Your experience with the 270 WSM

[Peakbagger46]

I am looking to get a new hunting rifle and am considering the 270 WSM. Looks like this round is falling out of popularity, but that is not a big concern as I will be reloading for it.

How is recoil compaired to a regular 270? Case life and expected barrel life? Accuracy?

Forgot to add, I have considered the 270 but really like a short action.

This rifle will be for elk and mulies in rather open country.

 

[dscottdennison]

You will not be dissapointed in any of the areas you mention, especially if you are reloading. Falling out of popularity?! Most hunting rifle manufacturers are hurrying to include a WSM loading in their lines. The "off the shelf" price of ammo is high, though, and that makes the average Joe think twice.

How much it will beat up your shoulder depends on a few things. A good butt pad will make a world of difference, for example, but that is the same with any other rifle.

I can only speak for the accuracy of the 300 WSM. It has set 1000 yard records with 10 rounds under 3" at that range. The 270 WSM is just a necked down 300 WSM. If you are hunting in open country for elk and mule deer, have you considered the 300 WSM?

You will have plenty of case life in a bolt action that is easy on brass. Barrel life should not make or break your decision over anything else either. It will depend on a lot of variables, but you are talking about a hunting rifle, not a 1000 yard rifle where 1/4 MOA difference over 1000 shots matters.

 

[Kachok]

The 270 WSM is a fantastic round, don't worry about it going away, they are growing in popularity by leaps and bounds around here, + all major manufatures now chamber rifles in it. I replaced my 8lbs 26" barrel 7mm rem mag with a compact 6lbs Savage because it shoots flatter/more accurate with LESS recoil then the heavy 7mm rem mag. Naysayes have been predicting the demise of the WSMs since 2001, and yet they have not only survived but have consistantly become more and more popular, you now can find a nice variety of 270 WSM ammo in any po dunk walmart.

 

[68wj]

The 270 WSM is a fantastic round, don't worry about it going away, they are growing in popularity by leaps and bounds around here, + all major manufatures now chamber rifles in it. I replaced my 8lbs 26" barrel 7mm rem mag with a compact 6lbs Savage because it shoots flatter/more accurate with LESS recoil then the heavy 7mm rem mag. Naysayes have been predicting the demise of the WSMs since 2001, and yet they have not only survived but have consistantly become more and more popular, you now can find a nice variety of 270 WSM ammo in any po dunk walmart.

OP, don't listen to him, he sold his!

 

[Kachok]

OP, don't listen to him, he sold his!

I am only selling it because a good friend fell in love with it. + I want a T3 or X-bolt 270WSM in stainless

 

[Peakbagger46]

Sounds like it may be a good choice. The rifle I'm looking at is a used a-bolt stainless with a burris 3-9 mounted on it for $600.

 

[Gtscotty]

I've got a Tikka hunter in 270 WSM that I picked up because it was a good deal and I had been curious about the 270 WSM for a while. My WSM has really grown on me, its a joy to shoot at the range largely because everything I have fed it thus far has shot so superbly. From what I've read on the forums, it seems that I'm not the only one that has experienced excellent accuracy with this cartridge. I'm only on the 3rd or so reload on my brass, but it looks fine thus far, I haven't found any problems yet.

As for recoil, the Tikka hunter is not quite as light as the T3 lite, maybe 7 lbs sans scope, but, with the limbsaver that came on the rifle it really is a joy to shoot. I can fire 25-30 hot loads in a range trip and be no worse for wear. I will say that the 270 WSM has a good bit of muzzle blast, so you might want to double up on hearing protection... I have noticed several range trips where I started shooting on a full range and finished on an empty one.... It kind of made me wonder if the muzzle blast was driving off some of the folks with less substantial hearing protection.

I bought my WSM to be my dedicated "long range rifle", but wouldn't you know it, the only deer I've shot with it thus far was one I spooked up about 30 yds away... Which brings me to my last point, if you get a 270 WSM be sure to use good bullets. I was using standard speer cup and core bullets when I shot that deer, and while things turned out very well, the wound made it clear that a tougher bullet was in order. I've since picked up some 140 gr Accubonds (they seem to have a great web-reputation) but have not had a chance to try them out yet.

Just to sum it up, while I wouldn't have a 270 WSM as my only rifle (for ammo availability and commonality reasons), I can easily see it becoming my favorite hunting rifle.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Thanks scotty. I was planning on using tough bullets. I actually shot my deer this last year (.308) with an accubond and was very pleased on how it held together and didn't destroy meat.

 

[Kachok]

I will second the 140 Accubond, tough and accurate, I was supprised that the 130 BTs also had through and through performance, though at close range they were messy.

 

[Craigman]

I love my A-bolt 270WSM. MOA from the bench and pulls up nice offhand. No shotson game yet but i did shoot a deer this past season with my .270WBY. Pretty close in balistics. I hunted with the WSM all season and no deer, finally one day I said Screw it! I'm taking the Weatherby!...

Nosler 140gn BT devasting on deer at close range. Shoulders GONE!

In short...pick a tough bullet as Kachok said

 

[jmr40]

Both the 300 and 270 WSM are steadily gaining in popularity now that folks are starting to understand their positive points. Either round is going to be with us for as long as anyone here is still alive.

 

[lizziedog1]

I see that Browning makes their BAR in this caliber.

Has anyone looked at this option?

It might be one heck of a combo.

 

[sage5907]

I was at Academy Sporting Goods a few days ago and happened to notice a box of Winchester 270 WSM ammo. The cost was $51 for 20 rounds. Common sense would tell you to buy a 270 Winchester. I make this point because my first deer rifle was a 270 Weatherby Magnum. I soon traded it for a 270 Winchester and was much happier. The magnum is loud, recoil is heavier, all the reloading components cost more, and if you want to sell the rifle a 270 Winchester is far easier to sell. BW

 

[Kachok]

$51 A BOX!! Don't shop their again, I can buy WSM ammo for half that, even premium ammo goes for $39 a box (same as 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag) I handlload so I don't pay anthing near that shoot.

 

[Omaney]

Every deer and hog I've shot with my Vanguard in 270 WSM has been DRT. I like mine.

 

[68wj]

This was the worst I could find at Academy: Winchester Supreme Elite .270 WSM for $50 while the same in .270 Win was $43. Their Ballistic Silver Tips were $40.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s...alogId=10051&langId=-1&N=858982010+4294963050

 

[Kachok]

This was the worst I could find at Academy: Winchester Supreme Elite .270 WSM for $50 while the same in .270 Win was $43. Their Ballistic Silver Tips were $40.

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s...alogId=10051&langId=-1&N=858982010+4294963050

I won't be shopping there anymore if their prices have shot up like that. I purchesed 270WSM 150gr fussions for $25 a box. Everywhere I have seen WSM ammo is the same price as 7mm rem mag and 300 win mag of the same brand.

 

[Gtscotty]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/437837/norma-ammunition-270-winchester-short-magnum-wsm-140-grain-barnes-triple-shock-x-bullet-lead-free-box-of-20

There you go, heck of a deal if you ask me

I was shocked to see that there were two reviews..... that means of course that at least two people actually bought a box of 270 WSM for $80.

I'm pretty sure you could buy a lee single stage press, components and dies for the price of two boxes. Anyway, there's no doubt that 270 WSM factory ammo is pricey, but If you reload, its really a moot point, brass isn't overly high, and .277 bullets can be found anywhere.

 

[Kachok]

With ammo prices going the way they are I don't see why any serious shooter would not spend the few bucks on a decent reloading press. If you factor in the extra price of WSM brass and the 5-10 extra grains of powder shooting my WSM costs just a few cents more then a standard caliber and a heck of alot less then factory loads. I will pay an extra nickle to get WSM performance.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Decided to get the A-bolt and picked up some reloading supplies so I won't feel the sting of the price of factory ammo. I'll have to see this weekend what I can make with some 140g bullets and reloader 22.

 

[Wes Mantooth]

I bought a .270 WSM on accident...sort of.

It was a "friend of a friend that needed the money" type deal. My buddy knew that I was looking for a .270 so I could match ammo with my wife's Savage .270.
So he says he knows this guy with a almost new synthetic stock WIN model 70 .270 with scope and only 1/2 a box of ammo run through it for $350. So I meet the guy and it's a .270 WSM.

Little disappointed. But for the money I thought I'd try it. Great shooting rifle. Not any more recoil than the Savage. The trigger is a little long on the pull, but not terrible. I shot the other 1/2 of the box of ammo to dial it in where I wanted it(1" high at 100yrds so it would be good out to at least 300yrds). Shot a big doe with it this fall @ 240yrds...right where I wanted it to, double lung and heart.

I plan on making it my hog gun. A little more "pop" at a little farther distance.

The .270 WSM will be here for a long time. Yea, ammo of the shelf is a little high. It may come down when it gets a little more popular.

 

[briantf]

I won a Weatherby Vanguard in 270 WSM back in '06, Friends of the NRA raffle ticket. NOT something I would have bought, esp. with a stainless/laminate combination, and I'd already quit buying Leupold glass by then. Found the rifle to be intensely irritating, the "factory adjustable trigger" was simply awful, and the stock made the rifle heavier than needed. Looks nice, though.

We have a 10 day wait on firearms here, so some friends at the range let me exercise their 300 WSM (Tikka, Browning) and 7mm WSM (Tikka) rifles. I was a little concerned about recoil due to the 7mm Rem ballistics, but that was unfounded. 300 WSM is NEAT if you don't need >180 gr bullets, I certainly prefer handloading WSM brass to the 300 WM belted cases.

At any rate, 270 WSM ammo was reasonably priced at the time, which is good since it took 80 rds to break in that barrel. Sheesh. Not as much as a whisker of a deer in '06 or '07 hunting, but I did take it out often enough I figured it needed a real trigger. Timney made a blue 3 position Howa 1500/Vanguard/S&W 1500 trigger for only about $75-80 at the time, took a little stock massaging but HOLY MOLY what a huge improvement.

TOTALLY different rifle from that point on, especially offhand. The bit of extra weight in the stock mitigates some of the recoil and makes it settle nicely. 6 consecutive offhand shots into the 8" gong at 230 yards at my range, our High Power director asked why I couldn't shoot that well on Sunday match days.

In '08 our stupid state banned lead hunting ammo in large areas, including our stomping grounds. 8 different calibers in my immediate family had to be converted. Barnes was it, and I went with 110 gr Tipped TSX on my 270 WSM (and 270 Win). Only a deer and a follow up shot on a BIG black bear since then, but I'm WELL pleased with Barnes bullets. A wild hog and another deer have been collected by other calibers (450 Marlin, 300 WM) and all the bullets performed to expectations.

I'd never have picked 270 WSM off the shelf, nor a Weatherby Vanguard. I'm thinking of building a walking varminter in 270 WSM off a Savage action, it's a GREAT caliber. The Vanguard has grown on me, doubt I'll get another but a great trigger makes a rifle easy to love. For that matter, as much as I loved my Nosler BT 165's in 3006, I'd use Barnes bullets even if I didn't have to. Change is hard, but sometimes good.

Regards,
Brian in CA