Here's my thoughts on the big fight here. The 270 WCF has been here long, it had a rough start at the beginning, but overtime it has proven it's ability in the fields. There is not a rifle that is not chambered in it, ammo is widely distributed to throughout the nation into even the smallest most deserted ma and pa store. The accuracy is more than enough for taking big game up to 300 yards. You can load up to 5 cartridges and a 22" barrel is all that's needed.
The short and obese 270 wsm, has proven itself a really accurate round. I have seen it punch 1/2" MOA from off the shelf rifles. It has claim it shares of animals, and proven deadly too. The 270 wsm requires a 24" barrel to get up to it's full ptotential, magazines can only hold 3, ammo is pretty hard to find and bullet selection is lean unless you reload. It claims to be of lighterweight, but most rifles I have seen is just as heavy as standard action. A short bolt throw might be of advantage some say, but really? With the longer heavier bullets, I find it to run on par with the old WCF, as the case can only hold so much powder. Also the WSM is running hotter pressures that the WCF, this leading to barrel life.
I have come to a conclusion that the 270 WSM, will suffer from sales from the 270 Win, only time will tell. If not, it will surely die.
........I`ll disagree with some of your analogy and I don`t own either 270.
I don`t consider either the 270 WSM case or the 300 WSM case to be "obese" as you say. I consider them as being more efficient for their length regardless of powder capacity. The WSSMs DO have an "obese" case in relation to the bullet and neck diameter.
Regardless of what particular barrel length is needed to realize the full potential from the 270 WSM, the 270 WCF is nevertheless a good solid 175-200 fps behind the 270 WSM, assuming both are fired from the SAME barrel length, with the same bullet and bullet weight. If you wish to consider a difference of 175-200 fps to be "on par" that is your choice. The impact or killing effect on game when hit downrange won`t make much difference, but I don`t consider that large of a difference to be exactly,,"on par!"
The 270 WCF magazine holds 4 + 1 in the chamber, totaling 5. The 270 WSM hold 3 in the magazine + 1 in the chamber totalling 4. A difference of only one!...Whooopie!... If anyone hunting with a 270 WSM, ever has a need to unload 4 shots into the game animal being hunted, that doesn`t exactly say too much for the hunter,,,,does it?? Same thing holds true with someone using a 270 WCF having to fire 5 rounds. With all the game I have killed, I`ve never had the need to virtually fire all the rounds remaining in my magazine after the first shot.
270 WSM factory ammo hard to find?? It`s everywhere out here in the west!! May not be in some very small ma and pa stores where you may be. But I can`t imagine any 270 WSM owners who hunt within the lower 48 or anywhere else, who won`t take their own reloaded ammo on a hunt with them, or factory ammo previously purchased before their trip.
The 270 WSM as does the 300 WSM, do operate at higher pressures. They are designed as such. This may result in SOME cases of shorter barrel life, IF one shoots hundreds if not thousands of rounds per year and uses consistent hot loads. But for the average shooter and hunter, a 270 WSM barrel, will last many years with good accuracy, IF re-loaded for AND fired responsibly. Some added common sense will increase barrel life? I think so!
The 270 WSM has taken away sales from the 270 WCF,,and visa versa!! Both have taken away sales from the other!
The 270 WSM "WILL NOT" or in no way,,"surely die!" If there were any past, current or future marketing indicators of slumping 270 WSM sales, then why do rifle makers such as Savage, Kimber, Remington, Weatherby, Nosler, Browning and others chamber it? It seems to me that they would have alot more marketing knowledge regarding past, current and future projections or trends than either you, me and most of the general shooting public.
Nope!....The 270 WSM won`t be going obsolete because of the 270 Win and likewise, the 270 Win won`t be going obsolete because of the 270 WSM!! They will continue to compete for many many years in the future. There are no indicators or evidence to believe otherwise.
