270 Winchester vs. 7mm Remington Magnum

[MCgunner]

7mm Mag benefits from better bullet selection, but that big case, you won't find allows this kind of flexibility.

I own more rifles for my 7 mag. I don't really buy the "flexibility" thing. If I did much varmint hunting, I'd get a .22-250. I don't use the big boomer much, bought it when I thought I was going to get to go elk hunting and my only rifle at the time was a .257 Roberts (which is hard to beat on whitetail, and talk about soft on the shoulder!). Well, I since acquired a .308 which does 90 percent of my rifle hunting lately, love that thing. It'd do anything the .270 or the 7 will do and in a handier short action rifle.

 

[32winspl]

For me, I guess the decision would come down to whether or not I reloaded or was willing to. LOT better bullet selection for the 7mm... BUT you can buy 270 ammo at 7/11 (well, not quite, but just about anywhere).
I'm presuming here, but I'm probably a lot like you in that I spend a lot of time reading stats, energy tables, velocities and the like... heck, it's fun! Many people would tell me that I over-analyze things. But one thing I've learned is; Once you decide and plonk down your hard-earned cash, STOP LOOKING IMMEDIATELY because sure as hell, the very next day, you're going to spot the "perfect" rifle at the "perfect" price yammer yammer yammer.
I like reading reloading manuals. I might start out studying .22-250 stats, become even more intrigued by the .243's, and before I know it, I'm falling in love with the .378 Weatherby Mag. Then I go here, http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm and look at how quickly that thing is gonna try seperating me from my shoulder. ...and I start all over again.

 

[vmfrantz]

Sounds like you need a 30-06. Cheap ammo and a wide variety of differnt grain bullets.

 

[Deputy25]

My 7mm mag has served admirably for many years on all sorts of game. Very versatile cartridge.

 

[Firepower!]

NO comparison

7mm Rem Magnum. Hard hitting and longer distance. PLUS more guns available in it if you step of the US market- since 270 is primarily a US cartridge.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

I own more rifles for my 7 mag. I don't really buy the "flexibility" thing. If I did much varmint hunting, I'd get a .22-250.

Your preference doesn't say much here. I also have a .22-250, a .22-250AI, multiple .223(s), and a 6BR. I also still carry 90 or 110 Gr .270 loads in the field. Read of the flexibility as was described in Pet Loads by Ken Waters, and contribuited to by T. Whelen, I claim to be no authority.

Regardless, it'll be hard to find much to say positive about 7mm Mag and it's suitability and flexibility for shooting light varmint bullets. Check a few reloading manuals, try a few loads. For .270 Win, you'll also find varmint offerings in factory ammunition. For 7mm Rem Mag, see if you can even find a good reload.

And on the heavier end of things, run comparative ballistics, 7mm Rem Mag is just a hair over 100fps faster, and 1" less drop with a common zero at 300 yards. Longer than that, you'll still need to account for drop with either. The 7mm Mag just has a lot more cost, noise, recoil, and a belted case for little in return for less than 200 fps @500 years, (even given the 7mm Mag's higher BC), and 10 grains or so more weight. Insignificant in my book.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=PRA7MMRA*PRA270WA

I'll take the flexibility, over the cost and relatively insignificant increase in power.

I think both the math, and available references pretty much make my point. But like all decisions, make yours and live with the results.

 

[George Hill]

The only downside to buying a good 7MM Rem Mag, is that it becomes hard to justify the purchase of other rifles afterwards.
I looked at the .270 WSM, and other new hot calibers and compared that to what The Seven can do... I pass on buying a lot of other rifles now.
And I'm down to two loads. 154 SST Hornady for anything up to and including Mule Deer, 162 BTSP for anything bigger. With these two loads, it can hit and kill anything in the New World and 99% of everything else on the planet.
This makes The Seven very boring.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Well, I'm beginning to think a bigger number is considered better, and is the sole criteria for most. If you're gonna pick a bigger number, why not better ones like .375 H&H, .416 Rigby, or .50BMG

 

[thetoad45]

For the average hunter in the USA who hunts deer/black bear the .270 is very hard to argue with. It will handle the largest mule deer to the smallest Florida pee wee. I have seen the .270 Winchester handle Roosevelt elk with authority. I have two .270's and have a desire for nothing else.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Go with a winchester when you get a gun, best shooting out of the box,next would be remington

well, it IS his opinion..... Savage.

For an all around caliber.... 7 Mag. But I do prefer the .270 over the 7 mag.

You would probably do well to get the .270.

 

[nulfisin]

Why not go .30-06

The rounds or reloads are the same price as the .270. You get a little more power than the .270, but less recoil than the 7mm (and lower price). If you already own a quality .30-06, I'm not sure adding a .270 or 7mm is worth your while unless your budget is unlimited.

 

[trickyasafox]

I have a remington 700 adl in 270 that I absolutely love. Factory ammo is abundant, and the cartridge lends itself to reloading well. bullets in 130 or 150 gr varieties perform well on game and often used rifles can be found for a steal!

I saw a remington 710 in 270 with a cheaper scope on it today at the gun shop near me used for under 300 OTD.

 

[berettashotgun]

I used a 270 Ruger #1b for years with a handload 140gr bullet, it was and is an excellent combo for deer. Ask my youngest son...handed him my 270 when he thought he was getting the 243, didn't notice any difference from the stand until he looked at the case. He was 11 then.
At one time there were quite a few 270's around here, then my wife assumed ownership of a Tikka Stainless/laminated in 25-06, but - she still drinks out of her Sierra Club coffee mug she doesn't pull the trigger when hunting.
After buying a rem 700 with a Bell & Carlson carbalite stock in 7mm rem mag - I haven't used anything else with any regularity.
Both rounds worked exactly the same for me, but that stock on the Remington was the deal maker. The #1 in 7 mag has shot exactly one deer, but I think the stock design on most ruger rifles actually enhance recoil. That rifle doesn't get out much.
I'd say it is a toss up on these two calibers, but reloading cost ( you will reload....Right?) favors the 270 by a small margin; the fellow who posted above about the 7 not working well with lighter loads needs to give my brother a call - he is shooting some 120gr's out of a 7 RUM and hits a MOA target out to 700 yards at the range every time. He invested a ton of time (and money in accurizing a Sendero) in this endeavor just to prove me wrong about the light bullet inaccuracy problem with the various 7 Mag rounds.

 

[Maverick223]

Somebody clean up the cobwebs...a moth flew out of my computer when I opened this thread.

 

[Arkel23]

7mm rem mag is the better choice.

 

[Arbor]

7MM Mag allows you to shoot heavier bullets, and the .270 can shoot lighter bullets. There is plenty of overlap in the middle of course, performance is similar with the 7MM going a little bit faster with same bullet weight. Ammo is more expensive with the 7MM, and rifles are marginally heavier.


Ultimately it really doesn't matter for shooting deer and elk.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

your shoulder will like the .270 more and you will probably make a better shot.

 

[theken206]

vs .270 WSM vs .270 WBM?? :]

 

[AKElroy]

i have both, shoot both, hunt both, and prefer the 7 rem mag for no good reason.

Same here. As for recoil, I have shot them back to back from the bench, and that is the only way I can tell the 7mag thumps a little harder; from the stand or offhand, you would be hard pressed to feel the difference. All game I have harvested with either died when shot, so I call them even in the harvesting department. .270 ammo is much cheaper, more bullet selection for the 7mag, either could be my primary, they both get a lot of use. Either will carry killing energy as far as I am able to shoot.

 

[elktrout]

The 7mm Mag is still the darling of lots of Western hunters. I have never seen any actual numbers recently, but the westerners I know shoot 30-06s, 7mm mags, or 300 mags. But, comparing the 270 to the 7 mag, the 7 mag has the advantage, when needed, to shoot heavier bullets at really good velocities. If you intend to hunt elk with your rifle, go with the 7 mag.

 

[BENELLIMONTE]

I have owned multiple 270 Winchesters over the years. I have taken elk, moose and deer with 130grain, 140grain & 150 grain bullets including Barnes X, Nosler Partitions, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw & Speer Grand Slam. Ranges have been as short as 50yds to around 300yds or so. I don't think they would have been dispatched any quicker with a 7mm Remington mag. By the way I did own a 7mm mag 25yrs ago but I sold it with no hesitation.

 

[mike6567]

They are both great rounds. I would say the 7mag has a little more knock down power, especially at longer distances. Really just depends on what your going to hunt most with it. If your shooting mostly white tail then I'd go for the .270, but if your looking to more elk and moose then I'd go with the 7mag.

 

[IanS]

I've used a 270 win for 10 years now. I've never shot a 7mm but have heard they have a little more kick. I bought a Tikka T3 270 win about two years ago. When I bought it I had descided on 1 of 3 guns. 270, 7mm mag or a 300 win mag. They had blow out prices on a 270 win and a 338 win mag. I didn't want to dislocate my shoulder and spend $50/box on ammo so I bought the 270.

I have no regrets. I would confidently shoot a moose with mine.

 

[Art Eatman]

Necrothreadia of 18-month-old thread; OP questions answered.