The .270 Winchester is a .277-inch bottleneck rifle cartridge, the .30-06 Springfield case necked down, introduced by Winchester in 1925 and loaded today mainly in 100 to 150 grain bullets for deer, pronghorn, sheep and other big game.
This guide sets out what each maker publishes for the .270 Winchester: muzzle velocity and energy, velocity and energy downrange, and bullet drop with the zero range stated. It covers eight loads from five makers (Federal, Nosler, Hornady, Remington and Winchester), each identified by the maker’s item number. It then puts the cartridge beside the 308 Winchester on SAAMI’s shared basis, because two makers’ catalogue tables cannot be set against each other.
270 Winchester ballistics chart
The table gives one row per load, with the maker’s item number, bullet weight, muzzle velocity and muzzle energy as that maker prints them. Two things vary from row to row. Bullet weight runs from the 100 gr Remington Core-Lokt to the 150 gr Nosler Partition and Winchester Power-Point. The test barrel also differs: Hornady states 24 inches, Nosler states a 24 inch barrel with one turn in 10 inches, and Federal, Remington and Winchester publish none, so those rows have no stated basis. The ballistic coefficient column shows the maker’s figure and its drag model where one is printed; Nosler and Winchester print no coefficient for these items.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load | Item no. | Bullet weight | Bullet | Muzzle velocity | Muzzle energy | Ballistic coefficient | Maker’s application | Test barrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remington Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt | 21325 | 100 gr | Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt | 3,320 fps | 2,447 ft-lb | .252, drag model not stated | Big Game | not published |
| Federal Fusion Soft Point | F270FS1 | 130 gr | Fusion Soft Point | 3,050 fps | 2,685 ft-lb | .400, drag model not stated | Big Game | not published |
| Hornady SST® | 80543 | 130 gr | SST® | 3,200 fps | 2,956 ft-lb | .460 G1 | Medium Game 50-300 lbs; Large Game 300-1500 lbs | 24″ |
| Nosler AccuBond | 60025 | 130 gr | AccuBond | 3,075 fps | 2,729 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Deer Sized Game | 24″ barrel, 1-10″ twist |
| Hornady ELD-X® | 80536 | 145 gr | ELD-X® | 2,970 fps | 2,840 ft-lb | .536 (G1); .270 (G7) G1 and G7 | Medium Game 50-300 lbs; Large Game 300-1500 lbs | 24″ |
| Federal Berger Hybrid | P270BCH1 | 140 gr | Berger Hybrid | 2,950 fps | 2,705 ft-lb | .528 (G1); .271 (G7) G1 and G7 | Big Game | not published |
| Nosler Partition | 61235 | 150 gr | Partition | 2,800 fps | 2,611 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Deer Sized Game | 24″ barrel, 1-10″ twist |
| Winchester Power-Point | X2704 | 150 gr | Power-Point | 2,850 fps | 2,705 ft-lb | not published, drag model not stated | Whitetail and big game (per maker page copy) | not published |
Velocity and energy downrange
Each cell gives velocity and retained energy at that distance, and the row label carries the test barrel, or notes that none is published. Every maker’s table reaches 500 yd, and only the two Nosler loads go on to 800 yd; beyond a maker’s last published range the cell says “Not published” and nothing is filled in. Read across a row to see how one load sheds speed and energy, and compare rows only where maker and barrel match.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load (test barrel) | Muzzle | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd | 600 yd | 700 yd | 800 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remington 100 gr (not published) | 3,320 fps / 2,447 ft-lb | 2,923 fps / 1,897 ft-lb | 2,559 fps / 1,454 ft-lb | 2,223 fps / 1,098 ft-lb | 1,913 fps / 813 ft-lb | 1,634 fps / 593 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Federal 130 gr (not published) | 3,050 fps / 2,685 ft-lb | 2,811 fps / 2,280 ft-lb | 2,584 fps / 1,927 ft-lb | 2,368 fps / 1,618 ft-lb | 2,163 fps / 1,350 ft-lb | 1,968 fps / 1,117 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Hornady 130 gr (24″) | 3,200 fps / 2,956 ft-lb | 2,984 fps / 2,570 ft-lb | 2,779 fps / 2,229 ft-lb | 2,583 fps / 1,926 ft-lb | 2,396 fps / 1,656 ft-lb | 2,216 fps / 1,417 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 130 gr (24″ barrel, 1-10″ twist) | 3,075 fps / 2,729 ft-lb | 2,852 fps / 2,348 ft-lb | 2,641 fps / 2,013 ft-lb | 2,439 fps / 1,717 ft-lb | 2,246 fps / 1,456 ft-lb | 2,062 fps / 1,227 ft-lb | 1,887 fps / 1,027 ft-lb | 1,722 fps / 856 ft-lb | 1,568 fps / 710 ft-lb |
| Hornady 145 gr (24″) | 2,970 fps / 2,840 ft-lb | 2,796 fps / 2,516 ft-lb | 2,627 fps / 2,222 ft-lb | 2,465 fps / 1,955 ft-lb | 2,308 fps / 1,714 ft-lb | 2,157 fps / 1,497 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Federal 140 gr (not published) | 2,950 fps / 2,705 ft-lb | 2,772 fps / 2,388 ft-lb | 2,600 fps / 2,102 ft-lb | 2,435 fps / 1,843 ft-lb | 2,276 fps / 1,610 ft-lb | 2,123 fps / 1,401 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 150 gr (24″ barrel, 1-10″ twist) | 2,800 fps / 2,611 ft-lb | 2,601 fps / 2,254 ft-lb | 2,411 fps / 1,936 ft-lb | 2,229 fps / 1,655 ft-lb | 2,055 fps / 1,407 ft-lb | 1,889 fps / 1,189 ft-lb | 1,732 fps / 999 ft-lb | 1,586 fps / 837 ft-lb | 1,451 fps / 701 ft-lb |
| Winchester 150 gr (not published) | 2,850 fps / 2,705 ft-lb | 2,585 fps / 2,226 ft-lb | 2,336 fps / 1,817 ft-lb | 2,100 fps / 1,468 ft-lb | 1,879 fps / 1,175 ft-lb | 1,673 fps / 932 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Bullet drop, with the zero range stated
A drop figure means nothing without its zero, so the zero is in each row label. Hornady zeroes at 200 yd and Nosler and Winchester at 100 yd, so a Hornady figure and a Nosler figure at the same distance are measured from different lines and cannot be set against each other. Only the Hornady, Nosler and Winchester loads appear here, and Winchester’s page leaves the 500 yd drop blank. The 1.5 in below the line of sight at 0 yd reflects the sight sitting above the bore, a starting offset rather than a drop.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load (zero) | 0 yd | 50 yd | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd | 600 yd | 700 yd | 800 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady 130 gr (200 yd zero) | −1.5 in | Not published | +1.2 in | 0 in | −5.7 in | −16.7 in | −33.7 in | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 130 gr (100 yd zero) | −1.5 in | Not published | 0 in | −2.8 in | −10.6 in | −24.2 in | −44.7 in | −73.4 in | −112 in | −162.2 in |
| Hornady 145 gr (200 yd zero) | −1.5 in | Not published | +1.5 in | 0 in | −6.5 in | −18.8 in | −37.6 in | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 150 gr (100 yd zero) | −1.5 in | Not published | 0 in | −3.6 in | −13.3 in | −29.9 in | −54.8 in | −89.5 in | −135.8 in | −195.9 in |
| Winchester 150 gr (100 yd zero) | Not published | −0.2 in | 0 in | −3.7 in | −13.8 in | −31.9 in | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
What the numbers mean for a shot
Bullet weight trades muzzle speed for the ability to hold onto it. The 100 gr Remington Core-Lokt has the highest muzzle velocity in the table, 3,320 fps at 2,447 ft-lb, and the lowest energy at 500 yd, 593 ft-lb, where it is down to 1,634 fps. Remington publishes no test barrel, so read that as the shape of the curve, not a ranking against other makers. A like-for-like pair is the two Hornady loads, both in a 24 inch barrel with a 200 yd zero. The 130 gr SST starts at 3,200 fps and 2,956 ft-lb and the 145 gr ELD-X at 2,970 fps and 2,840 ft-lb. The SST has more energy at 100 yd (2,570 ft-lb against 2,516 ft-lb) and at 200 yd (2,229 ft-lb against 2,222 ft-lb). From 300 yd the ELD-X has more (1,955 ft-lb against 1,926 ft-lb), and at 500 yd it is 1,497 ft-lb against 1,417 ft-lb.
The two Nosler loads share a maker, a barrel and a 100 yd zero, so they are the best like-for-like pair out to 800 yd, though they are different bullets (AccuBond and Partition) and weight is not the only difference. The 130 gr AccuBond leaves at 3,075 fps and 2,729 ft-lb, the 150 gr Partition at 2,800 fps and 2,611 ft-lb. The AccuBond has the higher velocity and energy at every range Nosler publishes, but the energy gap closes: 1,227 ft-lb against 1,189 ft-lb at 500 yd, and 710 ft-lb against 701 ft-lb at 800 yd. The Partition also drops further at every range past the zero. At 500 yd the AccuBond is 44.7 in below the line of sight and the Partition 54.8 in; at 800 yd the figures are 162.2 in and 195.9 in.
Drop depends on the zero as much as on the load. With a 200 yd zero the Hornady 130 gr SST is 33.7 in below the line of sight at 500 yd and the 145 gr ELD-X is 37.6 in below; the Nosler 130 gr, zeroed at 100 yd, is 44.7 in below. The Hornady figures cannot be ranked against the Nosler one, because they are measured from different lines. Within the Hornady pair, which shares a zero, the lighter and faster SST drops less past the zero: 5.7 in against 6.5 in at 300 yd, 16.7 in against 18.8 in at 400 yd and 33.7 in against 37.6 in at 500 yd. The ELD-X has the higher coefficient (.536 G1 against .460 G1), and it shows up as energy kept rather than as a flatter path inside 500 yd. The Winchester 150 gr Power-Point, zeroed at 100 yd, is 3.7 in below at 200 yd and 31.9 in below at 400 yd, its last published drop figure.
Ballistic coefficients compare only on the same drag model. The Hornady SST (.460), the Hornady ELD-X (.536) and the Federal Berger Hybrid (.528) are all quoted on G1, and the ELD-X and Berger Hybrid also carry G7 figures (.270 and .271). The Remington .252 and the Federal Fusion .400 are printed without a drag model, and Nosler and Winchester publish none for these items, so those loads cannot be ranked by coefficient.
Twist rate, chamber and pressure
SAAMI’s standard for the .270 Winchester, ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, sets a maximum average pressure of 65,000 psi. Its standard test barrel is 24.000 in long, with a twist of 1 turn in 10.00 in and a groove diameter of .277 in. Nosler’s stated test barrel, 24 inches with one turn in 10 inches, matches that length and twist. Hornady gives a 24 inch barrel and no twist, and Federal, Remington and Winchester give neither.
The twist in the standard belongs to the test barrel and says nothing about your rifle. Check the twist marked on your barrel or in its manual before you choose a bullet weight, and fire only ammunition marked .270 Winchester in a rifle chambered and marked for the .270 Winchester. The 65,000 psi is a maximum average pressure. None of the maker figures in the tables above is a pressure figure, so it is the only pressure number on this page.
270 Winchester vs 308 Winchester on SAAMI’s shared basis
Two makers’ catalogue tables cannot be set beside each other. Each measures in its own barrel, and as the muzzle table above shows, some publish no barrel at all, so a faster figure in one row may say more about the barrel than about the load.
SAAMI is the one shared basis. Its standard fixes a test barrel for each cartridge and reports nominal mean instrumental velocity at 15 feet, so the 270 Winchester and the 308 Winchester below are measured the same way, in barrels of the same length but with the twist and groove diameter proper to each bore. The comparison uses three rows: the lightest reference load each lists, the one weight both list, and the heaviest each lists.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| SAAMI specification | 270 Winchester | 308 Winchester |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Z299.4 | Z299.4 |
| Maximum average pressure | 65,000 psi | 62,000 psi |
| Standard test barrel length | 24.000 in | 24.000 in |
| Test barrel twist rate | 1 turn in 10.00 in | 1 turn in 12.00 in |
| Test barrel groove diameter | .277 in | .308 in |
| Lightest reference load | 100 gr — 3,300 fps / 2,418 ft-lb | 110 gr — 3,150 fps / 2,423 ft-lb |
| The weight both are listed at | 150 gr — 2,830–3,000 fps / 2,667–2,997 ft-lb | 150 gr — 2,800–2,980 fps / 2,611–2,957 ft-lb |
| Heaviest reference load | 160 gr — 2,650 fps / 2,494 ft-lb | 200 gr — 2,440 fps / 2,643 ft-lb |
The first difference is pressure and bore. SAAMI’s maximum average pressure is 65,000 psi for the 270 Winchester and 62,000 psi for the 308 Winchester. The 270’s test barrel has the tighter twist (1 turn in 10.00 in against 1 turn in 12.00 in) and the narrower groove (.277 in against .308 in).
At the one weight both list, 150 gr, the 270 is listed at 2,830–3,000 fps and 2,667–2,997 ft-lb and the 308 at 2,800–2,980 fps and 2,611–2,957 ft-lb, so the 270’s figures are higher at both ends, though by a small margin. At the lightest weight each lists, the two are almost level in energy even though the weights differ: 100 gr at 3,300 fps for 2,418 ft-lb against 110 gr at 3,150 fps for 2,423 ft-lb. At the heavy end each list stops at a different weight. The 308’s 200 gr load is listed at 2,440 fps and 2,643 ft-lb, more energy than the 270’s 160 gr at 2,650 fps and 2,494 ft-lb, but from a heavier bullet.
What the table cannot settle is how each bullet holds its speed downrange. SAAMI publishes no ballistic coefficient, and that depends on the bullet, not the cartridge, so for the loads on the shelf use the maker tables above, one maker at a time, with the zero and barrel in mind.
We stock the other side of this comparison too: 308 ammo.
270 Winchester ballistics questions
Is a 270 more powerful than a 308?
On SAAMI’s figures it depends on the bullet weight. At the 150 gr both list, the 270 Winchester is listed at 2,830–3,000 fps and 2,667–2,997 ft-lb against 2,800–2,980 fps and 2,611–2,957 ft-lb for the 308 Winchester, a small edge for the 270. At the heavy end the 308’s 200 gr load is listed at 2,643 ft-lb, more than the 270’s 160 gr at 2,494 ft-lb. SAAMI’s maximum average pressure is 65,000 psi for the 270 and 62,000 psi for the 308.
Is a 270 more powerful than a 30-06?
This page cannot say, because it charts no 30-06 loads and its SAAMI comparison is with the 308 Winchester, so there is no 30-06 figure here to set against the 270’s. The two do share a case: the .270 Winchester is the .30-06 Springfield case necked down to take a .277-inch bullet. A fair comparison needs both cartridges from the same SAAMI standard, or the same maker and barrel, not two catalogue rows from different makers.
What is a 270 Win compared to?
On this page it is compared with the 308 Winchester, on SAAMI’s basis. Against the 308, the 270 uses the smaller bullet (groove diameter .277 in against .308 in), is tested with the tighter twist (1 turn in 10.00 in against 1 turn in 12.00 in) and has the higher maximum average pressure (65,000 psi against 62,000 psi). Both are tested in a 24.000 in barrel. The page charts no other cartridge, so it does not compare the 270 with the 30-06, the 6.5 Creedmoor or the 7mm cartridges.
What are the ballistics of a 270 with a 130 grain bullet?
Three 130 gr loads are charted. The Hornady SST leaves at 3,200 fps and 2,956 ft-lb (24 inch barrel), the Nosler AccuBond at 3,075 fps and 2,729 ft-lb (24 inch barrel, one turn in 10 inches) and the Federal Fusion at 3,050 fps and 2,685 ft-lb (no barrel published). At 500 yd they are at 2,216 fps and 1,417 ft-lb (Hornady), 2,062 fps and 1,227 ft-lb (Nosler) and 1,968 fps and 1,117 ft-lb (Federal). Federal publishes no test barrel, so its row is the one to read with most care.
How much does a 270 drop with a 100 yard zero?
The 100 yd zero figures on this page come from Nosler and Winchester. The Nosler 130 gr is 2.8 in below the line of sight at 200 yd, 10.6 in at 300 yd, 24.2 in at 400 yd and 44.7 in at 500 yd. The Nosler 150 gr is 3.6 in, 13.3 in, 29.9 in and 54.8 in at the same ranges, and the Winchester 150 gr is 3.7 in, 13.8 in and 31.9 in at 200, 300 and 400 yd. Nosler publishes on to 800 yd, where the 130 gr is 162.2 in below and the 150 gr is 195.9 in below.
How much energy does a 270 have at 500 yards?
It depends on the load. Of the loads charted, the lowest energy published at 500 yd is 593 ft-lb, from the Remington 100 gr, and the highest is 1,497 ft-lb, from the Hornady 145 gr ELD-X. The 130 gr loads are at 1,417 ft-lb (Hornady SST), 1,227 ft-lb (Nosler AccuBond) and 1,117 ft-lb (Federal Fusion), the 140 gr Federal Berger Hybrid at 1,401 ft-lb, and the 150 gr loads at 1,189 ft-lb (Nosler Partition) and 932 ft-lb (Winchester Power-Point). Test barrels differ between makers, so compare across rows with care.
Where to buy these loads
Every load in the tables above is stocked at Hilltop Armory. Browse the full 270 ammo range, which carries makers beyond the ones charted here — the tables are limited to loads whose manufacturer publishes figures that could be verified, not to everything on the shelf.
