.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.

Ya'll are making a huge deal out of something that isn't. If he wants to shoot out to 250yards, that gun will do it just fine. NO one is saying anything about ridiculous hold over. Everyone that mentioned hold over so far is still aiming on the deers chest, just in the upper portion. 260yards is just fine assuming he holds good groups at 100. The OPs question was if his rifle was capable of that and if others have taken deer that far with a .270. The answer is yes.
-Jake

The ruler function on google earth is a handy tool to use. Just measure the distance from your stand in approximation to certain landmarks (trees, ponds, ditches, etc.). The trick, though, is that the ballistics information on your box of ammunition is just the general behavior of the bullet, and it may not applicable to all guns so you'll need to get a box of bulk ammo and practice at longer ranges and in a variety of wind conditions. As much as I like to pride myself as a decent shooter from the bench, it's a different ballgame when there's a deer out that far and the adrenaline starts seeping into your system. I have found that if I am going to shoot over 200 yards, I like to be on the ground and shooting with a bipod. Those minor shakes and bad trigger pulls that cause a shot to go one or two minutes from the bullseye at 100 yards REALLY get amplified at 300 yards.

....yes :D

If you practice shooting paper enough at various distances, until you feel confident in your abilities, the .270 will do the rest.


It has for many & for a lot of years !

Yep
 

Power wise, you have plenty.

Sighted in as you are, do what Ridge Runner says.

If this is a common scenario for your hunting, I'd bump that zero up to 3" high at 100, then you'd be just about 3" high at 200, and only 3" low at 300, assuming about 3,000 fps. Then if he steps out at 300 or less, center the chest with the crosshairs and squeeze. Practice enough so you know you can do it.

I agree, take the guess work out of it sight as Joe say's and the rifle will do the rest!:s4:

I dug up some info for a little light reading... All are what I’d call “average joe” worthy scopes, 3-9x40mm scopes for $250 or less.

Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40mm: 50MOA
Bushnell Banner 3-9x40mm: 60MOA
Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x40mm: 50MOA (Mine is ACTUALLY 78MOA)
Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40mm: 80MOA
Leupold Rifleman 3-9x40mm: 56MOA
Leupold VX-I/VX-II 3-9x40mm: 56MOA
Nikon Buckmasters 3-9x40mm: 80MOA
Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40mm: 80MOA
Redfield Revolution 3-9x40mm: 56MOA
Simmons Aetec 2.8-10x44mm: 80MOA
Simmons Prohunter 3-9x40mm: 60MOA

I’ll admit, there are some “weird” models out there that have way more or way less internal adjustment (Bushnell Elite 4200 8-32x40mm only has 20MOA), but 50-60MOA is a pretty typical internal adjustment range for the “average scope”. Another upside for the “average joe” is that more and more manufacturers are swapping out the traditional socketed dial-type adjusters in favor of finger-knob type adjusters, making windage and elevation doping adjustments much easier to make on the fly.

Whenever I’m in the need for a new scope, I evaluate a new scope’s internal adjustment against the total drop of the cartridge I’m using for a given range I plan to use it for (total drop, not just drop below a 100yrd zero). For a 50MOA scope, I count on being able to use at least 20MOA for drop correction, but could never exceed 25MOA.

Besides a $250 or less 3-9x40mm scope, I’d also venture that the “average joe’s average equipment” will be a standard weight bolt action rifle from one of the major manufacturers using mid-grade factory ammo pushing a 6mm to 30cal cartridge from 90-150grn (BC = 0.35-0.45) at 2700 to 3400fps.

So a little more reading… Here’s the maximum ranges based on some “average” cartridges based on an “average” scope with 50MOA adjustment range (range where total drop exceeds 20-25MOA):

.223rem 55grn (BC=0.25) @ 3325fps: 650-700 (I use a 60MOA scope with a mil-dot reticle to shoot P-dogs out to 800yrds)

.243win 90grn (BC=0.38) @ 3100fps: 675-750

6.5x55mm Swede 140grn (BC=0.41) @ 2700fps: 575-650yrds

.25-06rem 120grn (BC=0.41) @ 3100fps: 700-800yrds

.270win 130grn (BC=0.45) @ 3100fps: 725-825yrds

7mm Mauser 145grn (BC=0.45) @ 2800fps: 600-700yrds

.308win/.30-06 150grn (BC=0.42) @ 3100fps: 625-700yrds (I use a Nikon 80MOA to shoot 1,000yrds in a .308win with no angled base)

Jumping up to a 60MOA scope adds about 100-150yrds to every one of the above
ranges. Jumping up to an 80MOA scope ranges the .223 and the 6.5x55 up to at least 800yrds, and ranges the other cartridges up to 900-1,000yrds+.

So, getting an “average scope” to cover a .270win out to 700-900yrds isn’t anything special.

MOST rifles from the major manufacturers are capable of shooting 1.-1.5MOA with at least ONE suitable factory hunting load (8-12” group at 800yrds). Just on the fringe of accurate enough for a deer’s vital area.

And I know I’m going to catch flak for this, but even the .243win has as much energy at 800yrds as a .357mag at 50yrds… more than enough to seal the deal with a vitals shot.

On the other hand, the “average joe” doesn’t have access to a 400yrd shooting range, let alone a 1,000yrd range. So the “average joe” hasn’t practiced the skills to shoot that far.

Moral of the story, the “average scope” will have plenty of adjustment to get the “average joe” on target with his “average rifle”, so the "average joe" can't blame his "average equipment" for his own lack of shooting ability...

260 yards is a breeze for the cartridge... the problem lies with the shooter. It isnt a range just anyone should shoot at but as Ridge and some others pointed out.. with a little practice and preparation its very doable. My furthest kill with a 270 was just a shade above 400. However I do shoot at almost that range very frequently.

Now, while I'm sure you're pretty proud of all that stuff you wrote, for starters let's clear one thing up. I don't recall that I either specified or insinuated that most scopes don't allow adequate internal adjustment to be suitable for shooting at long ranges. You simply assumed that's what I said.

How about we take one of those you list and try this at home. Since I have four of them, and because I know a lot of "average" guys who have them too, we'll just pick the VX-2, eh? Now, walk me through the process by which you'll apply all that dope to get my .243 out to 800. Let's start with the part where you unscrew the turret caps and dig the dime out of your pocket.

Now, quickly, tell me again how much drop we have at 800 yards? That's how many MOA? I prefer mils, but maybe that's just me. Don't tell me that you have to refer to some kind of trajectory chart that I mentioned previously?! Given that most factory loads aren't provided data beyond 500 yards, we're probably going to have to plug this thing into an exterior ballistics program to make 800. No problem though, most "average" hunters have those....

I'll give you that a couple of the optics on your list probably do bridge some of the gap between the older-style turrets and true target or tactical turrets, but it remains that they are not the norm as of this moment. Until such time as that feature becomes the standard, those "average" optics are at a decided disadvantage in their utility for long-range dope.

And now back to my point, a simple chart embedded in the shooters mind and affixed somewhere on the shooter's rifle lest he forget, detailing trajectory out to 500 yards, is all that most hunters need to engage 95% of the situations they'll encounter, particularly in a hunting environment where there may not be time to apply all that dope, especially if you're faced with fumbling for turret caps and dimes.

Without a doubt, and the shooter can significantly improve their chances with a modest amount of practice at that range.