.270 WSM -- Any fans here? Why?

[Laphroaig]

Throw in Midways shipping and handling and that $32.50 box suddenly becomes closer to $50.

 

[dvdcrr]

270 wsm is not hard to find around here, you might not always see your 130 gr. there might only be 150 gr. Or vice versa. But its around. I could care less what wal mart has or doesn't have in stock.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Walk out to my man cave and that $32.50 all of a sudden turns into about $13.

 

[Gordon]

two boxes of 20 Federal Premium 130 grain TSX lead free ammo has lasted me three years. That includes preseason range session, ( of 5 rounds ) where I have NOT had to adjust the scope , to verify scope before hunt. I only had one deer out of 6 require a second shot because it kept running with a jellied heart ! Longest shot 322 yards, closest shot 96 yards.Not magic, just technology.

 

[Bird Dog II]

I don't understand the "hard to find ammo" argument. I see 7mm WSM ammo available and nearly every gun store I go to. The Bass Pro in Columbia MO has 5 different factory loads available. Nearby Midway more than that. And that is the more obscure 7mm flavor. The 270 version is available everywhere.

 

[Savage99]

I bought a new M70 when the 270 WSM first came out. It's chamber was out of round.

The FL die sized the brass but it was not what I wanted.

Winchester overtightened the barrels and the large diameter chambers moved into the extractor slot.

 

[Abel]

Of course you can find all flavors of WSM ammo at a specialty store such as Midway. You can also buy 404 Jeffery, .458 lott, .450-400, .470NE, .500NE ETC ETC ETC from Midway.

The trick is finding a box of .270 WSM at your local Wal-Mart or mom and pop sporting goods store once you realize that you dropped your box of ammo out of the truck back home once 100 miles away on a hunting trip. Not a deal killer just something to think about with the more rare WSM offerings.

Midway USA isn't a specialty store; they sell all sorts of gun stuff.

I see 270WSM in every legit sporting goods retailer that I go to. Secure your ammo better so that it doesn't drop out of the truck and you won't have to worry about why the mom & pop gas station only stocks 25-35 and 30-30.

 

[2ndtimer]

At the moment, .270 WSM ammo is easier to find online than .243 Win ammo. It is a little pricey, but l load a box of 50 rounds and it will last for several years of hunting. I have been pleasantly surprised to find it in stock at a number of out of the way places that I never would have thought would have stocked it. As I said, not an issue for me, since I only shoot handloads for hunting, and I always bring more than enough. (and more than enough for the backup rifle, too!) I love my .270WSM and it is my primary hunting arm for deer and maybe antelope next year. I really like its short action and flat shooting, and my Model 70 Ultimate Shadow is easy to carry and comfortable to shoot both off the bench and in the field. My old Model 70 Super Shadow in .270 WSM killed a little too much paper off the bench and will eventually be rebarreled. And it will remain a .270 WSM, wouldn't even consider a different cartridge for it.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Midway USA isn't a specialty store; they sell all sorts of gun stuff.

Exsquueze me?

Midway might well sell all kinds of stuff but they sure as heck are specialty store when it comes to finding rare and unusual brass bullets and loaded ammo.

 

[Laphroaig]

Not to keep on beating a dead horse, but...:banghead:

Midway might list 26 270 WSM rounds, but 4 are actually in stock (2 Norma and 2 doubletap whatever that is), and one of those is on clearance with only 1 box remaining. The clearance price is $51 and shipping to my house is $18.64. The other 3 are even more expensive.

As many have pointed out, local stores usually carry it, but in my experience their selection is usually pretty limited. The most I've seen at any one store was 3 loads. I'm sure there is a ammo nirvana somewhere that carries more, but I haven't found it yet.

My point is that readers of this forum are probably pretty picky about the ammo they use in a high performance cartridge like the 270 WSM. If you had to rely on factory fodder, maybe test a couple or ten loads for accuracy etc., it would be quite expensive. When it came time to replace that specific brand and bullet, it might take some searching.

I'm just saying, this is a cartridge best left to handloaders.

Laphroaig

 

[Corn-Picker]

I'd agree that the 270 WSM is best for hand loaders. I'm not a hand loader (yet) and my armory consist of:

22 LR
12 gauge
223
308
30-06 (the only reason I have the 30-06 is that it was given to me).

That being said the 270 WSM does fill a real need (a high-power short-action 6.8mm rifle cartridge). Sometimes a cartridge seems to come out that offers nothing significant (e.g. 30 TC), but sometimes the new cartridges do offer something that's not been offered before (e.g. 270 WSM and 375 Ruger).

 

[dvdcrr]

I own a 270 wsm. The first time I needed ammo I went downtown and there was one kind in stock. Fed. 150 gr. The price was cheaper than weatherby ammo but higher than run of the mill 308 for example. So I took the stuff and sighted in and was getting just over 1" groups. I do reload. But if I didnt I could go down to the store and get a few boxes right now. Three boxes will get you through 4 or 5 years of hunting. If you dont reload it should make no difference in your decision making with this round.