Is the .270 the ultimate unfashionable all rounder...

[moeggesit]

I should have added, there’s really not much difference between any of the calibres as far a deer is concerned, I use a .243 or .308 the majority of time because it works. I really dislike 270 and 30-06 because they a noisy, spiteful and cause unnecessary amount of damage, used both and don’t like them. They are okay with true premium grade bullets or ideally copper to avoid disintegration. In South Africa I usually use 7x57 or 9.3x62. Marginaal differences depending on your mood more than anything else.

 

[blacklab3042]

In my opinion the .270 is the ultimate tool, I love mine

When I have asked for ammunition in England I got a strange look, definitely a Scottish calibre

 

[Namman]

It’s not a bad cartridge but too fast and the bullet range is on the light side which limits it to longer shots unless you like your deer to come pre-minced in a hairy bag.

Perfectly serviceable but there’s better out there, like 7x57 which is more than 130years old. For a true allrounder you should look at 9.3x62.

I've seen as much carcase damage from .243 and .308's over the years.
It really depends on where you hit them and to a lesser extent the bullet.
We used to have a friendly debate at the larder guessing which deer had been shot with what, Result, you could not identify which calibre had been used and that was a lot of deer.
As for recoil, man up !
As for loudness, another urban myth!

 

[Dave_45]

If you homeload you can really get a potent round from a 270.

I should probably behave and just get myself one.

I bought a wildcat in order to force myself to learn how to reload.

 

[geoshot]

I think the answer to the OP depends upon the definition of the terms "unfashionable" & "all-rounder"
Anyway
The good old .308w comes in for a lot of stick too, "mortar round" "rainbow trajectory" "loopy" "slow" "drops like a brick" "boring"
It's little offspring, the 243w, is too often dismissed as a "kids' cartridge" "underpowered" etc
Not much seems to be said about the venerable 30-06 these days other than "it's boring" & "old-fashioned" but it's a do it all and useful to have if you intend to hunt overseas or such
So, including the 270w with the three above that's at least 4 cartridges which can deal with any UK deer (only the 243w wouldn't be recommended for boar, but even that could do the job if used properly) species and do a bit of plinking on the range too. All of them have their, often very vocal, detractors as well as die-hard or use nothing else fanboys
I've owned rifles chambered in all 4, and the only one I wouldn't choose right away or right now is the 243w
But that said, I could live with it if that was the only thing I was allowed to use by law or circumstance

As for unfashionable and all-rounder in a more modern cartridge
Well
I think I currently own that now
It's a 6.5PRC
It's an all-rounder in UK terms for sure, has more than enough capability to stop any UK deer species humanely
Plus, as it's at least as powerful/effective as a 270w it would be ok for wild boar too.
And its a very good range cartridge too, very good indeed.
Unfashionable? Definitely, in the UK for sure. I hear it's becoming VERY popular in the USA but it'll always be a bit part player here in the UK, I don't reckon many will be sold here anytime soon

 

[Tazz]

270 proper calibre

 

[Smellydog]

It’s not a bad cartridge but too fast and the bullet range is on the light side which limits it to longer shots unless you like your deer to come pre-minced in a hairy bag.

Perfectly serviceable but there’s better out there, like 7x57 which is more than 130years old. For a true allrounder you should look at 9.3x62.

Then there are Hornady 150gn.

 

[Heym SR20]

nowt wrong with the 270

Nowt wrong with a 270 shooting a monolithic bullet designed for a 270. There are plenty out there that work just fine.

270 is a very good all round rifle. Doesn’t recoil to badly. I think it has its reputation as its the rifle that most guests on Scottish estates will take first deer. Probably the first time they use a centre fire rifle, and they have nowt else to compare it with.

It was designed as a cartridge for use on open ground to shoot deer and other open ground type game. It has the velocity to give a trajectory that a 200 plus point blank range.

 

[paul o']

It’s not a bad cartridge but too fast and the bullet range is on the light side which limits it to longer shots unless you like your deer to come pre-minced in a hairy bag.

Perfectly serviceable but there’s better out there, like 7x57 which is more than 130years old. For a true allrounder you should look at 9.3x62.

Too fast! mince nahh you just need to know how neck em out to 300 any closer it's like a using a catapult.

 

[Dunwaters]

If you want one get it now.
Next year it’ll be 100 years old and “rediscovered “ with all the unnecessary hoopla and marketing hype that we have come to know and love
I can’t wait, I’ve been shooting it for over 30 years and still haven’t found a better cartridge.
In theory there’s a lot of better options out there, but in the real world that’s just not so.
Go grab one , you know it makes sense.

 

[wildfowler.250]

I keep trying to find something to change the .270 for but I just can’t.

.30-06 maybe but I would want to load it light for a .270 like trajectory - but then what’s the point.

6.5x55 I’ve used quite a bit but 140 grain is quite loopy.

Last .308 I used had a turret with dials. That doesn’t overly appeal.


So I think when I rebarrel, it’ll be another .270 unless folk can convince me .30-06 is better..

 

[Foxyboy43]

Unfashionable or just old-fashioned?
All a matter of taste IMHO. An estate .270 was the first full bore rifle I shot “in anger” on a Perthshire glen a quarter of a century ago - I never noticed the recoil or bang - far too occupied marvelling at how red hinds just fell over at all sorts of distances. Funny how little things stick in your mind - with me it was the length of the bolt - cycling it seemed to involve near dislocation having to be able to put your right hand right back over your shoulder.

It is no coincidence that this venerable and highly efficient chambering is invariably still the estate rifle you will be offered pretty much anywhere in Scotland - that's largely down to the fact that it has been doing all that is asked of it for just on 101 years whilst the new boy - the .308 is only a mere stripling at 74.
You need have no worries about each, both will kill anything on four legs in the Western Hemisphere - with aplomb and will continue to do so long after many of us and “more fashionable” chamberings have slipped from memory….

 

[HonestJohn]

Unfashionable or just old-fashioned?
All a matter of taste IMHO. An estate .270 was the first full bore rifle I shot “in anger” on a Perthshire glen a quarter of a century ago - I never noticed the recoil or bang - far too occupied marvelling at how red hinds just fell over at all sorts of distances. Funny how little things stick in your mind - with me it was the length of the bolt - cycling it seemed to involve near dislocation having to be able to put your right hand right back over your shoulder.
View attachment 389325
It is no coincidence that this venerable and highly efficient chambering is invariably still the estate rifle you will be offered pretty much anywhere in Scotland - that's largely down to the fact that it has been doing all that is asked of it for just on 101 years whilst the new boy - the .308 is only a mere stripling at 74.
You need have no worries about each, both will kill anything on four legs in the Western Hemisphere - with aplomb and will continue to do so long after many of us and “more fashionable” chamberings have slipped from memory….

Now that’s how you hold a rifle over a day bag indeed

 

[Mungo]

If you want one get it now.
Next year it’ll be 100 years old and “rediscovered “ with all the unnecessary hoopla and marketing hype that we have come to know and love
I can’t wait, I’ve been shooting it for over 30 years and still haven’t found a better cartridge.
In theory there’s a lot of better options out there, but in the real world that’s just not so.
Go grab one , you know it makes sense.

I miss shooting an unmoderated .270 in a narrow, steep sided glen. BOOOOOOOOOOoooooooOOOOooooooom!