The 270 WSM - The best of the WSMs?

06/01/2021

I am pretty sure that life is lived on a sliding scale of intensity. On one side is tranquillity, as in parents/grandparents who live in Maine and do not answer the phone or doorbell. On the other side is controlled chaos, as in an eldest son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter who live in Texas. The existence of both extremes is to be expected.

The first group lives in a predictable environment, with a good deal of latitude in determine areas of participation. Activities are generally introduced through necessities; food shopping, home maintenance, landscaping, auto repair, sitting on our respective asses watching Sea Patrol on streaming TV. The second group, corporate career tending and raising a very talented, very active teenage daughter who is entering high school, keeps life at a dead run.

What I find so amazing is how both life styles can coexist. Effortlessly, adapting, conforming and modifying routine to accommodate one another while spending time together. With tomorrow visiting family departure day to Texas, it will be difficult to retreat to a routine that does not include them.

A little better view of the stock contours from the bottom side.

The trigger guard and magazine are polymer, will not rust and will no doubt feed more reliably than metal pieces over the long haul. The magazine stacks cartridges straight up and down and serves them up from the center. The magazine holds 3 WSM rounds and magazines can be preloaded and stowed in jacket pockets… or shirt pockets… pants pockets work also.

The 24″ barrel has a sporter contour, rather than a boat anchor weight some manufacturers insist on hanging on anything listed as “long range”. The barrel, like the receiver and bolt handle are finished in Perma-Cote; high abrasion and corrosion resistance and non glare. The barrel has a target crown and 5/8-24 threads to accommodate a variety of muzzle devices. In this case a SilencerCo Omega 36M modular silencer.

 

The silencer was invented to curb firearm report, at a time when population density was increasing. I use them all of the time these days. My ears love them, my distant neighbors love them and active area hunters love them. In this case, the Omega 36M went from 300 Winchester Magnum to this 270 WSM application and seriously dampened noise without shedding velocity.

Pictured left, L-R, 270 Winchester, 270 Winchester Short Magnum and 270 Weatherby Magnum.The 270 WSM is one of my favorite high velocity big game cartridges. It is flat shooting, moderate recoiling and lethal on even large bodied game. Compared to the also excellent 270 Weatherby, the average price of WSM ammo, in comparison to the average price of Weatherby ammunition, makes WSM almost a budget round to shoot.

Factory ammunition bullet weight distribution between the 270 WSM and 270 Winchester is currently about the same; 120 grains to 150 grains. Same ammo type and weight typically gives the WSM a 260 to 300 fps edge. For the handloader, setting aside bullets intended for the 6.8 SPC, bullet weights range from 90 grains to 180 grains.

270 Weatherby brand ammunition, bullet weight for bullet weight, shows a 100 to 250 fps advantage over the 270 WSM. However, while all three noted 270 cartridge have a SAAMI homologation calling out a 24″ test barrel, Weatherby ammunition ballistics are based on a 26″ test barrel consistent with their Weatherby Mark V firearms.

Factory ammo or handloads…

I don’t shoot very much factory ammunition these days. Ammo is over prices, availability is not great, so I would rather handload for my purposes with components of choice. I this case, a selection of bullets and loads I often use for 270 WSM firearms.

Warning: Bullet selections are specific, and loads are not valid with substitutions of different bullets of the same weight. Variations in bullet length will alter net case capacity,  pressure and velocity. Primer selection is specific and primer types are not interchangeable. These are maximum loads in my firearms and may be excessive in others. All loads should be reduced by 5% as a starting point for development where cartridges have greater than 40 grains in capacity and 10% for cartridges with less than 40 grain capacity following safe handloading practices as represented in established mainstream reloading manuals. Presentation of these loads does not constitute a solicitation for their use, nor a recommendation.

 

Overall

No surprises, and that is a good thing. Every Winchester XPR I’ve shot has pretty much felt the same, shot the same and performed admirably. The Renegade in 270 WSM is more of the same.