.270 Winchester for plains game

[ILCAPO]

This past summer I took an .06 Ackley, and a .375 H&H. Used the .06 past 200 (Springbuck and Kudu) everything else was taken with the .375. With the Barnes Triple Shocks the animals were just anchored. I think Redleg stated it fairly well this is not like hunting deer from a stand. Opportunities come quickly and are more often than not are not the picture perfect broadside shot. Having that larger caliber is a definate advantage.

I'm curious about the 06 Ackley. I've read that some calibers got a real boost from the modification while others had very little. For instance, the .22-250 Remington got almost nothing out of going Ackley, whereas the parent cartridge, the .250 Savage, got the most increase of any Ackley Improved. I read the .30-06 AI had very little advantage over the straight .30-06 Springfield. What's your take on it?

 

[6MM]

I'm not close to my loads but I did get a little over 200 FPS more out of it. I was not pushing the load either. I was more interested in how good of group I could get out of it. The partition load I used stacks them at 100 yards. I just posted a kudu pic from this summer. I connected with that bull at 300 yards offhand. It did take 2 shots as I believe the partition load was moving too fast. I have another load with Barnes TSX that is just as good which is probably where I will go with next loads.
I have always been a wildcat guy trying to push the limits with my loads for my long range shooting in South Dakota.

 

[Bobpuckett]

I would agree about the SST. Not a big game bullet. Whitetail, impala, blesbok sized animals. It is a great bullet for that sized game. I use it in my slug gun for deer. You go to larger game you need to go to the Interbond. In the right combo you could go up to eland.

The interbond is a great bullet but next May the wife and I are headed back to Huntershill Safaris she will be packing her 30-06 and I a 308 both with 180gr Barnes TSX hand loads. not taking any chances hard to beat a Barnes.

 

[ILCAPO]

Interesting. Well, 200 fps isn't bad.

 

[RickB]

The interbond is a great bullet but next May the wife and I are headed back to Huntershill Safaris she will be packing her 30-06 and I a 308 both with 180gr Barnes TSX hand loads. not taking any chances hard to beat a Barnes.

Barnes TSX will be great. Todays bullet structure is far better than years past. As long as you choose a quality bullet and most important shoot strait, everything will be fine. I used The new hornady superformance 30-06 with the 180grn interbond. They worked flawlessly on my trip in may.

 

[Cliffy]

Trigger Creap, I built a 338/06 for my first trip to Zim and was very pleased with it (225s at 2500 fps Partitions). So much so that I used it for all my hunts until the 3rd one in Namibia. For that I took my 7mm/08 with 140 gr bullets. I was not pleased as I felt I was a little light in the weight range. I shot many head of game including Oryx and all but one went down with one shot. The one that did not was a side on shot at an oryx that hit the elbow of the front leg and didn't penetrate very deep. dropped him on the second shot but I still "felt" under gunned. My problem, wrong bullets. Took the 338/06 on trip 4 and will use it for trip 5. Will the 270 do it? Sure, if all goes well. Will I use my 7mm/08 again? No. I'll stick with 30/06 or bigger (180 gr or bigger) if for no other reason than peace of mind on penetration and hole size. I like Partitions. They work great for me so why change?

 

[ILCAPO]

RickB.

LOVE your quote. And I always liked John Wayne's...

"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid."

 

[johana]

Hi guys, I also have a .270, love it for a number of reasons, good bullets, good shot placements, they will go down, as said shot a big wildebeest bull, one shot, no problem!

 

[Ramon AA Allen]

On reading through the above - some interesting comments, I'm very impressed with my 270 - 130grn selection. I've had the rifle since (about) 1980 and have shot, although not annually, springbuck, blesbuck, hartebeest and kudu. One does not count how many - unless one wants to impress others - who no doubt have more experience. My ranges have varied from 50m to 600m (springbuck upper neck. This measured using a vehicles speedo and two witnesses- and no, I'm not proud of it. It is ridiculous!). I'll take my 270 and 130grn's any - and every - day. I've dropped a red hartebeest at 300m -a hit square between the eyes. My ammunition was that of PMP-Brown box. I still use that production today. (It does, this season, seem to be in short supply - I purchased a box of ProAmm's.) I'm going for Gemsbok in a weeks time)

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello all. I have a question regarding the .270 Win. on plains game.

Is the .270 Win. a good caliber for plains game from Impala up to Kudu and Gemsbok? The reason I ask is when we go to our local sportsman's show and I talk to PH's a lot seem to recommend 7MM mag and up for plains game. Some even recommend .30 cal and up. One PH (from South Africa) made a face when I told him that I use the .270 Winchester, even after I told him that I use 150 grainers he still wasn't pleased.

So, what I'm asking is if I do get to hunt plainsgame in the next few years, should I buy a .30-06 for it? I am not a crappy shot and I don't get all shaky with a big game animal in front of me, so it isn't like I need a huge margin for error.
TRIGGER
My son used a 308 on everything he shot including a big Hartman zebra and Oryx using 150 grain accubonds and 140grain outer edge, no problems up comes the 08 down goes animal. He kept his shots to a max of 200 yards. The 270 with accubonds in the heaviest available will be more than enough. Hunt with your 270 and be happy.




P.S Please excuse my grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. I am sure there are plenty. LOL

 

[Rick Cox]

I'll probably be over gunned but I plan to take my 338-06 on a plains game hunt. I realize that I could get by with .280 or 30-06 but since this is my first, and probably last, trip to Africa I want to be sure to have plenty of backbone in my loads. I plan to use either the 200gr Accubond and maybe the 210gr Partition. Heck, I might even give new the 185 gr TTSX a try since I handload. That sucker should be smokin' from a 338-06.

That caliber will work well. I used a 35 Whelen to excellent effect.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Christian,

It is true, minimum caliber in Namibia is 7MM.

NAPHA: Namibia Professional Hunting Association: Hunting Laws

As Elmer Keith said the 270 is an adequate coyote rifle.

Christian
If the 270 is not legal in Namibia I would wonder why my property owner/ PH has one for hire for his clients. Some clients can't handle the 300s but when they switch to the 270 there problem was solved

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Christian (Trigger Creep) is a 14 year old boy trying to learn about Guns and hunting he's not here to be slamed if this thread is a waste of your time then Please feel free to go to the bottom of this email once you get it and click on the To unsubscribe from this thread, and click on that link.

Bob
Good on you for sticking up For the young fella. My son was 14 and a half when we went to Namibia this year. Shot all his game including Hartman zebra and Oryx with a 308 loaded it with 150gn accubonds and 14grain outer edge. So called expert said 180 minimum in the 08. Well I'll be everything he shot fell down, some may have run 20 to 30 yards but hey dead is dead. My son practiced plenty off sticks and field positions beforehand. At no time did he feel under gunned. The PH even commended his shooting and he has seen supposed good shooting adults that couldn't shoot.
If trigger creep is happy with his 270, load it with a quality bullet, practice off sticks then practice some more. After that go have fun with tat 270 and make some memories son

a 14 and a half kid with a 1 shot Oryx and a little 308 well done son

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ill

Good to know. I'm still saving for my probably once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa to hunt. But have given a lot of thought to what I'd bring. As is the case with all my hunts, I'll bring two guns -- a backup in case something goes awry with the first, and for selection for various game. The first is my .35 Whelen. I had it custom made on a Czech VZ-24 action for elk, and have noted it should do just fine out to 250 yards on any plains game out there. The other was a toss up between a .280 Remington AI and .30-06. They're both great cartridges. But I'll likely be bringing the .30-06 due to the ability to use heavier bullets. The longer range and flatter trajectory of the .280 will probably be wasted, as I understand most shots in the areas I've been looking won't be more than 300 yards at most.

ILL CAPO
HAVE a look on the 35 Whelan thread, great thread an information

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

I have read that the vitals are a little further forward with African animals than American animals. Which is why it is best if you use heavier bullet weights.

Thanks for posting that link Red Leg.

Get a copy of "The Perfect Shot"

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Hello all. I have a question regarding the .270 Win. on plains game.

Is the .270 Win. a good caliber for plains game from Impala up to Kudu and Gemsbok? The reason I ask is when we go to our local sportsman's show and I talk to PH's a lot seem to recommend 7MM mag and up for plains game. Some even recommend .30 cal and up. One PH (from South Africa) made a face when I told him that I use the .270 Winchester, even after I told him that I use 150 grainers he still wasn't pleased.

While I agree that the 270 is sufficient for most plains game, I recently read a recommendation by Craig Boddington (can't remember where I saw it) that you should have a larger caliber if you are hunting where you might bump into dangerous game. Something to think about.

I will add that guides and outfitters often recommend a heavier caliber than necessary to compensate for clients' lack of shooting skills. When I did a bison hunt, I was told that an '06 was not recommended. When I showed up, my guide snorted and told me that they used the '06 whenever they had to cull a buffalo.