07-20-2014, 03:14 AM
I grew up on .270 Winchester. It's my baseline reference for center-fire rifles from childhood as to what a high power rifle is. That said, I think .270 Winchester is overkill for most medium game applications, especially with common soft point ammunition.
.270 Winchester is best employed with dedicated hunting bullets that won't come apart at .270 velocities, which are typically ~3100fps with a 130gr bullet. I think the 140gr SST is a great affordable bullet for the .270 Win., but you still face issues with close range shots. The .270 is a great rifle out West, especially on mule deer, antelope, and elk, but you really need to watch what bullets you use so that they stay intact for the close distance shots.
The .270 Winchester is what spurred Roy Weatherby to push .270 pills to faster speeds by loading it in a necked down .300 H&H Magnum with a double-radiused shoulder, starting the Weatherby line of even more overkill cartridges which SAAMI won't touch, as many of them are loaded to 70,000psi. This is the definition of making a rifle that can't be trained with, especially when looking at youth, budget, recoil, etc.
The 6.5mm's have always had an edge on larger bores.
.270 Winchester is best employed with dedicated hunting bullets that won't come apart at .270 velocities, which are typically ~3100fps with a 130gr bullet. I think the 140gr SST is a great affordable bullet for the .270 Win., but you still face issues with close range shots. The .270 is a great rifle out West, especially on mule deer, antelope, and elk, but you really need to watch what bullets you use so that they stay intact for the close distance shots.
The .270 Winchester is what spurred Roy Weatherby to push .270 pills to faster speeds by loading it in a necked down .300 H&H Magnum with a double-radiused shoulder, starting the Weatherby line of even more overkill cartridges which SAAMI won't touch, as many of them are loaded to 70,000psi. This is the definition of making a rifle that can't be trained with, especially when looking at youth, budget, recoil, etc.
The 6.5mm's have always had an edge on larger bores.