why did Winchester choose the 264 over the 270 in 1958, when they where coming up with a new magnum cartridge?

I read it somewhere, but can't remember anymore. I am curious too though. Maybe because the 270 WBY was already out.

but the average hunter couldn't afford a Weatherby rifle unless you had a lot's of money. the 270 win was such a hit why not the mag case, would have been the super plains rifle in the rifle man's rifle!

Because they were smart.

Maybe Win believed that a .270 Magnum would cut into the sales of their very successful original .270?

Anybody's guess, but the widest selection of calibers gives the customers the most choices. They seemed to have a good "feel" for the desires of their consumers, commercializing the .308, developing their .243, .300 Win Mag, .358, .284, .458, .307, .225, etc. in the post-war atmosphere clear up to the mid-seventies. (My dates may be off a little, but you get the drift.) They cast a wide net for riflemen especially.

I recall reading in some outdoor magazine at the time, that Winchester engineers thought it was the natural progression
To smaller diameter and higher velocities. 30/06 to 270 to 264WM.

Besides that it “made a hellofa noise and packed a hellofa wallop!”

It still does.

And the 264 is not GAY!!!!!

.264 is a 6.5 mm ( European sounding) and they wanted something new , fresh and from North America. Good choice then and now, imo and my guess

That .264WM is OUTstanding...

Think a better question is,why did Winchester choose the .264 over the 7mm?

the 264 wm is dripping with testosterone I've had quite a few of them, only the 6.5 creedgaymoore is gay and not the 270 Winchester! sorry couldn't help myself

Yup!

I remember when it hit the market.. Shortly after, I bought a Westerner , dies, ammo, rifle case for $125.. Let slip though my fingers at the suggestion of an older “pal”, when I traded it he went down to the gun shop and bought it the next day!!!

Don't know why they did,but I'm glad they did. Cool factor to spare.

People were looking at the great aerodynamics of 6.5 MM bullets even back then. It was a leap of faith to go to the traditionally foreign .264 diameter ....

I remember it well. They wanted to get something that performed better than anything yet introduced for long range hunting.
With the factory 26 inch barrel and the factory two diameter bullet, it worked. The long, 140 gr., high BC bullet both bucked wind better and expanded better at low impact velocities which made it work better. Remember, back then, one didn't dial in a long shot. You "eye balled" the range, or used a crude range finding reticle and held over.
Most "long range shooters" of the day, opened fire and then kept shooting until the buck was down. Today, of course, we have different equipment, etc.
But then the 7mm Remington Magnum came out with better paper ballistics. Rifles made for the .264 were being made with 24 inch barrels which many found were not any faster than the standard .270 Win. loads.
The .264 almost disappeared as a factory offering.
I find it interesting that today's most popular loads for long range hunting are 6.5 mm's. The hottest and most sought after, like the 6.5 GAP have ballistics much like the old .264. E

I like my 264’s. All have 26” barrels.