270 WSM

[buckfever 1]

Anybody use a 270 WSM for Whitetail?  I am going to start to hunt Agriculture areas where a 200-300 yard shot is the norm.  I have always thought this was a great caliber.  Any thoughts from owners who have used them on Whitetail and what bullets. What brand do you like?
Thanks   Buckfever

[BBF]

Do you think the 270 Win is inadequate for what you want?

Some of those WSM's are seeing the twilight zone already.

 I presume the 270 Win will be around a long time providing the politicians don't confiscate everything.

[Siskiyou]

Buckfever 1:  I have not used a 270 WSM for Whitetails, but I have been using the .270 Winchester for over fifty years on Mule deer and Blacktail deer.  I happen to like rifles that are cost effective, and still effective at long range.  Once you step out of factory chambered rounds cost go up dramatically, and getting off the shelf ammunition is difficult at best.

I recently compared the 270 WSM to the 6.5-06 and the 6.5-284.  First off I can go into  a local shop and if they do not have a 270 WSM in stock, they can have it within a week.  If I go looking for ammunition I can find it at a local sporting goods store, and if they do not have it I can make a call to a couple of stores and have it in my hands after driving some miles in an hour or two.

An attractive attribute of the 270 WSM is that it achieves its velocity in a 24-inch barrel.  Frankly the downside of the 270WSM is the devastation it will create on a close range deer.  A bullet that will effectively open up at 300-yards will be screaming at one hundred yards. 

This year I shot a buck with 150-grain Hornady from a .270 Winchester.  The bullet did a lot of damage inside and exited on the far side.  The deer then took off and I found it some distance away.  I was amazed how far it went with all the internal damage.  Going back a few years I made a frontal shot on a buck 252-yards away.  The slow moving, lumbering 150-grain factory Power Point hit the buck at an downward angle in the chest, damaging heart, lungs, and cutting off four ribs before coming to a stop in a fifth rib.

I did not take the best picture, but the bullet expanded to .75 caliber, and retained 74 percent of its bullet weight.



The deer went 50-75 feet and fell over.

When I compare the numbers between the ballistic silvertip in the 270 WSM against my 7MM Remington Magnum using the same weight ballistic silvertip the 270 WSM winds.(Sierra Infinity Six)

From my field experience with the .270 Winchester, the 140-grain and 150-grain spitzers out perform the 130-grain bullets.

The 270 WSM can do the job, the key is developing the skill to take advantage of the capabilities of the rifle.  Having said that I find myself more capable after a summer of practice then a summer of limited activity  So, I am pointing the finger inward.

[jro45]

From what I've read about the 270 WSM is that they don't go as fast as the 270 Win. I know that I could kill a deer at 600yds with my 270 Win. I've shot it to 600 yds. it has the power to do it.

[jasonprox700]

From what I've read about the 270 WSM is that they don't go as fast as the 270 Win. I know that I could kill a deer at 600yds with my 270 Win. I've shot it to 600 yds. it has the power to do it.

I think you are very mistaken.  The .270 WSM IS faster than the .270 Win.  Looking at my Nosler Manual #6, the .270 Win has a max vel. of 3158 fps with 54 grs of W748 pushing a 130 grain bullet.  The .270WSM has a max vel. of 3396 fps with 65 grs of RL22 pushing the same 130 grain bullet.

Where did you read the the .270 win was faster than the .270 WSM?  I'm just curious. 

[Minnesota1]

The 270 WSM is the only one of the WSM's that actually exceed the intended case-the 270 win. It is faster and more powerful. Craig Boddington has commented that it is his favorite of the WSM's and is his go to round for sheep and recently in an article I just read he would take his 270 WSM before his 270 win. on hunting trips.  Just remember, a 200-300 yard shot is easily done with a 270 win.  The brass is cheap and so are most of the store bought ammo.  If you go with the 270 WSM get ready to dole out a lot for ammo or brass if you plan on reloading for it.  It is a superior cartridge vs. the 270 win(which I own) and I've heard nothing but good reports with regards to accuracy and efficacy.

[yogi]

I have been using a 270 WSM for the last 4 years and have been real happy with it. I have been seeing more factory loads offered the last couple of years. Federal is now offering a 110 grn load with a barnes tipped triple shock that I like for open shooting. I used it this year in wyoming on mule deer. They offer the same load in 270 win with identicle ballistics. If you hunt where shots are at closer range then you may want to change bullet type. Federal also offers a 130 grn barnes tipped triple shock in the 300 WSM that travels the same velocity as the 270 WSM 110 grn. This also makes for an interesting load for open country deer hunting.

[wareagleguy]

I killed my biggest deer (13 pt @ 189 pounds) with a 270WSM.  He maybe ran 20 feet and crashed.   It is one flat shooting round.

[poncaguy]

I killed my doe on the last day of the extended season with a 330 yard shot (lasered). Shooting a 270 WSM Winchester Super Shadow, 3x9x40 scope. Using a 110 Barnes Tipped TSX reload. Destroyed both lungs and exited. She ran 20 yards.

[LONGTOM]

Everything stated about the WSM  is true except:

"From what I've read about the 270 WSM is that they don't go as fast as the 270 Win."

That is false!
I own three WIN model 70s in 270, one Win model 70 in 270WSM, and one WIN 1885 HIGHWALL in 270WSM.

In the .277cal the WSM wins hands down every time over the standard 270.
Like said it is faster, flatter, and tears up more meat, costs more to shoot, harder to find sometimes but it GETS THE JOB DONE as far as you can hit.
I have never pushed it past 500 but I have done the same with the standard 270.
The WSM does requires a lot less holdover at the longer distances.
300yds isn't that far and the 270 will do you a fine job with little or no hold over depending on your sight in.
I love mine and have used them for over 35 years until the WSM came along and I retired the old girls!
Which ever you decided on you won't be disappointed.

"Federal is now offering a 110 grn load with a barnes tipped triple shock"

This sounds interesting but I have concerns on a close shot of it going to fast.
I just don't know on this one.

I use the 130gr factory WIN ammo in all my 270s with fine results.



LONGTOM


LONGTOM

[jro45]

From what I've read about the 270 WSM is that they don't go as fast as the 270 Win. I know that I could kill a deer at 600yds with my 270 Win. I've shot it to 600 yds. it has the power to do it.

I think you are very mistaken.  The .270 WSM IS faster than the .270 Win.  Looking at my Nosler Manual #6, the .270 Win has a max vel. of 3158 fps with 54 grs of W748 pushing a 130 grain bullet.  The .270WSM has a max vel. of 3396 fps with 65 grs of RL22 pushing the same 130 grain bullet.

Where did you read the the .270 win was faster than the .270 WSM?  I'm just curious. 

I forget where I read that at. I've never seen one of those WSM's. With my 270 I do not have any problems with Velocity. I know It will kill a deer at 600 yds. I can't ask for more than that.

[Zachary]

There was once an article some years back (I forget the magazine) where it compared a Tikka with a Savage in a .270WSM.  Out of those 2 guns, the Tikka shot the same .270WSM load much lower than published velocities, and the velocity was actually very close to .270 Winchester levels.  The Savage, on the other hand, was very close to the published .270WSM levels?  Why?  Well, this was a big debate a while back and a few of our GBO Members that had the Tikkas in WSM cartridges also reported noticeably lower velocities than the published velocities.  It was discussed that the Tikka WSMs had much lower velocities because of the throat design and/or perhaps some other related design.  While the Tikka WSM was very accurate, it's velocities were so low that it was concluded that you might as well just buy a Tikka in .270 Winchester.  As such, I can conclude by saying that, generally speaking, .270 WSM published velocities are noticeably higher (about 200 fps faster) than standard .270 Winchester velocities.  However, at least in the Tikka, the .270 WSM (and perhaps other WSM Tikka chamberings), the velocity was about the same as a regular .270 Winchester.  It should also be noted that, in both that one article that I mentioned earlier, and also as reported by our Members that had first hand experience with their Tikkas, the velocities out of their Tikka WSMs still were not worse than standard published .270 Winchester velocities.

Zachary

[700xcr]

Love my Remington model 700xcr 270wsm. I use factory Winchester 150gr. Power Point ammo. I chronographed this load out of my gun at 3200fps. Have taken 5 mule deer with it. Works very well. 

[FireStrut]

I have a Browning A-Bolt in the 270wsm and I just love it. I have shot deer at 162, 153, 130 and a few under 100 yards and none of them took many steps after being hit with this deadly missile. The bullet is Federal Premium Vital-Shok Ammunition 270 WSM 140 Grain Nosler AccuBond. The only bad thing is the cost of the ammo $45.00 a box.

[HogFan]

I've got one in a Model 70 SS, and love the rifle. The wife bought it for me when we lived in MT. My plan was to use it for antelope, but I never drew again before we moved back south. I also have a 7mmWSM, and I bought Wal-Mart out 3 years ago on ammo they were clearancing out at $14 a box. Now, if only I could find some 270WSM ammo on clearance for that price. I have found the cheapest ammo for the 270WSM here to be $39 a box currently.

[700xcr]

I've got one in a Model 70 SS, and love the rifle. The wife bought it for me when we lived in MT. My plan was to use it for antelope, but I never drew again before we moved back south. I also have a 7mmWSM, and I bought Wal-Mart out 3 years ago on ammo they were clearancing out at $14 a box. Now, if only I could find some 270WSM ammo on clearance for that price. I have found the cheapest ammo for the 270WSM here to be $39 a box currently.

So far I have lucked out and got Winchester 150gr. Power Point ammo her in the Northwest for $26.00 a box.