Thoughts on the 270 Weatherby?

[Sapphire]

My dad picked up one of these a few years ago and I was looking at the ballistics... WOW! This thing is a machine... it pumps out a 140 or 150 about as fast anything except for the big boys....

Anyone using this gun for LR shooting? Hunting? I assume its good on deer and lope clean out past 1000.... be more like a 600 yard or less elk gun though wouldn't it??

I am considering rebarreling/chambering my 721 for it....

Thanks for you .02 worth!

 

[WyoElk2Hunt]

Weatherby ammo and components are high priced. You can get as much range and velosity out of newer calibers that have less expensive brass if you reload. I own a 300 Weatherby Accumark and like it but would choose another caliber if I was to rebarrel based on my experience since I bought the Weatherby.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Now you can get brass for the wby's from several different manufacturers at the same price you would pay for anything else. Not forced to the expensive wby brass anymore. If you find a deal on 257 or 7mm wby brass buy it and run it through your 270 die and it is 270 wby brass. I shot the 270 wby long range for a while back in the 70's. Longest shot was an elk around 1100 yards. This is an exceptional caliber and will easily outperform any other popular chambering I am aware of over the counter. The 270 wsm would be closest but not in the same league as the 270 wby. It is a fantastic cartridge and all I have ever shot were extremely accurate. I have some now in 26 and 28 inch barrels that I enjoy shooting. I had people come to my range with the then new 270 wsm saying the dealer or their smith claimed it would outshoot or shoot right with the 270 wby. I would just grin and tell them to get my 270 wby and shoot both over the chrono, No contest. If you like a 270 the 270 wby is a great one.

Wyoelk, Remington and others make brass for the 300 wby at the same price as any other remington brass. That is what I shoot. You have a great rifle in the 300 wby knocking on the door of the RUM. In a hunting situation hardly any difference between the 300 wby and 300 RUM. 125-150 fps just doesn't mean the difference between a kill or not. You are good with your 300 wby for about anything in the world.

 

[rscott5028]

My dad has had a Mark V in 270 Wby for many years that's just a safe queen because it's good for maybe 2 shots and then the groups really open up.

But, it sure looks nice and he had too many shooters to worry with that one.

We never bothered handloading for it because we always assumed it was a problem with the barrel not being properly stress relieved. I may rebarrel it someday.

I had a 240 Wby Mark V that was the same way and I traded for a M70 which I've never since regretted.

I've seen some good ones. So, don't let me get you down.

-- richard

 

[B23]

While I have hunted with a little bit of everything thru the years my dad, for the better part of 40 years, has only used 2 different rifles both of which were 270 Wby's. He had one built on a Pre64 Model70 in the mid 60's but some thieves in 1974 thought they needed it more than he did and after that one was stolen he had the same guy build him a new 270Wby but this time he used a Rem. 700 action. Both were excellent shooters to say the least.

rscott5028, I know your frustration with the 240Wby you had. I've got one myself that used to do the same thing. Would shoot 2 into the same hole then start throwing them all over the paper. Until I had it bedded. After having the action bedded it shoots them all into 3/4 MOA.

 

[rscott5028]

I did about everything a guy can do without going to a smith. That would've been next. But, I made a great trade with a guy that knew more than me (even after I told him why I was trading).

 

[ReachnOut]

Got to go with LTLR on the accolades for the 270 Wby Mag. Over 20 years ago, I bought one from a man at a gun show in Fort Worth that was way short of cash and needed to sell it. Paid $300 for the rifle and what was left of the first box of 20. After getting it home, shooting a few rounds and setting it in my office, my wife looked at it and informed me that if she could shoot that gun that she would like to start hunting with me. I put a new Leupold 6.5 to 20 on it, had my 'smith buddy install a muzzle brake and bedded it. The rifle shot .60 @ 200 with my handloads and continues to hold those groups after many years of hunting everything from elk to coyotes and small varmints with lots of range time mixed in.

As mentioned, I've also heard the claims from the newer, let's reinvent the wheel flat shooters. Put 'em all on the chrono, take them to the real world and the old 270 Wby has no problem holding its own out to 1000 or better.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Just so you know what you can get out of it here are my top velocities. 150 grain=3300 fps, 140 grain=3400 fps, 130 grain=3500 fps as a general rule at max. This is assuming you do a wby freebore chamber.

 

[bigngreen]

Ever since I started hunting I've wanted a 270 WBY and some day I'll have to have one, but for now the 270 WSM seems to have me occupied. I don't see the WSM hitting the same velocity as the WBY but a WSM with a 26 in barrel is not to far of, my accuracy loads in the WSM are 3300 to 3340 with the 140's, max was over 3400. Still want to rock the 270 WBY though, I really like anything in a 270 for that matter

 

[budlight]

No it is not the best thing since sliced bread. People jumped on things in the past because of reloading books quoted velocities. Or because of testing with a limited amount of powder choices some author would deem some cartiage as over bore.

Also faulty velocity not made when comparing apples and apples. You can't compare a 26 or 28 inch throated barrel against and smaller case using a 22 or 24 inch barrel that is not throated and come to a valid conclusion.

Don't ever base your bullets speed on a reloading book. I've seen inconsistancies where they have loads of more grains of a faster burning powder producing less pressure. Like they need a proof reader for their made up info.

I had a friend for year bragging about his 7Mag loads. Well we bought a chrono and it opened his eyes.

I do think from my more than 30 years of shooting .277 cal rifles that if they would have had the following of some of the other calibers and given a wide variety of heavy VLD bullets that it could have become a very accurate rifle combo.

My throated 270 AI chronos right along with the weatherby's that we were bench rest shooting different days.

 

[Cthemfly25]

I too have wanted a 270 weatherby but I don't reload yet, and the cost of their ammo is prohibitive especially compared to what's available for 270 wsm.....still really like the weatherby.

 

[B23]

The availability of high BC bullets in .277cal is what most likely holds it back from any kind of long range use. It's unfortunate one of the big MFG's doesn't make a high BC bullet for this caliber because it has to be one of the most popular calibers of all time.

I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have atleast one 270 of some variety and everyone that has them loves them but they all say the same thing, "I sure wish they made a decent high BC bullet for the 270's".

 

[bust_em]

because it's good for maybe 2 shots and then the groups really open up.

But, it sure looks nice and he had too many shooters to worry with that one.

We never bothered handloading for it because we always assumed it was a problem with the barrel not being properly stress relieved. I may rebarrel it someday.



-- richard

that's no joke! I'm trying some different loads for my 270 I will let you know if I have any luck.

 

[stevecrea]

The 270 Weatherby is almost as good as it ever gets for a long range medium game cartridge.

With premium big game bullets such as the Nosler Partition, the Barnes line, and others, and a good rifleman, it is lightning on elk-sized game out to 500 yards or so.

The recoil in a well-fitted rifle such as the Weatherby Mark V is very manageable.

With a 300 yard zero, a hot load, and bullets with a high ballistic coefficient, you are only about 8 or 9 inches low at 400, and 22 or 24 inches low at 500, and only 3 or so inches high at 100.