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270 WSM opinions

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Ok. So I need another rifle about as much as Tucson needs another pothole.

 

With that said, I came across a pretty good deal on a Tikka T3 270 WSM. I have zero experience with this caliber and was curious if some of you could share your thoughts ( good or bad).

Thanks Jim

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.270 WSM is an interesting idea.

 

My main concerns would be:

Case design has a very short neck, not great for inherent accuracy potential or throat erosion. But not a showstopper in a hunting rifle. There are plenty out there that shoot great, and faster than the .270 Win.

 

I would bet the Tikka has the standard 1:10" twist. Good for 150 grain bullets and down. Which are plenty for even elk-sized game. But BC is less than stellar with the .277" light bullets, nothing even in the high .500s. A 170 Berger Elite Hunter would be the ticket for long range .270 WSM work, but a 1:10", especially in a 22" barrel, will most likely not stabilize them to their full potential, maybe marginal at best.

 

If you plan on sticking with a 140-150gr. bullet, the .270 WSM should make for a wicked deer and medium range (800ish) elk rifle. The Tikkas are known for pretty good accuracy too.

 

Heck, if you like it, buy It! Far be it from me to discourage buying a new rifle!

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270 WSM is a great round. I love mine. Have been using it for the last 4 years now. I first shot 130 grain accubonds going 3290 fps (and scary accurate) and I've now found my load for the hornady 145 grain ELD X bullets that they just started producing for the .277. They're going 3150 fps and again scary accurate. I believe hornady says the BC for the 145s is .536

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I use it, hornady sst 130 grain- it has dropped 4 coues bucks for 3 hunters now at 115, 370, 444 and 602 yards. For me it's scary accurate, I get the magnum results on impact but recoil of the standard non-magnum rifles. I love the caliber and reloading has been a charm for me.

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Thx guys. Great input.

 

Lance,

I just looked at the specs after you mentioned that heavier bullets might not stabilize in a standard 22 inch T3 barrel.

The T3x in 270 WSM has a 24.4 inch barrel and 10 twist.

 

Glad to hear that Hornady released a ELDX for the 270.

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I like mine. Rem 700 sps with a houge stock, shooting a 130gr Swift Scirocco @3475 fps. It's well over 1000 rds and still shooting 1/2 moa. I've shot targets out to 1100 yds. Taken a lion at 653 yds and a Coues at 684. Everything I've shot feel like it was struck by lightning.

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From a recoil, brass, and bullet option perspective, especially in a Tikka, it is surpassed easily....

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The 170 gr. Berger needs a minimum 8.5 twist to properly stabilize it. The 165 gr. Matrix has shown to stabilize in a 1/10 twist. The BC is excellent.

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I shoot the 145 eld-x @ 3180 fps in my WSM. Plenty of knock down and very flat shooting. I put a muzzle break on it and now it has very little recoil and great ballistics. For a hunting rifle, it is a great choice IMO. If you compare ballistics to the ever so popular 6.5 creedmoor, the WSM wins everywhere except recoil. The WSM kicks more, uses more powder and has a smaller choice on components. For a pure hunting rifle though, I like it.

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I have the same rifle and shoot 2" groups at 500 yds shooting the 140 grain Berger VLD bullets. I love the rifle. I never shot it without a muzzle break so I can't say anything about recoil. In fact that is the rifle in my avatar picture.

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Not sure about TIkkas (besides their good reputation) but my Winchester M70, stock (1 in 10 twist, 24" barrel), shoots factory ammo sub-MOA. Nosler ammo (140 gr ABs) right at 3,000 fps, HSM with 130 gr Berger VLDs at 3,200 fps and Federal ammo with 130 gr Nosler BTs at 3,300 fps all shoot right at 0.75 MOA out to 300 yards (the farthest I've shot it). Mine hates the Winchester Accubond CT loads, but I've never had a rifle that liked that ammo. If I ever decided to reload for it I think I could have a lot of fun with hit. It's not a perfect caliber but it outperforms .270 Win enough to make it worthwhile, and for me at least the difference in recoil isn't noticeable. IMO it's an excellent deer rifle and with the right load a fine backup rifle for elk hunting probably out to 400-500 yards or so. I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone from buying one.

 

Note that I'm a big fan of .270 Win, so I'm not knocking that caliber at all...

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I shoot a Kimber 8400 Classic 270wsm and absolutely love it. My 3 kids (14 yr boy, 13 yr girl and 11 yr boy) also shoot it. Not one complaint, kick is reasonable for a magnum (no muzzle break) flat & fast shooting, loves the Winchester 150gr Ballistic Silvertip factory bullet which has allowed me and my to take the following from 150-450 yds:

3 elk

1 muley

7 pigs

1 lion

14 Coues

2 yotes

 

I've shot it out to 650 and have all the confidence of it going out to 800 without any issues.

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Not sure about TIkkas (besides their good reputation) but my Winchester M70, stock (1 in 10 twist, 24" barrel), shoots factory ammo sub-MOA. Nosler ammo (140 gr ABs) right at 3,000 fps, HSM with 130 gr Berger VLDs at 3,200 fps and Federal ammo with 130 gr Nosler BTs at 3,300 fps all shoot right at 0.75 MOA out to 300 yards (the farthest I've shot it). Mine hates the Winchester Accubond CT loads, but I've never had a rifle that liked that ammo. If I ever decided to reload for it I think I could have a lot of fun with hit. It's not a perfect caliber but it outperforms .270 Win enough to make it worthwhile, and for me at least the difference in recoil isn't noticeable. IMO it's an excellent deer rifle and with the right load a fine backup rifle for elk hunting probably out to 400-500 yards or so. I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone from buying one.

 

Note that I'm a big fan of .270 Win, so I'm not knocking that caliber at all...

 

I have an early 50's Model 70 I bought years ago but never shoot it. Maybe I should rebarrel it since I have another 243 I shoot more.

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The 270 WSM deal fell thru once he found out what it cost to ship a rifle, dies and 90 rounds from Ft Bragg to Arizona.

Wouldn't be much $$ left. No big deal, he was willing but it didn't feel right to have an active duty guy take a beating.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice/ thoughts on the 270 WSM.

Jim

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