Bolt-Action Shootout: X-Bolt Beats Remington and Savage

As the 270 Winchester nears its 80th birthday, one fact demonstrates its widespread popularity: more than 50 factory loads are available for it—a long-standing record for a non-military cartridge. The Winchester 270 has long been standardized with 1:10 twist-rate barrels, and popular loadings usually utilize 130– to 150-grain projectiles. In this narrow and well-known load range, the 270 Winchester functions with excellence and utility.

Of course, how well the cartridge performs depends on the quality of the gun shooting it, so we went in the search for the best 270 bolt actions, turning to three of the most recognized names in bolt-action rifles today: Browning, with its new X-Bolt centerfire, the…