270 WSM for Sheep (?)

Hi everyone, I've been using a 308 for deer (love it), and want something that can reach out if needed during a sheep hunt. Thinking fit for purpose, is the 270WSM the way to go?

My other options are 270 Wtby, 7mm RM, or up to the 300WSM. Would also look at the 6.5 Creedmore, although I think the 308 has that beat. Really appreciate your feedback on this one.

Kodiak Special said:

Hi everyone, I've been using a 308 for deer (love it), and want something that can reach out if needed during a sheep hunt. Thinking fit for purpose, is the 270WSM the way to go?

My other options are 270 Wtby, 7mm RM, or up to the 300WSM. Would also look at the 6.5 Creedmore, although I think the 308 has that beat. Really appreciate your feedback on this one.

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lm a hardcore mountain hunter. l hunt ibex. saim sort of game as sheep and similar terrain exept the ibex live in more rugged areas.! most important thing in sheep and goat hunts is weight.!! so a heavy rifle is hard to carry around with you.
when it comes down to caliber... 7mm RM all the way for me. cant go wrong with it. l wouldnt go with anything else. its just literaly made for that type of hunt

Kodiak Special said:

Hi everyone, I've been using a 308 for deer (love it), and want something that can reach out if needed during a sheep hunt. Thinking fit for purpose, is the 270WSM the way to go?

My other options are 270 Wtby, 7mm RM, or up to the 300WSM. Would also look at the 6.5 Creedmore, although I think the 308 has that beat. Really appreciate your feedback on this one.

Click to expand...

You are really talking different rifle builds when comparing 270 WSM to 270 Wby and 7mm RM. The 270 Wby and 7mm RM are excellent performers as far as energy and trajectory, but are Long Action Magnum rifles, compared to the 270 WSM which can be built on the Remington Model 7 action.

Remington Chambers the 300 WSM in the Model 7 which is sub 7 lbs out of the box with a 20 inch barrel. Custom version could possibly be made even lighter. Compared to a Weatherby Accumark which will be near 8.5 lbs, although they do make a featherweight version. Performance wise you can get pretty close to the large mag performance with the short mags, so yes, I would think it would be a capable sheep caliber providing you can get them to shoot accurately.

Are you buying a factory gun or building a custom? Do you reload or are you shooting factory ammo?
The 270 WSM is a great cartridge in a modern custom rifle. Factory guns suffer from too slow twist and too short magazines. As with All WSMs the 270 WSM in factory configuration has too much of the bullet inside the body of the case Taking up valuable powder capacity. Build you a rifle with a 1/8 twist and long throat that will run the Berger 170s seated at the base of the neck and you will have a perfect sheep rifle. Mine runs the 170s at 3046 fps with no pressure. Shoots lights out with about 22 moa drop at 1000 yds. Hope that helps.

Thanks, fully appreciate it.

My set up is an R8, switch barrel, with 3x12 optics at 7.25 pounds. I'll look into the barrel issue as the 170s sound perfect. If that doesn't play out, I'll move to the 7mm RM, but no mas!

Nothing wrong with it HOWEVER, you'd better get the casings first and you'd better take lots of ammo with you cause you hain't buying any anywhere on the planet...might be wise to just stick with a tight necked 7 mm rm in the long run..

Just run some 130 grain ttsx in your 308.

Out of your list the 7RM or .300wsm would be my choice. The 6.5x55, 6.5-.284, .264wm, .260 Rem or 6.5CM will all out perform your .308 ballistically by a good bit.

The 6.5's for whatever reason never really took hold in the US like they did overseas but they are finally starting to and should not be overlooked and as they keep gaining more and more of the market share here in the US more and more top quality bullets in 6.5 come on the market.

I wouldn't have said this 10 years ago but everyone should give firm consideration to having at least one 6.5 in their gun cabinet.

I have a sako 270 WSM I used to take my bighorn in one of Montana's unlimited units. A friend used my rifle to take his stone and dall sheep as well as another friend who took his ram in Wyoming. I shoot 150 grain Berger with retumbo powder. Seems to be a great combo and has been a great sheep rifle!