270 Cut Carbine
- Thread starter Gerald
- Start date
I would love to know about this aswell.
What is the problem?
It is difficult if you don't have a hacksaw and the skill and means to finish the muzzle and crown and possibly remount a front sight. Is it against the law? No - as long as you stay over the legal minimum length you can cut a factory barrel. 18.5 inches for a semi auto. 18 inches for a manual action... and make sure you know how to legally measure the barrel length.
It is difficult if you don't have a hacksaw and the skill and means to finish the muzzle and crown and possibly remount a front sight. Is it against the law? No - as long as you stay over the legal minimum length you can cut a factory barrel. 18.5 inches for a semi auto. 18 inches for a manual action... and make sure you know how to legally measure the barrel length.
SC is pulling your chain.
The only real time issue you will have is a significant velocity decrease.
Look at 35-50 fps for each inch of barrel you cut off.
You will also be changing barrel harmonics, which might have either a positive or negative accuracy effect.
The only real time issue you will have is a significant velocity decrease.
Look at 35-50 fps for each inch of barrel you cut off.
You will also be changing barrel harmonics, which might have either a positive or negative accuracy effect.
Someone tested this already, from 22 to 16".
https://www.gunmart.net/shooting-accessories/customising-and-tuning/270-calibre-barrel-reductions
Here's the relevant highlights:
126fps and 187fps over 6", or 21 and 31fps per inch.
26fps/inch with that load...
My guess would be, going to a 18" barrel, you'd lose 100-150fps from a 22" barrel and 150-200fps with a 24" barrel. If losing that velocity isn't an issue, I say have at 'er! A 270win spitting a high BC 130gr at 2850fps is still carrying around 2100fps at 1200ft/lb of energy at 400yds.
https://www.gunmart.net/shooting-accessories/customising-and-tuning/270-calibre-barrel-reductions
Here's the relevant highlights:
126fps and 187fps over 6", or 21 and 31fps per inch.
26fps/inch with that load...
My guess would be, going to a 18" barrel, you'd lose 100-150fps from a 22" barrel and 150-200fps with a 24" barrel. If losing that velocity isn't an issue, I say have at 'er! A 270win spitting a high BC 130gr at 2850fps is still carrying around 2100fps at 1200ft/lb of energy at 400yds.
Were you using the meek/mild loads most books list in deference to the many weaker 7x57 chambered rifles?
I just built a 7x57 with an 18 inch barrel for the daughter of a good friend. We found one of those actions altered in Itauba, Brazil chambered for the 7.62Nato to use the action as a donor.
He also had an 18 inch, Brazilian Mauser, surplus barrel still in the white that International used to sell for cheap.
He wanted the rifle to be "pretty" for his daughter so it had a lot of work into it, before she got it.
She's also my Goddaughter, so I did have some skin in the project.
The start loads we used for this rifle were mild, but after thirty rounds of progressively hotter charges of N550, we settled on a load well above 7-08 maximum charges with 145 grain bullets.
This may sound unsafe, but the Brazilian load for the 7x57 clocks over 2900fps with 140 grain spbt bullets, with a powder that has a very similar burn rate to W760, in equatorial heat.
The muzzle blast, made the actual felt recoil seem much worse than it really was, and the young woman found it very unpleasant to shoot.
I switched out powder to a slower burning type, H4831, which will just fill the case enough that it's just kissing the base of the bullet.
Much more comfortable to shoot, and she likes it. It's topped with a 2x7 Vari X -3 Leupold, and the whole rifle weighs in at 8 pounds, with sling and 5 rounds in the magazine.
The stock was a very nicely figured european walnut, that the previous owner didn't want after we installed a plastic wonder world thing onto his rifle.
OP, if you want to cut down your rifle, go for it because it's your rifle, and already in your hands. However what you should do in reality is look for another rifle, with a cartridge more suitable to your needs.
I just built a 7x57 with an 18 inch barrel for the daughter of a good friend. We found one of those actions altered in Itauba, Brazil chambered for the 7.62Nato to use the action as a donor.
He also had an 18 inch, Brazilian Mauser, surplus barrel still in the white that International used to sell for cheap.
He wanted the rifle to be "pretty" for his daughter so it had a lot of work into it, before she got it.
She's also my Goddaughter, so I did have some skin in the project.
The start loads we used for this rifle were mild, but after thirty rounds of progressively hotter charges of N550, we settled on a load well above 7-08 maximum charges with 145 grain bullets.
This may sound unsafe, but the Brazilian load for the 7x57 clocks over 2900fps with 140 grain spbt bullets, with a powder that has a very similar burn rate to W760, in equatorial heat.
The muzzle blast, made the actual felt recoil seem much worse than it really was, and the young woman found it very unpleasant to shoot.
I switched out powder to a slower burning type, H4831, which will just fill the case enough that it's just kissing the base of the bullet.
Much more comfortable to shoot, and she likes it. It's topped with a 2x7 Vari X -3 Leupold, and the whole rifle weighs in at 8 pounds, with sling and 5 rounds in the magazine.
The stock was a very nicely figured european walnut, that the previous owner didn't want after we installed a plastic wonder world thing onto his rifle.
OP, if you want to cut down your rifle, go for it because it's your rifle, and already in your hands. However what you should do in reality is look for another rifle, with a cartridge more suitable to your needs.
Get a .308 in a carbine, battue, or similar config, and don’t hack your .270 barrel.
The .270 being a somewhat overbore cartridge does not lend itself to being a pleasant configuration with a short barrel, there are far better options out there……. IMO.
The .270 being a somewhat overbore cartridge does not lend itself to being a pleasant configuration with a short barrel, there are far better options out there……. IMO.
Why do you wish to cut the barrel? You'll lose velocities and have increased muzzle jump, recoil, louder rifle report and muzzle flash. I'm on the opposite spectrum for my 270 Win., with a 27" barrel. Symptoms will be the polar, of the aformentioned.
