Does a 100-year-old calibre have a place?

Launched in 1923, the 270 Win quickly gained a following but as Will O’Meara seeks a new rifle, will the calibre stand the test of time?

- Will O'Meara

The .270 Winchester cartridge was first made 100 years ago and, in our modern age, a century feels like a very long time. It seems everything that existed in 1923 has now been rendered obsolete; optics, vehicles and communications have all radically improved, so surely the century-old .270 has been surpassed too. Or has it?

When it comes to calibre, one of the most important considerations is the intended use, and the intended use of the .270 is medium to large game. For me that means sika, fallow and red. In Ireland there was a time when the largest calibre you could licence was .22. This changed in 1994 following a legal battle to allow a maximum calibre of .270 Win. This remained the maximum calibre an individual could licence until 2004.

That might go some way to explain why the .270 got a strong foothold here in Ireland, but doesn’t explain why it has such a strong reputation in places such the Highlands.

The .270 is a strong favourite among guides and gillies, because it gets the job done. The old “just put it in the right place” is a good argument for calibres with less punch, but there will always be marginal shots and that’s when you’ll be glad of a little extra calibre. The .270 also has great velocity and speed equals expansion, which is why on longer shots the .270 is a favourite with those who hunt in the Highlands.

More than two decades ago I fired my first .270. It was in a light-barrelled, timber-stocked, unmoderated cannon that kicked like a mule and bit like a crocodile (pardon the Johnny Cash lyrics). Speaking of American idols, it would be remiss to discuss the merits of the .270 without mention of the original champion of the calibre, Jack O’Connor.