.270 Winchester Review

.270 Winchester Rifle Calibre Originally developed in 1923 and released by Winchester in 1925 this cartridge is basically a necked down .30.06 Springfield.

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.270 Winchester Rifle Calibre

Originally developed in 1923 and released by Winchester in 1925 this cartridge is basically a necked down .30.06 Springfield.

It is undoubtedly one of the most widely used rifle cartridges ever used and has been in and out of fashion amongst deer stalkers and hunters ever since its initial introduction.

The Calibre for many is synonymous with the great American Gun Writer Jack O'Connor who wrote for 'Outdoor Life' for some 30 years. Jack O'Connor sung the calibres praises for all sorts of game and today it is still a calibre that many feel ideal for Deer Stalkers whilst also being suitable for Boar and Elk.

Typically used with 130 grain ammunition the .270 can fire a bullet at around 3100fps or with a slightly heavier 150 grain bullet at around 2850fps. This produces some great terminal ballistics at long ranges and as such it is a first choice for many stalkers wishing to hunt larger deer species at longer ranges.

It is perhaps not surprising therefore that it has been highly popular amongst Highland stalkers and the Scottish Forestry Commission who are often required to cull Red Deer at longer ranges than might be typical for a lowland stalker.

With about 2700 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle the .270 Winchester has similar energy levels to the .308 Winchester however as already stated it is flatter shooting. That said there are down sides and these include what some might find a slightly snappy kick which for many new comers to deer stalking can result in 'flinching' when taking the shot. That added to a significant muzzle blast and slightly more expensive ammunition means that it is for many UK deer Stalkers less popular than the .308 Winchester.

On the up side it can be relatively versatile and for home loaders can be used with anything from 90 - 180 grain ammunition. The popularity of the calibre amongst UK stalkers is also improved due to the now frequent and common place use of sound moderators which both decrease the muzzle blast and recoil to more manageable levels.