# 270 WSM or 7MM rem ???



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

*270 WSM or 7MM rem ??? POLL ADDED*

I'm saving up to buy another big game rifle. I'm not looking to turn this gun into a 1000 yard gun. I'm simply getting a good shooting gun and put a nice scope on it for shots up to 600 yards. thats my style. I am simply too spread out with Archery, Muzzleloader, waterfowling and work to devote the kind of time needed to do 1000 + yard shooting. with my current rifles I have, 600 yards is an easy poke as long as I do my part right.. so that will suit me just fine. Having said that...

I am trying to decide between 2 rifles : 
270 WSM
or
7MM rem
those are the 2 calibers i'v decided to choose from and i'm sticking with that.

2 of my brothers and some of my uncles shoot the 270 WSM, I have reloading dies for the 270 WSM

I don't know a whole lot of people who shoot the 7MM so I don't know the rifle too well, but I have heard its a sweet shooter
I have no problem buying reloading dies for the 7MM

for those of you that have more experience than I do with these rifles, what can you tell me about them, which one would be better in all categories? heck I don't know, tell me everything you can about these 2 rifles

tell me what grain bullet and powder combo you guys shoot out of these guns, which ones do you like the most, that perform the best ect.....

POLL SUBMITTED


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Well, Ballistically they are equal out to the ranges you specified. The 270 has a shorter case but can run into issues with longer projectiles in short action rifles. The 7MM is a veteran cartridge for a good reason. It has the perfect capacity to launch high BC bullets at good velocity while still producing very manageable recoil. 

I personally would go with the 7MM but I don't have a really good reason to not go with the 270. I do prefer to have the short mags to be custom built on a long action with the throat set up for longer bullets to be set out a bit more than a short action allows. 

The 160 Nosler AB has a .530 BC and will easily launch at 3000+ fps from the 7.-----SS


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

7mm Rem.

Mainly because I shoot it and love it. Will do everything you want and is a killer.

But, nothing wrong with the 270. I am just biased and the 7rm is my favorite.


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## Gunner73 (Dec 3, 2007)

7mm Rem. I have 2 of them that myself and my wife shoot..


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

what Kind of powder and bullets do yall shoot?? grain/weight. I shoot Nosler Accubonds in all my other rifles and I like them alot. 

If I got the 270wsm I'd probably load a 130gr AB, but the gun i'm eyeing I dont think they make in a 270 WSM

I'm looking at getting the Remington 700 long range series


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## Gunner73 (Dec 3, 2007)

I have just been shooting factory Winchester Super X 175 grain. I have a Remington 700 and a Browning A Bolt. Both nice shooting guns I prefer the Browning just a little over the Remington.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Have both, shoot both, and like both. I have both because of the option of shooting a heavier bullet with good trajectories out of the 7 mm. I use a 140 gr Nosler AB out of the 270 WSM with IMR 4350 powder (the load stated in the Nosler Reloading Data book) with very good results. You can also load the 
7 mm light if needed to tailor the load to what you're chasing. My daughter uses a 270 WSM and with a muzzle break, the 140 gr AB kicks less than a .223 I have.

Something to think about - the 7mm is very popular and abundant so to speak. You can find cartridges for it at most any hardware store in the western US in case you run off and forget your ammo on a hunt somewhere. The 270 WSM's are findable, but most likely only in sporting goods stores.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

From my experience with both, the 270 WSM is my preferred round of these ballistic twins. For some reason recoil is more obnoxious in the 7mm Mag (in multiple rifles besides the one I owned), and chamber dimensions vary more between different rifles than is the case with the 270 WSM.

For this reason my 7mm Mag failed to reach expected velocities using top handbook loads. In another 7 Mag rifle - case life was limited to about 2 reloads before case separation above the belt. For some reason recoil is more obnoxious in the 7mm Mag (in multiple rifles besides the one I owned), and chamber dimensions vary more between different rifles than is the case with the 270 WSM. For this reason my 7mm Mag failed to reach expected velocities using top handbook loads. In another 7 Mag rifle - case life was limited to about 2 reloads before case separation above the belt (_fishrmn knows about this case as well_). All this left a bad taste in my mouth for the 7 RM.
Also in my case the 270 WSM has been more accurate for some reason than the old 7mm Mag was.

With the 270 WSM you get a slightly shorter rifle and bolt throw as it is a short action. You don't deal with a belt in reloading so the round headspaces on the shoulder like it should so case head separation issues after multiple reloads is much more unlikely. That is because historically chamber specs are much, much more uniform from rifle to rifle. With slow powder it is relatively easy to equal factory velocity (_which actually lives up to advertised spec_) and pressure - and reloading maximums are not all over the map from book to book like they are with the 7mm Mag (_which is one of the worst magnum offenders on this score due to hugely varying chamber specs_).

So if you have a 7mm Rem Mag you love (or one with a custom-chambered barrel), I wouldn't rush out to buy the 270 WSM, but in a choice between the 2 calibers if you don't have any already, I feel the 270 WSM is the superior choice. In fact the 7mm Mag, for reasons stated above, is one of _my_ least favorite magnum calibers - despite being arguably the most popular with a very fanatical fan base.

I can find 270 WSM in Wal Mart. It ain't that rare. Its one of the 2 commercially successful Short Mag rounds


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## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

I'm a huge 7mag fan and would suggest it over the 270 short except you mentioned brothers and uncles with it so I would go with the 270wsm because you could borrow ammo in a pinch. Would be familiar with the round if you needed to borrow a rifle out on a hunt etc. 
But really a .277 or .284 delivered to the right spot will result in a clean harvest.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

I have and often use both, I'm set up to reload for both. I've killed plenty of critter with both. I like 140's in my 7mags for the most part and mostly 130 in the 270. 150 partitions also do really well in the 270. I've used several different powders for the 7mm but I only use Imr 4350 in the 270 since I found a good shooting load for it fairly quickly. 

That being said if I was just gonna choose one I would go with the WSM. I like the short stroke on the short action cartridge, plus my WSM's are lighter in weight than my 7 mag's


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have both, reloaded both and shot each a fair amount and like the wsm best. Recoil is much lighter, I prefer short action. The only real advantage to the 7mm would be a wider variety of bullets available.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

I've had both and really enjoyed shooting them both. I probably can't help you out much because I think both would suit your purposes well. Out of the 270 WSM, I like a 140 Accubond, out of the 7RM, I prefer at least a 162 grain pill. 

A short action is nice, but I don't really notice the weight savings or the shorter cycle in the heat of the moment. 

I think the 700 Long Range in 7RM would be an excellent set up.

And PS: that belt on the 7RM isn't as pesky as everyone makes it out to be...


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Frisco Pete got this one right.

A rifle chambered in 7MM Remington Magnum makes a fine pry bar, but a lousy firearm. Some of them are fair shooters, but most of them have one or more of the problems mentioned. If you've got a good one, and by that I mean proven to be good, keep it. If you don't own either one, go with the 270 SM. Unless you really like to gamble.

⫸<{{{{{⦇°>


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Fishrmn said:


> Frisco Pete got this one right.
> 
> A rifle chambered in 7MM Remington Magnum makes a fine pry bar, but a lousy firearm. Some of them are fair shooters, but most of them have one or more of the problems mentioned. If you've got a good one, and by that I mean proven to be good, keep it. If you don't own either one, go with the 270 SM. Unless you really like to gamble.


Completely disagree with this. I think there are a large number of marksman that also disagree with this.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I know that the .300 WSM wasn't a choice but just to add my 2 cents.

I sold my 7mm Mag and bought a .300 WSM, out of all my gun deals I would say that this one was my best.


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## Gunner73 (Dec 3, 2007)

Fishrmn said:


> Frisco Pete got this one right.
> 
> A rifle chambered in 7MM Remington Magnum makes a fine pry bar, but a lousy firearm. Some of them are fair shooters, but most of them have one or more of the problems mentioned. If you've got a good one, and by that I mean proven to be good, keep it. If you don't own either one, go with the 270 SM. Unless you really like to gamble.
> 
> ⫸<{{{{{⦇°>


Completely disagree with this. Both of my 7mm rifles are very accurate and the recoil isn't that bad. My wife hunts with one of them and she loves it.


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## torowy (Jun 19, 2008)

I would go with the 270 wsm


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Should of had a poll..

Not that it means anything, but just went to midwayusa. Under ammo, 26 products for 270 wsm, and 61 for 7rm.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

I'm certainly no expert but I have never experienced any of the woes mentioned on this thread with any of the half dozen 7MM Rem mags that I have had. In fact I consider it to be the friendliest of all the belted magnums that I have experience with. Case life is not optimum with the 7MM Rem mag when loaded hot but the same can be said for the short mag family. Lots of folks who don't properly size soon find that brass is tough to get back in the gun after a few firings. 

I would recommend .002 shoulder bump sizing with either of these cases to prolong case life and facilitate functionality. 

A fine rifle chambered in 7MM Rem. Mag will make a great pry bar. It will also handily kill anything that walks the North American continent out to distances way beyond most shooters' abilities. In a long action, there is plenty of room to set bullets out far enough to maximize the ability of the 7MM Rem Mag. The same can't be said for the WSM family when choked into a short action.------SS


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

you guys are making it hard for me to decide, I fell like both will suit my needs. As I have mentioned I want to get a Remington 700 long range but, they don't make it in the 270wsm. If some of you guys have this gun then you know what i'm talking about (heavy stock, big barrel, ect..) I don't want to build a custom gun either simply because I don't have that kind of time, I want a good gun base with a excellent scope and a good trigger, so in the future maybe I can upgrade it into a "custom" gun. to be honest I'm starting to lean towards the 7MM, but I would like you guys to keep the advise coming. 

To be quite honest with yall, if they made the 270wsm in that Rem 700 long range, i'd probably get that one..

Thanks guys!!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Your logic about starting with a good base is right on. I feel that you will absolutely be happy with either choice. If you ever think you will build a custom, I would start with a long action. I personally would start with a Remington. Way more options with a long action, even short mags work better in them. Nothing worse than having a nice, efficient, powder chamber then filling precious powder space with the butt of a bullet. 

This has become very obvious in my current project. It is a 257 Roberts built on a long action. The gunsmith also cut the throat for a 3" OAL. This has enabled me to get amazing performance out of this cartridge. I know people who do the same thing with the 7MM and 6.5 WSM cartridges.

In my opinion the WSM family is too long for a short action and the RUM family is too long for a long action. Hence the reason why my RUM has been re chambered, re throated, and is now a single shot rifle. My rounds won't even come close to fitting in that puny magazine.

Anyway, probably TMI. Cheers, and have fun with your new rifle.....either way.-----SS


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## Kevinitis (Jul 18, 2013)

Ballistically these two are twins. Comparing similarly weighted bullets, the differences in velocity will be like 10 fps. I think the real advantage of the short mag is the length of barrel needed to achieve best velocities. 7 mags usually need 26 inch barrels to achieve their potential. So if you have a 22 or 24 inch barrel, all you really have is a loud 270 win. Short mags on the other hand can achieve high velocities with 24 inch or shorter barrels because of the short fat case. The bolts are also shorter resulting in a lighter gun. For elk hunting I like short mags cause I don't want to lug a heavy gun all over the mountain. 

The advantage of the 7 mag is that the bullets tend to be more aerodynamic (high BC), and you can go heavier for caliber with the 7mag. You kind of limit out in 270 with bullets that have a SD of 0.279 in a 150 grain bullet, whereas in the 7mm you can get an SD up to 0.310 with the 175 grain bullets. 270 ammo is built for the 270 win which has a standard twist rate of 1 in 10, which is just not fast enough to stablize heavier projectiles. So most manufacturers don't make 270 bullets heavier than 150 (except nosler who makes a 160 grain). And because the 270 win is not often used for long range, high ballistic coefficients are not emphasized, though some manufactures are starting to produce high bc bullets. Think accubond long range, and burger hunting vlds. 

7mm ammo is easier to find in the store. I can almost always find 7 mm projectiles, and brass. I can't remember the last time I saw 270 wsm brass at the store. 

So for loads, 140 grain barnes tsx, 69 grains magpro, win WLRM primers, shoot really good, 3/4 inch at 100. Been working a 130 grain Hornady GMX load behind IMR4350. Charge weights of 60.5, 61.0, and 61.5 have all shot well. So its a good accuracy powder for 130 grain 270wsm loads. These will be my elk loads, as I have no problem shooting these at elk.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I think Matrix still produces 165gr (.738 BC) and 175gr (.782 BC) for .277 bullets.

That would be a cool .270 wsm build if you could get arround stuffing the bullet into the powder. 

May also be cool in a plane jane .270

of course your going to have to rebarrel with a faster twist to shoot them.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

swbuckmaster said:


> I think Matrix still produces 165gr (.738 BC) and 175gr (.782 BC) for .277 bullets.
> 
> That would be a cool .270 wsm build if you could get arround stuffing the bullet into the powder.
> 
> ...


I checked out Matrix bullets and they only advertise the 165 gr .277 bullets at the moment.... I've heard you can usually call up Marshal and he'll let you know if they have others that aren't advertised at the time. 165's would be pretty stellar out of a 270 WSM.

You're right though, you'd need to rebarrel to a faster twist rate and to make it practical, probably build on a long action (or I suppose, just have the chamber throated for long bullets) to not eat up precious case capacity.


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