Still trying to decide...
 

Hey everyone... I have a caliber question and I was ale to find this particular comparison in the archives...

I am looking at Browning A-bolt rifles and trying to decide between .270 win , .270 WSM, and .280 Rem. I love the flat trajectory of all of these cartrages. I like the .270 due to the availaility of ammo in both cartrages. that's what i don't like about the .280, it's a little harder to find... but i like the .280 due to its ability to shoot a heavier load in case the opportunity presents itself that i might be able to hunt big game... my question is mainly etween the .270 WSM and the .280... which packs more punch? thanks for the help...

BTW... this will mainly be used for deer, hopefully elk someday, and perhaps hogs...

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

Nothing that you shoot eill ever know the difference between the two. The WSM will have a flatter trajectory at ranges beyond 300 yards but both will result in dead animals.

A 140 or 150 grain bullet out of the .270WSM or a 150 - 160 grain bullet out of the .280 will effectively kill deer, elk, moose, or what ever you decide to hunt in the states.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

You could pick any of the three & end up with a great gun either way. The only help I might be to you is reminding you about ammo cost?
The 270-Winchester will be the cheapest & most avalible ammo.
The 270-WSM is the "new & sexy" round on the block. The sales have been strong, so the 270-WSM is here to stay. The ammo for the 270-WSM is about $10.00 a box more that the standard 270-winchester around here.
The 280 is another fine choice. The 280 is a 7mm caliber bullet. The ammo for the 280 sells for about the same price as the 270-winchester. I really do not think there is any advantage to the 280 unless you reload? Even if you reload the advantage would be marginal. If you bought the 280 & had a gunsmith ream it out to 280-A.I. then you would have an advantage.
Good luck in making your choice.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

I can't really see the reason for either the 270 wsm or the 280. Both are good calibers, but the cost of ammo and being able to find it if needed pushes them both to the back of the list.

The 270 Winchester will do anything those other two will, when hunting. Use 130 grain for varmints and small deer, 150 grain for large deer, elk, and black bear. At 300 yards and beyond, you the shooter is the most important factor, not the caliber of the rifle you're shooting. The 300 magnums are useless when shot at 300+ yards if the shooter shouldn't be shooting that far.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

would have to say 270.. just from the stand point of ammo availability.. around here it's as available as 30.06. Any of these IMO will take down most things you will hunt. I guess you would have to ask yourself which one based on what other guns and caliber's you own. I just purchased a 7mm-08 and find it to be one of the best cartriges i have ever shot. I was looking for a 4th rifle and considered the 280/270 but already had a 30.06 so there was almost to much overlap. Even though the 7mm is quite close, it has about 1/2 the recoil and is a pleasant gun to shot at the range vs the 06 after a few boxes of ammo.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

thanks... keep 'em coming!!!

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

Too much overlap indeed. Look at the ballistic charts. The 270 & 7mm-08 are almost one in the same. Look for a smaller or larger round for your next rifle. You will be glad you did in the future. 257-Roberts or 338-win mag come to mind.
I overlapped too many guns myself so now I am paying the price.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

If you can wait, look into the 25 wsm. It looks like it will be a sweet shooter. If I was buying another 270, id go with the wsm. I have an abolt in 270. Its a great gun. They hadnt come out with the short mags when I bought it or I would have gone with the short mag.

Personally Id go with a 30-06 or 300. Just personal oppinion. I have them all and love the 30s. I feel the 30-06 is a more versital round than the 270. Either one is a great gun.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

Before buying a WSM or worse a WSSM try racking a few through the chamber quickly. My buddy has a 270 WSM ABolt and at least 5 of 10 times through they jam or don't feed right. A good old 270 with Hornady Light Mags will do all that a short mag will. I f you reload you will have issues seating longer(heavier) bullets because of lack of headspace. I sound like an old codger but they seem just to be the sexxy choice. Check the ballistics out on 140 gr light mags on Horady's website.

Good luck

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

Since deer and hogs seem to be your present and near future in terms of hunting opp. I'd go with the 270 win, which would also be ok for the occasional elk hunt as well. Now if you are planning an elk trip or to hunt elk regularily my choice would be the 280 rem of those mentioned.

You could insert an 06 or move up to a 7 rem mag or 300 which would also suffice for now and almost anything in the future. If your worried about recoil the 06 will boot no harder than any of the ones you mentioned, the 7 rem mag would be a bit more but is tolerable and the 300 would be the most in the recoil department still most don't find it over the top.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

I'd vote for the 270 WSM. All of your choices are indeed good but here is why I selected the .270WSM:
1). There are 11 factory loads (by Winchester and Federal) from 130-150gr. currently available. Bullet choices vary from Ballistic Silvertips, Boat tails, Barnes X, Accubond, Bearclaw and Power Points. This is all you could ever need.
2). The average velocities of the .270 WSM bullets are about 200 fps second faster than the .270Win. However, at the longer distances, the WSM delivers more energy (up to 350-400 ft.lbs) without measurable recoil differences. The WSM is a little flatter also... albeit not that much!
3). The short actioned .270 WSM is a good in-between choice (.270Win. .270 WSM, .270 Wby Mag).
4). Rifle selection for the WSM's is good and getting better. The new Kimber 8400's look nice but are hard to get. Winchester, Browning, Ruger, Savage, Howa, Tikka, etc. all have good offerings.

Well, enough said. Have fun with your decision. Good luck.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

thanks again for the help... i am thinking about the .270 WSM more seriously now... i also have an opportunity to pick up a .338 fairl cheap, which is part of the reason i voted the .280 out... thanks again...

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

I've haven't fooled around with any of the WSM's or the 280 for that matter.I have a couple 270 Wins. For deer I have a hard time finding any better.The 7mm RM is another fine cartridge and ammo can be found anywhere if needed.I'm sure the WSM's are fine cartridges.The 270 Win has proven to me many times,it can do the job when needed.

Ruger Redhawk

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

280 for sure!!

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

I don't want anybody to take this the wrong way. But I just don't see the reason for the WSM's, the WSSM's, the SAUM's, or the RUM's. There are plenty of cartridges out there that will do everything that these will. So what if a WSM will give you 1 inch less drop at 300 yards. If you know your firearm and cartridge the way you should, you'd compensate for that 1" (which in my mind isn't enough to worry about). And the deer or whatever doesn't really care if it's hit with 500 ft/lbs of energy, or 700 ft/lbs. If you make a bad shot, and shoot a Moose at 400 yards while it's quartering away and hit it in the rear leg, maybe the extra 200 ft/lbs of energy will help, but come on.

I don't begrudge anybody buying all the firearms they want. I think that's great if you can afford it. But I think the manufacturers have gotten into the mind set that "if we build it, they will come".

I'm always open for debate, so if someone can tell me what's so great about a .270 WSM, I'm all ears. And you can compare it to the .270 Winchester if you want, but I'll counter with the 7mm Remington Magnum. And if you counter with the 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum, I'll counter with the 300 Winchester or 338 Winchester Magnums.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

I would get the 7mm-08, many ammo combinations if you handload and combined with reduced recoil this becomes a gun you will shoot often and therefore shoot well

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

Danny45,
I don't have any use for the new WSM, WSSM, SAUM or RUM's either! There are too many fine calibers that are proven and established, and will do anything the newbe's do, and cheaper too!
I'll also stand by what I've said in other posts, some of these newbe's are not going to make it! Maybe a couple of them will, but I still don't need one! Some are reported to be selling like hot cakes, that is now, what about 5 years down the road, when the fad has faded?
Give me the tried and true, and as Danny said, I can counter any newbe that you can name!
My choice for this particular thread? .280 Remington!

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

Give me the tried and true, and as Danny said, I can counter any newbe that you can name!
My choice for this particular thread? .280 Remington!

I am wagering you don't own one with your dim view of it so how are you going to counter it?

Had (3) 280 Remington bolt guns all with 24" barrels and 1 Ruger 1b with a 26" barrel ..the only one that would come close to velocities mentioned in any reloading manual was the Ruger. This also applies to factory ammo velocities and using what was available Remington 140 grain corelockts and Hornady ammo and Federal Premium HE trophy bonded bullets. DOn't be surprised to see no more 280 anything for sale in five years and I think the round would be a terrible choice for a new rifle . WSM's are new and so is the tooling at the factory so the brass is substantially better then regular brass and because of the case design you will not have to be doing much trimming after shooting it awhile.

Now I have owned/own three rifles chambered in short mags 300 wsm and the 7 wsm. The 7 wsm will shoot 3150's all day long with their bottom line 150 grain powerpoint bullet factory load that one can easily find in a Walmart . Try finding 280 rem ammo in a Walmart . Its not getting any better since the major manufacturers keep reducing 280 factory offerings on a yearly basis. BTW my handloaded Remington 700 custom shop 24" barrelled KS 7 rem mag will shoot 3100-3150 with a max load out of the Hornady manual . Oh I guess I could squeeze that 7 rem mag a little more and get 3200 or so out of it but it seeems pretty paltry compared to the same length barrel and factory ammo of a 7wsm.

In short if you have a 7 rem mag you like a 270 win mag you like use it no reason to trade for a short mag. If however you are looking for a new gun don't listen to hearsay from people that don't own them or even worse listen to gun writers . Buy one and try it out and learn from your experiences.

RE: Still trying to decide...
 

I shoot a Ruger 280 and i have found locally the ammo is really competitve, i have used my 280 on everything from antelope to elk and i have never had a problem with the caliber. I have no experience with the short magnums but our hunting friends all use 270's and love them to death, most of it is just personal preference.