The .270win:The perfect deer cartridge?

[Classicvette63]

model 70, The terrain would matter depending on what type of rifle you might want to carry, whether it be a short action or standard action. A buddy of mine shot a 250lb buck in New Brunswick a few weeks ago. 2 shots with a 150gr '06. Neither bullet passed through. If I know I am going after 250lb+ deer and I have two rifles on the rack, a .270 and an '06, I'm taking the '06. And as far as brush or open ranges, the .270 has it on the open range. "Brush guns" such as a .35 Remington are usually faster handling, more compact guns. From 150 yds in, it's hard to argue with 200gr of .35 diameter Core-Lokt. Not saying the .270 is "bad", 'cause it's not. No one round or gun can be perfect for all situations. Although the Remmy pump comes close to the perfect gun.

[Andy L]

Fabs,
Im not too sure your wrong. Do you have any data out to 800? The manual I chose to look at painted a different picture. It only has data out to 500, but looking at it, seems the further you go, the more the 300 Win takes over.

Check 130 and 150 gr 270 against 150 and 180gr 300Win and see what you get.....

Andy

[model 70]

The .270 is hardly the ideal moose gun.

Why could a shorter barreled "mountain" rifle like my featherweight with a low powered scope or even open/peep sights not work in the thick stuff?

I've never been in that situation but a 150gr. partition or a-frame in a .270 seems like it would topple the largest of bucks.

[fabsroman]

Andy,

I double checked the Barnes manual and the figures still stand. I compared a .270 at 3100 fps with a 130 gr. XLC bullet with a .300 at 3200 fps with a 150 gr. XLC. The .300 is in front of the .270 energy wise until 500 yards. At 500 yards, they are about even. After 500 yards, the .270 has 50 lbs/ft more of energy at 600 yards. The table ends at 600 yards.

The BC for the .270 is .466.

The BC for the .300 is .428.

I guess the BC is what makes the difference.

[Jack]

I'd wonder if a Barnes X bullet would open at the velocity levels you'd be at at 500+ yards- with either cartridge.

[Rocky Raab]

Fabs, I watched a foursome of really, really good groundhog shooters just this year. If I recall correctly, the longest kill was almost 700 yards.

But not one came on the first shot. In fact, the group shot at a dozen or so different hogs, launching up to ten shots at an individual animal before they connected once.

They didn't miss by much: a foot or so on the first shot, and less as they "walked" 'em in.

Every one of those "almost" shots would have gutshot, legshot or missed an average deer. That's my point.

It's not the drop. It's the wind. Nobody can see the wind between the shooter and the game. You might have an idea of what the wind is where you are, and you might have a vague hint of what it's like at the animal, but nowehere else (and I'd wager damn few have a real idea of the wind speed even where they are.)

Jack, Barnes X bullets will open at least some at impacts as low as 1300 fps.

[Andy L]

Rocky,
I know what you mean. I watched a really big buck from a stand this year. He was on the next ridge with a valley between us. He was with 2 does and I had time to lazer him. 460 yards. I had a good rest, knew what my gun would do and was really comfortable with the shot itself. But, it was across a valley and there was a slight crosswind, where I was. I couldnt shoot. What was that wind doing down the valley between us? What was the wind doing on the ridge he was on?

I passed. Hoping he would chase the does out into the valley below and would offer a 200 yard shot. He didnt.

I have replayed that scenario in my head several times over. I think I made the right decision. I think??

Andy

[gd357]

Andy,

If you weren't sure of the wind, you were absolutely correct in your decision. Better to wait and hope for another day than risk losing a buck like that to a bad shot. That's what we all have faced at one time or another (at least I have) and while you dearly wish that the situation had been different, true sportsmen will make the right decision. Good choice.

gd357

[Dom]

No doubt, .270 is in the top 5 -- great cartridge. However, there are so many variables and hunting conditions available in the world that there are certain calibers/weapons that do specifically a better job, i.e., the brush hunter armed w/a 12ga pump or a lever 45-70. A lot depends on the terrain and conditions. However, no one should feel handi-capped under any conditions going deer hunting with a .270. It is a proven performer that does the job exceptionally well, JMHO, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[skeet]

the best answer is YEP!! My longest game animal was shot with my 270 Ruger. Rangefinder right at 460. But I had been shooting rifles all year and knew the drop etc. Oh and it was a very rare day in Montana. No wind. I wouldn't even try that shot today...too far for me now...no practice The fellow I was hunting with couldn't believe it. It was a really long shot...even out there>

[model 70]

I've heard the speer point found on must .270 bullets bucks brush better than something like a 45/70.

[Andy L]

Nothing bucks brush. Try it. Put your taget back in the brush a little ways, like where you would see a deer and shoot at it. See how your bullet bucks brush. Closer your target is to the brush, more accurate it will be, only because it has had less time to tumble out of line....

Nice shot Skeet. Dont you think a 300 Win Mag, 300 Wby Mag, 300 RUM, 30-06, 308, 280, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm Wby Mag, 7mm RUM, 6.5x55, 260, 264, 257, 250 Savage, 25-06, 6mm Rem, 243 Win or a whole host of short mags, wildcats in the same calibers or improved cartirdges could have made that deer just as dead at 460 yards??

270 is good, very good, but its no better than a host of other "perfect deer rifles".......

Andy

[model 70]

I suppose I could have made the same argument for the .280 and 30/06.

All those magnums are too much. Too much powder, too much blast, too much recoil, to much $$$.

It's like calling a hot rodded muscle car the perfect grocery getter.


Most of the short action rounds run out of steam after 500 yards. I wouldn't take a 500+ yard shot anyway.

[Andy L]

Well, for arguments sake, I shot a 300 Win Mag for years, still do in certain circumstances for whitetails. It is alot of gun, but I dont mind the recoil, the powder, the blast or the $$$ and have plenty of pictures to back up the effectiveness of them. Drops em just as dead as any other gun Ive ever fired, and with a well placed shot, no more damage to the meat, than any other gun.

So, for me, its not as good or better than the 270?

Just trying to make a point. 270 is good, but not the best. None are the best. Best went out the window years ago. With the bullet selection, powders of today and gun technology, the playing field has been equaled ALOT.....

Andy

[fabsroman]

Andy,

When I saw that there was a new post to this thread, I figured that I would post myself about how I feel about the "Best" deer cartridge.

Quite honestly, I don't think there is any best cartridge because each one does something a little differently and each time a person shoots a deer there is something different about the situation. My first deer was taken at 30 yards with a .30-06 and Core-Lokt bullets. I broke his back and he dropped right there. Was the .30-06 the ideal cartridge for that scenario, probably not. A .30-.30 would have worked just fine and iron sights would have beena lot better than the scope I had. My second deer was almost the same situation, but it was right under my tree and only presented a front shot. At that time, I had just bought my .300 Win Mag and it had, and still has, a 3-12x scope on it. A little better than the 4x scope the .30-06 had on it, but not the best thing for that shot. Well, shooting down on the deer I put the Core Lokt bullet into the middle of the top shoulder. Blood came shooting out of the entry hole and the bullet never made it to the other side because it disintegrated. Granted, the deer dropped like a ton of bricks. There have been many more deer shot with my .300 Win Mag and it is getting to the point now where I am starting to lose count.

Anyway, my point is that a person can only pick one of the perfect cartridges and perfect setups if he/she knows exactly how the deer is going to present itself. Without knowing all the variables, a person can only guess as to what is the perfect cartridge to use. Quite honestly, I think the most important thing is not selecting the perfect cartridge, but using the gun you are most comfortable shooting. I have a .270 Win, .30-06, .220 Swift, and .300 Win Mag. I am most comfortable with the .300 Win Mag followed closely by the .220 Swift.