What's the max effective range of .270 Win?

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Mr. T

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Hi Everyone,

I'm just wondering what the max effective range of a .270 Win was? I would like to use mine for coyotes, but haven't a clue on what the limits of the weapon might be. I usually don't shoot beyond 300 yards and that's on deer sized targets. Looking for opinions on the .270 Win; I have it in the Model 700. I also have a 5.56/.223 Bushmaster that I could use as well. Just wondering what people's thoughts might be?
 
I have killed coyotes with a 30-06 at over 400 yards.
Heck, now that I think of it, I've killed crows with a 30-06 at over 400 yards.

A .270 would do as well or better if you can estimate the range close enough.

Unlike the .270, the .223 will run out of killing power / bullet performance on coyotes before they are too far away to hit them with it.

rc
 
For coyotes I'd say it is really up to your skill level and the accuracy of the rifle. I'd say 1000 yards+ if the shooter and rifle are good enough. I'm not, by the way.
 
Your ability to hit them will be the deciding factor. Get a good load for it and try to put a hole in one. .270 is a large coyote gun.

I would use the .223 though. Most shots when you call them in are pretty close.
 
I've had 2 - 270's in my lifetime and am currently shopping for another one. Once I get a new one, I will never, ever be without one again. 100 grainers for the coyotes and 130 to 150 for deer and bigger. Good flat shooting cartridge without excessive recoil and kills like a lightning bolt way out there. If you have a place where you can try it at 1000 yds go for it and let us know how you do.
 
Regarding a deer sized animal with a .270 Win, the max-range depends on if you prescribe to the 1,000 pounds or to the 1,200 pounds remaining energy need for a clean kill. If you say 1,200 pounds energy, you're good to 450 yards. If you believe it takes 1,000 pounds remaining energy, you're good to 500 yards (with either 130 or 140 grain projectiles). For what it's worth, with a zero of 300 yards out of 130 grain projectiles at 3,200 FPS, I was about 10 inches low at 400 yards. At 500 yards, I was about 21 inches low.

With varmints using my .270 Win, I used Speer 90 grain HPs and Speer 100 grain HotCores, over compressed loads of Accurate Arms 3100 and a Federal bench rest primer. The difficulty with that weight projectile at distance becomes stability. A 300 yard shot will have exceeding energy for varmints. However, due to the low ballistic coefficient, they don't really fire much more flat compared to a 130 grain projectile. I chronographed the 90 grain projectiles well in excess of 3,700 FPS. They get down range fast! They will nearly cut a woodchuck in half if you manage to strike any bone. For coyotes, beyond 350 yards, I would switch load-up for the 130 grain projectiles.

Geno
 
For coyotes? The max range with a .270 is only how far you can hit them.
 
Mr T, regarding my earlier post when I suggested trying it at 1000 yards I was referring to high power target shooting at that range. I didn't mean to imply shooting at game at such a range.
 
What's the max effective range of .270 Win?

Mr T, to answer your question, it's farther than most people can shoot.
 
400 yards, like most cartridges in the 06 class, runs out of trajectory slightly before running out of gas in the terminal ballistics department.
 
Thanks for all your input everyone. My rifle range only has 300 yard targets for it's longest range. I'm not sure where I would find some place that has 1000 yard target ranges. Here in the midwest, we typically don't have to shoot anywhere near 1000 yards. A cousin of mine and I were thinking about going out West hunting for Muley's and Elk. I told him I was going to take my .270 instead of my 30.06 and he suggested that maybe I go out and buy a .338 Lapua like he did. I just think that would be over kill and to be honest I don't want to spend the money right now on a new gun if I don't have to. Then we got into the discussion on what the max effective range was for the .270 Win. He was trying to tell me that it wasn't any good beyond 300 yards. I guess I just wanted to know for sure. Again thanks everyone. :)
 
I hunt Mule and Wapiti every year with a .270 and have never needed a second shot. Load up some 150 grain partitions and your're fine!
 
Mr. T said:
Thanks for all your input everyone. My rifle range only has 300 yard targets for it's longest range. I'm not sure where I would find some place that has 1000 yard target ranges. Here in the midwest, we typically don't have to shoot anywhere near 1000 yards. A cousin of mine and I were thinking about going out West hunting for Muley's and Elk. I told him I was going to take my .270 instead of my 30.06 and he suggested that maybe I go out and buy a .338 Lapua like he did. I just think that would be over kill and to be honest I don't want to spend the money right now on a new gun if I don't have to. Then we got into the discussion on what the max effective range was for the .270 Win. He was trying to tell me that it wasn't any good beyond 300 yards. I guess I just wanted to know for sure. Again thanks everyone. :)
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Another victim of the "bigger is better theory." Tell your friend he needs to buy you the .338 Lapua if he is that convinced you need it. If I ever am blessed to go on an elk hunt, I will be content to take my M70 FW 30.06 as my primary and my M70 FW .270 as my backup. I have put in much range time on both and the recoil does not cause me to dread pulling the trigger. The only thing I might upgrade would be my Nikon Buckmasters scope to one of those fancy longe range scopes, but that is doubtful. Any decent guide should be able to get me within 300 yards.
 
Most average folks will be able to shoot a .270 better then a .338 Mag anything.

Because the .270 doesn't kick hard enough to make you afraid to squeeze the trigger, and flinch every shot when you finally do!

That makes the .270 a better long range rifle for "most folks" who aren't hardened iron-nerved riflemen who practice 52 weeks a year.

rc
 
Mr T, to answer your question, it's farther than most people can shoot.
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Yep! My longest shot on a deer, was aprox 370 yards (used a range finder, just don't remember the exact distance).

do you guys think .270 is better than a .308 for hunting?
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Very similar rounds. .308 performs marginally better with bigger bullet weights, and has the shorter "throw", but .270 will shoot very marginally flatter. And both are capable of better than most people are capable of shooting them!
 
remember; a 270 is basically a 6.8 caliber bullet- inside the magic numbers of 6mm to 7mm. if you can get a 270 bullet in 160 grains, shooting a ballistic/silvertip/ vld type bullet, you bet you could take that out to 1000 yds.
Even at 500 yds, I would say it would be more accurate basically, than a 308 or 30.06, again, working the load you want. Even the 150's and 140's will get you way out there, and fast.
 
Put it this way the 270 is capable of delivering a devastating blow beyondyour own capable range and the same goes for me. As for your friend with the 338lap, you don't need it, but I'd rather him use that than a 223 in that type of application. If your going to kill something kill it quick. I hunt muleys on the west coast and in my patcular area cross canyon shots look pretty dang good to me. I load up 150gr jobs and keep it 400 or closer. Actually I would prefer 100 or closer, but that doesn't happen too much. lol If you plan on heading out west get use to angled shots and cross canyon. They really can be deceiving on yardage more than people think. It would be a dissapointment to make the travel and end up finding yourself unprepared in the middle of a hunt.
 
Why does anyone shoot coyotes except for the hides and for livestock protection? If you want the hide, a .270 leaves a big holf coming out the other side. I used a .22-250 for years back when I was hunting them to sell the hides. A real nice hide could fetch as much a $80.
 
Hi Bill,

I'm not shooting them for the money, I'm shooting them to protect calves and whitetail fawns. The coyotes are getting so gutty that they come right into the barn yard and pull the calves out of their pens at night. We split ones head in half with a .308 that another one of my cousins has. My cousin was a dedicated marksman in the Marine Corps. and he made the shot while the coyote was dragging the calf. We now call the calf Shrek, because the coyote's had chewed both ears mostly off and the tail was ripped off -- it's head looks like the Shrek character; other than that it was alright. The other coyote ran off when we put the light on them, but the other one was so gutty that he just kept dragging. We weren't concerned with the hides or the money, we just wanted it dead. Anyway I figured that the .270 Win would leave a smaller hole than a .30 cal hole would. I wonder if I used FMJ's if it wouldn't keep the damage to a minimum?
 
If you live in cattle country, you DO NOT want to use FMJ bullets.

They tend to always ricochet when they hit the ground, and go winging cross-county for a very long distance.

The safest coyote load for your .270 is a very fast 90 or 100 grain varmint bullet.

Yes, it is destructive, but you won't hit a coyote, then kill a cow two pastures over with a FMJ ricochet either.

rc
 
A 270 will kill them further than you can hit them. A light bullet works best and flies flatter with less wind drift.. All coyotes must die. They kill: pets, calfs, fawns.
 
All coyotes must die. They kill: pets, calfs, fawns.
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I agree but the main problem is that we have killed off the other top preds that could have kept the coyote in check, and we (humans) don't provide enough hunting pressure to seriously reduce their numbers. Especially in light of the way we typically hunt them. from all that I have read, when you kill off the "top dog" and you end up with MORE mating pairs. Leave the original mating pair and kill off the bottom ones and you will reduce the numbers. Of course I still kill everyone I can around my stock.
 
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