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What's the good, bad & ugly on the .270 WSM? I can get a good deal on a Weatherby Vanguard in several different calibers and this one looks interesting.
 
Posts: 513 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 25 October 2003Reply With Quote
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Make sure you8 like the way the rifle comes up, and that it feeds well for you, and have at it. Fine for medium-sized games at normal hunting distances, "plus." Plethora of bullets available, mag performance, etc., etc. Can't imagine choosing it over the 7mm myself, but same goes for 270W vs 280R.
Look over the reloading manuals and you'll see what it does. Everything else is just going to be people pissing and moaning over the lack of need for another cartridge or the lack of need for a need. Brass case, primer on bottom, powder inside, bullet on top. Boom, bullet goes, makes hole.
There's much better arguing to be done arguing over SD's, BC's, bullet weights and caliber sizes than individual cartridges.


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Posts: 2000 | Location: Beaverton OR | Registered: 19 December 2002Reply With Quote
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I have one and like it. but one thought is that if you are not a reloader, there is not much ammo available that isn't pretty expensive
 
Posts: 1416 | Location: Texas | Registered: 02 May 2003Reply With Quote
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Can't imagine choosing it over the 7mm myself,

thumb

FWIW the .270 Winchester will do as much and ammo is available anywhere.

I'd far prefer the 7mm WSM but then again it's the way I think!

If you really want one it'll reach out there and tag a lot of stuff....


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Posts: 28849 | Location: western Nebraska | Registered: 27 May 2003Reply With Quote
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I have have one in a model 70 with CRF and love it. Personally I don't like the feel of the vanguard stock, but to each his own.

Vapodog is right that it won't do much more than the 270 win. but if you have a hankering for something different get it. You won't be disapointed.


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Posts: 427 | Location: The Big Sky aka Dodson, MT | Registered: 22 May 2007Reply With Quote
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The 270WSM is about 150-200fps faster with the same bullets as the Venerable 270 Winchester and it does it in a short action rifle.

Personally I think that the short action vs long action is a bigger difference between them than 3300 vs 3100fps with 130gr bullets but some people differ in opinion.

If you were choosing between rifles of either caliber you should choose the rifle that fits you best and go hunting.

I've reloaded for 4 different 270 WSM's and all gave excellent accuracy, it seems to be an easy round to get to shoot well. For that matter so does the 270 Winchester.

I really like the 270 Winchester but I like the 270 WSM even a little bit better.........................DJ


....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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I can't see the point of it! It does nothing that a 270WCF or 270 Weatherby Magnum can't do or that a 7mm Remington Magnum can't do with readily available brass and ammunition.
 
Posts: 6823 | Location: United Kingdom | Registered: 18 November 2007Reply With Quote
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I think the question really is why not? I didn't have a 270 and thought it would be a good cal. for a lightweight varmint/deer rifle. So, why not a 270 WSM? It doesn't give up anything to the other two.
 
Posts: 83 | Registered: 06 February 2007Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by enfieldspares:
I can't see the point of it! It does nothing that a 270WCF or 270 Weatherby Magnum can't do or that a 7mm Remington Magnum can't do with readily available brass and ammunition.



Go down to a gun shop and pick up a Weatherby MK V in 270 Weatherby, then pick up a Remington 700 7mm Rem Mag and shoulder it. Then pick up a Kimber Montana in 270 WSM. Though near equivelant ballistically there is no doubt which of the three you'd want to carry up a mountainside...........................DJ


....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by enfieldspares:
I can't see the point of it! It does nothing that a 270WCF or 270 Weatherby Magnum can't do or that a 7mm Remington Magnum can't do with readily available brass and ammunition.


I cant see the point of your post! Why get a 7MM 270WCF, or .270 WM when you can have a 270WSM? Last time I checked mu local gun shoppe, there is pleanty WSM brass. HOwever, the factory ammo is in short supply during hunting season because its so popular. The WSM gives you a lighter, more compact package. Factory ammo is slightly more money than WCF, but cheaper than the WM. And the performance is right there in the mix.
 
Posts: 551 | Location: utah | Registered: 17 December 2007Reply With Quote
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I have two that both shoot the 140 grain Accubond factory Federal loads extremely well. I shot a big Michigan buck with mine last year at 200 yards and he didn't take a step.
 
Posts: 3073 | Location: Pittsburgh, PA | Registered: 11 November 2004Reply With Quote
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I bought my nephew a Howa with a synthetic stock for Cristmas present two years ago. I knew that uncle Ron would be expected to furnish ammo for him and I allready load for and shoot two other 270 WSMs.His is awfull bad to shoot under an inch wich amazes me because he will cary it in his truck shoot everthing that moves in the county run a hundred rounds of ammo that I provide through it and never clean it.I expect he will be buried with this rifle as they are inseparable.Buy your Weatherby Vanguard and shoot the snot out of it you cold not make a better choice unless it was a Blaser R93 in a 270 WSM.


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Posts: 490 | Registered: 01 February 2007Reply With Quote
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I think that the 270 WSM is a nice deer/elk cartridge. I got a Remington 700 SPS in 11/03 and like it so much that I decided not to build a 6.5 WSM. I have been thinking about buying a NIB Winchester/USRA 70 stainless/synthetic to shoot elk with.

Jeff
 
Posts: 993 | Location: Omaha, NE, USA | Registered: 11 May 2005Reply With Quote
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Gentlemen ----- I have shot a Model 70 Stainless .270 WSM extensively since it came out. If you think it doesn't outperform the old .270 Win, .280 anything, equals or surpasses the .270 Wby, and in many cases equals the 7mm Rem mag, you go right ahead and think that, but you would be wrong as rain. My rifle throws the 130 grain bullet (Northfork or Nosler solid base) from 3350 fps to 3450 fps with one hole accuracy at 100 yards, when I do my part. It throws a 140 grain bullet (uncoated failsafe) 3300 fps with the same accuracy and a 150 grain Nosler Partition at 3250 fps with equal accuracy. The .270 WSM will never replace grandpa's .270 Win and a fine old round it is and always be, but for junior who is always looking farther down the road, is will be mighty sweet. I am now waiting for the new Model 70 and will add another to my arsenal, then my son and grandsons can shoot one of them, at present they can't touch it because it is always in my hands. I will be packing it this year as a backup for Elk. Good shooting.


phurley
 
Posts: 2367 | Location: KY | Registered: 22 September 2004Reply With Quote
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I had a Ruger #1 built as a 270WSM and have never regretted it. I've shot most of the bullets made for it, and it shoots them all, well. I've settled on 2 bullets. The 110 TTSX and the 160 partition. It shoots them both 3/4 inch or better. I'm taking it to Wyoming for elk.

Try it, you'll like it.


Willie B
 
Posts: 398 | Location: Texas | Registered: 27 September 2000Reply With Quote
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I have been shooting my 270 WSM, stainless Model 70 CRF this summer in preperation for Antelope hunting. I have mixed feelings. The gun fits well when shooting from field positions and handles well. Accuracy is about 3" at 200 yards -- this may be as well as I can shoot.

But, there is some balkiness in feeding rounds, especially when dropping a single round down the spout. That is, it is not as smooth as my other rifles, my old Ruger in 30-06 or the CZ in 9.3x62. Ammo is more expensive and there is a trick in reloading. You must bump the shoulder back or the reload will not chamber. I might have a tight chamber, but my first try produced cartridge cases that did not chamber.
 
Posts: 83 | Location: Missouri,USA | Registered: 12 April 2005Reply With Quote
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I agree with walter that you have to bump the shoulder back. I have heard of a number other people who had this same problem. I solved the problem by grinding the shellholder down a little bit after I shipped the die back to rcbs and they sent it back telling me nothing was wrong.

This caliber also gave me a few other problewms with reloading such as the powder funnel also had to be grinded down and my deburring tool does not work with the fat case.

But other than those few reloading problems I personally love the caliber and have had great results with 2 deer so far that both fell in thier tracks.
 
Posts: 55 | Location: ky | Registered: 08 February 2008Reply With Quote
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Hi akpls:

I never owned a 270 so bought a 270 WSM Model 70 CRF SS. Just like other fellow, shot 130, 140, and 150 factory balistic tip Winchester fodder all sub MOA.

I like this caliber so much I also bought a Sako Finnlite in the same caliber, it is a lighter rifle than my custom Model 70. Same shooting performance in the Sako.

So good in fact I NEVER even bothered to handload for it. Five shots, five PA whitetail bucks.. boom flop. My favorite is 130 grainers at 3400 FPS.

I have many, many rifles and calibers. This is my all time favorite whitetail caliber.

Regards... Jim P.


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Posts: 1015 | Location: PA | Registered: 08 June 2002Reply With Quote
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PAHunter, This Pennsylvania Deer fell to a Sako in 270 WSM also:





Other comments comparing the 270 WSM to the 270 Weatherby and 7 mag would be that for one it's far cheaper and more available than the 270 Weatherby. The 270 WSM is now quite popular and most decently stocked gun stores will have ammo for it. The 270 Weatherby is pretty rare.
Another advantage for the 270 WSM over the 7mm Rem Mag is that it's new enough that's there's not a lot of chamber variation in it. There have been so many 7 Rem Mags made for so long that there's a lot of variation in them, loads safe in one 7 Rem will be dangerous in another. Lots of throat permutations etc.. The 7 Rem Mag is a fine round but it loading for several of them I got wide variations in loads and pressures - far more than for the 270 WSM.

It's going to boil down to some people not liking the 270 WSM just because it's new and other people liking it just because it is. Objectively it's an excellent round for antelope and deer and tends to be quite accurate in some very nice rifle packages. There's a lot to like about it............................DJ


....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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I'm completely satisfied with my Ruger All Weather in 270WSM. I seems to like the 140 gr Accubonds and SST's the best. You can load down to 270 WCF or up to almost hitting 270 Weatherby velocities. Very forgiven cartridge to load for.
 
Posts: 168 | Location: People's Republic of New Jersey | Registered: 03 May 2005Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by djpaintles:
PAHunter, This Pennsylvania Deer fell to a Sako in 270 WSM also:





Other comments comparing the 270 WSM to the 270 Weatherby and 7 mag would be that for one it's far cheaper and more available than the 270 Weatherby. The 270 WSM is now quite popular and most decently stocked gun stores will have ammo for it. The 270 Weatherby is pretty rare.
Another advantage for the 270 WSM over the 7mm Rem Mag is that it's new enough that's there's not a lot of chamber variation in it. There have been so many 7 Rem Mags made for so long that there's a lot of variation in them, loads safe in one 7 Rem will be dangerous in another. Lots of throat permutations etc.. The 7 Rem Mag is a fine round but it loading for several of them I got wide variations in loads and pressures - far more than for the 270 WSM.

It's going to boil down to some people not liking the 270 WSM just because it's new and other people liking it just because it is. Objectively it's an excellent round for antelope and deer and tends to be quite accurate in some very nice rifle packages. There's a lot to like about it............................DJ



Is that tape holding your gun together? Everyone knows you should use ductape to hold a broken barrel together...All kidding aside I have the .270 WSM in a Browning A-Bolt and love it.


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Posts: 7361 | Location: South East Missouri | Registered: 23 November 2005Reply With Quote
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akpls,

The 270 WSM is a good new cartridge with no significant mechanical faults. However unless the rifle its chambered in is really what you want then I would look at other rounds.

Considering the slowish twist of all the .270's they just can't shoot long bullets like the 7mm's can. The 7mm's will shoot short bullets, if thats what you want, just as well as the .277" bores.

I did get a 270 WSM in a Kimber 8400 Montana because I wanted the nice light M70 type rifle. I am glad that I got it and have used it on deer. Now I wish that I had selected the 7mm WSM cartridge. I know its not popular at all but when those long Berger VLD bullets became known for hunting I regret the slow twist .277.


Get the 'power' or optic that your eye likes instead of what someone else says.

When we go to the doctor they ask us what lens we like!

Do that with your optics.
 
Posts: 980 | Registered: 16 July 2008Reply With Quote
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The 270wsm is a great round! Its just shy of the 270wby, and some of the ammo is around half the price. People always talk about wsm ammo prices vs standard calibers, but you can't compare dirt cheap winchester or remmy ammo with vanilla bullets vs premium ammo. Look at the prices of Win Elite, Federal Vital Shok, or any other top of the line ammo loaded with top of the line bullets...old standards are the same price, possibly a few bucks less. I'd get myself a 270wsm, but I have already have a 300wsm being built, and I picked up a M70 Coyote in 7wsm for a heckuva deal I couldnt pass up.


If you think every possible niche has been filled already, thank a wildcatter!
 
Posts: 2287 | Location: CO | Registered: 14 December 2007Reply With Quote
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I have a .270 WSM in a Sako 75 stainless model. With factory loads it does as advertised. I cannot come close to factory velocities with my handloads; accurate though the are. I am not alone in my findings with the short magnums. The factories use proprietery powders that we mortals cannot get our grub hooks on. Even the big loading manuals disagree substantially on the short magnum data. Hornady's .270 WSM loads are not any stiffer than old .270 Winchester loads. Alliant loads are the same as Speer. With 130 grain bullets, there is a 200 fps discrepency between the two with the same data. My own findings agree with Alliant powders.

I believe these short magnums are turkeys, not eagles.
 
Posts: 152 | Location: Alberta, Canada | Registered: 29 July 2007Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by Walter Prociuk:
I have a .270 WSM in a Sako 75 stainless model. With factory loads it does as advertised. I cannot come close to factory velocities with my handloads; accurate though the are. I am not alone in my findings with the short magnums. The factories use proprietery powders that we mortals cannot get our grub hooks on. Even the big loading manuals disagree substantially on the short magnum data. Hornady's .270 WSM loads are not any stiffer than old .270 Winchester loads. Alliant loads are the same as Speer. With 130 grain bullets, there is a 200 fps discrepency between the two with the same data. My own findings agree with Alliant powders.

I believe these short magnums are turkeys, not eagles.



Check the throats on you Sako WSM's and you'll find that they are substantially longer than normal. That's one of the reasons that you'll get lower velocities out of a Sako WSM than you will with the exact same loads in other WSM rifles.

In my Sako's Magpro has given me good accuracy and velocity equal to normal WSM velocity. You might want to try it.

The 270 WSM is 150-200 fps faster than the 270 Winchester in equivelant rifles with the same bullets and same powder. I've loaded bullets from the same box and powder from the same keg in both rounds and using listed loads the WSM was 150-200fps faster.

A lot will say that 150-200fps isn't a big difference and makes no difference in the field. Maybe or maybe not. If 200 fps didn't make a difference we wouldn't have any magnums would we? Everyone would use a 30-06 instead of a 300 Win Mag..........................DJ


....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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I like the .270 WSM in the Tikka T3 Lite - what a great cal/rifle pairing! It's lightweight and easy handling, and very accurate right out of the box. Warne rings on the integral rail and a 2.5-10 should cover most any hunting situation for medium game. I also like the fact that the T3 is a long action and has a single stack magazine, makes for very smooth feeding with the stocky WSM hull.

I think the Vanguard is much the same - long action rifle with a short action round IIRC. I own a Vanguard in .300 Winchester Magnum, while not fancy or refined, it's plenty accurate and works the way I need it to.


________



"...And on the 8th day, God created beer so those crazy Canadians wouldn't take over the world..."
 
Posts: 539 | Location: Winnipeg, MB. | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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Walter Prociuk ----- Get some RL-22 powder along with Fed 210 primers and the Nosler 6th Edition reloading manual. If you cannot outdo the factory loads, you need to swap that rifle. My rifle is a Model 70 Winchester Ultimate Shadow that was not expensive at the time I bought it and can be found several places. I can get 3450 fps with 130 grain bullets. I must have been lucky and got one of the Eagles. Good luck and good shooting.


phurley
 
Posts: 2367 | Location: KY | Registered: 22 September 2004Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by djpaintles:
The 270 WSM is 150-200 fps faster than the 270 Winchester in equivelant rifles with the same bullets and same powder. I've loaded bullets from the same box and powder from the same keg in both rounds and using listed loads the WSM was 150-200fps faster.

A lot will say that 150-200fps isn't a big difference and makes no difference in the field. Maybe or maybe not. If 200 fps didn't make a difference we wouldn't have any magnums would we? Everyone would use a 30-06 instead of a 300 Win Mag..........................DJ


I agree totally, and with my rifles (SAKO's) I have had no problem with several powders achieving book plus velocities. I have good success with the VV powders and Reloader series as well.

Good Shooting---


BTW DJ, what IS that tape on your rifle barrel and muzzle??
 
Posts: 3563 | Location: GA, USA | Registered: 02 August 2004Reply With Quote
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Got my 270 WSM last summer used it in Saskatchwan 2007 and took the buck in the pic. It's a great round and in the tikka it's far more accurate than I am. She does have a kick some but when your hunting you do not feel it.
 
Posts: 137 | Registered: 16 November 2004Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by Fish30114:

BTW DJ, what IS that tape on your rifle barrel and muzzle??


When hunting I put a strip of Electrition's tape over the muzzle. The band is just a spare strip.
The tape keeps water, dirt etc. out of the muzzle and bore pressure will pop it off without changing the flight of the bullet one whit.............................DJ


....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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Aha, the old tape on the muzzle trick! I only use scotch tape to preserve aesthetics. homer

I was hoping you'd found some new barrel tuning technique!
 
Posts: 3563 | Location: GA, USA | Registered: 02 August 2004Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by akpls:
What's the good, bad & ugly on the .270 WSM? I can get a good deal on a Weatherby Vanguard in several different calibers and this one looks interesting.
It's nice to try different calibers but with a 300WM you can go a long way before having,if ever,to look at another for North American hunting or African plains/leopard hunting.The 300WM is also more accurate than the 270WSM, despite the WSMs decieving PPC looks.
 
Posts: 11651 | Location: Montreal | Registered: 07 November 2002Reply With Quote
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The 300WM is also more accurate than the 270WSM.


It would take a lot of bullets through a lot of barrels in a lot of different rifles to confirm that hypothesis in a statistically significant manner.

And even if it were somehow "proven" that in match rifles, the 300 is more accurate, for the typical hunting rifle, there are so many variables (barrel quality, bedding, triggers, action "trueness", etc.) which would collectively, if not singularly overwhelm any slight difference in accuracy due to case geometry.
 
Posts: 1416 | Location: Texas | Registered: 02 May 2003Reply With Quote
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Not trying to steel the thread, but I am having a litte trouble with my 270 WSM. I am reloading og are using new Rem.brass. With 130 gr.Sierra bullets I am loading to a speed of 3000-3100 f/sec, not to max. The powder is V V N-165 and the rifle is a Rem.700 XCR. When I cycle new empty or reloaded brass through the action, it runs smoothly. When fired some of the cases are a little difficult to extract. Not much but just a little. When I try to full-lengh resize these cases, they become totally impossible to rechamber. I have tried to adjust the die from far away to a 1/4 past the contact point. I have also tried a lower than standard shell-holder. The die is RCBS. What could be wrong? Could it be the die, the brass or perhaps even the rifle?

Regards
 
Posts: 3 | Location: denmark | Registered: 16 August 2007Reply With Quote
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I will never use Rem brass again because of its poor quality.For the 270WSM I tried both Win and Norma brass and both work fine.
 
Posts: 11651 | Location: Montreal | Registered: 07 November 2002Reply With Quote
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Haterock, since I'm not fond of Remington guns, I'm tempted to say that the rifle is the culprit. Anyway, I would suggest you to abundantly lubricate the cases, especially the inside of the neck, each one, to avoid stretching them when you resize. I have had similar problems in the past that I never found with several other cartidges that I usually reload
 
Posts: 1459 | Location: north-west Italy | Registered: 16 April 2002Reply With Quote
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haterock ---- Get some Winchester Brass and RL-22 powder and start all over. I am getting 3450 fps with North Fork 130 grain bullets and 3380 fps with Nosler Solid Base and Partition bullets. Good shooting.


phurley
 
Posts: 2367 | Location: KY | Registered: 22 September 2004Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by haterock:
Not trying to steel the thread, but I am having a litte trouble with my 270 WSM. I am reloading og are using new Rem.brass. With 130 gr.Sierra bullets I am loading to a speed of 3000-3100 f/sec, not to max. The powder is V V N-165 and the rifle is a Rem.700 XCR. When I cycle new empty or reloaded brass through the action, it runs smoothly. When fired some of the cases are a little difficult to extract. Not much but just a little. When I try to full-lengh resize these cases, they become totally impossible to rechamber. I have tried to adjust the die from far away to a 1/4 past the contact point. I have also tried a lower than standard shell-holder. The die is RCBS. What could be wrong? Could it be the die, the brass or perhaps even the rifle?

Regards


Have you checked your length after resizing? When you size the brass that gets moved has to go somewhere and that usually means the cases lengthen. It's possible that the necks on your sized cases have grown too long to rechamber...............................DJ


....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by shootaway:
The 300WM is also more accurate than the 270WSM, despite the WSMs decieving PPC looks.



bsflag Simply not true.................DJ


....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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Do a search here on AR and talk to people and you'll see how many had accuracy problems with this round.There are many unhappy people in the 270WSM camp and I am one.
 
Posts: 11651 | Location: Montreal | Registered: 07 November 2002Reply With Quote
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