Home › Browse Calibers › .270 Wby. Mag.
Common uses: Hunting, Big Game, Long Range
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 150gr Norma Oryx Protected Point |
| Muzzle velocity | 3180 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 3369 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.373 |
| Case length | 64.7 mm |
| Overall length | 82.6 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 65000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:10" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3180 | 3368 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2912 | 2823 | 0 |
| 200 | 2661 | 2357 | -2.6 |
| 300 | 2422 | 1953 | -10.2 |
| 400 | 2196 | 1607 | -23.7 |
| 500 | 1983 | 1310 | -44.4 |
At 1,000 yards, .270 Wby. Mag. (150gr at 3180 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 31.8 MOA / 9.2 MIL, retaining 1166 fps (transonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2422 | Supersonic | -10.2 | 3.2 | 0.94 |
| 400 | 2196 | Supersonic | -23.7 | 5.7 | 1.64 |
| 500 | 1983 | Supersonic | -44.4 | 8.5 | 2.46 |
| 600 | 1783 | Supersonic | -73.9 | 11.8 | 3.42 |
| 700 | 1598 | Supersonic | -114.6 | 15.6 | 4.55 |
| 800 | 1431 | Supersonic | -168.8 | 20.2 | 5.86 |
| 900 | 1285 | Transonic | -240.1 | 25.5 | 7.41 |
| 1000 | 1166 | Transonic | -332.5 | 31.8 | 9.24 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .270 Weatherby Magnum is a high-velocity magnum prized as a long-range cartridge for open-country and mountain hunting of deer, pronghorn, sheep, and similar mid-sized big game. It drives .277 bullets substantially faster than the standard .270 Winchester, producing a notably flat trajectory that reduces holdover and makes hits at extended range more forgiving. That performance comes at the cost of sharper recoil, greater muzzle blast, and accelerated barrel wear, and its heavy powder charge is overkill for close work or varmints. With well-constructed bullets it is also effective on elk. It remains a classic example of the Weatherby philosophy of trading efficiency for outright velocity and downrange flatness.
The .270 Weatherby Magnum was developed by Roy Weatherby in 1943, making it one of the earliest cartridges in the Weatherby Magnum line and among the first to be offered commercially when he established his company in the mid-1940s. It is built on a shortened, belted case derived from the .300 Holland & Holland Magnum, blown out and necked down to accept .277-inch bullets, and features the distinctive double-radius shoulder characteristic of Weatherby designs. Conceived to wring maximum velocity from the .277 bore, it long stood as the fastest .270-caliber cartridge and helped establish Weatherby's reputation for high-velocity, flat-shooting rounds. It was formally standardized by SAAMI in 1994.
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