Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tell me the pro's & con's of WSM calibers.

I'm getting the itch for another caliber I've never shot before. Been looking at some WSM calibers in my ancient Nosler & Hornady Manuals, but have no one locally to ask about their opinions, and thinking about a 270WSM or ? for a walk about shooter. Tried a Wby SS 7Rmg once upon a time and sold it 'cause it weighed a lot more than I was comfortable with. Most of my magnum experience was with an early M70 SS 300WinMg, that I never should have sold. Snooze Ya Looze.
Ron

Seen any ammo? Seen any brass?

I used a M70 in .325 WSM for years as my primary hunting rifle the only possible downside was only having 3 cartridges under the bolt.

I think a .270 or 7mm would be a delightful walking rifle.

Haven't looked , but Scheel's just north of Dallas is supposed to have some ammo not found elsewhere. I am about 150+ miles south of that store and never been in it.
Ron

Haven't looked , but Scheel's just north of Dallas is supposed to have some ammo not found elsewhere. I am about 150+ miles south of that store and never been in it.
Ron

Brass can be found, if you have the itch go for it. The 6.5 PRC is basically a WSM light, it’s popular enough brass and ammo should be able to be found.

I'd put it on hold until you are sure that brass availability in the future won't be a problem. Unless you can get .270 WSM brass easily in the future, I'd also not go 6.8 Western either as a matter of principle or any of the WSM-type cases.

I've got a 325WSM but the 300WSM would probably be more versatile. I had to make a new reloading case holder as a result of the fat cases.

I got it several years ago before the case shortage and have a bag of unused virgin brass for it. I'm still using range pickup brass that I found in a bin there - was almost 2 full boxes worth, and it was in 300WSM (converts easily to 325WSM). I keep abandoned brass either for use myself or future bartering, the later being the case for the found brass (I found that brass years before I bought the 325WSM).

I have had 270, 7mm, 300 wsm and still have 2 270 wsm. I mainly like the wsm in lighter rifles and to me recoil got up there with a 300 wsm in something like a Kimber Montana. Not looked for factory ammo in long while for any but never had issues finding brass for 270 wsm and 300 wsm. The 300 was the 6.5 creedmoor or close to it of a few years ago and the 270 wsm is decently popular but the 7mm wsm never caught on. In any case the 300 and 270 have enough rifles about that ammo availabiltiy should not be a problem at least when makers do their seasonal runs of next tier popular stuff. They are all excellent cartridges that are accurate and easy to load for in my experience. None of them are fast twist of the day but all possess considerably more horse power than say a 6.5 prc until get way out there. Not knocking the 6.5 prc it is just good bit less powder so takes longer to catch uo even with higher bc bullets. So, I prefer the 270 wsm for my purposes in that general power range and bullets I like to use for hunting. Not sure why Riflehunter doesn’t like the 6.8 W but that is another good option. Mine is sub half moa with 165 and 175 factory ammo. Brass and ammo easily available these days and rifles so long as you are ok with Win or Browning or a custom. Others not picked it up yet but it’s just out so expect others will

Lou

Back in my Golden Years aka Repping & Hunting as a guest with more than a few invites every year I got to see and shoot lots of different rifles as a guest. I wound up with a pair of rifles in my "Go Bag" that winnowed down to shooters that I could find ammo almost anywhere. So I understand the importance of having easy access to brass and ammo.

My 270's were the everyday workhorse, and were paired with a 300WMg, instead of a 30'06 or 7Rmg . Near the end of my Gun Bidnizz Years I started shooting a 7Rmg instead of the 300WMg with a 2nd shooter in something with lighter recoil like a 260 so's I could work with a host's wife or children.

Picked up an outstanding piece of wood Tikka T3 6.5x55 couple years ago and still have not hunted with it, but it does shoot factory ammo about like I expected it would...just too pretty to get dirty & wet. Swapped a Swede T3 composite that I could not tolerate recoil with my bum shoulder, after they'd it left full of bone spurs after a major surgery....VA finally fixed my shoulder 2+years ago.
Ron

7WSM, best of the bunch..

Not only that, but they have feeding issues sometimes. The shoulder angle is not conducive to great feeding. Plus they don't hold as much as a comparable standard cartridge. You are at a loss, but if are ok with it, then go ahead..

Just say'n that we shouldn't support the new offerings (eg 6.8 Western) if the ammo companies don't keep supporting the old offerings (eg .270WSM).

That's what I don't get. Dang ammo manufactures and rifle manufactures wanting to bring out new schidt, and not support what they already have. That screws us in the end. They don't want to produce brass for cartridges like the 7wms and 270wsm, but bring out a new cartridge like the 6.8 western???

I bought a M70 WSM and had it converted to a 6.5SAUM 4S, then sold it... I regret that and may do the same again.

Buy the ammo and/or brass 1st and lots of it before buying a rifle.

Neighbor had a 270 wsm that jammed. I looked it over to help him fix it. This is what I found, slow cycling it:

Last round didn't have enough spring tension.

When you racked the bolt home slowly, the rebated rim was barely touching the bolt face.

As the bolt continued forward, the cartridge began its way up the feed ramp.

As the sharp cartridge shoulder hit the feed ramp, the angle was too steep and the bolt face would slip right over the rebated rim.

I stretched out the follower spring and all was well.

No thanks to a fat, short action cartridge with a rebated rim.

I have had all four of the WSM’s, still have a 270, 7mm and 325. All in Model 70’s, two Classics and one FN. never had a bobble feeding or anything else. I think they’re excellent cases and work great for me. I think CRF does help them and making sure the mag spring has enough push as well. Otherwise they work fine.

I wish you could buy the brass without the rebated rim. I'd gladly open up the bolt-face slightly...like I did for the 7mm Dakota cases.

I have a 270 wsm and love it. It’s a tikka t3 and is my primary hunting rifle. I’m sure that the feeding issues can be a very real problem with many other rifles out there but that has not been the case with the tikka. I believe it probably has something to do with the single stack detachable magazine. Mine feeds wonderfully from all of my magazines (both factory and aftermarket)

I haven’t found ammo or brass to be a problem to find. Federal gold medal match primers I prefer are another story!