.270 Winchester

.270 Winchester
Left to Right 130-grain (8.4 g) - Hollow Point, 100-grain (6.5 g) FMJBT, 130-grain (8.4 g) Soft point, 160-grain (10 g) round nose.
Type	Rifle / Hunting
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	Winchester
Designed	1923
Manufacturer	Winchester
Produced	1925-Present
Specifications
Parent case	.30-03 Springfield
Bullet diameter	.277 in (7.0 mm)
Neck diameter	.308 in (7.8 mm)
Shoulder diameter	.441 in (11.2 mm)
Base diameter	.470 in (11.9 mm)
Rim diameter	.473 in (12.0 mm)
Case length	2.540 in (64.5 mm)
Overall length	3.340 in (84.8 mm)
Case capacity	67 gr H₂O (4.355 cm³)
Rifling twist	1 in 10 in (250 mm)
Primer type	Large rifle
Maximum pressure	65,000 psi (450 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
90 gr (5.8 g) HP	3,603 ft/s (1,098 m/s)	2,595 ft·lbf (3,518 J)
130 gr (8.4 g) SP	3,060 ft/s (930 m/s)	2,702 ft·lbf (3,663 J)
140 gr (9.1 g) SP	2,916 ft/s (889 m/s)	2,644 ft·lbf (3,585 J)
150 gr (9.7 g) SP	2,850 ft/s (870 m/s)	2,706 ft·lbf (3,669 J)
130 gr (8.4 g) SST	3,200 ft/s (980 m/s)	2,955 ft·lbf (4,006 J)
Source(s): Hodgdon,^[1] Hornady^[2]

The .270 Winchester (or 6.8x65mm) was developed by Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1923 and unveiled in 1925 as a chambering for their bolt-action Model 54.^[3] The cartridge is based upon the .30-06 Springfield.^[4] When loaded with a bullet that expands rapidly or fragments in tissue, this cartridge delivers devastating terminal performance.^[5]^[6]^[7]

The .270 Winchester became a very popular deer and elk cartridge due to the widespread praises of gunwriter Jack O'Connor who used the cartridge for 40 years and espoused its praise on the pages of Outdoor Life.^[8]^[9] Driving a 130-grain (8.4 g) bullet at approximately 3140 ft/s (957 m/s), (later reduced to 3060 ft/s (933 m/s)) the cartridge demonstrated high performance at the time of its introduction and was marketed as being suitable for long range shooting (400-1000 yards) on most big game. Two additional bullet weights were soon introduced: a 100-grain (6.5 g) hollow-point bullet for varmint shooting, and a 150-grain (9.7 g) bullet for larger deer, elk and moose in big-game hunting.^[3]

While not an immediate success, over the succeeding decades and especially in the post-World War II period, the .270 Winchester attained great popularity among gun owners and hunters, ranking it among the most popular and widely used cartridges worldwide. Internationally, firearms manufacturers now offer this chambering in all firearm varieties: bolt-actions, single-shots, lever-actions (such as Browning BLR), pump-actions (such as Remington 7600), autoloaders (such as Remington 7400) and even a few double rifles.^[10]

Loads

Factory bullets are commonly available in 100, 110, 130, 140, 150 and 160-grain (10 g) sizes with 130 and 150-grain (9.7 g) loads being by far the most popular. Handloaders have a larger range of options with the availability of bullets in a number of weights from 90 to 180 grains (12 g). Common bullet weight recommendations for shooting different game are as follows:

90-110 grain bullets: animals smaller than antelope.
130 grain bullets: antelope or other animals up to the size of mule deer.
140-160 grain bullets: deer, elk, moose and some larger animals.^[1]

While it is true that a .270 Winchester case can be formed from a 30-06 Springfield case, the case length of a 30-06 is 2.494 inches (63.3 mm) while the case length of a .270 is 2.540 inches (64.5 mm), the same as a .30-03 Springfield. It is recommended that .270 Winchester brass be formed from .35 Whelen or .280 Remington cases.^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b .270 Win data from Hodgdon
^ Hornady Superformance commercial ammo specifications
^ ^a ^b The Complete Reloading Manual for the .270 Winchester, Loadbooks USA, Inc., 2004, pp.13,19
^ http://www.chuckhawks.com/great_cartridge_families.htm
^ Chamberlin FT, Gun Shot Wounds, in Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders, Vol. II, Ackley PO, ed., Plaza Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1966.
^ Scientific Evidence for Hydrostatic Shock
^ Shooter’s Bible, Robert F. Scott, p. 28
^ Barnes Reloading Manual Number 2 (1997)
^ Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, Fourth Edition (1996)
^ Speer Reloading Manual Number 12 (1994)
^ .270 Cartridge dimensions

Cartridges of the World 8th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, DBI Books, 1997, ISBN 0-87349-178-5

Winchester Firearms and Cartridges

Rifles	Model 43 Model 47 Model 51 Model 52 Model 53 Model 54 Model 55 Model 56 Model 57 Model 58 Model 59 Model 60 Model 60A Model 61 Model 62 Model 62A Model 63 Model 64 Model 65 Model 67 Model 68 Model 69 Model 70 Model 71 Model 72 Model 74 Model 75 Model 77 Model 88 Model 100 Model 121 Model 131 Model 141 Model 150 Model 190 Model 250 Model 255 Model 270 Model 320 Model 325 Model 490 Model 670 Model 770 Model 1866 Model 1873 Model 1876 Model 1878 Hotchkiss Model 1885 Model 1886 Model 1887 Model 1890 Model 1892 Model 1893 Model 1894 Model 1895 Model 1895 Lee Model 1897 Model 1900 Model 1901 Model 1902 Model 1903 Model 1904 Model 1905 Model 1906 Model 1907 Model 1910 Model 1911 SL Model 1912 Model 9422

Shotguns	Model 20 Model 21 Model 24 Model 25 Model 36 Model 37 Model 37A Model 40 Model 41 Model 42 Model 50 Model 59 Model 96 Model 101 Model 1200 Model 1300 Model 1400 Model 1500 Model 9410 SX-1

Cartridges	.22 Magnum (WMR) .218 Bee .219 Zipper .22 Hornet .220 Swift .223 Winchester Super Short Magnum .225 Winchester .243 Winchester .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum .25-20 WCF .256 Winchester .25-35 Winchester .25 Winchester Super Short Magnum .264 Winchester Magnum .270 Winchester .270 Winchester Short Magnum 7mm Winchester Short Magnum .30-30 Winchester .307 Winchester .308 Winchester .300 Winchester Short Magnum .300 Winchester Magnum .32 Winchester Special .325 Winchester Short Magnum .33 Winchester .338 Winchester Magnum .348 Winchester .375 Winchester .458 Winchester Magnum

.270 Winchester

Loads

See also

References