270 WSM recoil with reduced loads

[Deleted member 25294]

I'm looking for a new lightweight hunting rifle for my girlfriend. She currently has a youth model .308 vanguard, the weight fully scoped is 8 pounds. The recoil is not an issue at all with 150 grain bullets. She made two perfect 100 yard lung shots on a bull elk last fall and he just took off. We finally got him, and discovered that the bullets only penetrated about 8 inches! These were bonded bullets and they did not over expand. The .308 with a short barrel just does not have it, especially since my girlfriend is very capable of taking the 400+ yard shots.
I've been looking at the tikka lite rifles in .270 win, and .270 WSM. Weight is an important factor, but so is excessive recoil. I plan on loading 130 grain bullets at 3000 FPS, the tikka 270 win has a 22.5" barrel so I would have to load near the max to get that performance. The 270 WSM has a 24.5" barrel and weighs just 6.5 pounds. Looking at recoil calculators it appears that if I loaded the WSM down to 3000 FPS with 130's, then the recoil would actually be slightly less than the 270 win at comparable velocities. It would also be nice to have a gun that was capable of pushing to higher velocities for the longer shots.
Does anyone have some first hand experience with reduced loads for the 270 WSM?

 

[winmag]

I think your on the right track cartrige wise, but most of the guys here push whatever they shoot as fast as it will shoot accurately. If recoil is excessive, they use a brake. There are Tons on the market. Go to YouTube, & search the Muscle Break. (pay real close attention to his ears) They don't seem to be too loud, but recoil reduction is amazing from lots of first hand accounts from tons of members here. Jim See of centershot rifles a.k.a. Coyboy here on LRH makes them.
Kirby Allen of Allen Precision a.k.a. fiftydriver here on LRH makes the painkiller break.
Both of those breaks are reputed to be AMAZING at reducing recoil.
I shoot an unbraked 270WSM with 140 Accubonds over62 gr of RL-19 at around 3100fps. It's really suprising how light the recoil is with this load. I did shoot up a box of federal 130's that was a gift once. Recoil was crazy lite. I'm guessing if you pushed a well constructed 130 at 3k it would be a ***** cat.
P.S.
Good pick on the girlfriend that Elk Hunts.gun)

 

[tpbscha]

I load the Barnes 110TTSX for my GF in her Vanguard 270WSM. Some might say that it would be marginal for Elk, but at 3400-3500fps I think you would still get some pretty good penetration at reasonable distance without a bunch of recoil.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

Thank you both for the reply's.
It's encouraging to get some first hand feedback on the WSM recoil. I've been hearing all sorts of horror stories about brutal recoil, even with 130's. I've though about a brake, but I want to avoid one. I had a .300 win mag with a brake and it's just way to much muzzle blast without hearing protection. In a hunting situation hearing protection isn't always gonna be there.
I think the 270 WSM should be great for my girlfriend, and you're right she was a good find!

 

[bigngreen]

My wife shoots the heck out of my 270 WSM, I usually swap the barrel on her to a worn out but accurate barrel so she doesn't toast my good barrels when she slaps and racks it

I run the 110 TTSX out at just under 3600fps with R17, recoil is mild but I use it for my coyote load and haven't put it on anything bigger. My rifle is braked and is a powder puff to shoot even with full round house Retumbo loads with the 165 Matrix. I think the 130 TTSX would work good and pack a little more steam than the 110gr, the 110TTSX would worry me a bit on an elk just by the way they blow up on a coyote they may be a little aggressive to early.

I set up a 270 Win for my buddies wife and I load it with 140 Bergers right at 3000fps, recoil reducer in the stock and mushy recoil pad. She'll smoke elk and deer right out from under him if she beats him.

The WSM has more snort but your loading it way down to shoot any bullet at 3000fps but the 270 Win may be in a better load range at that velocity your looking for. But then again if you can shoot it later with the 165 Matrix and put the serious smack down on and elk.

 

[Gurn]

I just bought a Savage in 270 WSM. How do those 110s shoot as far as accuracy. The Barnes book says they are fine for deer sized game.