Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .270 WSM vs 7mm-08

For deer sized game inside of 400yds.......which would you choose?

Either will work. If most of your shots would be under 300 yards I would pick the 7-08, if most would be over I would take the 270 WSM.

270 WSM.But would be just as happy with the 270 Winchester.

I have both and have killed with both..

7-08 will get you 3050 with a 120tsx with 45gr's of Powder..

270wsm will get you 3300 with a 130tsx with 65ish gr's of Powder..



The 45gr's of powder makes more sense to me, FWIW..

If your going to be shooting 400 yards then no doubt the 270WSM would out shine the 7mm-08. However the only rifle that I will use for deer from this day forward will be my 7mm-08. I've killed 150 deer in my life. The longest shot was 460 yards with a 243. It was the only shot I have ever taken over 400 yards. I can count on one hand the number of deer that I have killed past 200 yards.

What it boils down to is the terrain that you'll be hunting. If your out west then the Short Mag would serve you better. Anything else and the 7mm-08 is fine!

For conversation

A 120 TSX launched out of the 7-08 at 3050 will arrive at 400 yards at 2040 fps.

A 130 TSX launched out of the 270wsm at 3300 will arrive at 400 yards going 2419 fps.

I'd have no problem shooting a deer at 400 with either..

7mm-08 would be my choice of the two. Less powder, less recoil...same dead deer. Both will be more than adequate with any limiting factor being the shooter before the cartrige IMHO. Like most of the "caliber/cartridge versus another" threads its mostly plain ol' personal preference. Flip a coin or go with the caliber that comes in the rifle you like best and then shoot the hell out of it. If you dont reload, go with the one you can find easiest around town or cheapest if cost is a factor. If you do reload, doesnt matter much besides the additional powder the WSM case can hold and brass is a little more spendy. Either way, cant really go wrong, two good choices. Cheers.

JW

I'm a 270 slut, so 270 WSM.

out here shots can be quie rangey......I will vote 270

Neither.........JMHO but when we do these comparisons, it's easy to see why the 270 Winchester has held sway in sales and general use in this category for so many years;and why neither the 7/08 nor the 270 WSM approach it for popularity.

It burns less powder,makes less noise,can be made in lighter rifles,and recoils less than the WSM variety while giving up little in velocity;and does this in 22" barrels on rifles easy to shoot.

It gives more velocity,and shoots flatter with a wider range of loads than a 7/08,while recoiling only a hair more.In the end it fits squarely between the two,and is very difficult to improve upon;ditto for the 280 Rem.Neither come in short actions but that is neither here nor there from a practical standpoint.JMHO and YMMV.

There is about "zero" difference in terminal effect from any of the three cartridges.

the these days my decision would be influenced by how easily I could find loaded ammunition and that some of it was available for less than $40.00 a box of 20.

I'd go with the 7-08 of the two choices given.
For yourself, you can load full steam ahead and get lots of critters.
For smaller folk's, you can back off the steam and get lots of critters.
If you shoot alot, then you can shoot a bunch more for your money.
More recoil friendly {you'll shoot it better}
If you reload, brass can be sized from other brass.
The list goes on Brutha.....

I'd do like Bob. Getcha a .270 win, if I had a third choice.

Actually, you would be far cooler shooting a 7x57.

You'd grow more hair, have a slimmer figure, be much more knowledgeable about firearms, and you'd have the instant respect of your shooting companions.

On the down side, it's possible that you might develop an affinity for single-barrel bourbons, but that's not all bad...

FC

Thats not been my experience - firing the 270wsm alongside the 270 win I found the 270wsm to be considerably more pleasant on the ears - giving more of a "boom" whilst the 270win was more of a most unpleasant "crack".

I will take the 270wsm +200fps every day of the week.......just that little bit flatter..!!

I like the results of my 7mm-08 with 120 gr bullets so much that I just can't imagine using another cartridge/bullet combination for deer. I don't kill large numbers of deer, but the ones I've taken with that combination over the last few years have died so quickly that I still have difficulty believing it.

I LIKE a cartridge that kills so well with a minimum of recoil, noise and that doesn't burn a lot of power to do it. This works so well for me, I won't change. If I did, I'd probably go to a 260 Remington ....

A good jug of Grey Goose can help the "Booming and Cracking" in yo earzz. Ain't nothing unpleasant bout da .270 win. You may get the next Nobel Prize.

Like recoil and politics, I guess noise level is between the ears........still trying to wrap my head around how burning more powder is quieter....but I been fooled before

Under 400 yds, deer-only, 7-08.

Neat cartridge, plain and simple.

To quote another poster from another forum.

Where is the best place to get a steak dinner? is�you really want pork chops.

Well I'll take the steak dinner... 270 Win. The 270 WSM is just a fancier restaurant, but the same steak. A 7mm-08, although good, is not the same quality steak no matter the restaurant.

You can load a 270 WSM to 270 Win levels, but a 7mm-08 will never make it to a 270 Win. Like I posted before I'm a 270 slut.

Just stirring the pot a little, all in good fun.

260 topped w/130 NABs.....but I could live with a 7/08

270 is good, very, but I see nothing it does better for MY hunting than the above two. The WSM will outrange them all if your shooting 400+ and are ok w/blast, recoil, etc.