6.5wsm vs 270wsm

[JWR07]

Which and why?

700yard limit
Whitetail , Feral pig, and some small (300lb) black bear.

Thanks

 

[MontanaRifleman]

A 300 lb bear isn't all that small. The 270 WSM because it makes a bigger hole, not much bigger, but bigger. And the 6.5 will be a barrel burner. 130 E-Tips or 140 AB's

Mark

 

[JWR07]

I was not sure if the 6.5 higher BC would help keep velocity and energy up at a longer distance. I understand the 6.5 is a "barrel burner" but would be used only for large game so it would not be shot a lot.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

The 6.5 would have higher BC for a 140 bullet, but the 270 would get better MV. They would real close out to 700 yds.

 

[jasonprox700]

I will probably be flamed for this, but why not a 6.5 vs 7? Don't get me wrong, the .270 is a great cartridge, but with the wide range of 7mm bullets out there, I just don't understand why anyone would want to go with the .270 caliber.

Me, I would pick a 7WSM or the 6.5WSM since you mentioned bear. Otherwise, the 6.5 would get my nod. Also, if you don't plan on shooting a lot, the barrel burning out is not a factor.

 

[JWR07]

I have alot of 277 bullets from a 270 ihsma rifle I use for close range hunting. So I already have the bullets. Same goes for the 6.5 (I have a 6.5br). Never owned a 7mm as I have never needed one. Nothing wrong with them but just never wanted one.

 

[bigngreen]

I ran a quick JBM comparison and it really boils down to how hard you can push one or the other. If you romp on the 6.5 and run it 3200+ you start seeing an advantage over the 270 both with 140 Bergers, but it is very minimal at 700yrds. If I were targeting bears I would try to push a 150gr bullet out of a 270WSM.
I think the 6.5 WSM is cool but it would take more investment on the reloading bench and time to reload also. As far as bullet selection goes if you take a look the offering at best the 7mm may have one or two more bullets but in alot of selections the 270 and 7mm have three, there a alot of 7mmWSM shooter out there, I just hate anything 7mm due to some very poor terminal bullet performance, ballisticly it is real good by the numbers.
If you don't have 270WSM you owe it to yourself

 

[JWR07]

can you run the numbers if the 6.5 was based off the 7wsm. If I am not mistaken the 7 has a little more room in it due to shorter neck. So maybe a little move velocity?

 

[JWR07]

Well I think I have decided on the 270wsm. Using aBallistic Calculator I should push a 140gr AB (BC.496) at 3140fps. It should still have 1961fps and 1195 flbs and drop only 92" below a 200yd zero. I think I can work with this.

Has anyone used Norma brass is it better than W-W or Rem?

 

[bigngreen]

Depending on the rifle and barrel you can push the 140's faster, I'm running them 3341 and I have a little room to go faster, 26in barrel Savage.
I have shot Win,Rem, and Norma WSM brass to there ends and the Rem was far the best for life and accuracy and needed the least maitanace.

 

[65WSM]

I own and handload both

My .270 WSM is a 1885 Winchester (Miroku manufactured) with a 28 inch factory barrel. I have focused on the 140 and 150 gr bullets because I own two 6.5 WSMs. The 140 gr Accubond in .277 has a BC of .498. It can be driven to 3280 easily by MagPro and be half a grain less than the published maxium. The drop on this combination is 5 inches less than the 6.5 WSM at 400 yards.

The 6.5 WSM with a 9 inch twist and 26 inch barrel can shoot 130 gr Accubonds at 3280 fps with Retumbo or Ramshot Magnum. The 130 Accubond has a lower BC than the 140 .277 AB so it retains less energy and drops more.

I have just built an 8 twist 28 inch barrel 6.5 WSM but the barrel is being nitrocarburized. I will shoot high BC target bullets with it and not bonded hunting bullets. I plan to investigate VV N-570 powder with those heavy for caliber140 and 142 gr bullets .

Note the 150 gr .277 Ballistic Tip has the same .498 BC as the .277 140 gr AB.

I have tried Win 780, Reloader 25, Ramshot Magnum, VV N-560, 4000MR, Superperformance, IMR 7828SC with bullets in both cartridges. I have tried Reloader 22 extensively in the 6.5 WSM and Retumbo and Magnum offer more velocity with 130 gr bullets.

I have not tried H-1000 in either cartridge although I have experience with it in the .264 Win Magnum and 7mm Remington Magnum. It never showed acceptable accuracy for me and other, particularly double base powers showed more velocity.

I will continue to load both the 6.5 WSM in 2 rifles and at least the one .270 WSM which shoots too well to walk away from. 5 inches less drop in hunting situations from the .270 WSM at 400 yards. Recoil is similar. Barrele life favors the .270 WSM probably but not many rounds. I shoot only HBN coated bullets and all new barrels will be nitrocarburized to extend their life. The first from a clean barrel HBN coated bullet will go precisely to the center of the group which follows. Tell me where the fowling shot from your barrels land and how that impacts your hunting.

 

[scottyd2506]

I own and handload both

My .270 WSM is a 1885 Winchester (Miroku manufactured) with a 28 inch factory barrel. I have focused on the 140 and 150 gr bullets because I own two 6.5 WSMs. The 140 gr Accubond in .277 has a BC of .498. It can be driven to 3280 easily by MagPro and be half a grain less than the published maxium. The drop on this combination is 5 inches less than the 6.5 WSM at 400 yards.

The 6.5 WSM with a 9 inch twist and 26 inch barrel can shoot 130 gr Accubonds at 3280 fps with Retumbo or Ramshot Magnum. The 130 Accubond has a lower BC than the 140 .277 AB so it retains less energy and drops more.

I have just built an 8 twist 28 inch barrel 6.5 WSM but the barrel is being nitrocarburized. I will shoot high BC target bullets with it and not bonded hunting bullets. I plan to investigate VV N-570 powder with those heavy for caliber140 and 142 gr bullets .

Note the 150 gr .277 Ballistic Tip has the same .498 BC as the .277 140 gr AB.

I have tried Win 780, Reloader 25, Ramshot Magnum, VV N-560, 4000MR, Superperformance, IMR 7828SC with bullets in both cartridges. I have tried Reloader 22 extensively in the 6.5 WSM and Retumbo and Magnum offer more velocity with 130 gr bullets.

I have not tried H-1000 in either cartridge although I have experience with it in the .264 Win Magnum and 7mm Remington Magnum. It never showed acceptable accuracy for me and other, particularly double base powers showed more velocity.

I will continue to load both the 6.5 WSM in 2 rifles and at least the one .270 WSM which shoots too well to walk away from. 5 inches less drop in hunting situations from the .270 WSM at 400 yards. Recoil is similar. Barrele life favors the .270 WSM probably but not many rounds. I shoot only HBN coated bullets and all new barrels will be nitrocarburized to extend their life. The first from a clean barrel HBN coated bullet will go precisely to the center of the group which follows. Tell me where the fowling shot from your barrels land and how that impacts your hunting.

your picking the best .277 bullets vs the worst 6.5 bullets, lets compares apples to aples.

the 140 VLD Berger .264 cal has a bc of .617 out of a 6.5 WSM at 3200 fps it is going to KILL the 270 WSM in EVERY way at 400 yards

Do the math, Even the 270 WSM at 3300 fps the 6.5 has less drop, less wind drift, and more energy at 400 yards


270 WSM 140 .498 BC

Range Velocity Energy Flight Drop Maks Path Drift Click Click
time height up side
[yds] [ft/s] [ft.lbs] [ins] [ins] [ins] [ins]
===============================================================================
0 3300 3385 0.000 0.0 -2.0 -2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
50 3198 3179 0.046 0.4 -0.7 -0.6 0.1 4.4 1.1
100 3099 2985 0.094 1.7 -0.4 -0.0 0.5 0.0 2.1
150 3002 2801 0.143 3.8 0.2 -0.3 1.2 0.8 3.0
200 2907 2626 0.194 6.9 1.0 -1.6 2.1 3.1 4.0
250 2814 2461 0.246 11.1 2.1 -3.9 3.3 6.0 5.1
300 2723 2305 0.301 16.4 3.6 -7.4 4.9 9.4 6.2
350 2634 2156 0.357 22.8 5.4 -12.0 6.8 13.0 7.4
400 2547 2016 0.414 30.5 7.5 -17.8 8.9 17.0 8.5
450 2461 1882 0.474 39.5 10.1 -24.9 11.5 21.2 9.7
500 2377 1756 0.536 49.9 13.2 -33.5 14.3 25.6 10.9


6.5 WSM 140 VLD .617 BC

Range Velocity Energy Flight Drop Maks Path Drift Click Click
time height up side
[yds] [ft/s] [ft.lbs] [ins] [ins] [ins] [ins]
===============================================================================
0 3200 3183 -0.000 0.0 -2.0 -2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
50 3120 3025 0.048 0.4 -0.7 -0.6 0.1 4.2 0.9
100 3041 2875 0.096 1.8 -0.4 0.0 0.4 -0.0 1.6
150 2964 2731 0.146 4.0 0.2 -0.4 0.9 1.0 2.4
200 2888 2593 0.197 7.2 1.1 -1.7 1.7 3.3 3.2
250 2814 2461 0.250 11.5 2.2 -4.2 2.7 6.3 4.1
300 2740 2334 0.304 16.9 3.7 -7.7 4.0 9.8 5.1
350 2668 2213 0.360 23.5 5.5 -12.4 5.5 13.5 6.0
400 2597 2097 0.417 31.3 7.6 -18.3 7.3 17.4 7.0
450 2527 1986 0.475 40.3 10.2 -25.4 9.3 21.6 7.9
500 2459 1879 0.535 50.7 13.1 -33.9 11.7 25.9 8.9

the 270 WSM is no slouch, but the 6.5 WSM has it beat hands down, extend the range to 1000 yards and the 6.5 really kills the 270 in performance

Even the7mm WSM has better BC bullets at the same weight, the Berger 140 VLD in 7mm has a BC of .512 vs the 140 .277 of 497

Then you have the 130 VLD in 6.5mm with a bc of .552,, at 3400 fps from a 6.5 WSM would be like laser beam. at the muzzle, and every yard after it would have more fps, less drift, less drop, nothing the 270 WSM with any bullet on earth could match it.

That being said, if one is going to go out and buy a factory rifle clambering, the 270 wsm would be nice and hard to beat, the 7mm WSM would have it beat with 140-180's, but not much.