 powder. Now I have some of the new LR Accubond bullets to play with and I might bave to try the Matrix 165 grain VLD for GP.


Four cow elk have fallen to a 150 grain Nosler Partitions, and none needed more than one bullet to get the job done. Longest shot on elk was 250 yards, but I wouldn't hesitate to stretch the legs of that load to about twice that. Those of us who use the .270 understand its qualities, and those who don't just like to talk bad about it.
 
The only problem today with the .270 is that it is not "new and improved". It is not even "better", in regard to all the new chamberings (short magnums, ultra magnums, etc.) that are currently offered. However, being old, I can remember when that was in essence, the same thing that was said about about it when the "magnum", ala belted (.338 Mag., 7MM Mag., 8MM Mag., Et. al.) cases became popular. The .270 has none of the "advantages" of those other chamberings...it is just a plain-Jane, boring gun that works, and will continue to do so after the "Latest New Cartridge De Jour" guns are orphans and the search for those "better" cartridges on store shelves become pointless.
Thinking about it, the .270 is like a hammer...old fashion and simple compared to the newer tools, but works too well and reliably to be replaced.
 
could the .270 Winchester see a resurgence with the new 6.8 bullets ???
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I do not see why that would have any influence on it at all. The .270 became popular with a standard (not premium) 130 grain bullet. There has always been lighter bullets available for those who wished to use it as a varmint gun, and heavier bullets who for some reason that completely escapes me, want to try to put it into a role that would be better suited for the 30-06. In short, the 130 grain bullet is what made the .270, using any other weight in it is arguable, without merit.
As to target uses, the .270 is a hunting gun. That is why it gained popularity in the first place. The few people who will try to make it into a target gun are not likely to effect a significant increase in its popularity.
 
and heavier bullets who for some reason that completely escapes me, want to try to put it into a role that would be better suited for the 30-06.
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Both cartridges have equal killing power. 06 has a bit more bullet weight available but a 180 grain bullet in .277 has a higher SD than a 220 grain bullet in .308. And a considerably higher SD than a 300 grain .375 and 250 grain .338
Which means it's hanging with, and even superior to some "Big Game" bullets.


180's from .270 win rifle can be fired around 2500-2600fps. Please tell me how the .30-06 would be 'better suited' than a load that could probably pass through T-Rex.
.30-06 might be better at stopping a dangerous game charge, just because of the larger bullet mass, but you'd be better suited moving up a few calibers, if that is your intention, anyway.

Any game that the .30-06 can take, the .270 win and .280 rem can do just as well with the right load.
 
Yea. The ballistic coefficient is better with the 270 than with the 30 caliber.

For example, look at the muzzle energy at 500 yards and bullet drop rate. The 270 has more in common with the 300 Win Mag. Comming from a 300 Win mag, this was one of the draws that brought me back to the 270 and away from the 300 Win Mag.
Factor in now we have a bonded bullet and the 130gr is no longer a fragile or explosive bullet like a soft point.

264c8fc9da7ac1710a4f3508fd0cd0d2.jpg



Here is a goat being taken in New Zealand at 721 yards with the 270. 270 is very popular there. That's a long range kill regardless of caliber.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-VBAInIDlG4
 
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For example, look at the muzzle energy at 500 yards.
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I was curious and punched in some numbers into a ballistic calculator and with Nosler's new "long range" 150 grain .277 leaving the barrel at 3000fps (which is a very plausible velocity for a hand load)
You're looking at over 1735ft/lbs @ 500 yards @ sea level, 65 degrees F. With the bullet still traveling nearly 2300fps. Only about 36 inches drop with a 200 yard zero (59.5 inches of actual drop from the barrel) and 13 inches of wind drift with a 10mph 90 degree crosswind.
 
When you shine a light on the 270's performance, you gotta wonder why it isnt talked about more????? I was guilty of this until I started digging in my reloading books years ago and a light bulb whent off in my head.

Hornady has a over the counter 140 SST load that is pretty close to that. I always factor in if a comercial load can go so fast, a reloader can squeeze even more out of it.

Hornady 140gr SST
Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
MUZZLE 100 200 300 400 500
3090/2968 2894/2603 2706/2276 2526/1983 2353/1721 2187/1487
Trajectory (inches)
MUZZLE 100 200 300 400 500
-1.50 1.30 0.00 -6.10 -17.60 -35.40
 
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180's from .270 win rifle can be fired around 2500-2600fps.
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Sorry, My Hornady Fifth ed. only shows up to 150 grain bullets for the .270. 180 grain .277 caliber bullets must be some new-fangled thing.

Please tell me how the .30-06 would be 'better suited' than a load that could probably pass through T-Rex.
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That is an Irrelevant Fallacy and/or Weak Analogy Fallacy. (Re: Logical Fallacy)
 
Sorry, My Hornady Fifth ed. only shows up to 150 grain bullets for the .270. 180 grain .277 caliber bullets must be some new-fangled thing.
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Not really. But they aren't very common, and most were designed specifically for use in .270 Weatherby.
A couple examples (past and present):
180 gr Woodleigh PP
180 gr North Fork PP
180 gr Barnes Original RN (discontinued)
180 gr Berger VLD Hunting (discontinued)

And, beyond that... Woodleigh also occasionally produces a 200 gr PP in .277" diameter. Here's a photo of the 200 gr, next to a 115 gr bullet. :eek:
Lapua also made a Mega, and A-Square a RN Solid, in the 190 gr range for a while.
 
Sorry, My Hornady Fifth ed. only shows up to 150 grain bullets for the .270. 180 grain .277 caliber bullets must be some new-fangled thing.
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Your Hornady 5th Ed. does not contain a good many other things, as well, including the 327 Magnum, the 6.5 Grendl, the 6.8SPC, nor any loads for the 7.62x54R using proper bullets.... that does not mean they are "new" ..... it just means that book is pretty outdated. For Pete's sake, when they were writing that tome, Bill Clinton was in the White House! In the time since that was published, the Short Magnum/UltraMagnum Craze has come and gone, the Winchester Model 70 died and was resurrected and the Nation Debt has increased by more than tenfold ........

Because you have not seen a thing does not make it imaginary.
 
Sorry, My Hornady Fifth ed. only shows up to 150 grain bullets for the .270. 180 grain .277 caliber bullets must be some new-fangled thing.
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Nope, not so new, like mentioned, just not so popular. Why would it be popular, when a 130 grain bullet with proper construction can pass through a large elk? And you still have 140,150,160,165 grain bullets if that's not enough.

I didn't have more time to look for more load data but here's a recipe from IMR's website.

180 GR. BRN JRN IMR 7828 .277" 3.300" 48.0 2307 40,900 CUP 52.8 2529 50,400 CUP
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I know others exist and achieve higher muzzle velocity. This is one of the slower loads I've seen.
That 200 grain .277 is insane! I must buy some of those, just because. :D
 
Because you have not seen a thing does not make it imaginary.
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Never said it was, latest Horned hand book I have in my possession is the fifth addition, so I felt I could not comment upon the performance of an 180 grain .270.
 
Quote:
180 GR. BRN JRN IMR 7828 .277" 3.300" 48.0 2307 40,900 CUP 52.8 2529 50,400 CUP
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I know others exist and achieve higher muzzle velocity. This is one of the slower loads I've seen.
That 200 grain .277 is insane! I must buy some of those, just because.
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I see why you are excited. 180 grain at 2,307-2,529...the .348 Winchester, reborn.
 
Nope, not so new, like mentioned, just not so popular. Why would it be popular, when a 130 grain bullet with proper construction can pass through a large elk?
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I agree with that wholeheartedly.
 
Your Hornady 5th Ed. does not contain a good many other things, as well, including the 327 Magnum, the 6.5 Grendl, the 6.8SPC, nor any loads for the 7.62x54R using proper bullets.... that does not mean they are "new" ..... it just means that book is pretty outdated. For Pete's sake, when they were writing that tome, Bill Clinton was in the White House! In the time since that was published, the Short Magnum/UltraMagnum Craze has come and gone, the Winchester Model 70 died and was resurrected and the Nation Debt has increased by more than tenfold ........
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Seems like yesterday!
 
Here are some wise words from "The Rifle Book" from JOC... They pertain to caliber selection.

Chapter XIII. Selecting the Rifle.
"No matter how finely finished a particular rifle is, it is a poor buy if the ammunition for it is obsolete or may become obsolete before the life of the rifle is over."


Certainly somthing to think about when dropping some serious coin on a rifle, especially if you buy guns that are intended to be handed down through the family.;)
 
This is really a 2 part question. The 270 has never waned as a hunting round. At least as popular as ever and new bullet designs have made it better than ever as a hunting round. No need for resurgence.

As a target round, it has never been popular, partly because of the lack of good target bullets. It could possibly emerge as a popular target round, but since it was never popular for this, not a resurgence.

But I don't see that happening either. There are already too many good rounds that are well established, and will be better than the 270 could ever be for target shooting.

The 270 will continue to be one of the best all around hunting chamberings ever. Just as it has since 1925.
 
I see why you are excited. 180 grain at 2,307-2,529...the .348 Winchester, reborn.
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Except a 180 grain bullet in 6.8mm will have a drastically better sectional density and ballistic coefficient than a 180 grain bullet in 8.8mm

That's like saying the .300 whisper is the .45ACP reborn, because they both can push 230 grain bullets at similar velocities.:rolleyes:

If you're trying to get through an Elephant or Rhino's thick hide and bones, the 6.8mm would do a significantly better job than a 180 grain 8.8mm at the same velocity.(And it wont be the same velocity because the 8.8mm would have slowed down more in flight than the 6.8)
 
I doubt we will ever see the .270 Win as a serious player in any bench rest discipline. It is true that no good match .270 bullets have been available until recently, but the 06 has been necked to 6.5 and it is not a serious player. I really dont see the 06 case ever being strong in benchrest.
 
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