.270 range
 

What kind of range and accuracy should I expect to get out my rifle? I'm shooting a Savage 110 .270, shooting Rem 130 grain core locks psp. I have it shooting high 1 1/2 at 100yds. Now I've recently started seeing a huge buck in a clearing across from my stand. This evening I seen this guy chasing some does and he stopped for just a few seconds and ran after the does. I didn't take a shot cause I wouldn't sure how far he was. Later I got down and stepped it off about 260 yds. I've shot 2 deer with it, both under 100 yds. I've never tried a shot that far. I know the rifle is more accurate than I am, but would you guys tried that shot or not? How far have you guys brought one down with a .270? Thanks for any input.

I'd of done it. My farthest with a 270win was 325 yards the guns more than capable of 260yds hold in the middle of the sholder area and he will die.

The .270win is easily a 500yard deer cartridge.

at 250/350 if you can hit it, shoot it!

I wouldn't just be lobbing lead out there at 350yards though without being confident you can hit your target.

Shoot your rifle at that range and longer before you attempt a shot at a live animal. Your rifle is very capable of taking a deer at that range, you have to make sure your skill is up to par.

Ballistics: All you need to do is be able to hit a 8" paper plate @ any distance ie; the 8" vital zone of a deer. The 270 will shoot form top to bottom of the vital zone when you are shooting 3 1/4"-3 1/2" high of dead on @ 100yards. This is point blank shooting so you aim dead on and the
bullit will hit some where top to bottom of the 8" vital zone out to about 350 yds. This type of shooting will stop the guess work in the field. All you need to know is it over 350 yds. I have been shooting this method for over 40 years and it is tried and true. Check ballistic charts and you will see for your self. Jim

I'd invest in a decent Range Finder too....so You can be sure of the yardage?

I'd hold about 6 inches down from the top of his shoulder, right in the center of his chest. Dead deer. Be sure you have a good rest, and be sure to post a picture after you get him.
-Jake

Personally, I think the range limiting factor in a .270 on whitetailed deer will be your scope.

Most hunting scopes have 50MOA of internal adjustment, so you can only dope down 25MOA at best (without using an angled mount). A .270 with 130grn BT's will drop around 20MOA at 700MOA, and 30MOA by 900. Most people aren't great at holding over 10ft, but you COULD make it work.

At 700yrds, the .270win still has about 850ftlbs of energy, which is more than a .357mag at the muzzle. More than PLENTY to kill a deer without ANY arguement.

But truth be told, you did the right thing by passing on the shot. Without having fired your rifle at 260yrds and knowing the appropriate ACCURATE hold over, you shouldn't have taken the shot. The old "hold at the top of the shoulder" game works well enough, but it's not accurate enough in my book. For future reference, 130grn .270 trucking 3050 at the muzzle should drop about 4" at 250yrds with a "1.5" high at 100yrds zero"... Go stick a target out where the "Lucky Some Buck" was standing and test it out sometime before next season.

Ever try to put that kind of elevation into your average, off-the-shelf hunting optic? This kind of hunting (700-900 yards) isnt for the average Joe with average equipment.

Agreed. I'm not a big fan of the "so-and-so high at such-and-such range" method. i'd recommend you zero your rifle at 100 yards and build yourself a ballistic chart (or pull it from the factory's website) for the particular round you're using to give you trajectory data in 100-yard increments out to 500. Affix the chart somewhere on your rifle, and practice with it at those varying ranges.

While there are many cals capable of extreme range shots most shooters should stay under 300 yds and even that's pushing it.Beyond that wind drift also becomes a big factor.