Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 270 vs. 6.5x55

I have no interest in a .270-anything. Best use of a 270 is turning it into a 6.5-06.

JB, that is a surprise. No doubt the Norwegians like American products, saw alot of Ford vehicles over there last summer.

I'd imagine the 9.3x62 sees some use as well. I did hear a crazy number of How many $$$ of 700s were sold to Europe a few years ago by a local distributor. It would blow alot of folks minds, if it was true, and I would not be surprised. It was in the multi-millions. That may have been to one country, cannot recall the exact details, but whether it's demand or a 'push strategy' Remington has penetrated the Euro market. Likely the exchange rate favors Rems strictly on price.

Bobin, no doubt sir, rarely hear of any real issues w/Partitions. Perhaps one of the most dependable game getters of bullet choices.

Back to the 308, I never cared for them, but if I ever happen to own one, the 130 TTSX will be tried....knocks on a 270's door

A good 130gr. bullet will get the job done on just about anything. This is a ridiculous conversation. I've used it for 40 years with no lost animals, course I'm a bowhunter so I know where to place it. If you can't get it done with a 270 you'd better practice your shooting skills some more.

Hi John,

You're right about 30-06 and 308 in Europe (except here in France) but the reason is not only effectivness (i know them and use them), it's also an economic choice and politic too.

Cartridges and loadind are numerous and cheaper (US loading) than others, be them euro or magnum.

In Norway the 6,5 stand its ground in front of the american ones (my norvegian gun writer friend made a good study about that) and in target shooting competitions it's always a great contender. Most of 308 shooters there are military using their standard rifle.

Be sure also, that without the NATO existence, the 308 would'nt be so popular in Europe.
In Russia it's becoming a new trend, because it's easier to get flawless feeding in semi auto than their rimmed cartridges and power wise they are equal to 7,62x53/54R and all euro manufacturers chamber it in lots of rifle models.

About 7x57 except in central Europe (Romania, Czech and Slovakia, Hungary also) this cartridge is almost dead, just have look at european catalog. This will confirm my saying. The R version is used by old break open and more frequent.

The 270Winchester is very well known and appreciated here, in France and in Europe.
Hunters who are ballistic minded use it, without question or doubt of its abilityy, on the biggest game up and to mooses and very big turkish wild boars (no feral pigs!)some use it also on very expensive Marco Polo and Ibex hunt because they know it can do it.
They choose heavier tougher bullets (Oryx, Partition, Mega), US or French monometal copper alloy ones if their rifle shoot them well and go hunting. The younger or new hunters more apt to follow the trends and customs often go to magnum (7mm, 30, 338)just to find that it push harder and need a bit more practice to be used efficiently...

The 7x64 does exactly the same as the 270 with 130 to 150grs bullets, with 160 to 177grs it kill like the 30-06 with 165 to 180grs, no more no less. People who say differently never used it long enough to compare. Had real good reputation in Africa with H-mantel or Brenneke Tig (Aagaard Finn...)for antelope (including big ones) and leopards.
We don't use the 6,5x55 but we hunt with 6,5x57 (not too much hunters i must say). The guys who use it are generally experienced hunters, good shooters who knows about hunting (i know one camper wrote it's no science but i think he's wrong)with this small cartridge they kill their share of big red, wild boars or mountain game. Without bashing themselves and others with BC, velocity and energy.

About wildcatting, not being US of A and not being protected by the 2nd, it's always more difficult for us to play with ammo or rifles, but we do have wildcatters and we do have handloaders (some of them handload for very long time and more calibers than most campers use or know) but most of hunters prefer to use factory ammo. And believe me not the cheaper one. For 10 to 15 years even the driven hunt guys go to better quality product.

Again to clarify in France we do use 308, 30-06, 8x87, 5,56x45 or other "military calibers" for shooting and on licence. They are forbidden for hunting. Will change soon.

Sorry if i hijacked a bit the OP thread.

Dom

.....Best use of a 270 is turning it into a 6.5-06. [/quote]

Nonsense.

No JB but french/euro guy:

The Rem 700 in it's fifty's this year, always sold well in Europe, not in millions because Remington made a bit more of 5 millions including military models, but in good quantities.
On the french market they even made some 7x64 models standard or DM but with not so good barrels. For two years they came back with new 7x64 with Rem barrel. They are good shooters, relatively inexpensive (the french distributor likes money!!)but on our market trend is to Blaser, Helix, doubles or single break open and semi auto or pump. The SPS sell well, gunsmith who prepare LR rig keep only the receiver, throw away barrel and stock and transform them for target.
The Titanium as a loyal following but was too expensive.

In Norway Remington sell very well because of quality (too bad it's down grading yet)and prices.

Again about Ilion, most of US shooters/hunters who brag about 35 Whelen don't know that it was maintained in production because of french and greek orders of 7600 and 7400 in this caliber. For years they were not in general Remington catalog, but sold here by thousands for driven hunts. Was not the classic 700 who keep the cartridge so well distributed.

The 750 and 7600 carbines are always used here and sell well because of real good (french wise) price. Not an US hunter would pay the price we do for it...But that's another story.


About the 9,3x62, every where in Europe from Spain to Russia, it's popularity is increasing, mostly because of explosion of wild boars populations, driven hunting and real efficient and reliable hunting semi auto rifles (no military assault rifle clones).

About the 308 and 270, just to throw oil on fire: a good 7-08 with 130grs bullet is not too far from them with same weight...

Dom

Nonsense.

[/quote]

Bob, ever notice all the comparing to the 270....the best gets alot that.
Personally I find it funny.

AS IF the 270, only has ONE

Only the preconceived need no evidence.

As Bob said...."nonsense".

In your own words.

A rule of nature is that no two predators will occupy the same niche in any given ecology... Coyotes kill foxes...

There will be no hey-day for any 6.5 in North America... Forget for a minute that the advent of the .270 took a huge bite out of the .30 share of the market, and simply focus on real practical differences between the Swede and the O'Connor...

there is no denying that the swede is either good or practical on it's own merits, but the simple truth is that it's only real leg to stand on in America was it's collectability as a militaria item...
it simply does not overmatch the .270 in any quantifiable category, and it's "coolness" is both passing and ethereal... loonies travel on...

A better, and more satisfactory discussion would be, and has been, a comparison of the Swede and the 25-06...

With the 25-06 occupying more of a dual-use niche amongst riflemen it has it's own popularity base... The swede will nearly match it in most categories, and has greater versatility for larger game/heavier bullets...

It's still a moot point as the 25-06 is more available and will do anything a rifleman decides to do with it...
still, fuel for the loonie fire....

Burn on....

I guess the 270 is a great cartridge, especially when compared to a 270WSM. Dohhhhh!

Yes, it is and, those cartridges (.270 Winchester and .270 Winchester Short Magnum) pretty much do the same while hunting.

That's been my experience with 'em.

Can you smart fellers re-splain to me how the Swede almost whispers like a fine Woman when it is fired, and gives the same feminine playful shove on recoil?

But when the 140 NPT's arrive on target they wreak PURE HELL on meat, bone, and depth of penetration?

Guess I'm trying to say how in hell can something so gentle on one end be PURE EVIL on the other.

Gunner

All seemingly "sweet" things have that pre-disposed ability.

For deer I used a 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tip in my 6.5x55 this year. At 3050fps it has a MPBR of 297 yds and it only takes 44grs of powder to get that.

I would think it would be a viable option for a light recoiling deer killing combo if the 270 with a 130 is too much. That 100 gr BT killed a nice fat [120pounds dressed] doe this year. the bullet took out the heart and broke the opposite shoulder as it exited. Not too bad for a lightweight round.

Gunner, Don Zutz talked about this 'phenomenon' as other writers...how the Magical High Rotational Velocity of (yes, not forward speed folks) the 7.5-8" twist can wreck havoc on game/animal tissue vs. a 9-10 in other typical rifles.

Of course this is deviating into Looney talk. The whole topic/thread was for entertainment as I know both rounds well and like both, both 2 peas in a pod like the 260 and 708.

Yes, Orion, I never had a 6.5 let me down, mostly used 120 and 130s on game, which is why I chose a 260/130 Accubond as my main go to round.

25-06, yes, it's what was offered since the 6.5-06 never made it past wildcat status. Surely the metric 'aversion' here in the US.

But Gunner, all bullets are engineered w/regards to the velocity window etc. they typically run. There are many modest sized 6.5 rounds and bullets in 6.5 typically perform very well at the speeds most 6.5s run.

I'd say you might want to compare a 6.5/140PT against the 277/160 PT for a closer comparison. Seldom spoke of, but the 160 PT is likely touted as some to be a 'beast' for it's bore size.

The 140 actually has a better bc/sd than a 150 in 277, so you have to jump to the 160 to get as good an SD....

It'd be interesting to see if a 270 w/an 8 twist would do any different on impact w/the 160 PT than a 10 twist....perhaps not, but I'd be curious.

My purpose of the thread was not which one is best, but simply for those who use either or both, to share their success, as both have an enviable track record, b/c they are A) shootable B) they work...and well. You could add both have a decent trajectory, very accurate, and maintain good ballistics downrange.

With a big game bullet, I would say twist isn't going to have much effect. I have a gunsmith buddy who says you can see the difference in explosiveness with .220 type rifles on pairie dogs.

It has been said that a 260 penetrates, and kills like a 300 Win mag, but without the powder and recoil. You could surely substitute the Swede in that statement.