Maximum Point Blank Range for the .270 Winchester
The maximum point blank range zero for a .270 Winchester with a 140gr bullet at 2,940 fps and an 8" vital zone is 278 yards. Sighted 3.3" high at 100 with the scope 1.5" over the bore, the bullet peaks 4" high at 154 yards and stays inside the zone from the muzzle to 326 yards. That is about 20 yards further than a .308 or .30-06 manages with the same zone, which is the .270's reputation in one number. For a 10" elk zone the zero is 303 yards and the window runs to 356; for a 4" zone it is 215 and 250.
The 130gr Fusion at 3,050 fps reaches 330 yards on an 8" zone and 359 on a 10"; the 150gr Partition at 2,800 fps holds to 310 and 339. All three are sighted between 3.2" and 3.4" high at 100 for a deer zone.
Figures on this page: Hornady American Whitetail .270 Win 140gr InterLock, 140gr G1 .486 at 2,940 fps, Bolt action, standard scope rings, 1.5" over bore, standard conditions. Source: Hornady published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
MPBR by Vital Zone Size
Hornady American Whitetail .270 Win 140gr InterLock, 140gr G1 .486 at 2,940 fps, 1.5" over bore (bolt action, standard scope rings).
| Vital zone | Optimal zero | Near edge | MPBR | Max ordinate | Sight in at 100 (in / MOA) | CSV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4" (coyote, varmint, paper) | 215 yd | 0 yd | 250 yd | +2.0" at 125 yd | +1.9" / +1.8 | Download |
| 8" (whitetail, pronghorn, defensive torso) | 278 yd | 0 yd | 326 yd | +4.0" at 154 yd | +3.3" / +3.1 | Download |
| 9" (mule deer, black bear) | 290 yd | 0 yd | 342 yd | +4.5" at 160 yd | +3.6" / +3.5 | Download |
| 10" (elk, moose) | 303 yd | 0 yd | 356 yd | +5.0" at 167 yd | +3.9" / +3.7 | Download |
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 8" vital zone, ±4" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 500 yards.
Prefer a round-number zero you can confirm on any range? What Is the Best .270 Winchester Zero for Elk? compares them with full tables.
Key terms
- Near zero
- Where the bullet first climbs up through the line of sight. It starts below the sight, because the sight sits above the barrel.
- Far zero
- Where it falls back down through the line of sight. A "200-yard zero" is the far zero; the near zero comes with it.
- Max ordinate
- The highest the bullet gets above the line of sight, between the two crossings. This is what makes a zero shoot high in the middle.
- Point blank range (MPBR)
- The zero that keeps the whole arc inside a vital zone for the longest distance, so you can aim at the centre and hold dead-on.
The 8" Zone Trajectory: 278-Yard Zero
Zeroed at 278 yards, the bullet is +3.3" at 100, peaks +4.0" at 154 yards, and has fallen half the vital zone, -4.0", at 326 yards. Hold on the centre of the vitals anywhere inside that window.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,940 | 2,688 | 0.0 |
| 25 | +0.1" | +0.40 | +0.12 | 2,891 | 2,598 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +1.4" | +2.74 | +0.80 | 2,842 | 2,512 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +2.5" | +3.18 | +0.93 | 2,795 | 2,428 | 0.4 |
| 100 | +3.3" | +3.14 | +0.91 | 2,747 | 2,347 | 0.7 |
| 125 | +3.8" | +2.89 | +0.84 | 2,700 | 2,267 | 1.0 |
| 150 | +4.0" | +2.54 | +0.74 | 2,654 | 2,190 | 1.5 |
| 175 | +3.9" | +2.12 | +0.62 | 2,608 | 2,115 | 2.0 |
| 200 | +3.5" | +1.65 | +0.48 | 2,563 | 2,042 | 2.6 |
| 225 | +2.7" | +1.15 | +0.33 | 2,518 | 1,971 | 3.3 |
| 250 | +1.6" | +0.61 | +0.18 | 2,473 | 1,902 | 4.1 |
| 275 | +0.2" | +0.05 | +0.02 | 2,429 | 1,835 | 5.0 |
| 300 | -1.7" | -0.53 | -0.15 | 2,386 | 1,770 | 6.0 |
| 325 | -3.9" | -1.14 | -0.33 | 2,342 | 1,706 | 7.1 |
| 350 | -6.5" | -1.77 | -0.51 | 2,300 | 1,644 | 8.3 |
| 375 | -9.5" | -2.41 | -0.70 | 2,257 | 1,584 | 9.6 |
| 400 | -12.9" | -3.08 | -0.90 | 2,215 | 1,526 | 11.0 |
| 425 | -16.8" | -3.77 | -1.10 | 2,174 | 1,470 | 12.5 |
| 450 | -21.1" | -4.48 | -1.30 | 2,133 | 1,415 | 14.2 |
| 475 | -26.0" | -5.22 | -1.52 | 2,092 | 1,361 | 15.9 |
| 500 | -31.3" | -5.97 | -1.74 | 2,052 | 1,310 | 17.8 |
140gr G1 .486 at 2,940 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Hornady published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
MPBR by Bullet Weight
8" vital zone, 1.5" over bore.
| Load | Optimal zero | MPBR | Max ordinate at | Velocity at MPBR | Energy at MPBR | CSV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady American Whitetail .270 Win 140gr InterLock 140gr G1 .486 at 2,940 fps |
278 yd | 326 yd | 154 yd | 2,342 fps | 1,706 ft-lb | Download |
| Federal Fusion .270 Win 130gr 130gr G1 .400 at 3,050 fps |
281 yd | 330 yd | 157 yd | 2,317 fps | 1,550 ft-lb | Download |
| Nosler Trophy Grade .270 Win 150gr Partition 150gr G1 .465 at 2,800 fps |
264 yd | 310 yd | 147 yd | 2,239 fps | 1,670 ft-lb | Download |
Velocity and energy are read at the last table row inside the window. Sources: Hornady American Whitetail .270 Win 140gr InterLock: Hornady published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient (verified 2026-09-13); Federal Fusion .270 Win 130gr: Federal published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient (verified 2026-09-13); Nosler Trophy Grade .270 Win 150gr Partition: Nosler published velocity (24" test barrel) and G1 ballistic coefficient (verified 2026-09-13).
What MPBR Means in the Field
Maximum point blank range is the longest stretch over which a hold on the centre of the vitals hits them, found by letting the bullet ride half the zone high in the middle so it can fall half the zone low at the end. On the .270 that means a 4" peak at 154 yards and a 326-yard far edge for deer, or a 5" peak and 356 yards for elk. The .270 earns its flat-shooting name here: it holds a given zone 15 to 20 yards further than the .30-calibre standards at the same sight height.
The far edge is also where the concept is most abused. At 326 yards the 140gr bullet has dropped 4" below the line of sight and is still falling fast; 20 yards further it is out of the zone. A 10 mph crosswind at 300 yards moves it about 6", most of the margin. And the whole window assumes a broadside animal with the full 8" or 10" available and a shooter who can hold the centre of it from a field position. Use MPBR to know when you must start ranging, not to decide that you need not.
Close in, the .270's low sight line means there is no near edge to worry about for any zone 4" or larger; the window starts at the muzzle. The peak is the thing to respect. With an elk zero the bullet is 5" high at 167 yards, which is where a deer usually stands, so a .270 zeroed for elk is a rifle that must be held low on a deer's chest, or re-zeroed.
How Sight Height Affects Your MPBR
A .270 usually wears a scope in standard rings 1.5" over the bore, or high rings at 1.75" under a large objective. The table below shows the 8" MPBR at both: the zero moves from 278 yards to 280 and the far edge from 326 to 329. Three yards, for a quarter inch of ring height. On this cartridge choose the rings for the scope; the trajectory does not care.
Where the MPBR does move is with the bullet and the zone. Between the 130gr Fusion and the 150gr Partition the 8" window changes by 20 yards, and between an 8" deer zone and a 10" elk zone the same 140gr load gains 30 yards of reach and an inch of peak. Set the zero for the animal you are actually hunting and the load in the magazine, and confirm the sight-in height at 100 on paper.
| Sight height | Optimal zero | Near edge | MPBR | Sight-in at 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 278 yd | 0 yd | 326 yd | +3.3" |
| 1.75" — Bolt action, high rings or large objective | 280 yd | 0 yd | 329 yd | +3.2" |
Calculate MPBR for Your Rifle
Prefilled with the load above. Change anything and the full calculator solves your trajectory; pick your own sight height from the list.
Loads Used on This Page
- Hornady American Whitetail .270 Winchester 140gr InterLock Ammo — 140gr, 2940 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.486
- Sig Sauer Elite Hunter .270 Winchester 140gr Tipped Ammo — 140gr, 2950 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.508
- Federal Fusion .270 Winchester 130gr Fusion Ammo — 130gr, 3050 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.4
- Federal Power-Shok .270 Winchester 130gr SP Ammo — 130gr, 3060 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.372
- Federal Power-Shok .270 Winchester 150gr SP Ammo — 150gr, 2830 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.261
- Nosler Trophy Grade .270 Winchester 150gr Partition Ammo — 150gr, 2800 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.465
Frequently Asked Questions
How high should a .270 be at 100 yards for maximum point blank range?
About 3.3" high for an 8" vital zone with a 140gr load at 2,940 fps and a 1.5" scope, which is a 278-yard zero. For a 10" elk zone sight in about 3.9" high for a 303-yard zero.
What is the maximum point blank range of a .270 Winchester?
About 326 yards for an 8" deer zone and 356 yards for a 10" elk zone with a 140gr bullet at 2,940 fps. A 130gr load at 3,050 fps reaches 330 and 359; a 150gr at 2,800 fps 310 and 339.
Is the .270 flatter than a .30-06 in point blank range terms?
Yes, by 15 to 20 yards. For an 8" zone a 140gr .270 holds to 326 yards where a 165gr .30-06 holds to 308, at the same 1.5" scope height.
Can I use an elk MPBR zero for deer?
Only with care. The 10" zone zero puts the bullet 5" high near 167 yards, which is high on a deer's chest with a centre hold. Zero for the 8" zone (278 yards) if the rifle hunts both, and give up 30 yards on elk.