Brithunter
Well-Known Member
The 270 Winchester introduced back in 1925 seems to have almost the same velocities now as it did back at it's introduction yet powders have come along quite a bit since then. Other cartridges have had their performance levels upped yet the old 270 Winchester still languishes where it came into the world almost as if it's unloved by the various ammunition makers.
Oh some years back they tried with the WSM to update and make the 270 fashionable as a calibre again but they still left the old original 270 Winchester alone and I have never understood why .
We know that Winchester was economical with the truth about the velocities actually achieved in rifles with the original loadings. Chronographs were not easily obtained and were difficult to use and very time consuming back then but some labs did do the testing and Winchester was caught out.
Original claims for velocity of the 130 grain loading was 3,140 fps but if one reads the reports of those who did have access to chronographs actual velocity was more like 3,020 fps . Despite this the cartridge was still hugely popular and successful. At one time it seems it was THE cartridge to use upon the Hill in Scotland before falling out of fashion. I notice it seems to be gaining some ground back in recent years though.
This brings us back to the question why when other cartridges of similar vintage have had their real world performance improved has the old 270 Winchester been ignored?
Looking in Hornady's 7th Ed I see in their testing they managed to get 3100 fps with Four powders and Speers 14th lists 3117 fps with their 130 grain bullets but that is still shy of the original velocity claimed by Winchester in 1925.
Most strange.
Oh some years back they tried with the WSM to update and make the 270 fashionable as a calibre again but they still left the old original 270 Winchester alone and I have never understood why .
We know that Winchester was economical with the truth about the velocities actually achieved in rifles with the original loadings. Chronographs were not easily obtained and were difficult to use and very time consuming back then but some labs did do the testing and Winchester was caught out.
Original claims for velocity of the 130 grain loading was 3,140 fps but if one reads the reports of those who did have access to chronographs actual velocity was more like 3,020 fps . Despite this the cartridge was still hugely popular and successful. At one time it seems it was THE cartridge to use upon the Hill in Scotland before falling out of fashion. I notice it seems to be gaining some ground back in recent years though.
This brings us back to the question why when other cartridges of similar vintage have had their real world performance improved has the old 270 Winchester been ignored?
Looking in Hornady's 7th Ed I see in their testing they managed to get 3100 fps with Four powders and Speers 14th lists 3117 fps with their 130 grain bullets but that is still shy of the original velocity claimed by Winchester in 1925.
Most strange.