Compare the .270 Winchester vs. 6x5x55 Swede. Then pick one.

[8uck5nort]

I am torn between the two. I have .223 Remington and I have a 7x57 mauser and 30-06 so have those calibers covered. Which one would you pick (.270 winchester or a 6.5x55 swede) if you have it narrowed down between the two. Assume you reload. Assume up to deer and antelope size game.

[sharps4590]

For me, if I were picking at this stage of my life, I would take the 6.5 Swede.  40 years ago I chose the 270 but I was essentially ignorant of the Swede at that time.  I'm just glad I don't have to take one or the other because among smokeless powder cartridges I wouldn't want to give up either.

[james]

I have a couple of each and used both on deer and antelope.  The 6.5 is my favorite but when the wind is 30 mph + and the lopes are wild, I go to the 270.  I've tried hot rodding the 6.5 x55 but lost accuracy before I got close to the speed of the .270.  The longer the bullet is in the air, the more effect the wind has on it.  My daughter has taken over the Encore 6.5 because of the light recoil.
I can testify, either will get the job done at 400 yards.  Brass is easier to find for the .270 but the 6.5 takes less powder when you are reloading.  Because 6.5 x55 guns are harder to find, I had a McGowen custom barrel made and screwed it on a Savage action. 

[flinter54]

Choosing between these two great calibers would be a hard one to make. Given the game you will be pursuing, my choice wouldn't be so much determined by performance, as these are both fully capable of handling such game at any reasonable distance. I would probably choose the good old 6.5 Swed. because it would be the only one in camp, and I've never owned one.


As for flexibility, both the 6.5 Swed. and .270 Win have bullets available from 90 to 160. Standard Cup-core and premium bullets are available as well as varmint specific bullets. The 6.5 (.264) bullet will have superior BC and SD as that of the same weight .277 bullet. However due to the higher operating pressure of the .270 Winchester, it is able to drive its bullet much faster than the mild 6.5 Swed. The difference is great enough, even with the superior BC, the 6.5 Swed. can't catch the .270 within normal hunting ranges.


With that said, charts are just that. I believe people put far to much emphasis on the "Holy" ballistic charts.  If you do decide to go with the Swed. I believe you will find it performs better in the field than what the charts say it should.


Still my vote on this one goes to the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser.


Flinter54



 

[AtlLaw]

Simple... I've got 3 rifles chambered in the Swede and only one in the 270.  So, in the interest of fairness, I'd have to get another 270...     If I could find one in a rifle I like...     Of a make and model I don't have... 
 
Or I can just use a Swede!   

[rfletcher]

I have both.  My favorite rifle is a Win 70 Featherweight 6.5 Swede.  I love the way the Featherweight handles and the Swede cartridge for it's history.  It is my goto rifle when hunting close to home.  Factory ammo is almost non-existent here and when found is expensive so it is entirely a reloading proposition for me.  Due to ammo availability and price if I am hunting out of town I almost always carry another rifle just in case the unforseen happens.  If I was only allowed or could only afford one rifle and the choice were these I think from a practical stand-point the .270 would win hands down.

[JASmith]

I have the .270 Winchester, but would go with the Swede, the .260 Rem, or the 6.5-06 if I were doing it again.

The rationale is the wide selection of bullets in 6.5 (more than 100).

Of course, there's always the 6.5 Grendel and its compatitbility with the AR-15.

[Lloyd Smale]

another vote for the 6.5. No doubt the 270 outperforms it but i like guns with a cool factor and everyone has a 270 and the old swede is just cool.

[nodlenor]

I've got both and don't even want to think about choosing between them but I must say the 270 would probably win out for me. Simply because I've had a 270 for close to fifty years and have had very good luck with it.

[roper]

I am torn between the two. I have .223 Remington and I have a 7x57 mauser and 30-06 so have those calibers covered. Which one would you pick (.270 winchester or a 6.5x55 swede) if you have it narrowed down between the two. Assume you reload. Assume up to deer and antelope size game.

I do reload so my choice is 270 don't own any 6.5's.

[FPH]

I would take the .270 due to ammo availability if nothing else.

[anweis]

You can take this approach, by comparing cartridges, or you can take what is, in my opinion, a better one. Instead of deciding on cartridges, decide on which rifle fits you, what features you like in a rifle, etc.
I decided between 6.5x55 and .270 myself, in October last year. The 6.5 was a Sako 85 with beautiful wood. The .270 was a Kimber 84 with walnut stock. I examined the rifles and i liked the Sako better in many respects. I got it. 

[JASmith]

Nicely said Anweis!

[2ndtimer]

In my experience, the .270 Win is more versatile, flatter shooting and harder hitting and is more accurate with varmint weight bullets.  The 6.5 Swede has milder recoil and sufficient power for deer size game at reasonable ranges.  I still have my 6.5 Swede, but much prefer my .270's, but then my .270's are WSM's and I like short actions.

[T.R.]

My wife hunts with a custom Browning in 6.5mm Swede.  But if I could do it all over again, I'd have gone with 270 instead.  Virtually same recoil and trajectory but ammo much easier to buy.
 
TR

[nomosendero]

I am torn between the two. I have .223 Remington and I have a 7x57 mauser and 30-06 so have those calibers covered. Which one would you pick (.270 winchester or a 6.5x55 swede) if you have it narrowed down between the two. Assume you reload. Assume up to deer and antelope size game.

I have both, prefer the Swede.
These 2 rounds have much the same purpose. For the factory ammo shooter, it's 270 all the way, but I see
your question is geared to being a reloader & in that case the 6.5 bullet selection for Varmits & up to Deer/Antelope
as you asked about is great for (270 as well), add target shooting and the 6.5 has better bullets.

[Lead Poison]

If used solely for deer hunting the choice is easy.


I would choose the..... 270 Winchester!

[jdt48653]

you have the 7x57 no real need for either of the others,unless your like me and the more rifles the better.

[D Fischer]

I love the 6.5x55. Never warmed up to the 270. If I wanted something like the 270, I'd get the 280 Rem. As far as which might be better, both can do more than most hunter's and will kill game at longer ranges than we should try and bigger game than we could imagine. I think that between the 6.5's and the 30's for up to even elk, none have any kind of real advantage.

I'm on my 3rd 6.5x55, have a 6.5x06 have had 3 7sx57's and one 280 Rem. Had several 308's, few 30-06's and a 338 Mag. There is nothing I would hunt with the 338 that I would not hunt with the 6.5x55 (or 260 Rem).

[JASmith]

This guy is right -- a .270 would be superfluous in that arsenal!

Also, hard to tell the difference between 6.5-'06 and .270 loaded ammo!  I have confused 30-06 and .270 when I wasn't paying real close attention.  Based on that single experience, I would expect that someone who uses a .270 should not go to a 6.5-06 or, for that matter, a 25-06 or vice versa because it will be easier to make the same mistake when the bullets are closer to the same diameter.

[Muddly]

.270 Winchester. Ammunition is much easier to find and in SOME rifles, most notably milsurps, the long throats in the 6.5 x 55 can make accuracy with lighter bullets ( <140gr) problematic. You can down load a 270 to match 6.5 x 55 ballistics, but if you stick to SAAMI pressure limits you can't get a Swede close to a 270. Hard to lose with either.

[RaySendero]

I am torn between the two. I have .223 Remington and I have a 7x57 mauser and 30-06 so have those calibers covered. Which one would you pick (.270 winchester or a 6.5x55 swede) if you have it narrowed down between the two. Assume you reload. Assume up to deer and antelope size game.

8uck5nort,
 
As said above both the 270 and 6.5 are great cartridges.
 
BUT given you already have 223, 7x57 & 30-06, I don't see either (or both) really expanding your hunting capabilities.
 
What do you want them to do that your current rifles won't do?

[RevJim]

 Why not try a 6.5x55 Ackley Improved chambering? You can use regular 6.5x55 for close range deer hunting, fireforming your cases as you do, or fireform the cases and load it up right on the heels of a warm .270 load. ( Lots of .270 factory ammo  is pretty mild today) Or you can try the Hornady Lightmag/Superformance loads in the 6.5x55 regular or in the Ackley version., but I would go the Ackley Improved route either way. I base this on"just how stinking good" a .257 Roberts Ackley Improved is, and you get the benefit of those 6.5 cal bullets (great wind buckers!)

[gunner69]

When I lived, and grew up, in South Dakota I liked my .270 even though limited to the 130gr bullet.   It does beat out the 6.5x55 by a tad and the ammo is easier to find in the U.S.    However,  that was many, many years ago and I now own a 6.5 Grendle, a 6.5x284 Norma, and three 6.5x55 Sweds.   I broke a sholder and am recoil concious.   I am able to shoot all my 6.5s with no problem.   Plus the 6.5mm slug just kills what it hits accurately and humainly.   (Sorry for the poor spelling)   In Europe the 6.5x55 is used for elk and moose and has been for years with good result.   I handload so no problemo here.   Now I am thinking of making one of my 6.5x55s a Ackley Improved........ hmmmmm sounds good thanks for the idea.   You should do good with either choice.   Have you looked at the CZ550FS in 6.5x55 yet?   It has a single set trigger feature that is the (censored word) plus it just looks great.   Shoots under 1" at a 100, all day long, if you do your job.

[Lloyd Smale]

Jack O Conner loved the 270 and that right there is enough of a reason for me to pick the 6.5x55

[tobster]

I've noticed currently most ammo sources are picked clean with the exception of the .270 and maybe the 30-06. I even saw some 150 grain .270 discounted to  $15.00/box at a gun show a few weeks ago. Reloading is fun, but not as much as shooting.

[8uck5nort]

I appreciate all the feedback. I think I made up my mind.
After thinking (I know that is where I usually get in trouble) about what everyone said and since I have the 7x57 already the .284 diameter is taken care of. I felt that the .277 is too close to see any real difference. The 6.5 mm is .264 so it fills the "gap" in my aresenal nicely. .223 .264 .284 .308 .323 .358 .430 (nice big jump at the end). 
Why you ask? Well just cause I like my rifles, and I have always wanted both calibers. I found a Zastava mannlicher in .270 that I fell in love with, but I found myself wishing it were a swede. That is how I made up my mind. I will probably end up with both at some point, but this is a fun excersize one way or the other.
I have read plenty on both calibers and to me both would do about the same given good shot placement and proper bullets for the chosen game. I guess the only thing now is to decide go commerical, milsurp or build a custom bolt or single shot. Regular or full length mannlicher... Just never ends thankfully.

[JASmith]

You chose for the right reasons:  "It feels right for me and my needs."

Looks like you are going to have more fun as you make it real!

Keep us posted!

Cheers!

[8uck5nort]

Well I been thinking some more (I know, thinking and that getting into trouble thing, but I just can't help it!) and I believe I have found a way to have my cake and eat it too. I am going to start with a Savage 110 in .270 winchester and then order a 6.5x55 barrel. Keep both barrels and set it up to swap between both. Might take some tinkering to get it figured out, but it may just be the ticket.

[JASmith]

I'm doing that with a 20 Caliber Wildcat and the .243 Winchester.

Once you have the barrel nut wrench and a barrel vise it becomes fairly simple.

My main challenge was in figuring out which way to turn the nut!