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270wsm or 280ai for Elk/Mule Deer to 800 yds

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Brambles

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
158
Location
British Coumbia
So before someone says build a bigger rifle for LR Elk...I already have the 270wsm, the 280ai and a 338 Edge.

270wsm is a sako A7 ss w/vx3 3.5-10x40 B&C
Shoots 130gr ttsx @ 3250fps
300yd zero...confirmed to 600yds

280ai is a custom lightweight Remington titanium 23" bbl/ vx3 3.5-10x40
6lbs 7 oz scoped
Shoots 140tsx @ 3080 fps to work better with the reticle.
200 yd zero confirmed to 500yds

We don't need to talk about the edge in this scenario

Now that you know the hardware....this was the issue

I was hiking with my 270wsm on an old road to access a certain stretch of timber, looked across the valley and seen a 6pt bull feeding....range was 714 yds and he stood there broadside for 30 minutes. It tore me apart to let him walk but I was seriously doubting the performance of that bullet at that distance...

I am gonna make one of those two rifles more capable at elk to 800 yds, I do a fair bit of backpack hunting so having a light rifle is nice. Which moves me away from the AI...but it's easier to get the numbers with the 7mm bullet vs the 270...


I bought a Vortex viper HS-T 4-14x44....moa reticle...which is 7 oz heavier than the vx3

Now I have to decide which rifle gets it and what bullet to run that will still kill elk at 10 yards but also at 800...I'm normally a lung shooter, but high neck shots have happened at danger close distance.

Love to hear people's opinions on which way to go
 
Brambles said:
So before someone says build a bigger rifle for LR Elk...I already have the 270wsm, the 280ai and a 338 Edge.

270wsm is a sako A7 ss w/vx3 3.5-10x40 B&C
Shoots 130gr ttsx @ 3250fps
300yd zero...confirmed to 600yds

280ai is a custom lightweight Remington titanium 23" bbl/ vx3 3.5-10x40
6lbs 7 oz scoped
Shoots 140tsx @ 3080 fps to work better with the reticle.
200 yd zero confirmed to 500yds

We don't need to talk about the edge in this scenario

Now that you know the hardware....this was the issue

I was hiking with my 270wsm on an old road to access a certain stretch of timber, looked across the valley and seen a 6pt bull feeding....range was 714 yds and he stood there broadside for 30 minutes. It tore me apart to let him walk but I was seriously doubting the performance of that bullet at that distance...

I am gonna make one of those two rifles more capable at elk to 800 yds, I do a fair bit of backpack hunting so having a light rifle is nice. Which moves me away from the AI...but it's easier to get the numbers with the 7mm bullet vs the 270...


I bought a Vortex viper HS-T 4-14x44....moa reticle...which is 7 oz heavier than the vx3

Now I have to decide which rifle gets it and what bullet to run that will still kill elk at 10 yards but also at 800...I'm normally a lung shooter, but high neck shots have happened at danger close distance.

Love to hear people's opinions on which way to go
Click to expand...

"IF" the .270 WSM has 1:8" to stabilize the Matrix 165/175 and Berger 170, you're golden ... and would have no problem with 800 yards shot on that bull elk, of course shot placement is still the key. Just do a custom search on the top right hand corner on ".270 WSM 165 Matrix Bigngreen" and you'll see what I mean.

Good luck!
 
Sorry, I ment to include the twists....

270wsm is a factory 10 twist
280ai is a lothar Walther 9.5 twist

10 twist does hurt my .277 options..
 
I completely concur with Feenix. Change the barrel in the 270WSM and you will be golden. You will need a 3.120 box to take advantage of the bullets he mentioned.
No sense in seating the bullets down in the boiler room.
 
To avoid completely modding your .270 WSM, and since you already have a long action .280 AI, you could just swap over to the Berger 168 VLD's or 168 Classic Hunters, and your 9.5" twist barrel will handle them just fine. You won't have to make any mods but swap bullets.
 
My 1-10 270 WSM' s shoot the 165 Matrix pretty well, it has a higher bc than the 168Berger that I use in my 7RM -both at 3000fps.
 
WOW...I just ran the numbers on that bullet going 3000 fps....very impressive for sure...

1 full twist off their recommendation though....
 
Yeah, it is pretty good. Weird that the tightest groups my Kimber ever shot is with the 165 Matrix and a pile of RL33.

I am patiently waiting for my 270-300WM, it should spit the 170 Berger and 175 Matrix out at 3200fps from the Pac-nor 28" 1-8 twist super match barrel.
 
First I would like to highly commend you on not taking a shot you were not comfortable with!! I know a lot of guys that would have just blazed away and hope the outcome was not bad! Back to the subject. I would fool around with the 270 and see what the biggest bullet you can keep pointy end first is and go from there. However as was already mentioned the 280 with 168s would do the trick quite nicely and should require no modifications to your current equipment.
 
A question, say I buy a box of 165 matrix, develop a load and it shoots well up to say 300 yards, does that mean the bullet will stay stabilized at further ranges or can they de stabilize as they slow down at further ranges?
 
As the bullet slows down in flight, it can become unstable. Which is why it's important to do all the leg-work, calculations, and to test them thoroughly before taking a shot that far.
 
As EricL mentioned, i think the .280AI w/your 1:9.5 twist and 168gr-ers will be the better option than the 270WSM which hovers on the border with it's 1:10 twist.

Out to 800yds the BC differences may not negatively effect "real world" performance too much, whereas stabilization can at all ranges.

To me, i think you can rest more confidently that the 168gr pills are able to be maximized in your lothar. You can take her up to max. pressure/velocity and keep the bullet rpm's where they should be even through the lower transonic stage.

Also, good on ya for not taking a shot you were not 100% confident with your gear.

Good ethics in action.
 
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