Just got a 270!
- Thread starter Suther
- Start date
I figure the major downsides to this gun are threefold - stock is flimsy, trigger is bad, and the scope is cheap.
But i haven't heard reviews of the scopes falling apart though. They seem capable of the task at hand, just not a high end piece. So that can wait. I'm not trying to drop anything at 300+yards this season anyways.
Stock can be easily replaced with a Boyds. Really tempted to get a custom one but I'll probably just end up with a basic one. I was going to get a Boyd for my mkII but it'll have to wait now.
And finally the trigger. A screw and a new spring for a home fix or a rifle basix or timney if you don't like tinkering with that sort of thing.
Honestly my only complaint about this gun is the magazine. It doesn't clip in place as easily add i would like, you really have to give it a good push on the front side to get it to click in.
Everything but the magazine is easily fixable, so that's why it's my biggest complaint.
But i haven't heard reviews of the scopes falling apart though. They seem capable of the task at hand, just not a high end piece. So that can wait. I'm not trying to drop anything at 300+yards this season anyways.
Stock can be easily replaced with a Boyds. Really tempted to get a custom one but I'll probably just end up with a basic one. I was going to get a Boyd for my mkII but it'll have to wait now.
And finally the trigger. A screw and a new spring for a home fix or a rifle basix or timney if you don't like tinkering with that sort of thing.
Honestly my only complaint about this gun is the magazine. It doesn't clip in place as easily add i would like, you really have to give it a good push on the front side to get it to click in.
Everything but the magazine is easily fixable, so that's why it's my biggest complaint.
I wanted to get a 7mm-08 but i decided against it due to the fact there is no lee loader for that caliber, and factory ammo is not easily available (and even if i can find some there is limited options in factory loadings)
I just checked...
Same rifle at Cabelas is $339.00.
But I might go for another Savage 11/111 for they are onsale for $399.00.
Either a .270 or 30-06 as I have a big scope that needs a rifle with some reach, lol.
Damn I wish the Ruger Americans would go onsale.
Same rifle at Cabelas is $339.00.
But I might go for another Savage 11/111 for they are onsale for $399.00.
Either a .270 or 30-06 as I have a big scope that needs a rifle with some reach, lol.
Damn I wish the Ruger Americans would go onsale.
Love the .270
Oddly enough my .270 seems to like the cheapest winchester PowerPoint ammo in 130gr. I've taken3 deer with it.
It also shoots the hornady American whitetail very well.
The only reason to get Into 150 gr ammo is for larger moose or elk.
Partition and fail safe loads sometimes don't expand as they should in a smaller deer. That's not to say they won't expand perfectly but a kill shot is a kill shot with a .270.
Oddly enough my .270 seems to like the cheapest winchester PowerPoint ammo in 130gr. I've taken3 deer with it.
It also shoots the hornady American whitetail very well.
The only reason to get Into 150 gr ammo is for larger moose or elk.
Partition and fail safe loads sometimes don't expand as they should in a smaller deer. That's not to say they won't expand perfectly but a kill shot is a kill shot with a .270.
That's why I changed everything I did. As for scope falling apart. I saw a youtube vid where they guy fired 3 rounds before it fell apart. I put mine on my .22 for just because it didn't have one. If you decide to upgrade scope you will probably need a new rail. Weaver part #48347 is the one I bought. Here is a pic of my rifle.
I have an 11/111 in .270 and an Axis Youth in .243. Both are great shooters, but the 11/111 is worth the extra money, IMO.
Although, I did the spring+screw trigger job on the Axis and that improved things a hell of a lot. Some day I'll get Boyds stocks for both of them, but for now, they hit what I aim at, every time...
rocklobster
CGN Regular
- Location
- FREEDOM CONVOY
That's why I changed everything I did. As for scope falling apart. I saw a youtube vid where they guy fired 3 rounds before it fell apart. I put mine on my .22 for just because it didn't have one. If you decide to upgrade scope you will probably need a new rail. Weaver part #48347 is the one I bought. Here is a pic of my rifle.
That looks great with the boyds stock!
I right away put a redfield revolution scope on my axis, I had to get a rail as well. I got mine from EGW, it is really nice but the scope sits a bit high now for a good cheek weld on the comb.
Edzzed how is the comb on the boyds stock compared to the plastic axis stock? I like the boyds prairie hunter design because it has a high comb.
pisces-guy
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- West Kelowna, B.C.
You'll love the .270, it was my first rifle from Dad in 1982, and I used it for dozens of elk, deer, and moose since then. Recently I was given a very nice 30.06, so I use that for moose and elk, but the .270 is still my deer rifle. Until a few years ago, when I used the .270 for everything, I shot nothing but 150 grain Nosler Partitions loaded by Federal Premium. They expanded well enough for deer and held together well enough for elk and moose, even if they hit a leg bone on the way in. Never any issues, and only a couple of animals needed a second finishing shot... I switched to 140 grain Nosler Accubonds when I made it my deer-specific rifle, because their BC is better and they shoot flatter, and I didn't need an extra tough bullet for deer. I found a couple of boxes of them loaded by Federal Premium earlier this year, which is great because I found that the 150 grain Partitions shoot dead on, and one inch lower than the 140 grain Accubonds at 100 yards. If I need to change to the sturdier bullet I know I'm still good at moderate ranges. You might still find the 140 grain Accubonds in Federal Premium, though they're discontinued, but if not then Nosler Ammunition loads them. The 150 grain Partitions that work well for everything are still loaded by Federal Premium.
As I stated, I didn't pick the 7mm-08 because Lee doesn't make a lee loader for it. They do however make one for the 270. Once i get two or three boxes of ammo down the pipe I'll grab a lee loader and reload. That is largely why I ask about bullet choices.
I'm thinking i want to try and work up two loads - something cheap in 130 grain like winchester bullets, and then something better like maybe a 150 partition. If I'm not mistaken, the ballistics are very similar out to 400 yards if zero'd at 200, due to the lighter faster load having a worse ballistic coefficient.
I'm thinking i want to try and work up two loads - something cheap in 130 grain like winchester bullets, and then something better like maybe a 150 partition. If I'm not mistaken, the ballistics are very similar out to 400 yards if zero'd at 200, due to the lighter faster load having a worse ballistic coefficient.
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Congratulations on your choice of a .270. Its a fine general purpose cartridge, that can be a real giant killer if the hunter does his part, but more important is its versatility. Rifles chambered for the .270 tend to shoot well, and handloading for the cartridge is a straight forward process. You've made a good choice.
If you want to use a Lee Loader, you should still purchase a good scale, not Lee's, and get as many loading manuals as you can manage. If you can't manage the scale right now, then purchase the Lee Powder measure kit, which comes with a selection of dippers, and a slide rule card that will tell you how many grs of powder each spoon holds for a wide selection of powder. A Lee Loader will get you started, but I predict it won't be long before you're looking for a press and dies. Before going afield after live targets, be sure to run your handloads through your rifle to ensure that each cartridge chambers effortlessly. If you have to use great effort to close your bolt, its doesn't present a safety issue, but due to the time that it takes to get into action, it could cost you a shot in the field. I full length resize all of the ammo I use in the field, but a Lee Loader is a neck sizing only operation. Lee makes a little aluminum C press that sells for less than $50, Lee dies might run you $30, and a good balance beam scale will be about $100. Add a can of Imperial sizing wax, and a can of Imperial dry neck lube, for about $5 each, and you'll be in business.
The Lee dippers are reasonably accurate actually. Using a 2.8cc dipper with IMR 3031, I took 10 measures heaping and 10 measures carded off, and weighed each one. Heaping, the average weight was 37.9 grs, with an extreme spread of .90 grs, and a standard deviation of .29. Carded off level with the top of the dipper, the average was 34.7 grs, extreme spread was .70 grs, and the standard deviation was .19 grs. IMR 3031 is a long grained extruded powder, and volume measures tend to be more precise with finer grained powder like short cut extruded powders, or ball powders. You might find the Winchester 760/H414, which is a ball powder, measures more consistently than an extruded powder, and its burning rate makes it an acceptable choice in the .270. Regardless of which powder you choose, the more care you take measuring your charges, the more consistent your ammunition will be, but it won't be as consistent as if you were using a scale, and the dippers won't allow you to work up loads in the conventional sense. Still you should be able to produce accurate ammunition, but you might wonder why your groups are opening up at longer ranges.
For some reason Nosler products are very expensive lately, and other premium bullets can be purchased at more reasonable prices. If I was shooting a .270 these days, I'd probably concentrate on a 130 gr TSX/TTSX for big game and Hornady Interlocks for coyotes and wolves, targets of opportunity, or for practice. Winchester and Remington bulk bullets are good if the price is right, but not if you find the Interlocks cheaper or easier to acquire. The nice thing about sticking to a single bullet weight and style is that you don't have to keep changing the zero of your rifle.
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For a bit more than a Lee Loader you could get a Lee Hand Press and a set of dies. At least you will be able to FL size your casings, or the inevitable free range pickups. A Lee die set will come with 1 scoop which will get you going, but a set of scoops is cheap and handy. Even when you do get a scale you can still use the scoops with it and trickle up from there.
The whole set-up is cheap and portable and doesn't need a bench. I actually used one for many hundreds of .458 Win Mag in Australia this year, to get around the airline's rules limiting ammo weight. I used a scale along with the scoops, but I could have got by without it for that use. The press is cheap enough that I left it there and just took my dies home. Even if/when you up-grade a portable set-up might come in handy someday. Mine saved me thousands in a couple weeks of using it, walking away from it after wasn't a big deal.
The Thighmaster jokes are free. You'll think of several.
The whole set-up is cheap and portable and doesn't need a bench. I actually used one for many hundreds of .458 Win Mag in Australia this year, to get around the airline's rules limiting ammo weight. I used a scale along with the scoops, but I could have got by without it for that use. The press is cheap enough that I left it there and just took my dies home. Even if/when you up-grade a portable set-up might come in handy someday. Mine saved me thousands in a couple weeks of using it, walking away from it after wasn't a big deal.
The Thighmaster jokes are free. You'll think of several.
On a side note I have only the Lee hand loader, scale , deprimer die and whatever three die set up I needed at the time and it has worked great for the past seven years, I could even make up some loads at the range if need be.
I already have a lee loader in 303 British, and frankly i love it. It's slow, but it does a good job. I also have a scale, it's not good enough to make bench rest ammo, but its good enough to get me within 0.2 grains. Good enough for now.
I have added a Lee auto prime to make that aspect easier/faster, so the lee loader is for sizing and bullet seating only now. Oh and decapping. I love decapping with it, lol
As noted with the hand press, the portability is nice - and the lee loader is very portable. Also dies cost damn near the same as the lee loader, so it's not any more economical to get a press. In fact my 303 lee loader was about $5 cheaper than a set of collet dies would have been, Nevermind the Press cost.
I have added a Lee auto prime to make that aspect easier/faster, so the lee loader is for sizing and bullet seating only now. Oh and decapping. I love decapping with it, lol
As noted with the hand press, the portability is nice - and the lee loader is very portable. Also dies cost damn near the same as the lee loader, so it's not any more economical to get a press. In fact my 303 lee loader was about $5 cheaper than a set of collet dies would have been, Nevermind the Press cost.
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Truth is I don't really recall but think it was / is the same. I had to google "rifle comb" to know what you were asking. lol Any way I look at it I definitely prefer the Boyd's stock.
Bought a savage axis in 270 back when it was still called an Edge, never did a damn thing to it, why buy a cheap gun and spend all your money adding #### to it?
Put about 200 rounds through it and the scope was as good as new, sold it to a co-worker and its his deer hunting rifle
Lesson: don't believe the hype and everything works if you let it
Put about 200 rounds through it and the scope was as good as new, sold it to a co-worker and its his deer hunting rifle
Lesson: don't believe the hype and everything works if you let it
