The barrel on my 270 finally wore out. I had bought the rifle, a Sako Finnbear with a 4x scope, when I got my first job on the West Coast. I was to do research work for Forest Service in Hokitika. It was obvious to me that my 308 would be inadequate for shooting deer and chamois on the tops and that only a 270 would do. The Forest Service internal memorandum had said that most of the experienced field officers had chosen 270 rifles to replace their 303s. The 270 proved an excellent rifle, chamois on the Hohonu Range, reds in the bush in the Kakapotahi, goats on Blue Spur. The blokes I worked with either had 222s or 308s, not a 270 amongst them. They got plenty of animals. I didn’t use that rifle much after that till I hunted out of Gisborne. It was a heavy pig of a gun which I didn’t feel like carrying in the bush. The 222 was much better. My hunting mate had a 270, he took a lot of heading off when it came to tally time. This was bush hunting reds. We moved up the coast to hunt big stations for goats, the intention was to clear the areas adjacent to the Urewera of goats to prevent infestation into the park. Big country, open shooting, very high tallies. Made for the 270. I’d sometimes put 200 rounds into my belt pouches and have to come back for more at lunchtime. The rifle was excellent for this work due to its weight and reach. Sighting in for 300 at the airstrip worked well, sometimes you would hold three feet over their heads and bowl them, one after the other. It didn’t seem to matter what weight of bullet you used, they were all effective. Eventually the noise, pre earmuff days, and the recoil started to count and my accuracy declined. Swapped to the 222 and was soon back on form.

 Next place I used the rifle was when I was based in Westport. Mickey, the Pest Board ranger would phone me to ask if I would go with them the next night. They would see a deer while night shooting possums and did not want to be the shooter who stuffed up the shot. We would go back the next night and sure enough there would be a deer in the light. You had to remember to hold just under the eyes. There was a lot of pressure on the shooter in these circumstances but I was confident in the rifle. And the Landrover carried the rifle.

I carried that rifle in my saddle scabbard for a little while in the Far North but don’t recall shooting any bulls with it. It was too long and heavy to be a good saddle gun. It was very effective on horses. 

Used a Remington ADL for a while mainly on Thar up the Dobson, it worked fine.

My present 270 is a Sako 85 in WSM. It’s a brilliant rifle. Thar up the Dobson, Thar on Ferantosh , wallabies in the Hakataramea, Rusa in the Right Branch Manuohau, reds in the Whakatane and japs in the bush in the Mangapapa saddle. It is a favoured rifle of mine. Heard a comment about the noise and recoil of the caliber which put one of my cobbers right off the cartridge. Then he told me which rifle he’d used it in. I wouldn’t pull the trigger on any cartridge in one of those rifles no matter what size it was. Narrow low combs on that model would try to cut my face off. Some blokes love them so who can knock someone else’s favourite. 

So I’m very happy with my 270s. Thursday I’m away to the Ruakituri to accompany my cousin and two of his boys. They may persuade me to shoot a deer. I’m taking my WSM.