Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .270 or 270WSM. ?

I have a chance to pick up an “In the box” unfired 270WSM, or a used .270 Winchester for the same price. They are very reasonably priced from a friend that has no use for either, he loves his .25/06. The wsm was a raffle gun, and the .270 Win. was willed to him.

I have used a regular .270 for over 50 years, but no longer have one.
The guns offered are a Savage 11 short action, or a 111 long action.

Guys that have a WSM.....how do you like them, and how’s the accuracy with 130 gr. Sierras? I have many boxes of the Sierras.

I’m not worried about the price of a set of dies, if I go with the WSM.

I have both. Shoot 130g Interlocs is the 270 for deer which chrono at 3100 in a 22” barrel. Results are dead reliable....it kills quickly and easily reaches out to 300yds+. I shoot 140 accubonds at 3200fps in the WSM. It is a hammer with these bullets on deer. I’ve found the WSM shoots closer to advertised velocity than the 270 with factory ammo. The other thing I appreciate about the WSM is it shoots fast and flat but recoil is modest enough to always be able to watch the impact even with light rifles. Can’t say that about my other long range hunting rifles (7mm STW, 300Wby, 340Wby).

I've had both, I prefer the circa 1925 270.

Have two 270 Winchester’s and one WSM. Love the WSM with 140’s and 150’s. RL26 is a crusher with the WSM AND Win. If you like one it’s hard to not like the other.

Same here, but I'm a factory shooting simpleton.

I have the plain old .270 Win in a Parker Hale1200, and M70 EW. Both rifles are scary accurate, but to answer one of your questions a Sierra PH 130 grain a full case of I4831 took my largest bodied mule deer at 560 yards. I've never felt the need to try the .270 WSM but have heard good things, but I wouldn't use the Sierra 130 grains in it I'd look for a little tougher bullet.

I own a .270 WSM, a Wby Vanguard action with Mcmillan Edge stock, Timney trigger, and 24" PacNor barrel. I regard it as a .270 Weatherby without the 26" tube. With my handloads of RL22 and 130 gr. Nosler E-Tips, I can easily get 3350 fps. out of the 24" barrel, although the best accuracy occurs at MV of 3300 fps. Accuracy is superb, and this Vanguard is one of the slickest actions I have ever used. With a Leupold VX3 3.5-10X scope, it goes 7 lb. 15 oz., a very nice rifle weight for carrying and also for steady shooting.

If you really need the extra fps get the WSM, if not get the standard 270. Ammo will be cheaper and you can find it anywhere. Living in WNY which I assume is Western New York, I would get the standard 270 because you're likely hunting in wooded areas and smaller fields.

I have two of the generic .270's. Even as much as I tinker, never had interest in a .270 WSM or WBY. Except for a custom Hill Country .270 WBY listed on GB sitting in a Pacific Research Rimrock stock. If the WSM flips your switch, and you hand load, go for it...

If you are going to handload l would definitely choose the WSM. With that cartridge you can always back off if you want to settle for 270 Win performance or load for full power WSM performance. Like some of the other posters my 700 shoots 130 BTs and 140 ABs into very tiny holes at full power with great brass life (10+).

Ive not used Sierras (factory only) but I’ve been impressed with 150 Fusions in the WSM. I just switched this season to 140 Accubonds. Both shoot very well through a New Haven featherweight stainless.

I see a 270 WSM as stretching 270 Win performance another 100 or so yards. Since 400 is my limit and twice as far as I need, I stayed Win...

Had both, still have the old version. The WSM was fine, but in reality, it wasn't needed for anything I do out to 400. I'm a stalker not a dialer.

I have both and like them both.

Both good cartridges, I am looking at a Kimber 270 as I type this.

I am a big 270 WCF guy. Friends have the wsm and believe it has great advantages over my WCF's.
I am sending 150 partitions at 3000 fps ++ and this out of a 22" barrel. I won't carry a rifle with a longer barrel, this kind of eliminates the wsm. Cost of brass and usability also favors the WCF. At this point I see no need for the short/fat..270

270 Winchester will do anything you want and as mentioned the ammunition is available anywhere you go. I have both. I like shooting the 270wsm most. I hand load the 110 grain Barnes and have never had an east Texas whitetail run more than 25 yards.

I have a 270 WSM is a Weatherby Vanguard Sub MOA. Love the rifle and cartridge for long range shooting. Most of my shots are out to 250 yds. Occasionally beyond that.


I use 140 grain Hornady SST's with RL 25 and get 3175 fps. Very accurate.
So I vote for the WSM but certainly the 270 Win is still a fine cartridge that will work very well as it has since the 1920's


Dan

I have had both. In fact the longest shot I ever made on an elk was with the 270 short mag.
However, I can't say I could see any difference at all in how the 2 cartridges preformed on game. On the scale of 1 to 10 both, make a 10.
But because my short mag used more expensive brass and used more powder I sold it .

I still own 3 standard 270s.

We are always told faster means "improved performance". It's not true. Faster only makes it faster. No easier to hit with, no deadlier and not more accurate. Drop and windage between the 270 WSM and the 270 Win are so close as to be insignificant in the field. The range you need to start holding over is not that much different and once you have to hold high, you have to HOLD high so if you can hold, one bullet that is 5" flatter then the other is not important at all. I just hold the 5" more.

I have been using 270s since 1968. I have used many many many other rounds in the years from then to now. Some have impressed me and others are just "another round". Most of those "other rounds" have now been sold or traded off. Nothing wrong with them, but nothing that wasn't done as well (or better) by some other cartridge I had already.

I still own some 270s however.

Can't imagine anything that I'll ever shoot that a 150gr NP at 3000 wouldn't handle. Combine that with my general preference for older rifles, and the WCF is the obvious choice for me. Also can't see any advantage to pushing Sierras faster than the WCF will. If the rifles are generally comparable in condition and grade, I'd take the standard, though I'm not a Savage guy so wouldn't really be interested in either unless the price was very good.

Love my .270 WSM. Mine shoots 140 grain GameKings and 140 grain Accubonds so well that I’ve never tried anything else. I load both over IMR-4350. Performance on game has been great. This rifle is bad azz and I have a ton of confidence when hunting with it.

I’m in the WSM camp... have 3 270wsm’s and 3 7wsm’s. I’ve been pleased with accuracy and performance, and prefer the short action. 24” barrels are just about perfect to me, though shorter is better at times.

Bottom line though... all comes down to personal preference!

I had Montanas in both, sold both, and wish I still had the 270 Win

Don't forget...if the 270 Win is gay then the 270 WSM must be flamboyant.

Dan

Great responses !!
I had a Rem 700 .270 Win. I bought in 1967. Super accurate right up to the end, which was only one week ago. Got a lot of deer with that gun in NY, and Pa.
I lent it to a neighbor for this deer season (I know, I know, BIG mistake, but it really wasn't all his fault), and lets just say I no longer have a .270 !!

Yes, I learned a lesson !! Don't EVER lend out a gun, unless you really hate that gun.

I'm kinda leaning towards the WSM, but I don't know. I may get the new Savage WSM from my buddy,
and in the mean time save up for a Super Grade Winchester Mod.70. which is what I'd really like to have.
It's going to be hard to live without a .270 Win. !!




I know what your saying, I have a Mod.70 30gov't06 Carbine with a barrel dated 1936. It's stocked by Al Biesen ...
This gun has soul !! The stories it could tell... I shot two Mule deer at 400, and 425 yds. with it. It's been in my family since new.

84L Classic , Guy bought it never shot it and returned it to the store 799 , very very tough to pass that up

So often when the discussion of magnum vs a standard cartridge in the same caliber comes around, the barrels lengths are ignored. Equal barrel lengths tends to make velocities pretty close between the two.

And I wouldn't want to shoot a 270WSM with a 22" bbl. My experience with other magnums that have had their bbls shortened is muzzle blast can be a bit ferocious.

A long time ago I had a client with a Mark V in 300 Wthby with the bbl cut to 20". When he shot it was kinda' like a Top Fuel motor blipping the throttle. I thought the Pinion tree we were under was gonna fall.........

PM Sent

I have both, in 270 WSM a Sako Tecomate and a 75 Grey Wolf. The Tecomate shoots bugholes with just about everything I feed it (150 and 130 Berger VLD's , 140 Nosler Accubinds and 150 Nosler Partitions). I shot a bull elk at 300 yards with this rifle (150 Partitions) and it died quickly. I haven't shot the Grey Wolf much, it's built like a tank. In 270 Win, I own a Sako A7S and a SS Browning A-Bolt. The Sako shoots bugholes also, I shot a Kudu and Gemsbok in RSA with it and 156 grain Sako Hammerheads, both animals dropped and needed a finisher (bullet failure, core jacket separation). The Browning shoots OK, I like it a lot. My father has the same rifle and 140 Hornady Interlocks touch at 100 yards. So like others, I like both rounds and it's a toss up. I've seen a ton of whitetails killed the the 270 Win and 130 grain bullets. Hunting in the east, 270 Win, hunting out west, 270 WSM. Good luck!

270

I think that is a good way to put it.

The 270 win served Grandpa and Dad well. I've used a 270 for almost 50 years without complaint. The 270 WSM is quite popular here the guys that have them like them as well. Like a lot of rifle decisions it's personal preference

The short action on the WSM is nice. The feeding and brass/ammo cost on the WCF is nice. Can't go wrong with either.

A vote for The Original....

I’m glad someone remembered that aspect! LOL! The WSM might be the Liberace of the short mags 😂

I have all three, I like all of them, but the WSM is my favorite.

I have both, and I prefer the 270 WSM over the .270 Win. I am a .280 Rem. fan, but the .270 WSM really got my attention when they came out and we lived in MT at the time, so it was the perfect deer/antelope gun. The .270 Win. I have, the wife won it, and the oldest has claimed it as his. As soon as he graduates college and is out on his own, I hope he takes the .270 Win. and I never own another one. Nothing wrong with it, I just prefer the .270 WSM, and .280 Rem.

At 500 yards and them some whats the difference, none. Would rather tote and shoot a 22" barreled 270 Win myself.

270 win gets my vote.

This is the shot from my stand. I may have to compute my “Hold Under” with the gun.



I went over to my friends house today, and picked up the WSM.
Stopped at Cabela’s, and picked up 3 boxes 130, and 150 Fusions to try out the gun.

This my 270 WSM

Nice looking rifle and I think you made a great choice. Short action, less recoil and great shooting. I took my last shiras bull moose with my 270 wsm BLR and it dropped him in his tracks using 140 gr bonded bullets. The first kill with that same rifle was a coyote at 356 yds on the same moose hunt.
You'll have fun reloading for it and it won'r beat you up shooting it.
Put a decent 3-12x scope on it.

270 Winchester. Factory ammo is plentiful and cheaper than the short mag. I can easily load 150 grain bullets to 3000 fps.

I like the 140 Accubond bullet.

What are you using to easily get 3000fps with a 150gr bullet out of a 270 win?

.........................Can't get both of 'em?..............Well if you can only buy one of them, then fondle, play and shoulder both to see which one feels the best to you. Then whichever one does should get your nod to buy. Both are excellent imo.

I either read or saw a video somewhere, that for every 400 fps in MV gained, then the approx gain downrange in terms of retained energy and velocity is 100 yards. Good to know I suppose when comparing two cartridges of equal diameter bullets. So that would be what; about 40-50 yards closer to the game for the 270 Win vs the 270 WSM?

Go with what feels and looks the best to ya.

..............................I am guessing that Louie is probably using some RL26??........Supposed to tweak the velocity up in the 270 Winny using the 130s and 150s so I read.

I use Norma MRP, but RL26 does it also. I think MRP is more accurate. I hate that 22" barrel on my Ruger M77.
Much rather shoot my Vanguard 270Win or my Sako A7 270 Win.

I think there’s magic dust in rl26, it seems to tweak the velocity in just about every cartridge from a 6.5 Creedmoor to a 300 wsm

59grains of R26.

Going with the no picture, it never happened rule,
Here’s the WSM. it came with a Simmons 3-9 on it, but I have a Leupold 4 -10 I will Be using on it. Wind chill was 14*f today, so it may be a while before I get to try it out.

......................Aaaah Haaaa...........I was right......RL26........LOL

As others say MRP will get you there as well as MagPro. I'm getting 2980 fps with 150 grain bullets with 61 grains of MagPro in my M70 EW, that's close enough to 3000 for me. I haven't tried R26, maybe when my stash of MagPro runs out.

Wonder what a WSM could/would do with Magpro, R26, etc.

I am getting a tick under 3200 with 150 Partitions in my 24" 270 WSM using RL26.

So would it be safe to say you can expect a 200fps gain with a 270 wsm over a 270 win?

I'd say 100-150. I have two 270 Win's with 22" barrels and my 270 WSM with a 24" barrel. The 150 Partitions are getting a few FPS under 3200 from the WSM and the 22" Tikka 270 is doing about 3030 with the 150 Nosler's. So I'd guess with the 2" less barrel the amount is 100-150 FPS... That's all guns using the same lot of RL26 as well.

Check out Nosler's reloading data. Their Magpro loads are their fastest in most bullet weights. 130g Accubond listed at 3389fps. I haven't chroni'ed this load in mine but it groups well under 1" in my Sako A7S Tecomate.

I'd rather have a 22" 22 Kreedmire,spitting 88's at 3250fps.

And do.

Hint........................