270wsm or 300wsm

[cityslicker]

Hello all
First time forum writer short term follower so have some patience here.

I'm looking at adding a new rifle to the collection (already have a 30-06 which has been good to me but its a cheaper rifle and scope combo that I bought years ago from SIR for $600 delivered)

Now new adventures are coming and I'm looking at adding either a 300wsm or a 270wsm for sheep hunting and maybe elk... After looking at ammunition I see the 270wsm is pretty limited beyond 150gr while the 300wsm starts at 150gr.

Thoughts? Thanks

[sns2]

Having had both, I would go with the 300wsm for greater variety of ammunition choices.

[edmhunter]

I went from my 30-06 to a Browning Mountain Ti 300 WSM, because I wanted a faster, flatter shooting rifle for longer range shots.

Personally I would go with the 300 WSM, sure is on hard hitting caliber, works great on Moose and Elk!

Only drawback with the 300 WSM, is that depending on the bullet you want to shoot, I shoot the Nosler Trophy Grade Accubond 300 WSM 180 grain, they can be hard to find and they are not cheap!

Looking forward to seeing what you decided to purchase

sns2, chuckled when I saw that we have the same tastes in rifles lol.

[elkhunter11]

You don't need bullets heavier than 150gr for sheep or elk. In fact a good 130gr bullet out of a 270wsm will work well for both.

[nelsonob1]

Either one would work fine for a sheep hunt although I recall reading that the 270 has less feeding issue.

I have a Finnlight in 270wsm and really like it, although I bought it thinking I needed flat shooter but in reality I needed an excuse to buy another gun.

[Gate guy]

I also have a browning A-bolt ti in 300wsm

I hand load barns tsx 180gr they work quite well together

[north american hunter]

I have owned both, I prefer the 300 wsm.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by Gate guy

I also have a browning A-bolt ti in 300wsm

I hand load barns tsx 180gr they work quite well together

What does it cost you to load, is it less then $75.00 a box?

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

What does it cost you to load, is it less then $75.00 a box?

If you purchase new brass, it will cost you around $140 for 50 rounds. If you already have brass, it will cost around $95 for 50 rounds.

[skidderman]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

What does it cost you to load, is it less then $75.00 a box?

Depends what bullets you load with. With Barnes or nosler here is the cost:

Brass: 1.00 each: After once fired this cost goes away
Premium bullet: 1.00 each. Cheaper bullets 50 to 60 cents each
Primers: 6 cents each. A fixed cost
Powder 50 cents each. A fixed cost varies a bit by cost of powder assuming 100 rounds per pound of powder.
total: 2:56 each
After 1st loading with re-used brass it drops to 1:56 each
If you load cheaper bullets knock 40 to 50 cents off.
If you buy once fired brass the cost goes down accordingly.
Actual cost is much higher if you factor in trips to the range for testing, cost of equipment and extra expense trying to find the right powder/bullet combination. In my case I don't shoot much but in inventory I have roughly $500 invested in powder, $500 in bullets and $1200 in reloading equipment & I bought a lot used. You can certainly do it cheaper but a lot of people are just fooling themselves if they think they can reload to save money.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by skidderman

Depends what bullets you load with. With Barnes or nosler here is the cost:

Brass: 1.00 each: After once fired this cost goes away
Premium bullet: 1.00 each. Cheaper bullets 50 to 60 cents each
Primers: 6 cents each. A fixed cost
Powder 50 cents each. A fixed cost varies a bit by cost of powder assuming 100 rounds per pound of powder.
total: 2:56 each
After 1st loading with re-used brass it drops to 1:56 each
If you load cheaper bullets knock 40 to 50 cents off.
If you buy once fired brass the cost goes down accordingly.
Actual cost is much higher if you factor in trips to the range for testing, cost of equipment and extra expense trying to find the right powder/bullet combination. In my case I don't shoot much but in inventory I have roughly $500 invested in powder, $500 in bullets and $1200 in reloading equipment & I bought a lot used. You can certainly do it cheaper but a lot of people are just fooling themselves if they think they can reload to save money.

Thank you both for the cost, education, analysis with the amount I shoot looks like I am just better off to buy them!

[Pathfinder76]

Either one leaves me cold.

[DaleJ]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

What does it cost you to load, is it less then $75.00 a box?

What does it cost you not to reload? Its not about cheaper ammo, its all about the best ammo available for the rifles you shoot.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by DaleJ

What does it cost you not to reload? Its not about cheaper ammo, its all about the best ammo available for the rifles you shoot.

Had the boyz at Corlanes shoot several varieties of loads and brands out of my Mountain Ti, when they installed my Huskemaw. The Nosler TGA 180 Gr. produced the best groups, so I have been shooting them. No issues with the stopping power, deadly for sure.

[bat119]

How about middle ground with 7mm WSM?

[honker_clonker]

Originally Posted by DaleJ

What does it cost you not to reload? Its not about cheaper ammo, its all about the best ammo available for the rifles you shoot.

This is exactly why I started reloading. My families 300 win mags like 180 gr accubonds and they hard to find/$75 a box so we went in on the gear and it has already paid itself off. 10 boxes @$75 a piece adds up quick!

[DaleJ]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Had the boyz at Corlanes shoot several varieties of loads and brands out of my Mountain Ti, when they installed my Huskemaw. The Nosler TGA 180 Gr. produced the best groups, so I have been shooting them. No issues with the stopping power, deadly for sure.

What do you do when that batch of ammo runs out? Factory ammo will change as powder batches are used up. Can't count on lot to lot consistency.

[cityslicker]

Elkhunter... Agree a well placed round is important. Don't matter how heavy the biller, if you can't accurately shoot you will either be wounding animals and tracking forever (worse not finding it) or eating track soup for the winter

[cityslicker]

Originally Posted by bat119

How about middle ground with 7mm WSM?

Honestly hadn't look at them yet.
Might be doing that tonight while sitting with the little lady watching tv tonight
But don't tell her that ;-)

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by DaleJ

What do you do when that batch of ammo runs out? Factory ammo will change as powder batches are used up. Can't count on lot to lot consistency.

Well I typically buy 3 boxes at a time, using the same lot numbers. Did that with my 30-06 for years.

I am strictly a hunter and I do not go to the range until just before the season to make sure my scope wasn't knocked around and the scope is off. If I need to make any adjustment, I do it then.

Have not had a problem yet.

[greylynx]

With a 270 WSM you can load Sierra 90 grain hollow points that travel almost 3700 f.p.s.

In my opinion, the perfect coyote load..when on private land of course.

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by DaleJ

What do you do when that batch of ammo runs out? Factory ammo will change as powder batches are used up. Can't count on lot to lot consistency.

This is a problem I run into all the time. Wish I had more time and I could get into reloading. The variations between batches can be very significant but particularly in the WSM class. I also believe there can be variations in the same batch so bulk purchasing is not always a guarantee. I often find I am fine tuning for the first part of each box and would never consider going hunting with ammo from a fresh box.

[josh_beeks]

i LOVVEVEVEVEVEEEEEEEEE my 270wsm bought it from bp last year

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

This is a problem I run into all the time. Wish I had more time and I could get into reloading. The variations between batches can be very significant but particularly in the WSM class. I also believe there can be variations in the same batch so bulk purchasing is not always a guarantee. I often find I am fine tuning for the first part of each box and would never consider going hunting with ammo from a fresh box.

Out of curiosity, what brand loads do you shoot? I have not seen any significant variations with the Nosler Trophy Grade Accubonds.

[PaLuke]

Hello. I have both and shot both extensively and both are Brownings. I'm not recoil shy as I also shoot a 338 Win mag. I know that the 300 wsm beats me up. I'm sure it's the rifle design but so is the 270 wsm. Big difference in recoil between them. As someone said earlier try to shoot them both and enjoy your decision. Tony

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Out of curiosity, what brand loads do you shoot? I have not seen any significant variations with the Nosler Trophy Grade Accubonds.

In the 270WSM I am shooting a variety depending on weight but mainly 150g in the XP3's.

I use the Nosler Trophy in 7mm08 which is my most used gun as my two kids also hunt with it and we notice variations between batches. Not as much as the short mag. For a while I thought it might be Winchester versus Nosler but a hunter friend who uses the Trophy in his short mag has the same issue.

Its the real price of being too lazy to reload for yourself.

[robfraser]

Why not a 300 win mag? More factory ammo, cheaper, no possible feeding or reloading problems.

[Smokinyotes]

Anyone who is concerned about accuracy should get into reloading. I never shot a group under an inch until I started loading my own. Now, if I can't get 1/2" groups I'm disappointed.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

In the 270WSM I am shooting a variety depending on weight but mainly 150g in the XP3's.

I use the Nosler Trophy in 7mm08 which is my most used gun as my two kids also hunt with it and we notice variations between batches. Not as much as the short mag. For a while I thought it might be Winchester versus Nosler but a hunter friend who uses the Trophy in his short mag has the same issue.

Its the real price of being too lazy to reload for yourself.

Not a matter of being lazy, I bet you that I have reloaded more shells, then you will ever reload in your lifetime!

What it coms down to for me is the amount of shooting I do, to go through all the expense imvolved, for what I believe will only be minimal and since I only shoot to kill (non-competitive), the differences and variances from box to box really does not matter.

[Xbolt7mm]

Originally Posted by chuck

Either one leaves me cold.

X2 I find all the WSM's kick more, have feeding trouble and hold one less round in the mag.