Hello all
I am looking at picking up a Sako 85 Finnlite in either 270wsm or 300wsm. I have not owned a short mag yet and am looking for some opinions from guys that have. I'm not looking to get into what kind of game are you hunting etc as I own lots of rifles in many calibers. I just want to know about some first hand experience with regards to performance. Does the 270wsm really stretch out compared to a 270 win? Does it come close to the 270 Wby? Or is the 300wsm the higher acheiver leaving the 30-06 way behind and duplicating 300 win mag velocities? Any ideas?? I am a handloader so I am interested in more than just factory data. Thanks for all replies.
Regards
...........I did own a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in the 300 Win Mag for 34 years and have nothing but great things to say about that cartridge. Two and half years ago, I converted over to a new rifle in the 300 WSM, because I preferred the rifle chambered for it.
As my Lyman manual says about the 300 WSM (para-phrasing)..."The 300 WSM averages 30 to 50 fps below the 300 Win, while using 8% to 10% less powder."....... Both the 300 Win and the 300 WSM were tested with 24" barrels in the Lyman manual. Performance wise and on any game hunted with either 300, there is absolutely no real advantage that one would have over the other in the field given the same barrel lengths. The 300 WSM is much closer in ballistic performance to the 300 Win, than is the 30-06 to the 300 WSM.
On the other hand and given the same barrel lengths, the 270 WSM exceeds the 270 Win by around 200 fps. The 270 WSM is closer to the 270 Wby than is the 270 Win to the 270 WSM. So to answer your question; yes, the 270 WSM does stretch out the 270 Win while approaching the 270 Wby. Imo, if you`re not successful and can`t kill the game with a 270 WSM given the same distances, you won`t be successful and kill the game with a 270 Wby either. They are close enough imo, to make that determination.
In considering the 270 WSM or the 300 WSM, the 270 WSM would be a slightly flatter shooter, while the 300 WSM will deliver better downrange energies with heavier bullets. With maybe the exception of the dangerous bears, whatever you can hunt with one, you`ll be able to hunt with the other.
