7mm Rem Mag vs 270 Win

[Varminterror]

30grn more bullet over 10grn more powder, isn’t the same recoil. Gotta add weight to a 7rm to make it feel the same as the 270, which still ain’t the same.

In 2022, I’m not buying either, but I’d sooner buy a 7RM than a 270.

 

[Mn Fats]

The 270 is a slowly dying round. As is 30-06 for that matter.

30-06 is dying? No it isnt. Tons of milsurp guns, old hunting rifles chambered in 30-06 out there. Just because Creedmoor is the new black doesnt mean 30-06 is dying. And I say this as a 308 win man.

 

[Varminterror]

Just because Creedmoor is the new black doesnt mean 30-06 is dying.

The 30-06 was fading out of popularity long before the Creedmoor case was ever developed.

 

[troy fairweather]

Well done, amigo. I needed this tonight, thank you!

Lol I got a chuckle writing it, had a crap day after driving 4 hours to the city with dad and being told it was a wasted trip.

 

[Archie]

My advice is not to fixate on the cartridge, but rather focus on how / what / when / where you intend to use your new gun.

I fully agree. For most hunting - unless is particularly seeking larger game or farther away game - something on the order of 7mm-08 with proper loads will suffice. Far too many good people get caught up in the 'be first on your block' trap. Which will probably offend some of the rifle makers.

 

[mshootnit]

7mm Mag


The 7mm Mag is going to have quite a bit more smack on game and will deliver more authoritative results on game. Recoil is more, and noise is more with the 7mm.

The 270 Win is adequate and an undisputed performer.

For hunting I prefer the 270 WSM over the 6.8 Westerner. Tight twist is more of a concern when target shooting, not a western hunting concern. In other words, a hunter with a 270 WSM and a 150 gr. Partition launched at 3150 fps, will never be at a real world disadvantage.

https://www.nosler.com/270-caliber-150gr-partition-50ct.html

 

[Peakbagger46]

I split the difference with a 270WSM. 130gr @ 3300fps.

Takes me back to a Browning A Bolt I owned a while back! Quite an accurate rifle with less recoil than an ‘06.

 

[adcoch1]

The 30-06 was fading out of popularity long before the Creedmoor case was ever developed.

Blasphemy! Probably true, but, BUT, its the 30-06!!!.

I'd take the 7mm over the 270 just cause I like the bullets more, but it does burn more powder. I'd still rather have it than a 270...

 

[earlthegoat2]

If deer is all your shooting then take the 270.

Even though elk are taken with 270, if both deer and elk would want to be taken with the same rifle then go 7mm Mag. The 140-175gr bullets make the 7mm a bit more versatile in that regard.

 

[Krusty]

I’ve downloaded a recoil chart, for what it’s worth. Hunting calibers are standard weight for rifles they are chambers in, usually 7-8 lbs. The Lapua would be heavier.

338 Lapua Magnum 37.70 ft-lbd recoil energy. 15.44 FPS recoil velocity. 256 grain bullet

7 mm Remington Magnum 23.15 ft-lbs. 13.32 fps. 163 grain bullet

270 Winchester 17.64 ft-lbs. 11.64 fps. 149 grain bullet


You said you had fired a 338 Lapua so I included it for reference. Hope this helps.

https://backfire.tv/recoil/

 

[Buzznrose]

I’m wondering what’s wrong with the 6.5 you have? Just looking for another cartridge or is it specifically a target rifle?

Because 6.5 seems to get a lot of grief as a hunting cartridge but I suspect most of that is the shooter selecting a match bullet rather than a hunting specific bullet.

6.5 caliber cartridges been killing large game including moose for a long time…6.5 Sweed comes to mind…

That said, I like the 6.8 Western from what I’ve read on it. I owned a 7MM Rem Mag M70 and finally sold it…I’ll never own another belted magnum. Too many better calibers with less recoil.

That said, mine was an effective hunting tool. I killed many deer and antelope out to 375ish yards with single shots to the heart/lungs in Montana while living there. But friends with 25-06 and another with a .270 did fine too.

I’m saving my remaining testosterone, which is fine BTW, for other things than shooting hard kicking rifles.

I like the idea of downloading to .280 levels in the 7MM and would do that if I still had mine, but I would not go out today and buy one.

 

[Buzznrose]

I am a fan of neither cartridge. The 7 mag is overbore and hammers me too much. Jack O'Connor was delusional with his devotion to the .270.

I would opt for a .280 or a .25-06 for deer with Accubonds or Nosler partitions. Nothing short of a grizzly will be a problem'

I won’t argue the calibers you suggest, both fine choices, but that JC was delusional, I think is wrong.

I’d definitely agree to him being a “fan boy” of the cartridge, but he used it to great success, that cannot be denied.

Delusional would suggest he advocated for a cartridge that did not perform, he falsely believed in an idea. That is certainly not the case. The cartridge, like it or not, has been successful in harvesting game throughout NA for many years.

 

[Buzznrose]

Imagine if there were as many pistol cartridges as there are good hunting cartridges. LOL!

The 9MM-40-45 debate would be way more interesting!


And just thinking out loud…I wonder why we haven’t simply thrown away the tube magazine lever action rifle cartridges, like 30-30 or even 45-70? Lots of better bolt guns, way more effective. Certainly no denying the 30-30 has been a huge success since developed, but it’s usefulness has been surpassed…or has it?

I honestly believe growing up on Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and the Rifleman along with John Wayne and Cline Eastwood westerns keeps the lever gun alive and well in the US…as it should!

 

[Driftertank]

I like the 7mm RM. It's versatile, and capable of taking pretty much any game on North America at any reasonable range...and plenty at frankly unreasonable ranges. Friend of mine took a big bull elk in Idaho about 5 yrs ago at 903yd lasered. A single 180gr Berger did the trick...though frankly he was as surprised as anyone else that didn't take a follow-up or some tracking.

You can load a 7 down to match the power and recoil of a 270 without trouble. The reverse isn't really true.

It may be true that it takes a 26" barrel to get the most out of the Rem Mag, but you can take 2 inches off that without giving up a lot.

 

[Sav .250]

Guys that have a 7MM know. I know.
Jack O`Conner..........wonder if he ever shot a 7MM . LOL.

 

[Varminterror]

6.5 seems to get a lot of grief as a hunting cartridge but I suspect most of that is the shooter selecting a match bullet rather than a hunting specific bullet.

This hasn’t been a true cause for any increased failure in the field for any cartridge, 6.5 creed included.

The grief the 6.5 creed takes is from Luddites making up failures to justify their preference of their other cartridges. Match bullets have killed ridiculous amounts of game for generations already.

Sure, inexperienced hunters, unaware of their limitations do often buy into marketing and take shots for which they aren’t prepared. It happened with the WSM’s, happened with the RUM’s, happened with the S&W mags, I’m told it happened with the 7RM when it dropped 60 years ago… some advertising even encouraged poor shooting as acceptable, but I certainly haven’t seen such claims made about the 6.5 creed by anyone but its detractors…



We as a society know what the 7RM and 270 can do, far beyond the paper exercise, because folks have been doing it with each of them for 60 and 97 years, respectively.

 

[rabid wombat]

after driving 4 hours to the city with dad

Complete aside….it was a GREAT day, you spent 4 hours with your Dad!

 

[Patocazador]

Delusional would suggest he advocated for a cartridge that did not perform, he falsely believed in an idea.

I didn't say he was delusional, I said he was delusional in his devotion to to the .270.
In Jack's time only the 130gr. and 150gr. bullets were available OTC. Yet, he argued to his death that the .270 was better than he .280, .30-06, 7 mag and others which were just as good or better. He and Warren Page conducted decades of pissing matches where Jack defended the .270 at every turn. He worshipped at the altar of .270. The only other cartridge he was a fan of was the 7x57 which is one of my favorites.

It is my secret contention that he didn't die from a heart attack on his Hawaiian cruise. I suspect that the other passengers got fed up with listening to his diatribes concerning the .270 and threw him overboard.

 

[robin banks]

I do not see where the 30-06 can be dying. you can push a 208 gr hornady bullet with .690 BC 2700 fps. there is absolutely nothing you cant make hits on up to 1000 yds big game or targets

 

[Charlie Martinez]

The first time I shot my 7 mm Rem Mg recoil was not nearly as bad as I expected it to be. My rifle is a scoped Remington Model 700 so it's not particularly heavy. If I had to choose between the 270 Win and the 7 mm Rm Mag recoil would be near the bottom of the list of pros and cons to consider. I would put a lot more weight on what I intended to do with the rifle and decide which of the two would be most suited for my purposes.

 

[Buzznrose]

This hasn’t been a true cause for any increased failure in the field for any cartridge, 6.5 creed included.

The grief the 6.5 creed

I didn't say he was delusional, I said he was delusional in his devotion to to the .270.
In Jack's time only the 130gr. and 150gr. bullets were available OTC. Yet, he argued to his death that the .270 was better than he .280, .30-06, 7 mag and others which were just as good or better. He and Warren Page conducted decades of pissing matches where Jack defended the .270 at every turn. He worshipped at the altar of .270. The only other cartridge he was a fan of was the 7x57 which is one of my favorites.

It is my secret contention that he didn't die from a heart attack on his Hawaiian cruise. I suspect that the other passengers got fed up with listening to his diatribes concerning the .270 and threw him overboard.

understood. I get it…he was a fan boy.

But if the cartridge worked, it isn’t wrong to be a fan…IMO

as far as “best, better or worse”…that’s just our genre. Best lube, best CLP, best caliber, best mags, et al.

Kinda like the guy who has no Internet gun forum presence, and hunts and kills elk every year with an old Rem 788 in 243. He has no idea his gun isn’t good enough to hunt elk…and the dead elk haven’t said anything yet either.

 

[JShirley]

I like the 7mm RM as the "one rifle" suitable for all North American big game. Not horrible overkill on small whitetail, and enough (though not ideal at close range) even for the really big, dangerous stuff. I even have a suitable rifle, a P14.

Yes, for most work in the US, a .270 is more than enough.

 

[Scout21]

Honestly, unless you get into the nitty gritty details, there's no practical difference between the two. The minute differences between cartridges are hotly debated on forums and in magazines, while indifferent hunters are out killing animals with whatever's in their hands at the time. I like reading and participating in the arguments as much as anyone else but, simply put, they'll pretty much all get the job done.

I'd put more thought into the bullet than the cartridge. There seems to be a wider array of different .284" bullets out there than there are .277".

I'd probably lean towards the .270, as I'm pretty averse to muzzle blast.

Flip a coin, you can't go wrong with either.

 

[WisBorn]

@TSchwab25 have you decided on which X Bolt model you are looking at?
@someguy2800 mentioned the 7mag has a 26" barrel compared to a 22" barrel on the 270. If hunting from a stand or open country the 4" of barrel is not a big deal, but still hunting or crashing brush the longer barrel is a limb catcher and a pain...

 

[LoonWulf]

I do not see where the 30-06 can be dying. you can push a 208 gr hornady bullet with .690 BC 2700 fps. there is absolutely nothing you cant make hits on up to 1000 yds big game or targets

Mine would blow primers or run out of case capacity before getting to 2700 if I remember correctly. Longer tube would probably have helped. But IMO, if your gonna shoot 200+ then a bigger case is in order.