What's the scoop on the .270 WSM - is it essentially a .270 Win. made into a short case for short-action rifles?
Pros/cons?

It's a 277 caliber stuffed into the 300wsm case, performance exceeds the ol' 270 by 200 FPS, near the streak of the 270 WBY. IMHO, it can't do anything the 270 can do. Looking at ballistics table it will be on par with the ol' 270 out to 300 yards. Hard to find ammo, really expensive, feeding issues, and throat erosion happens real quick. And it explodes with short range shots. I'll take the ol' 270.

Very similar to the 264 Win Mag in performance...about 100 fps shy of the 270 Weatherby Mag and will do it all with a 24" barrel.

I took two white tails at 200 yds this year for the first time with the 270 WSM and was very satisfied with the performance. Factory ammo is expensive. If you feel you need a magnum, the 270 WSM has more factory loads available than the 264 and is only slightly cheaper and is easier to find than the Weatherby.

The 270 Winchester is a great round and tough to beat. It's whatever tickles your fancy.

Dan

I've had one for at least 4 years. It does give you a bit more speed - generally 200fps over the .270Win.. I feel it gives me a bit more reach and allows a margin of error out at my outer limits of 350-400yards. In the 130gr. it certainly has less recoil than my 180's in a 300WSM (same model). I frequent 4 shops and they always have the cartridge on the shelf at the same price of the 300WSM. I can't report any "blowups" (Partitions)with the closest shot being 85 yards and I haven't detected any hint of erosion and thats with just over 200 rounds thru it. Course I don't shoot it constantly and heat up the barrel either. It is amazingly accurate and its a cartridge that probably makes more sense for some rather the 300WSM.
My 270WSM is lighter than all my other standard 270's due to the short action design. In my view it makes a better cartridge for the "all arounder" up to and including elk than the 300WSM or 325WSM. Of course I wouldn't want to start any e-fights around here!
The 300WSM will continue to be the "king" of the short mags cause it was first and is an ego pleaser. But not everyone is willing to admit its has enough recoil to be distasteful - a trait the 270WSM doesn't have.
The 270WSM will always play second fiddle to the .270Win. because it is such a great cartridge.

I think the .270 WSM is one of the more interesting of the recently developed cartridges. It beats the .270 Win by 150fps or so with top end handloads, is very accurate, and has relatively mild recoil. .270 WSM ammo is not hard to find, at least not that I have seen. The only cons I can think of is it does not have the bargain loads that you can find for regular .270 or .30-06 and you probably won't find it in backwater gas station. All that being said, I don't think it's any better for most hunting than the .270 Win. It does give you a bit flatter trajectory and bit less wind drift which is something you can normally only find in rounds that are much more expensive (ala 25-27 Weatherby) or kick a lot harder (7-.300 Mags).

Lou

If I ever buy another rifle, unless something better emerges down the road, it almost certainly will be in .270 WSM.

Great all around for deer and elk.

I'm a life long 270 win fan. I got my 270 wsm because of the rifle not the cartridge. That being said I feel it is a fantastic round. Shoots almost 200fps faster and is scary accurate, very easy to load for ,great brass life,and in a light easy to carry rifle. Kimber 8400 classic.