I have a brand new unfired New Haven built Winchester 70 Stainless Classic in 270 WSM. The rifle has a black synthetic stock with grey inserts. I love the light weight of this rifle and the ballistics of the 270 WSM are very impressive!

However, being one who loves to trade rifles, should I test the trade market in the Classified section to trade it for another unfired rifle in 270 Win, 280, 30-06, 308, 7mm-08?

Or should I keep this one?

I've seen some great groups from some of you who shoot the 270 WSM. Down the road I could install a custom barrel if needed. If so, who makes the best .277 stainless featherweight contour barrels? Hart, Shilen, Lilja, Pac Nor?

Trust me on this one, keep it and shoot it, it will grow on you.

I am a died in the wool Remington fan and never much cared for the 270 Winchester. However, I won a Winchester Model 70 Super Shadow Camo (or whatever they call it) chambered in 270 WSM at a dinner one night and it has become one of my favorite rifles.

The rifle functions well, is light weight, shoots lights out, and just continues to impress me. For the performance it gives the recoil is non existant.

Try it, you will like it!

trade it.

A properly loaded 270 winchester will be within 100-150fps of the 270WSM. No deer or elk at any range will EVER know the difference. WSM ammo is EXPENSIVE and MUCH harder to find, cases are harder to get, and the guns don't feed and function nearly as well as a standard chambered gun does.

With the on going ammo issues, it may not be too long before ammo and brass for all the WSM become a once a year production item.

A while ago I was determined to get away from my 270 wsm. Finally took it hunting a few times and the performance of 130 gr barnes ttsx going at wsm velocities was nothing but impressive on a few deer and hogs. Its now my go to rifle and I would not hesitate to shoot anything in north america except a big bear with it. Just my personal experience.

My Son in Law has one stainless ,plastic factory stock with the
Gray grippers.
He picked it up over in B`HAM Alabama for $450 out the door.
I gave him a OLD Leupold 3-9x33 for it.
He has killed alot of Deer with it.
Ammo a little pricey but he would not part with it now!
Dang gun shoots EVERY THING well that he has tried so far.
AMRA

Noting wrong with it if you like the WSM....good open country cartridge. and it is faster than a 270 Winchester even if only by that 100-150 fps as mentioned.

The contour on those WSM barrels is not a FW contour, though....it's a sporter contour in a FW stock,so the barrels ARE heavier than those on a FW chambered for 270 Winchester.

I love mine in a Featherweight model. It shoots very well with only an adjustment to the trigger.

The 270 WSM is one of my favorites!
140 berger kills deer DRT

So will Athlete's Foot....

Trip it to some sucker and replace with 7RM. Repeat as necessary....

Dad has an A-Bolt .270WSM so I can't really comment on the platform (other than to say his is accurate, feeds fine, and I like it).
I will say his likes 130 Ballistic Tips and Partitions over 65.5 grn. (IIRC) RL-22. To the tune of 3150fps. Could run a little faster but groups run 1/2-3/4", so I've not bothered dinking with it further.
We've not run it at long range (I shot a 'yote at 225 yards and Dad whacked a deer chasing dog at around 300, both DRT, that's as far as it's been pointed) but 400 yards will be farther than Dad will ever shoot it.
More high BC bullets are available for 7mm if you're gunning way out there, that said, the 5 or so deer that have been shot with Dad's out to 150 yards, have not crawled back out of the freezer on that account.....
Scope it well and hunt it. I think you'll like the cartridge (can't speak for the rifle), if you don't, keep the scope and send the rifle down the road.

I'd rather a plain Jane 270 or a 280(possibly AI)

I've shot a 270wsm, was a bit snappier than the 270 I had, helped track and gut a deer my buddy killed with that rifle. Performed just fine, just not really my cup of tea. Too many things like hard to find brass and what not would make me lean more towards the 270 or 280AI if I really wanted the extra speed.

Or go ahead and get the ULTIMATE !
A 270 WBY MAG.

I bought mine but have to agree with all of the rest......

My .270 WSM pushes 130 gr. Nosler E-Tips along at 3350 fps- fast, accurate, and easy to load. Nothing not to like here.

The 270,7mm, and 300 WSM are all excellent chamberings. They shoot as well as anything, give 200-400 fps more speed than their 270, 280, or 30-06 equivalents with only a very slight increase in recoil. Ammo availibilty and price are non-issues now. That may have been an issue a decade ago.

Remember these rounds have only been on the market for 13 years. It takes time for new rounds to catch on. After 25 years Winchester almost dropped the 270 because sales were so slow. All of these 3 WSM's have sold more in 13 years than most any new chambering did in their first 13 years. In another generation they will replace the standard belted magnum rounds as top magnum sellers and will make a large dent in traditional 30-06 based rounds popularity.

Clocked more than one 270win thru a chrony at 3150+ fps with 130gr Ballistic tips.

There honestly is no advantage to the WSM over the veteren 270. there are more negatives with the WSM than positives.

I'm curious how 200fps isn't an advantage.

Tanner

Agree, Tanner- flatter trajectory is a bonus, but the real winner is greater downrange energy, which is significant.
At 6000' elevation, my E-Tip load is still carrying a hair over 2000 ft. lb. of energy at 400 yards.
Try that in an ordinary .270.......

I appreciate the comments from both sides.....keep them coming.

You mention handloaded 270W getting within 100fps? If you want to run the ragged edge and think there is some sort of free lunch then have at it. As well, you complain about factory ammo costs in the same post? Makes no sense. A handloader couldn't give a schit less about the cost of factory ammo. Have you owned a Winchester in WSM? If not, then I think your unqualified internet research of the rounds not chambering well is just plain BS. One thing this "ammo issue", as you put it, has taught me is to not have all my eggs in the popular chamberings category. You walk into Wally World and the shelves are bare of 308, 223, etc but there always seems to be a WSM, WM or other not-so-popular loading available. Serious face palm.

My 270 WSM makes me consider becoming a one gun guy every time I shoot something with it. Mine shoots 140 Accubonds into nice little groups and makes a great all around gun in a fairly light/short platform.

Mine too! It tends to shoot most weights fairly close together also.

Mike

Ditto. 7 mag guys [bleep] in their pants over 150 FPS difference between it and 280. But the 270 WSM is a piece of chit, no better than a plain old 270...

I hear the 7mm guys wear a beret when hunting to match their European counterparts.

I have a 1961 model 70 fwt in 270 win and a new haven mod 70 fwt in 270 wsm. I'm shooting 129 lrx's at 3300 fps out of the wsm and 130 tsx's out of the 270 win at 3050 fps. Both are extremely accurate and I love them both. I would keep it.

I have a Weatherby Vanguard Sub MOA in 270 WSM. I shoot Hornady 140 gr. SST's at 3175 fps. I'm very impressed with it's performance on whitetail deer at 200-250yds so far. I've also used 130 gr Nosler BT's and 140 gr Hornady Interlocks. They all work well in the rifle but it seems to prefer the 140's.

I'd keep your 270 WSM and shoot it till you get tired of it...you may not.

Dan

check any reloading manual, and you will see there is hardly enough difference to warrant the extra cost of the WSM.

don't know where you live, but the only place you can get any WSM ammo is a gun shop around here. 270 and 30-06 have always been on the Walmart/ dicks shelves.

run the numbers thru a ballistic program.

top speed from a 270WSM with a 130gr hornady SST and a BC of 460 , 3200fps using between 65.6grs and 69.1 grs of three different powders

top speed from 270 win with the same bullet, 3100fh 4 different powders ranging from 59.4-62.0grs

Noslers #4 list 3100+ for top speed in the 270win

Hodgdons 2011 annual list 3273fps the top speed for the WSM and a 130gr Hornady SP

same bullet from the 270 win reaches 3085fps

Lymann #49 list the WSM with a top velocity of 3302fps with the 130gr speer GSSP.

the 130gr Sierra gameking gets 3173fps from the 270

when using the hornady data, the 270WSM has a MPBR of 351yds when shooting at an 8" target

the 270win has a MPBR of 341yds.

Does that sound like a BFD? a 10yd difference warrants the added expense and hassle of the WSM?

get a clue.

I've been reloading for over 30 yrs and been doing about 50 different calibers at various times. I speak from experience.

How fast can you shoot 165 Matrixes through a 270 Win? I pushed them around 3,000 out of a WSM, with a lot of breathing room.

You can quote all the book bullshit you want, but if you're only seeing 100fps difference between the 2, you're loading one to the gills, and leaving a lot on the table with the other.

I've owned and shot both. I agree with you that the practical, "in the field" differences are pretty minimal. But to discount the WSM as having "no advantage" over the Winchester case makes very little sense.

Tanner

At the end of the day I suppose it is a difference in philosophy. If I meet a couple girls that are ready to rock I'm not looking to get rid of one of them, I'll take them both. It doesn't need to be one or the other. It isn't too much extra "work" to take care of them both......YMMV

Who cares? been reloading longer, own both, keep the wsm.

Perhaps I missed it, but how much experience do you have running a .270 WSM?

If you like the rifle, keep it. Chambering is secondary IMO.

It has better ballistics than any of the other cartridges you listed. IF that is important to you.

I would happily use any of the cartridges you listed, plus the WSM hunting as long as I liked the rifle.

+1 Good Advice

If you like your rifle, you can keep it- Period.
If you like the ammunition you shoot through your rifle, you can also keep it-Period.

Oh, wait- if you like your rifle, you can keep it, as long as it was made before the .270 WSM, and is not considered by 24HC to be an inferior rifle. If your rifle is cancelled, you will have the opportunity to buy a better rifle, at a lower price, under this plan.

+1

I shoot 130's out of my 22" .270 at 3,050 fps and 130's out of my 24" WSM at 3,265 fps I can push both barrels faster but that is where the accuracy is.

Nothing earth shattering but faster is faster.

Mike

I also own both.

My 270 WSM is a Sako 75 with 24 inch barrel. It will run 130's 3250ish with both IMR4350 or RL17 with published load data. I have never gotten to 3300 fps with it with any published load data. It will also run 140's almost the exact same speed with published load data.

My 270 Win is Sako 85 with 22 7/16 inch barrel. With 60 grains of H4831 and 130 grain Accubond or BT it runs about 2970ish fps.

I know a lot of guys claim a lot more speed with the 270 win but mine wont do it with H4831.

Dink

DINK,

You have a famed "slow" barrel on you 85.

My go to testing loads for any new 270 I buy is 60gr H4831 over a 130gr Hornady Interlock, GMX or Barnes TSX/TTSX.

I had 22" Rem Mountain Rifle circa 1991 that would shoot the famed 60gr H4831 load in the low 2800's. Never knew that until I bought a chronograph. All the deer/antelope/elk did not seem to notice. I shot that barrel out and it's replacement is right up there where it should be.

Every 270 I have acquired since then will run those loads from the high 2900's to 3100's depending on barrel length and chamber differences. That is , when I bother to chrono the loads. Most of the time I find the load that shoots the best and go hunting.

I had to add it up and I've been reloading for 31 years. I say its a fine cartridge and you should keep it. Did I mention that 31 years is more than 30? Oh....and I almost forgot to say...I speak from experience. Does never shooting one count? I almost bought one last year but someone beat me to it.

Shod

Sure it does. This is Da Innanet. Everybody's an expurt.

Not a thing in the world wrong with a .270 Win.

But, given the extra juice of the WSM (not far off a .270 Wby) set in a short action, and the quality of actions out there to handle them, why not???

Figure I have one more rifle to buy before I'm done, and so far having a tough time talking myself out of the .270 WSM. Looks like a helluva performer in every aspect for NA game.

Certainly wouldn't give one up for a 7mm-08...not that there's anything wrong with that one, but just doesn't come anywhere close in ballistics.

FWIW

I don't know about of a lot of the arguments here. I think if you own both, and the WSM is 200 fps faster and it is accurate shoot it. Personally, I have never been to excited about 200 fps, as something to hang my hat upon, other than you can say I am faster. I have a 270 Win Sendero, that shoots around 3300fps, with IMR4831, and is a tack driver. But if the WSM floats your boat, that's what you ought to go with. As to reloading manual data, if you knew some of the loads I use, you'd chit. Data from the 70's that I have used since then and continue to use. Gotta work up your own loads, and then tell us what velocities you are getting, that carries some weight, IMO!

Jerry

When you get down to arguing 270win vs 270WSM or 30-06 vs 300WSM, it does indeed boil down to the rifle itself more than the chambering. That's how I wound up with a M7 in 7mmSAUM. Something 280AI-ish in a compact 22" mag-sporter contour rifle really sounded good to me.

I have to say that I am a fan of the 270 WSM. I bought one a few years back for my wife, and it has been a death ray on whitetails. I load 110 grain TTSX's and have been very pleased with the performance.


A standard 270 WCF might do almost as well, but I like having something a tad different.

I wouldn't mind having another 270 WSM.