Is the .270 dying?

It ain't going anywhere, but the rise in popularity of rounds like 308, 260, and 7-08 have certainly slowed sales of both 270 and 30-06. While both are certainly good rounds, I grew up on 30-06 and have used one for 40 years. But I'd no longer buy one, nor recommend anyone else buy one.

A 308 shoots the same bullet weights at almost exactly the same speeds as a 270, but with about 15-20% less recoil and from a smaller more compact rifle. The better BC of the 270 gives it an edge, but only at ranges farther than most folks have any business shooting. A 7-08 or 260 will do almost the same thing with better BC's than the 270

Comparing 270 to 30-06 in 2014 is almost a wash with common bullet weighs, with a slight edge to the 270 on paper. The two were loaded very differently in the 1920's, but modern 30-06 loads are as much as 400 fps faster than common loads from that era. A 30-06/150 can now be loaded to 3100 fps, only about 50 fps slower than a 270/130 bullet. No one will ever notice the difference in trajectory and no animal will ever know which hit it.

With modern 150 gr bullets fired from a 270 it will be slightly flatter than a 180 from a 30-06, and do equal damage. Where the 30-06 has a real advantage is it's ability to shoot heavier 200-250 gr bullets which the 270 has no answer for.

But, then you have to ask, who really needs bullets that heavy. A 270/150 or 30-06/180 will either kill anything in North America. They are on the light side for big bear, but will work. How many of us actually hunt those bear? and if we do, we can afford a much bigger gun.
 
Look for the obituary about the 270 Winchester after you see 3 consecutive years of windless conditions in Wyoming.

Until then I would consider it alive and very healthy.
 
No, but if it is, it will be a SUPER-slow death.... I think it got a shot in the arm with 6.8 SPC and the resulting bullets created, but it's cannibalized some by .280, and some of your 6.5 rounds, particularly the massive resurgence of 6.5x55 swede.
 
The 270 Winchester will never die. Just like the 30-06, 45-70 and 44-40. It's kept alive simply by hunters and enthusiasts who know it's capabilities. I sure wouldn't have spent $2200 for a Jack O'Connor Custom Tribute rifle for it if I thought it was going to die in my lifetime. Nor would I have a 1952 Model 70 in that caliber.

It's un-American to not have a 30-06, 35 Whelen and a 270 Winchester in your battery.

270 dying? Possibly it could have had it not been for Jack O'Connor extolling it's virtues in the pages of Outdoor Life for decades not to mention the books he wrote. I got turned on to that cartridge in 1968 solely from reading his many articles and had Hal Hartley of Lenoir, NC build for me a custom 270 based on the FN Supreme action and a Douglas barrel with the stock in Hartley's favorite tiger tail maple. Best shooting hunting rifle I ever had.

Viva the 270!!
 
Heck, it's almost as good as a 30-06! ;)
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I'd argue the .270 is 'better' than the 30-06
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I put the wink on the end in the hope that it would signal that I was kidding, but apparently it didn't work.

I consider .270 to be 'better' on paper than .30-06 because it will shoot bullets with comparable sectional densities faster and flatter than the 06 with equal if not better BC's.
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I won't try to argue the point because it's true. I would point out it's always true when comparing any two similar cartridges with different bore diameters. The trade off is the smaller cartridge loses frontal area and bullet weight.

And depending on the load, will shoot bullets of equal weight (and higher SD's) almost as fast, if not as fast as the 06'
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Almost as fast, but not as fast.

Despite the oceans of ink and galaxies of electrons wasted on hashing over the differences, the 270 and the 30-06 are very similar cartridges. One shoots a little flatter and kicks a little less, the other hits a little harder. No animal cleanly hit with a 270 is going to run off thinking "Thank God that wasn't a 30-06.".
 
Not dying. It's too well established for that, and it's such an awesome round...plentiful brass for reloaders too, can be formed from numerous other cases (yes, it is technically based on the long obsolete .30-03 case, so .270 brass formed from .30-06 cases will nave necks a tad shorter than spec but it doesn't affect anything in my experience). Also as a reloader I really love this cartridge along side any of the .30-06 based cases because of their long necks. I also reload for .300 win mag and .243 win and they are great cartridges as well but I've come to resent their stumpy little necks...doesn't give you much wiggle room. The .270 is to my understanding the perfect all around gun in sporter weight and length rifles. You could make a case for the .308 or .30-06 as well but the .270 is notably flatter shooting which I like. Doesn't beat you up and is able to reach or get within 50 fps of claimed velocity potential in the 22" barrels of most sporters (chronographed out of my savage 111). Anything more overbore (by that I simply mean any higher case capacity to bore diameter ratio) seems to require a 24" or longer. The .270 is not at all fussy about gunpowder choice though it does have its favourites, it works admirably with many different burn rates, I can't think of a cartridge that can make better use of so many different powders reaching full ballistic potential for said cartridge. Same for primers and bullets. Honestly, I've never had my .270 produces legit "one ragged hole" group but...I've never fed it anything it hated either. Not true for my .243 or my .300 wm, they're both a good bit fussier about what they like. The 270 produces good hunting accuracy with every single powder and bullet and factory load I've ever fed it. You never hear about feeding or extraction problems with the .270, contra the newer short mags. You can find ammo for the .270 for a reasonable price almost any where ammo is sold, and often a few different types at that. It has adequate killing power for all non dangerous north american game and can really reach out and touch as well. As has been said there is almost nothing a 7 mag can do that a .270 can't. If the .270 dies, it will be because ignorant hunters of tomorrow don't know any better.
 
There are tens of thousands of rifle chambered in .270.
Even in gun makers stopped producing rifles in .270 there would be enough out there to create demand.
 
I started hunting with 270 later part of the 60's used it for early coastal deer season in Calif then 7mag for late season. When I moved to Co 1977 first buck tag filled with 270 used 150gr Grand Slam and first bull elk used 7mag.

Last buck tag I drew here was 2012 filled that tag with 270 using 140gr TSX. Over the years used lot of different rifles for a buck tag same with elk and I have some like the 270 that has a home in my safe.
 
Yea I'd say its almost dead,I think it will last untill either all DEER are gone or till its not legal to hunt them anymore.;)
 
Gyvel,

I'm not a particular fan of the .270 or the 30/06 for that matter. Nothing wrong with either but I just prefer the short actions. However, I stumbled into a CZ 550FS in 30/06 a while back and I just liked the rifle enough to justify getting the 06. I wish it was a .308 or a 6.5x55 but the full stock is just such a sweet looking rifle that I had to have it. It shoots well to boot and I am sure the 30/06 is up to any task I might find for it. Had that rifle been a 270 instead I probably would have bought it anyway and been happy with the choice. Get the rifle and don't worry about the chambering too much.

Jason
 
Excellent insight guys, thanks to all. My first choice is the .270, but there is a second option for a .308. I'm leaning toward the .270 because I have never owned one and have almost nil experience with the round.:)
 
I've killed more big game with a .270 than any other caliber. Probably more than with all other calibers combined that I've ever used.
 
Amen brother Jbar. I know more hunters in Montana and Wyoming who shoot a .270 than those who shoot something Elmer Keith would use. And, it's a pretty fair coyote round.
 
I collect brass, and I can tell you come hunting season the 2 most popular calibers I get are-243, 270,with 30-06 and 308 right there
 
huge

The .270 has a huge following and will be around longer than any of us. One comment though, to get the most out of the cartridge, use a 24" tube, or better, a Single shot with a 26". That will help alot to get the velocity with the popular 130/150 bullet weights into range where the trajectory is notably flat.

My 22" Rem, though accurate, has always been a bit of a disappointment velocity wise with its 22" tube.
 
.270 dying?

Posts #2,3, and 4 and so many others have this pretty well covered. I know I'll NEVER get rid of my .270 Win[Sako Finnbear] Too accurate and an awful lot of game taken with it. .270 dying? HA!!
 
nope, there are just a lot of newcomer calibers out there stealing all it's thunder. the 6.5 Creedmore and Grendel, and the 6.8 SPC especially since they all have similar BCs and a lot of bullet options. the 270 was popular because it had the great ballistics of a 6.5-7mm bullet with a full powered cartridge behind it... enough power to kill anything in north america without resorting to 30 caliber or heavy magnum casings. when I was first contemplating taking up elk hunting my first caliber I considered was 270... didn't end up that way but for a person with relatively little firearms knowledge(at the time), it just made sense. 270 is not going anywhere, it is just going to add a couple belt notches.
 
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