270 WSM custom build

[jackthebear]

Has anyone on hear built a 270 WSM that turned out to be a tack driver?? Targets to prove it???

 

[gregw83]

As far a building a tack driver, seems from what I've seen over and over, if someone does that, they either go for a time tested cartridge with a reputation for accuracy like 300wm, 308, 243, 22-250. or they go for new cartridge that was designed for accuracy like 6.5 lapua, or creedmoor. I'm far from an expert, but do know that powder burns more uniformly in a shorter, fatter case, so it's not out of the question.

 

[Engineering101]

Jackthebear

I didn't actually build one but I found a large shank stainless new facotry varmit contour barrel in 270WSM on Numrich's site for under $100. I bought the barrel and stuck it on my Savage 260 Rem LRP. It has a real nice HS Precision stock, full length aluminum bedding block, etc and shoots everything well - like 0.5 MOA or better depending on how I'm doing that day. HOWEVER - with the 270 WSM barrel it was horrible. I tried all kinds of stuff and was hard pressed to get it under 1 MOA and it was usually worse. It still bothers me and I still have not figured out what was going on. I even bought a second one of those barrels just in case the first one had some wierd defect. I haven't given up but am pausing on the 270 WSM for the moment. I figure I'll have my smith look the barrels over just to see if they are horrible (which they could be). The rifle is back to being a 260 Rem and shoots better than I can shoot which is what you would expect from a no taper heavy target barrel in a good stock.

Having said all that - the 7mm WSM holds the 1,000 yards British record for small group size and the 300 WSM holds the US record (or at least they did the last time I checked) so I'm pretty sure that you can build a 270 WSM rifle that shoots lights out. I have a 7mm WSM that will do 0.5 MOA all day long but it has a custom Brux on it. So... go for it. The 270 WSM is really nice to shoot versus some of the bigger stuff but it still packs a punch.

 

[Shortmagman]

I hope to have an answer to that question before the summer is out. I bought a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight some time about 10-12 years ago and for a factory gun it was a tack driver with certain loads. It shot the Factory loaded Winchester 130 grain Silverbalistic tips into less than 1/2 in. (3 shots at 100 yards) the first day I took it to the range. It took me some time to load anything that would match this but, I did develop loads with 140 Nosler Accubonds that matched it or better. I liked the gun so I keep shooting it until I shot the barrel out.

I am now having a Bartlein barrel put on the gun. In about 4-5 months I hope I can tell you that this gun with the new barrel is a tack driver. If may not be a full custom gun, but with a Bartlein barrel, Timney trigger, laminated stock, it will be a custom gun for me.

 

[bigngreen]

Ya, build a few and building another one later this year. To date my 270 WSM has been the most accurate rifle I've owned, I have a custom reamer that works very well with Norma brass and 165 Matrix bullets. I don't know if I have any groups saved on this computer but I'll see. I've shot multiple 5-6 shot groups that you can cover with your had at 1450 yards and it's shot decent at 1890 yards.
The only thing that you really have to really watch is your neck tension, you can go from 3/4 moa groups at a mile to not hitting a rail car due to vertical in only a couple reloadings unless you stay on top of annealing. Other than that I'll put it up against any 7mm or 300 WSM any day.
Matrix bullets are thee ticket for the 270 WSM, non other compare in both ballistics or terminal performance!!!

 

[jackthebear]

Ya, build a few and building another one later this year. To date my 270 WSM has been the most accurate rifle I've owned, I have a custom reamer that works very well with Norma brass and 165 Matrix bullets. I don't know if I have any groups saved on this computer but I'll see. I've shot multiple 5-6 shot groups that you can cover with your had at 1450 yards and it's shot decent at 1890 yards.
The only thing that you really have to really watch is your neck tension, you can go from 3/4 moa groups at a mile to not hitting a rail car due to vertical in only a couple reloadings unless you stay on top of annealing. Other than that I'll put it up against any 7mm or 300 WSM any day.
Matrix bullets are thee ticket for the 270 WSM, non other compare in both ballistics or terminal performance!!!

Thanks Bigngreen! Tell me more! I'm sitting on a Remington short action in 270 WSM and thinking about doing a custom off it. Do I need a long action? What's the overall length of your load with the matrix bullet? What barrel length are you running?

 

[dig]

I had a custom built and had all kind of issues, could not get the gun to group consistently. 3-4 shots half MOA, then a flyer. I replaced the tube with a douglas thinking I got a bad barell ( started with a custom ) still flyers. I started prepping the hell out of Winchester brass, weighing within 5 percent, flash holes, primer pockets, turning necks, you name it. Better results but not acceptable to me. I followed some of Big Greens posts and advice however with the 150 grn Bergers. All be damned things improved. The biggest advice I could offer is start with Norma brass, that made the biggest difference and cut back on prep work, make sure tension is good. AND THROW AWAY ANY WINCHESTER BRASS. this is a great caliber once dialed in. I now shoot consistent groups just over half MOA at a hundred and out to 600 which is the farthest I have put on paper.

 

[jackthebear]

Dig,

R u running a 24" barrel or 26" and at what velocities?? What's your recipe? Did you have a custom reamer built for the chambering of your barrel and do you know what the length of the freebore is in your barrel?

Beau

 

[dig]

26 inch Douglas with brake, no custom reamer. Load is Norma brass, full length sized in Polished Redding dies, CCI mag primer, h4831ssc 60grn, 2.280 to Ogive 2.820 +\- OAL. Getting 2870 at 1100 ft. I have pumped a little hotter but accuracy suffers. I load for hunting so it fits in the mag, I am .0015 plus off lands I believe.

Sorry for delay had to look that one up.

 

[feelinducky]

Good to see this thread. I just received my Bartlein barrel yesterday. I decided to go 24" finished length for my 270WSM. I ditched the WIN brass and purchased Norma last summer. It was a good change it gave me better consistency than the WIN brass. The Norma did a little better with group size but I just can't seem to get it under an inch at 100yds. As far as neck tension go what do you guys recommend?

 

[dig]

As for the neck tension I was thinking of a collet die however I got groups where I needed them without purchasing one. I polished the hell out of my expander ball on the Redding dies. If I was buying a new set I would buy a bushing or collet set. If you are gentle on your brass you can remove the expander.