.270 Winchester barrel lenght

[Frostbite]

Hello everyone,
I'm new here because I like what I've read for the last few months. Here is my question for you knowledgeable folks: what does a 28 inches barrel do better and what does it do worse when it come to shooting .270 Winchester commercially manufactured bullets?
Here is why I am asking: my current big game hunting rifle is a 22 inches long barrel BAR (Belgium made, Portugal assembled) in .270 Win. For simplicity and the advantage of having a backup rifle, I contemplate the idea of buying a 28 inches barrel in the same caliber for my Thompson Center Encore, which is to this day only used for blackpowder hunting. It would become my target practice rifle; it is simpler and easyer to clean than a semi-auto. Please feel free to educate me and criticise or compliment my idea.
Note that I am asking first partly because I am a very poor man (as in not wealthy) and I would prefer to keep my money if it is a bad idea and because a guy told me at the range last Friday that a 28 inches barrel would not be good for hunting because the bullet would travel slower once out of it. Also, I apologise for my English, it is not my first language. Thank you.

 

[Abel]

It'll go about 75fps faster, not slower. But that's just a lot of barrel for my set ups. I'd opt for a different barrel length, 24" max.

 

[Frostbite]

Thanks Abel. Why would you opt for a 24 inches barrel instead of a 28 inches barrel? Why would it be better in your opinion? My understanding was that the longer the barrel is, the most accurate it also is. Is that not so?
I will add that it would be a backup rifle for long range shooting. For short range hunting and carry while in the forest, I would opt for a 20 inches barrel 12 gauge pump I do not yet posess. It might be bought first if I am discouraged from pursuing my first idea. It costs the same as the aforementionned barrel.

 

[Fremmer]

That long barrel will be heavy in the field. Walking through the brush with it will be a pain. Jmho.

 

[Frostbite]

Thanks Fremmer, I was editing. I take it from your post that you would rather go with the 12 gauge alternative, is that right? I would loose the training rifle with that option though. It bugs me.

 

[Abel]

It has been my experience that anything over 24" is just in the way. I hunt in elevated tree stands or blinds and a 20-22" is optimal because of limited space in a concealed spot. For medium sized game like deer, I would opt for a 270 Win over a 12ga shotgun 100% of the time. A 12ga shooting slugs is only needed if local laws prevent the use of a Centerfire rifle.

 

[Frostbite]

Whitetail deer is the game I hunt. If I was to become rich enough to go moose hunting, which will happen someday, I hope, local law does not allow 12 ga. It is also for moose that I am thinking about the 28 inches single shot. Range and placement might be improved, I think. The lenght really does not bother me since my primary rifle is short enough and I would hope not to carry it too far anyway for moose hunting, most of that hunting being done sitting in a pickup where I would like to go. Yet, when I hunt deer, I walk most of the day. Caught one during blackpowder season.
The 12 ga would also be a versatile hunting weapon for turkey and eventually duck and goose. Thinking of selling an old 20ga I inherited and do not use to help finance any of this. The 20 inches barrel would not be rifled. I know, it is only good to 50 yards that way.

 

[Abel]

Plenty of moose are taken each season with 270 Win. with a 22" or 24" barrel. 75 FPS isn't even perceivable.

 

[rcmodel]

It has been my experience that anything over 24" is just in the way.

On a bolt-action rifle it is.

But he has a single-shot, which is a much shorter action.

Were I he, I would consider a longer barrel then I would on a bolt-action.

26" might be fine on a single-shot, and will be about the same OAL as a 24" on a bolt action.

But a 28" would be excessive on either action, unless you like the looks of a muzzle-loader and don't care about getting hung up in the brush every time you turn around.

rc

 

[Deaf Smith]

Hello everyone,
I'm new here because I like what I've read for the last few months. Here is my question for you knowledgeable folks: what does a 28 inches barrel do better and what does it do worse when it come to shooting .270 Winchester commercially manufactured bullets?
Here is why I am asking: my current big game hunting rifle is a 22 inches long barrel BAR (Belgium made, Portugal assembled) in .270 Win. For simplicity and the advantage of having a backup rifle, I contemplate the idea of buying a 28 inches barrel in the same caliber for my Thompson Center Encore, which is to this day only used for blackpowder hunting. It would become my target practice rifle; it is simpler and easyer to clean than a semi-auto. Please feel free to educate me and criticise or compliment my idea.
Note that I am asking first partly because I am a very poor man (as in not wealthy) and I would prefer to keep my money if it is a bad idea and because a guy told me at the range last Friday that a 28 inches barrel would not be good for hunting because the bullet would travel slower once out of it. Also, I apologise for my English, it is not my first language. Thank you.

Frostbite,

Slower? No, it will be faster as the .270 has LOTS of power space!

But the TC idea is not bad. Good to have a backup hunting gun just in case.

And the .270 is one of the best all around cartridges made.

Yes it will take a deer. Take one at any range you can hold steady and get a hit!

Deaf

 

[jmr40]

Barrel length is a compromise. Rounds like 270 do just fine at 22-24" in length. Much shorter and bullet speeds drop off more than many like and shorter barrels are louder. Longer barrels allow the pressure behind the bullet more time to work and bullet speed is slightly increased. But longer barrels can be cumbersome in thickly wooded areas, may balance poorly and add weight to the gun.

Normally 28" would be longer than I'd want, but on a TC rifle would be about the same overall length as a 24" barrel on a bolt rifle. I could probably live with one that length on that rifle.

Velocity changes are much less than a lot of guys think. Yes you do lose speed from shorter barrels, but just not that much. Here is a link to some testing of various chamberings, including 270. The 270 only lost 114 fps when cut from 27" down to 21". There are some that will tell you you'll lose that much with 2" less barrel.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/short-barrel-magnum-velocity-19346/

 

[Frostbite]

Thank you guys, I value your input. I understand the inconvenient of a longer barrel when hunting. Still, that rifle would only be a backup to my BAR when thinking about hunting. Its primary function would be target shooting. The closest range to my home, where I try to go as often as I can afford to, regarding both money and time, is limited to 300 yards. However, there is another one a little further down the road where one can test his ability up to 800 yards. Not dreaming of taking down a moose at that distance with a .270 Winchester for now, because I think it would require a headshot and that is still too much for my skill and 1.5x6 scope, I wonder if proper training and a more powerful scope could get me there. Now, there is no way I will change the current configuration of my BAR. It has been proving its value providing meat, which is important to me. I know TC also offers its .270 barrel in both 26 and 24 inches lenghts. Aesthetically, the 24 inches is out of the question because it only comes blued and I have a stainless TC Encore. If there is no measurable difference at, let's say, 555 yards between the 26 and 28 inches barrels, I will go with the 26 inches one: it is almost 100$ cheaper. Then again, why would anyone want the 28 inches barrel if it is more expensive and it is not better in any way? I kind of need your help on this one.

 

[sage5907]

There are guys on this forum who like light hunting rifles with short barrels. I'm talking about a 7 pound rifle as compared to an 8.5 pound rifle. This is fine when it comes to short range shooting but for long range shots it is far easier to shoot accurately with a heavier rifle and a longer barrel. Rifle weight also has to do with the size of the hunter. To a hunter who is 5' 4" tall and weights 140 pounds a 7 pound rifle could possibly be considered heavy. To a hunter who is 6' tall and weighs 180 pounds a 8.5 pound rifle could be easy to carry and shoot. The only reason I can see for a barrel longer than 24 inches would be in the case of a rifle like the TC Encore. A 26 inch barrel would get the muzzle blast further from your face.

 

[Frostbite]

Thank you for pointing that out Sage. I did not supply sufficient information. I am 6 feet tall, I weight 235 lb, and I am in my mid-thirties. Yet, when I go deer hunting in dense woods, I can appreciate a shorter barrel -obviously not because of the weight issue-, which I already have with the BAR previously mentionned.

I would now like to know if the TC Encore 28 inches barrel gives me a 100$ worth advantage over a 26 inches barrel for long range target shooting and eventually for long range moose hunting. Now, I assume it won't turn the .270 Winchester into a .338 Lapua or .50 BMG. I just wonder what the advantage, if there is any, would really be.

What would be the difference: half a MOA, a quarter MOA, etc., or maybe nothing at all? Does anyone actually know?

Is there someone in the crowd who has ever shot a TC Encore with a 28 inches barrel in .270 Winchester? How does it shoot? Is it worth the price (430$ for the barrel)?

 

[rcmodel]

Something else to consider.

A 28" sporter-weight barrel will be about as 'whippy' as a fishing rod.

That can make finding an extremely accurate load it likes a difficult problem.

Some would argue a shorter, stiffer barrel would offer you a much better chance of getting great long range accuracy then any velocity advantage the 28" barrel might offer.

The higher velocity does not translate into better long range accuracy.

It only translates into slightly flatter trajectory.

But trajectory is a known & constant factor once you know what it is, and adjust the scope for it.

A long 'whippy' barrel cannot be adjusted for.

rc

 

[Frostbite]

A 28" sporter-weight barrel will be about as 'whippy' as a fishing rod.

The higher velocity does not translate into better long range accuracy.

It only translates into slightly flatter trajectory.

I did not know that. Thank you for sharing RC. Does it (the higher velocity) affect the effective range?

 

[rcmodel]

Lets assume you can get 3,000 FPS with a 130 grain bullet out a 24" .270.

Then assume you can get 3,100 FPS with a 28" barrel.

The 3,000 FPS load would have a remaining velocity of 1,950 at 500 yards.
And remaining energy of 1,097 ft/lb.
It will drop 48.6' below line of sight with a 200 zero.

The 3,100 FPS load would have a remaining velocity of 2,027.
1,186 ft/lb energy.
44.9" drop at 500 yards.

So the 28" barrel will get you 77 FPS more velocity at 500 yards.
89 ft/lb more energy at 500 yards.
And drop 3.7" less at 500 yards.

In other words?
Totally Insignificant differences at 500 yards.

But not if the shorter stiffer barrel is more accurate then the longer whippier barrel.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

Get the 26"

Short and stiff vs long and whippy does not matter much in a hunting rifle.
A single shot action is shorter and allows a longer barrel than a repeater without being unhandy in the brush. I wonder how all the shotguns with 28 and 30 inch barrels ever get anything done.

But $100 saving is a measurable difference.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

I get 3019fps out of a 22" barrel with a .270 Winchester I'm shooting a 130gr Nosler Accubond...don't need faster than that for anything in the lower 48.

 

[Frostbite]

Thank you folks!

Quoting rc:
"A 28" sporter-weight barrel will be about as 'whippy' as a fishing rod. That can make finding an extremely accurate load it likes a difficult problem." And regarding performance: "Totally Insignificant differences at 500 yards."
Fully agreeing with that last part thanks to the explanation provided and with Jim Watson's comment:
"But $100 saving is a measurable difference",
keeping in mind all of your appreciated comments, dear fellows, I think I have reached a conclusion: I will most likely go with the 26 inches barrel.

The $100 difference will be invested in ammo, so my shooting will get better anyway!

Please add further comments if you feel like it, I will keep coming back to this thread for education. I guess I should also continue to read many other threads for that same reason. I would also like to read differing opinions if there are some.

If anyone knows someone who shoots a TC Encore in such a configuration, I would like to know what they think about it.

I will probably wait until February 2014 before I order the barrel. I have to buy Christmas gifts before I get myself a new toy!

 

[dprice3844444]

be careful with not standardizing barrel length,you might confuse bullet drop between the 2 barrels.get a chronometer and see what the speeds are.scope swapping made easier in case of damage

 

[Frostbite]

I'm not exactly in the lower 48, but I do agree, CarJunkieLS1. The biggest deer we (my group) have taken up here was only 238 lb. The ones we get in upper NY state when I visit my uncle in your nice country (blackpowder season) are usually not bigger than 135-140 lb. Last one I caught, this year, was only 83 lb... Easy shot at 42 paces, fiber optic sights. Could only afford two days downthere, shot what I saw. Meat will be as tender as it gets.

 

[witchhunter]

Frostbite, if you do not reload and you are using the encore for practice only, remember that your POI will be a little different using a 28" barrel vs. a 22" barrel at longer ranges... The extra velocity that you will achieve with the long barrel will mean that your projectile will have less drop at longer range. I write my drops and ranges on a card and carry it with me. If you know the range, you know the drop. welcome to the High Road.

 

[Frostbite]

Thanks for the advice witchhunter. I am getting more and more serious about shooting and I will write down the drops and ranges. I will also try many different bullets and brands. I do not reload because to be honest, I'm a little scared by that (I don't know anybody to teach me how to start) and I fear it would cost too much to buy the equipment needed versus how much I will really shoot the .270. For now...

I shoot a lot of .22 LR (open sights, and even worst, fiber optic ones! (great for hunting, the same as the ones on my Encore, the first reason why I bought that .22, but lousy for target because they are too big past 50 yards)) and I know it is not the same, but it is fun and inexpensive and, well, shoting it seems better than just not shooting.

Any tricks on how to judge the distance when hunting? At the firing range, it is easy, it is written where I put my target!

You mentioned the 28 inches barrel in your answer. Would you have a preference for this one over the 26 inches barrel the others most often recommended, and if so, why? After reviewing this thread, I feel like I am trying to find and excuse to waste $100 when I lean towards that one. I find it more exotic, I guess. Right now, I intend to go with the 26", following the advices expressed on that forum.

 

[rcmodel]

Any tricks on how to judge the distance when hunting?

Laser rangefinder.

Or go old school and use a topographical map of the area you are hunting to get the lay of the land.

rc