.270Win at 400m?

WhelanLad

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whats your opinions on the .270win for effectively killing deer out at 400m range?

Yesterday I set up a big Carboard box with a Deer drawn on it, I wanted to see if I could put shots on it from 400m with the leupold 3-9x50 scope.

sure enough my first shot was in the 'zone' so I put a few more shots downrange before I checked it again and wsa pleasantly surprised with my accuracy at this distance.

I then shot one into the 'Lung' diagram to be sure? I was doing alright. (may have to post pic to explain the deer target with drawn on vitals)

Anyway, I use 130gr Corelokt projectiles and start off with a 2850-2900 FPS from the muzzle on a 24in Remington 700 in .270 Winchester..


theres 2 catorgory of "Deer" in this discussion I suppose, one being the Whitetail/ Fallow class and one being Red/Sambar/Elk sized , if it matters much

Would be keen to hear if you think its got enough smack down

Thanks

WL
 
The true issue is hitting them. The smaller ones, harder to hit, easily enough to kill them when hit well.

The sambar/elk size....again shot placement. With good placement ...marginal but doable. Would be better with a more powerful handload and a premium projectile. Have never shot a sambar, so i dont know how tough they are for ability to run off after a good fatal hit. Thinking of Elk, which in my experience are a sturdy animal.
 
I suspect you're good to go on Sambar, although I thought they were usually a short to medium range proposition. By the time your bullet has made the quarter mile journey, the velocity will have decayed to the point where expansion is slower, and penetration, if anything, will be better than the same bullet impacting at 100. I think with a solid hit, the end result will be a dead Sambar.
 
I suspect you're good to go on Sambar, although I thought they were usually a short to medium range proposition. By the time your bullet has made the quarter mile journey, the velocity will have decayed to the point where expansion is slower, and penetration, if anything, will be better than the same bullet impacting at 100. I think with a solid hit, the end result will be a dead Sambar.

Yeah the early days of sambar hunting was all about Walking them up, so its common to hear people say that shots are mostly within 100m but now days we are glassing big faces an more open country where it is possible to shoot long distance on undisturbed sambar, as opposed to point shooting a fleeing sambar from 50 meters.

I do more Walk them up stalking but have other rifles set up for that, I also do a lot of fringe hunting on farmland where I can sit in the open an await them early am or late pm, that's where the 270 comes into play, with my knee reco a couple months ago im not capable of walking into tough country so im taking it easy for a while eg sit an wait glassing.

I had shot a red an sambar at the 300m mark an penetration was 98% an dead deer on both accounts although I wasn't sure about the extra 100m or so but it seems I am good to go.

Thanks for the replies fellas!

I went out this morning an retreieved a trail camera, one big fella on there so am going back this evening for a sit an wait approach over a Wallow... 35 whelen in hand.

cheers
WL
 
Killed a large cow moose once at 600 yards with a 130gr handload.Shot twice........ bullet holes within 4" of each other.Harold
 
The 270 MAY do it but I certainly wouldn't rely on it, especially if the hit is marginal...........a little wind, a little step, a turn and bingo, a long and ugly retrieval if at all..........Sambar/elk sized animals should be respected for their size and vitality and my personal minimum would be a 300 mag, 7mm mag absolute minimum. I know many elk have been killed with a 270, however many deer have been killed with a hornet as well, don't make it right. 400 mtrs is truly the killer here, it just adds too many "what ifs" to the equation for the 270 to be 100% relied on, with an animal this size and this "full of life" (read as tough). As far as I'm concerned the 270 is a marginal coyote cartridge at best, a ladies WT cartridge..............Yep, I know, me and Elmer...........JMHO
 
The 270 MAY do it but I certainly wouldn't rely on it, especially if the hit is marginal...........a little wind, a little step, a turn and bingo, a long and ugly retrieval if at all..........Sambar/elk sized animals should be respected for their size and vitality and my personal minimum would be a 300 mag, 7mm mag absolute minimum. I know many elk have been killed with a 270, however many deer have been killed with a hornet as well, don't make it right. 400 mtrs is truly the killer here, it just adds too many "what ifs" to the equation for the 270 to be 100% relied on, with an animal this size and this "full of life" (read as tough). As far as I'm concerned the 270 is a marginal coyote cartridge at best, a ladies WT cartridge..............Yep, I know, me and Elmer...........JMHO


Never heard many people say that before, so whats your thoughts on the 30-06?
 
The 270 MAY do it but I certainly wouldn't rely on it, especially if the hit is marginal...........a little wind, a little step, a turn and bingo, a long and ugly retrieval if at all..........Sambar/elk sized animals should be respected for their size and vitality and my personal minimum would be a 300 mag, 7mm mag absolute minimum. I know many elk have been killed with a 270, however many deer have been killed with a hornet as well, don't make it right. 400 mtrs is truly the killer here, it just adds too many "what ifs" to the equation for the 270 to be 100% relied on, with an animal this size and this "full of life" (read as tough). As far as I'm concerned the 270 is a marginal coyote cartridge at best, a ladies WT cartridge..............Yep, I know, me and Elmer...........JMHO

What? Your joking right?

OP, 270's plenty. I'd be looking at a heavier bullet maybe but othern that just take the sensible shot if its there.
 
Yeah ok, interesting replies.

ive certainly used the 270 successfully -300m on sambar, 130gr an used to use 140gr accubond in supreme loadings.


My velocity with 130grs is down because im using Varget / AR2208 , as all my rifles can be used with it I just buy bulk container of it :)

WL
 
I knew my statement might raise some eyebrows, however that is my opinion as I concluded my statement.......JMHO.......the 06 is also 108 years old and 111 if you include it's identical older brother the 30-03. It is a significant improvement over the 270, however for my hunting I much prefer the 300 WM, Wby, RUM, or even the old H&H or Norma offerings........There is no such thing as "too dead" but there sure as hell is "wounded and lost" and the 270 is one of the worst there is for that.
I have said many times, I don't have to justify my irrational and unfounded hatred of the 270, I just can.........besides it is my God given right in Canada to love, like and hate whatever I choose and as far as calibers and cartridges go I have selected the 270s to hate............:D:D
 
^ The irrational hatred is fine. No hard feelings, don't own a 270 and probably never will. And I agree with the overkill is underrated sentiment. But fact is 270 is not an marginal coyote round. Not a coyote round at all imo. 223, 22250 are more than enough gun for a dog. 270 is a waste of pelt.
 
I've posted similar info or opinions previously on the .270 Win. Never having had one until fairly recently, and as the years seem to be stacking up rather quickly, I thought perhaps I should fill that void in my safe so I purchased a model 3000 Husqvarna from Why not?. I'm not a Jack O Connor fan and as/my posts and shooting interests, I'd have to say I lean more towards:) Elmer Keith. Another governing factor for deciding to get a 270 is because of the skills and opinion of an uncle. During WW II, he spent a good amount of time in Europe doing 'long range' shooting. Long story short, In the interior of B.C. where we lived, his personal choice was the .270 Win. for game in that area, Moose, Mule Deer, Bear and Caribou. I recall some of his shots, both close and out a ways and never do I remember seeing or hearing of him shooting at/hitting any animal more than twice to put it down.
I had intentions of using my 270 this year on my Antelope draw/hunt in AB this year but opted for my Schultz & Larsen in 7x61 S&H. It had the 'seniority' and hadn't yet drawn blood.



The 270 is next up to the plate:).
 
270 is plenty for deer as far a range as you can consistently hit a 4" plate, and reproduce on the field of course. If that means 500 meters, so be it. Practice practice with the elevation and windage adjustments etc..

Power wise, it still has more power at 500 yards than my 30 30 does at 200. And I would take that shot without hesitation.

Its easy to fall into the needing tons of power from a rifle. But seriously its all about what works for you.
 
The 270 MAY do it but I certainly wouldn't rely on it, especially if the hit is marginal...........a little wind, a little step, a turn and bingo, a long and ugly retrieval if at all..........Sambar/elk sized animals should be respected for their size and vitality and my personal minimum would be a 300 mag, 7mm mag absolute minimum. I know many elk have been killed with a 270, however many deer have been killed with a hornet as well, don't make it right. 400 mtrs is truly the killer here, it just adds too many "what ifs" to the equation for the 270 to be 100% relied on, with an animal this size and this "full of life" (read as tough). As far as I'm concerned the 270 is a marginal coyote cartridge at best, a ladies WT cartridge..............Yep, I know, me and Elmer...........JMHO

Pfffffrtttttt. JMHO šŸ˜‰
 
The 270 MAY do it but I certainly wouldn't rely on it, especially if the hit is marginal...........a little wind, a little step, a turn and bingo, a long and ugly retrieval if at all..........Sambar/elk sized animals should be respected for their size and vitality and my personal minimum would be a 300 mag, 7mm mag absolute minimum. I know many elk have been killed with a 270, however many deer have been killed with a hornet as well, don't make it right. 400 mtrs is truly the killer here, it just adds too many "what ifs" to the equation for the 270 to be 100% relied on, with an animal this size and this "full of life" (read as tough). As far as I'm concerned the 270 is a marginal coyote cartridge at best, a ladies WT cartridge..............Yep, I know, me and Elmer...........JMHO

I have been enquiring to various outfitters about going on an African hunting safari. The majority of them have told me .270 is fine but probably the minimum recommended. If it can kill Buffalo it can kill a deer.
 
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