Winchester Classic 270

SF VET

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A few months ago, was back in my wife's small town in SE Nebraska, where there is a small hunting store, Bedlans, which deals in high-end mostly Winchesters. I have bought rifles and shotguns there for over 40 years, and my son bought his first Browning 20 gage pump for pheasant hunting there, after saving up his lawn mowing money.

Was back to chat with the owner, someone I have known for over 40 years, and he showed me this Winchester in 270. Most deer hunting out here is rather long range, so hunting rifles there tend to be long range rifles. I had it sent to my local LGS, and began shooting it with my 130 grain Hornady SST's. It is a superlative rifle, but I do shoot with a butt pad for comfort from the bench. This is at a state range about 40 miles distant, in a forest. A nice 100 yard range.

My NIB rifle is one Winchester made in the early '90's in Ogden, a remake of their "pre-64" rifles, controlled feed, high quality checkering and such. I can see why these were called "The Rfileman's Rifle" when they were introduced. Paid $1300 for it.

A shooting buddy and I went out to the range, after we put a new starter on his aging pick up. Just a beautiful SC day, sunny, no wind, just the two of us, we spotted for each other. Took some other firearms too. Also shot my Browning X bolt 223, which now that I found needs 40 grain bullets for its 1 in 12 twist, is supremely accurate too.

A relaxing day at a range, with one's rifles, with an old friend, under sunny skies, with BBQ on the way home is just a great way to spend an afternoon.

All the best. SF VET
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Perfect rifle and day. I have been thinking of buying a classic like yours or a pre 64 70 myself. Think your post just pushed me to go forward with looking.
 
The first centerfire rifle I bought is/was a Winchester mod 70 in 270 win back in 1990. I still have it today. I have taken quite a few deer with that rifle.
I remember reading a lot of Jack O'Conner and Jim Zumbo stories where they always mentioned their model 70's, that's what probably made me want one.
 
Rifleman's Rifle

Great Story, Great Rifle, Great Caliber! 130grs are
all I shoot in my 270s. Those Hornady 130gr SSTs
have been very accurate reloads in my Rifles.

All my Rifles are factory stock. For their very first
Range session I always clean them up and torque
down all Action/Base/Ring screws to recommended
spec's.

Thanks for the Story and Picture. The Best to you
and your Endeavors.
 

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Nice rifle indeed. Seems to have come a long way since the early 70s wiht nice wood and controlled feed. My 73 or 74 made Model 70 left a bit to be desired back then. Trigger was pretty stout I recall. Of course the price was far cheaper at around $230 but nice to see improvements over the years. Looks like a rifle to cherish.
 
I have tried some 150's in my M70 but the 130 and 140 grain bullets shoot much better groups at 200 yards.

The 130 works out to 400 yards on deer but with Nevada winds, the 140 gets
just a little less drop and drift, if I have to take a long shot.

It will hit a 55 gallon barrel up the mountain at our range, out at 980 yards
but it will take a little time to get there.

I have a slow, low pressure 130 Sp/Bt "Lope" load for our 100 degree days
and a "Hot" load with magnum primers if we need to hunt in snow or 33 degree weather.

A great rifle and load, if you have it.
 
My most prized possession is my Pre-64 Winchester M70 in .270. It was my father's gun for many years, then he gave it to my brother. When my brother passed, I inherited it. With the exception of the sling, which has been replaced, it has been the same since I was born. Bushnell Banner fixed 4X scope. I seriously cannot count the number of deer we have taken with this rifle, but it would be closer to 100 than 50. Even here in the PNW, the scope has never fogged. Not once. If you told me I had to take a cold bore 400 yd shot to save my life, this is the gun I want. But I recently bought a new rifle because if I drop the new rifle over a cliff, I won't feel like following it. In some cases, the love and passion for a firearm is based more on sentimentality rather than actual performance/monetary value. In my case, I'm lucky enough to have it all. Enjoy your future family heirloom. They are wonderful guns.
 
I'm a big fan of the pre64 M70. My first was a FWT 308 purchased from a client for $400. It was her father's and he had died and she wasn't interested in keeping it. At one time I had every caliber in both the STD and FWT chamberings with the exception of the 300 & 458. I've been finding them new homes but the ones I'll keep are the 270 FWT, 358 FWT and my favorite a 7MM (7X57) carbine.
 
Im always on the lookout for those old Bushnell Banners! Great scopes and can be had very reasonably! Those and Leupold are the only used scopes i will buy. Great clear glass and rugged construction.
 
I have a very early (1938) M70 in .270. I was fortunate to find it at a garage sale back in the mid-1990s, I think it set me back about $300 at the time. The only thing wrong with it is that some previous owner drilled and tapped the rear receiver bridge (the early ones were not drilled and tapped at the factory). I've owned, or still own, four different rifles in .270, all of them were tack drivers at 100 yards. I've never had a load using any bullet weight that didn't group very well in all of them. One of them is a Remington 7400 that shoots like a bolt action, generally 1"-1.5" at 100 yards. I also have a .308 Featherweight M70, ca. 1955. I think I paid $400 for it back about 20 years ago, at another garage sale. It doesn't shoot nearly as well as the pre-WWII .270 and some previous owner put a rubber buttplate on it.
 
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130 gr vs 150 grain

Drove the 35 miles out to a SC state rifle range, fabulous back winding roads thru the forests in my Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio, to shoot my Winchester 70 and see how it shot with Hornady 130 gr Hornady SST's vs the same in 150 grain. Trickle charged. Chrono with my PACT.

For 130 grain SST over 58 grains of Vitavouri 560 (their web site), which is about two grain under max, velocity was 2966 fps to 3008 fps over five shots.

For the 150 grain SST over 53 grain of RL 19, again slightly under max, velocity was 2694 fps with negligible variation over five shots.

I had sighted my rifle with a 16 power Vortex scope for the 130 grain SST's, off a sand bag, the best I could hold steady was out an inch and a half. Shooting the 150's again a nice group the same less than two inches, the best I am capable of holding and sighting, impact was three inches out at about 1 o'clock.

I am not going to re-zero my scope for the 150's, and will stick with the 130 SST's from now on, and "save" the 150's for some emergency situation.

I was the only one on the range, cool and brilliant sun, just a great day at the range. Also zeroed a new PSA 5.56 1 in 7 twist with my loads of 75 grain Hornady.

I always go down range with a loaded rifle, just in case some perp comes to steal my bench stuff or even shoot me. They better be good, because I will return fire.

About ten miles of the return drive was on a country road I have never been on, just a winding hilly old pre-Revolutionary War path. Not even two lanes, no center stripe, trees on the sides. My Giulia has the 505 hp Ferrari engine, so it was just me and what passes for a road in UpState SC. I thought if I go into the trees it will be awhile before anyone happens upon my wreck.

A day can't be better than yesterday.

All the best, and stay safe... .SF VET
 
Open Range

Thank you again for sharing your "Sighting In" Adventure.
The drive to and from the Range sounded nice. Interesting
transportation!

Currently my go to 270Win reload is the boring 130gr SP
InterLock Hornady #2730/51.0grs IMR 4350/CCI LR #200/
Win. cases/2800 fps? Very accurate.
I tried 51.0grs Winchester StaBall 6.5 ball powder, the jury
is still out on that, but it appears accurate and promising.
Alliant Reloader 19 also worked, accurate and promising.

My 270Winchester Short Magnum likes this reload 130gr SP
InterLock Hornady #2730/53.0grs IMR 4350/CCI LR #200/
Win. or Hornady cases/2800 fps? Very accurate.

Both the 270Win and 270WSM worked boring accurate with
substituting the 130gr SST Hornady #27302.

Next, after these reloads are gone, I will be trying out
the Alliant Reloader 22 I got last month. It is very accurate
in the Browning A-Bolt and Savage Mdl 14 Classic
300Win Short Mags.

I'm glad to hear you took your Rifle down range for just in
case. That's one of my Rules too when I'm by myself too.

Thanks again. The Best to you and your Endeavors.
 

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I use Jack O'Connor's load for my 270 FWT. IIRC it's 60gr of 4831 and 130gr bullet. I have it written down as I haven't loaded a 270 in quite some time.
 
IMR

Good point. I've tried the other Jack O'connor reload
of IMR 4064 (I like this powder too).

There was an article in Handloader Magazine #316
October 2018.

I tried 46.5, 46.8, 49.5 Grains. My notes say it was
dime size groups. 130gr Hornady/CCI LR/Used R-P
vintage cased and Lee FCD light crimp (as all mine
are) - in the 270WIN.
 

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Good point. I've tried the other Jack O'connor reload
of IMR 4064 (I like this powder too).

There was an article in Handloader Magazine #316
October 2018.

I tried 46.5, 46.8, 49.5 Grains. My notes say it was
dime size groups. 130gr Hornady/CCI LR/Used R-P
vintage cased and Lee FCD light crimp (as all mine
are) - in the 270WIN.

48 grs of IMR 4064 with a 140 Sp/Bt ..................
is not too shabby in the accuracy department, either.

I do however push it hard with 4831, if used for Elk hunting, with a 140 gr. white tip, Accubond , though.
 
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