My dad went to the Yuma, AZ gunshow this weekend and came up with a nice FN-Mauser-actioned rifle in .270 Win. He offered it to me and the choice of having it rebarreled in .270 Wby (we have a great gunsmith, so the end product either way will shoot).

I've been wanting a .270 M70 for awhile, but I don't know much about the .270 Wby. I'd be using it for desert mule deer, whitetails and probably antelope (or my .300 H&H Mag).

Right now I have M70's in .300 H&H, .35 Whelan AI and .375 H&H, so I need something on the lighter side of .300. And I'm also a big fan of "classic rifles in classic calibers". Call me a romantic if you will .

Thanks for the feedback in advance.

My advice would be to keep it in .270 Winchester. In addition to rebarreling, going to the .270 Weatherby would require opening up the bolt face to accept the larger magnum-size head of the Weatherby case. You would get about 200 f.p.s. greater velocity from the Weatherby, but at considerably greater expense for brass and powder. The .270 Winchester is one of the greatest calibers ever invented, especially for the tasks you mention.

[ 01-16-2003, 22:43: Message edited by: LE270 ]

JL,

First of all my compliments on informing us of the rest of your battery. So many times we speculate here on the question and then find that the person already has that caliber.

The first thing to do is to shoot the 270 as is. That cartridge is the smallest, and therefore has the least recoil, of any that will be completely satisfactory in the 49 states.

Changing it to a Weatherby is going to cost money that would be better spent on other things. I would rather have a 270 Winchester anyway. Take that 270 step by step and use management by exception and do only to it what needs to be done.

Good replies thus far and I agree wholeheartedly with what's been said. The 270Wby is a great cartridge and one with which I am very familiar, but with you already having a 300mag there is no need of it. The 270WCF is THE 270 and still the best one, IMO.

" And I'm also a big fan of "classic rifles in classic calibers". Call me a romantic if you will."

I'm with you there. Go with the .270 win.

Here is my "O'Conner Special." It's a 1954 model 70, in .270 win. That's a Redfield 3 to 9 mounted in a Redfield JR mount and rings, put there in 1959 or 1960, and still doing well...



Dan

[ 01-16-2003, 22:54: Message edited by: green 788 ]

JL... The 270 is such a wonderful cartridge, I would just keep it in 270 winchester. Perhaps you can save for the wby another day.

JL:

The very first thing you do is go hug your Dad and tell him you love him. That's right, tell him you love him.

Second thing you do is ask your Dad what he thinks the chambering should be. You two guys decide.

Sounds to me like your Father is a very special person.

Buliwyf

JLHeard

I would go with Buliwyf's advice.

Regards
cjw3

Green - Beautiful rifle and my sentiments exactly. Plus the 270 is pretty near perfect as it is. I wouldn't look twice at the Weatherby conversion.