Of course I knew Snap about what to look for in those days, even though I thought I did. Loose mounts? Bad scope? Shot out throat? Loose action screws? I mighta sorta looked at loose screws save for the one behind the trigger. So down the road it went, along with recriminations towards Jack O’Connor.

Fast forward to a few years ago. I still don’t know much, but I’ve somehow got a .270 that shoots very well. And guess what? Compare it to a 6.5 Creedmoor and you will notice no flies in residence!

I guess maybe old Jack was onto something…..

Otony

But I finally bought one last year. Shot it a fair bit and thought "man I really like this cartridge", which seemed silly for something so old and to many outdated and on it's way to being obsolete. (for no real reason other than it's not trendy and fashionable.) I did hunt with and did try the longest shot on game I ever have. The rifle and cartridge were up to it. The optics and the operator were not. (What moron puts a scope with a reticle designed for short range fast shooting on a rifle/cartridge combo like that?) (guilty)

A couple years before I finally bought a .25-06, another cartridge I'd always been enamored with on paper. Oddly I didn't feel the same way about it as I did the .270, which is odd with them being so similar. I think that had more to do with the rifle it was chambered in, the circumstances of getting it, and the battle I was fighting with it (and lost).

Because I'm so very smart and incredibly wealthy, I bought another .270 last month as well, for no good reason other than apparently I like over paying for things no one else wants. No .270's forever, now two in two years. It's a High Standard branded, Husky actioned, horrible triggered, beat up, broken and questionably repaired, beech stocked piece of vintage 1966 that weighs absolutely nothing and is probably going to kick like a mule. I put an old Redfield scope on it because is looked the part. The fact that I took that scope off another old rifle I bought because it was so old and dark it was like shooting with sunglasses on, ah.... I wouldn't worry about that.

Why there isn't a custom-built 5-shot K-frame for that cartridge is, well, a question for the ages.

-AaronB

7x61 S&H, .44 Special, 7-08, .41 Mag, .222. I have the .41, and have desired all the others at points in my life.

('222' because that's the number of registered users here. )

Don't know that I was 12 but the desire is there. And, for no good reason too. I have a 7mm Ackley Magnum that is pretty much the same thing.

However, if truth be told, I have long desired a 7x61 Sharpe & Hart because, er, um, because….because I dunno. Blame my 12 year old self I guess.

Otony

"Why'd you do that?" my friend inquired.

The answer was along the lines of "less bullet drop." He figured the 7 would shoot flatter. Apparently he hadn't done his math... the difference wasn't nearly worth the effort.

-AaronB

Full disclosure: I believe there are 3 here: No. 1-A, No. 1-RSI and a rebored 1924 Newton (which is a bit of a train wreck).

I keep telling myself I need to chronograph a few different loads, but have yet to find time to do so. I’m of the unvalidated opinion that that long a barrel can be nothing less than magical in the eventual results. I am hopefully optimistic enough to think that it should creep up hard on advertised 7mm Magnum velocities.

However, to calm the shades of Elmer, I also have a barrel that is chambered in 500 S&W Magnum. It is almost too much of a good thing, and I find myself considering cast bullets and black powder….a modernized 50 Gummint load if you will, to keep body and soul intact.

Otony, who proudly admits to owning nine barrels for the Encore thus far, and isn’t embarrassed to want more.

He had a pawnshop Remington 720, some manner of 4x scope, and used discount store Remington 130 grain, the sort they put on sale in late October. He was a well to do man with very basic tastes.

He hunted only 1 place on private property, shot the rifle enough to stay an OK/decent shot, and picked his shots carefully. He was more of a hunter than shooter. I followed his deer exploits from the the '70s on.

EDIT...

Uh, it was a common enough Remington 721. The 720s are outlandishly scarce. My mistake.

-AaronB

I picked up some .270 ammo yesterday at the local shop. It was nothing special, just the basic deer-hunting ammo. The 130-grain Winchester Power Points were rated at 3050 fps out the gate. I was impressed by the fact that you could zero at 200 yards and the 100-yard impact would be only 1.8" high. Also, the 200-yard velocity is still 2550 fps. Seems to me that's a lot of zap.

Hunting whitetails in the northeast, I don't reckon I need to look any further than that for ammo, although heaven knows there's plenty of it out there... premium bullets up to 160 grains, solid copper jobbies, etc., etc.

You can get a Nosler Partition at 160 grains for it if you want to, but as I didn't draw a moose tag I doubt I'll do that. In any event, I would likely carry 180-grainers in my .30-06 for Bullwinkle if I ever DO draw a tag.

I have never shot .270 before, so this is a new experience. Am I reckoning correctly?

-AaronB