How accurate is the 270 Winchester as a cartridge? Considering picking one up but wonder if the 7mm's or the .308's are a little better in the accuracy dept?

The accuracy of any cartridge in this class is more dependent on how good the bullets are, and with how much precision the rifle it is used in was made. In this regard, the .270 is just as accurate as a .25/'06, .280 Rem., or .30/'06 if bullets of equal quality are fired in good barrels properly installed on the action, and the whole assembly well bedded in the stock.

Shorter cartridges exemplified by the .284 and .308 Winchester families tend to be a little better. Short powder columns result inmore uniform ignition. In addition, short actions tend to be stiffer, which also helps accuracy. This may also be true of the short-short magnums such as the WSMs and the SAUMs. I have no experience with these yet, so cannot say for sure about them.

What made me think about this the is lack of "match grade" bullets and loadingsavailable for the 270 Win, when compared to the .308's and 7mm's.

If you are hunting the .270 is just as accurate as the .308 and 7mm. I am not real sure about it if you plan on doing some match shooting.

Here is an article from Outdoor Life that talks about just that.

Define 'accuracy' for us and you may get a more informative answer.

Are you talking paper targets or game?

Distances that you are planning to shoot?

Accuracy is as much the shooter as it is the rifle, bullets, scope, etc...

In most circumstances, the .270 Win is as accurate as any other cartridge. Performs well on game. Most will shoot the budget factory ammo well. I think every manufacturer has several rifle models in .270 so you have a big selection. Great cartridge in my opinion.

When people start talking accuracy, I usually bring up the story of my buddy Randy. Randy used to hunt deer with a sawed off Mossberg 500. Why sawed off? because the barrel was bent pretty bad, and he cut off the worst part. The gun shot about two feet high and two feet left at 75yd, but it was consistent so he just compensated. Killed deer every year with it. He had other guns, but used it as a novelty, and to show that "accuracy" is a pretty relative thing.

These days for some ungodly reason the 270 winchester is vastly underrated. I have not ever owned one that didn't give more then adequate accuracy out of a semi-auto(rem 742) pump(7600) and a bolt (700) they all shot beautifully and killed deer at any range I encountered.

paraphased what the website below said about the .270 win. The .270 win is known to be one of our most accurate rounds out there. It's often compared to the .30-06, though I've not consistently heard how accurate '06 were, maybe guys just don't mention it? why wouldnt' they though? ive also heard from a few that they abs hate the '06/accuracy, never shot a '06 he liked or shot well, maybe just bad luck for that guy. Anyway, the .270 is super accurate, kinda inheretly to that cartridge, though of course a good rifle around it only helps, though as jarret said, some rounds are easier to get to shoot accurately than others. So thats how i feel about the .270, doesn't take much to get it to pattern well, can prob shoot sub moa out of just about any rifle, my browning bar shoots 1/2 moa or less with factory ammo, federal 130, the cheap federals. Not bad for a semi auto, right?

The .308 has been used in 1000yd competitions, and is also super accurate. The 7mm I really haven't heard much said to its accuracy. You're also comparing a magnum, a standard, and a shorter action cartridge, the .270 being in the middle is the one I'd pick off hand. But tell us what you're using it for? Those long far shots, I'd want something flatter shooting, the .270 or 7mm would be my choices, never been a 7mm fan, so .270 would be it. Also not a big fan of the .308, I like the 7mm-08, but even so, I'd take my .270 over either of those. If you had 300yds or less....id take the .308 or 7mm-08. Get a .270 and you can do it all if you have to, but deer out west....to 500yds give/take you'll be set.

Might be a reason match grade are available for a round....I've found em for my .300 win mag as well. But I don't think they're intended for hunting.


http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=39

The .270 Winchester offers superb accuracy in good bolt action rifles, a flat trajectory, and good long range punch, all at a level of recoil tolerable by all but the most inexperienced shooters.

Agreed..

If your hunting I am not sure the slight difference between long and short cartridges would be of any concern. Comp shooting would be a different story..

My .270 shoots minute of deer just fine