The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Experience with .270 WSM (Elk, Deer, Hog)?

kametc · May 2, 2009, 01:39 AM

Real life experience with the 270 WSM? Yes ...Plenty. I had enough rifles until my daughter bought her 270 WSM. It's a Win Model70 classic stainless. I helped her load the first rounds and then sight it in. I was really impressed with how it handled the 130 gr loads. Very fast flat and seemingly low recoil. Kills mule deer like a bolt of lightning.
A couple years later I bought mine. Also a Winchester but a classic ultimate shadow. It's a custom shop rifle and in hunting trim is just 7 lbs. (incidently my buddy Vinnie has a Kimber Montana that is half a pound lighter). All my loads for this have been 150 gr bullets, starting with Nosler Partitions and currently Hornady Interbonds. Its very accurate with these loads and tends to like the Max loads. I started out to duplicate the velocity of a Federal Fusion 150Gr. They advertise 3085 fps. Using 70 gr of Hodgdons Retumbo behind a 150gr hornady I chrono 3125 fps. I have since backed this load down to 69 grains and to date the rifle will shoot .750 groups off of sandbags. (worse if I drink a pepsi first...go figure) Recoil is fierce and shooting this rifle off the bench takes a lot of concentration. (Vinnie's Montana is much better...the stock I think). Hunting though it carries and handles and shoots like a dream. Spot on accuracy, I am using a Burris ballistic plex and the hanging crosshairs seem to be made for this rifle.
Bullet performance on deer is spectacular. On Elk I am still looking for that right bullet. I think that the Hornady Interbond will be the one as it will open a bit more than a partition yet retains most of the weight. The partition bullets seem to skip right through the animal and I have yet to have them knock an elk off it's feet. One Cow elk the 150 partition traversed the length of her body from front to back and I recovered the bullet just ahead of her off side hip. Yet that elk gave no indication whatsoever that I had even hit her. (about a 100 yard shot) 50 yards later just fell over dead. I have also considered the Barnes TSX and the new Hornady GMX in 130 gr. They would have much better recoil.

To sum up, I love my 270 WSM Almost as much as my .243.

Ken

May 2, 2009, 01:39 AM	#15
kametc Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2007 Location: S W , Montana Posts: 206	Real life experience with the 270 WSM? Yes ...Plenty. I had enough rifles until my daughter bought her 270 WSM. It's a Win Model70 classic stainless. I helped her load the first rounds and then sight it in. I was really impressed with how it handled the 130 gr loads. Very fast flat and seemingly low recoil. Kills mule deer like a bolt of lightning. A couple years later I bought mine. Also a Winchester but a classic ultimate shadow. It's a custom shop rifle and in hunting trim is just 7 lbs. (incidently my buddy Vinnie has a Kimber Montana that is half a pound lighter). All my loads for this have been 150 gr bullets, starting with Nosler Partitions and currently Hornady Interbonds. Its very accurate with these loads and tends to like the Max loads. I started out to duplicate the velocity of a Federal Fusion 150Gr. They advertise 3085 fps. Using 70 gr of Hodgdons Retumbo behind a 150gr hornady I chrono 3125 fps. I have since backed this load down to 69 grains and to date the rifle will shoot .750 groups off of sandbags. (worse if I drink a pepsi first...go figure) Recoil is fierce and shooting this rifle off the bench takes a lot of concentration. (Vinnie's Montana is much better...the stock I think). Hunting though it carries and handles and shoots like a dream. Spot on accuracy, I am using a Burris ballistic plex and the hanging crosshairs seem to be made for this rifle. Bullet performance on deer is spectacular. On Elk I am still looking for that right bullet. I think that the Hornady Interbond will be the one as it will open a bit more than a partition yet retains most of the weight. The partition bullets seem to skip right through the animal and I have yet to have them knock an elk off it's feet. One Cow elk the 150 partition traversed the length of her body from front to back and I recovered the bullet just ahead of her off side hip. Yet that elk gave no indication whatsoever that I had even hit her. (about a 100 yard shot) 50 yards later just fell over dead. I have also considered the Barnes TSX and the new Hornady GMX in 130 gr. They would have much better recoil. To sum up, I love my 270 WSM Almost as much as my .243. Ken __________________ "Allons" Blackhorse Troopers !