.270 Win vs 6.5 CM for Hunting

B

BuckBerry

New member
Hi Guys,
I've seen some really sweet new rifles online and on the shelves lately. I'm mainly looking at the precision-minded hunting rifles... Bergara HMR, Rem 700 Magpul, etc. I doubt I'll buy a .308 or a 300WM. However, I'm having a bit of a hard time justifying a 6.5 when I already have a .270 Win. I'm not really someone to have countless rifles, and I do like to have a little spacing between calibers/bullet weights, etc. I prefer to have a smaller number of better quality rifles that I can really get to know in and out. For a while now, I've had a Savage Model 11 in .243 and a Browning X-Bolt in 270. I like the spread that the two calibers get me. Both are great whitetail rifles, and the .243 gets me out on coyotes, and is an excellent low-recoil caliber for anyone that ever goes hunting with me that is young/new. The .270 is also more than ample for whitetail and even adequate for elk. I guess I am just questioning all the hype on the 6.5... When a brief study of ballistics leaves it falling short of the .270 for any practical hunting application, but not by much. Basically the 270 shoots flatter and hits harder out past 7-800 yards. And I would never shoot an animal from that range...
Or should I just have 2 rifles of calibers close together? The Bergara HMR is just really sweet and I'm looking to justify it I think.
What do you think?
Thanks
 
One thing I forgot to mention. The reason I'm stressing this a bit is that I would be trading in my .243 toward the purchase of the new rifle. So, I would be getting rid of that caliber and then be left with a 6.5 plus my Browning 270.
 
Well, one was/is designed as an all-round hunting cartridge while the other is designed as a precision paper puncher and has morphed into something sort of adequate for hunting.
Take this as a vote for the .270 (and it's one of the few cartridges I really despise).
 
As a hunting round out to practical ranges there isn't much difference between 270 and 6.5 CM. But the 6.5 does it with about 30-35% less recoil and the odds are very good that any 6.5 rifle will be more accurate. The 270 shoots the same bullet weights about 200 fps faster at the muzzle. But the higher BC 6.5's close that gap some at longer ranges. Plus the higher sectional density of the 140 gr 6.5's mean deeper penetration than 130 gr. 270 on game. The truth is that no game animal will ever notice the difference if hit with any of the 6.5's, 7-08, 270, or 308.

As a target round the 6.5 is the clear winner, especially at ranges beyond 500 yards. If you are looking at a dual purpose rifle for precision target shooting and hunting the 6.5 is significantly better than any of the above.
 
I am not a fan of either.

The 6.5 CM has been around for a decade.

The 270 Win has been around for decades

If you want high BC bullets, they are available for both.

I believe the 6.5 CM is a fad. The 270 Win is not a fad.

My vote goes to the 270 Win for obvious reasons.
 
For the most part, I agree with jmr40. I have a 270 and a 260 and have killed hundreds of deer over the decades. Assuming all the hunter’s shots are inside 400 yards, Ballistic coefficient means little. From my years of “research”, it’s my opinion that the 270 is the better deer round, but mostly I hunt with the 260. Less recoil with the 260 and it kills about as well. As for penetration and sectional density, it seems that I get more pass through with the 270 than with the 260.

The 270 gives me a bit more than 3000 FPS with a 130 gr bullet. With the 260, I’m a bit shy of 2900 FPS with a 120 gr bullet. I think there’s more difference in the 270’s advantage than the numbers indicate. But as I said, I hunt with the 260, and it does a fine job. The 260 is just plain pleasant to shoot.

If I was going to shoot a 300 pound hog, I will use the 270. For small Texas deer, I’ll use the 260.

If the OP is going to shoot a lot at targets and coyotes, get the 6.5 Creedmoor. Easy on the shoulder.
 
One thing nobody has mentioned is barrel length. Shooting a .270 with anything less than a 22" barrel is downright unpleasant. The 6.5CM doesn't get to that level of unpleasantness until you get down into the 16" range.
 
Avoid the hype!
Keep your 243!
As you mentioned already, the 243 has a history with new/young hunters. Every time you look at it, it will bring back memories of previous hunts and good times with people.

The 270 is medicine enough for almost anything on 4 legs on the North American coninent.
 
"The 270 is medicine enough for almost anything on 4 legs on the North American coninent."

And an F-150 will pull a semi-trailer(or so the ads claim).
Sorry, couldn't resist.
 
I have 260 rem and 6.5x55 rifes, but I,m not selling my .270,s. a 270 shooting a sst 140gr bullet with a .490-.500 bc at 3000 fps is not a cream puff.
 
My own favored pair is a .243 and a .30-'06. It's not that the '06 is somehow better than a .270, but I grew up on it as a family favorite.

Me, I'd keep both the .270 and the .243. I don't figure that anything else will kill any deader, and probably not any quicker or more ethically.

I'd focus on more ammo and practice, or on reloading components. :)
 
In reality not enough of difference in terminal ballistics between the two to matter. Within hunting ranges, that high BC 6.5 bullet will not over take the .270 either.

You do get lighter recoil with the 6.5. That makes it a bit more bearable in a light-weight hunting rig. All said, I never found .270 to be a hard recoiler either. .270 ammo is still much more common, much more available.
 
Art's thought's on this reflect mine. You're .270 and .243 are all you really need.
My only three centerfire rifles I have any longer are my 30-06, .270 and my Mod 94 30-30. I may add a .38/.357 Henry to the mix tho. Keep your two rifles; they're fine.
 
Well heck, if he wants a new rifle, he should buy a new rifle. Get that 6.5 CM and enjoy it. I shoot the 260 (Ballistic twin to the 6.5) way more than I ever shot the 270. He might find that the other two rifles won’t get much work after he gets the 6.5.

As i’ve aged, I’m doing as my Dad did, which is hunting with a lighter rifle. Old rifles seem to gain weight. Now I have a Tikka stainless lite in 260 and I just seem to grab it whenever I go hunting. During varmint season I shoot 100 gr loads. For deer season, I switch to 120 gr loads. A rifle that light, in 270, would probably be a bit less fun to shoot than the 260. The grandkids love shooting the 260 and never complain about recoil. They would complain if they shot my 270.

So...get a light 6.5 and enjoy it.
 
I'm with Art. I have several .270s and two .243s and am happy with both cartridges and the rifles they're in. They've been great for me, taking deer and eastern coyotes with great authority.

Actually, I'm relatively new to .243 ownership, having been impressed with its performance and deciding to buy one for myself. I converted a .22-250 to it, since that cartridge no longer was being used for woodchucks and crows. The converted rifle has killed several coyotes with great authority at ranges between 100 and 300 yards and secured a buck at 200 for me last year.

The cartridge has also killed about 7 deer for grand-kids and put them down quickly. The Tikka T3 Lite has been a great carrying rifle and has accounted for more than half of the deer shot with that cartridge.
 
I'll agree with Art as well. .243Win and .30-06 are also two of may favorites and what I grew up hunting with. One I have passed down to my 14 year old, the other to my 16 year old. I just did an inventory of the guns I own and the guns I have sold over the years, which always gets me to thinking...what guns would I buy if they all were somehow lost.

For all practical purposes, the 6.5x55, .260Rem, 6.5CM and .270 are all close enough that I would only pick one of them, and likely a short action, so a 6.5CM might be it. My 14 year old has a Bergara HMR in 6.5CM and it is a shooter. Comparing it directly to my Custom R700 in .260Rem, it holds its own and I really do like it. But if you have a .243 and a .270, I'd be hard pressed to tell you that you would be better off with a 6.5CM and a .270 as they are pretty close. Maybe if you want to upgrade to a HMR Pro and trade them both in, I might see it. The HMR is a little heavy to lug into the field, but for staying pretty much put, it would be a good choice.
 
just me,,,,BUT,,,,maybe you should consider just buying the rifle you are looking at and shoot it and then make your decision,,,,and sell the rifle you think you dont want.....

and these words of wisdom are coming from a guy that has done this exact thing before,,,,ONLY,,,when a new rifle is brought into the fold,,,there is never one that leaves,,,,SO,,,maybe not such wisdom,,,lol,,,,but it sounds good

see,,, i did almost the same thing,,,have a 22,,and 223,,,,hmmmm ,,,i need something in the middle+ ground,,,,SO,,,i picked up a 17WSM,,,got it to shooting really well after a barrel bed and a touch of crown work,,,,now,, it seems to be the go to varmint rifle,,,that little 17cal 20gr bullet at 3000fps is a show stopper,,,,but i digress

just get the new rifle and then decide,,,just remember that it may work for you like it does for me,,,and you will have 3,,,lol


ocharry
 
jmr40 said:
As a hunting round out to practical ranges there isn't much difference between 270 and 6.5 CM. But the 6.5 does it with about 30-35% less recoil and the odds are very good that any 6.5 rifle will be more accurate. The 270 shoots the same bullet weights about 200 fps faster at the muzzle. But the higher BC 6.5's close that gap some at longer ranges. Plus the higher sectional density of the 140 gr 6.5's mean deeper penetration than 130 gr. 270 on game. The truth is that no game animal will ever notice the difference if hit with any of the 6.5's, 7-08, 270, or 308.

As a target round the 6.5 is the clear winner, especially at ranges beyond 500 yards. If you are looking at a dual purpose rifle for precision target shooting and hunting the 6.5 is significantly better than any of the above.
Click to expand...

I must be in a contrary mood today! as a hunting round out to practical ranges, there isn't a lot of difference between a 300 mag and a 25-06! Use a proper bullet and place it right and the animal dies! Oh alrght, a 300mag and a 243!

Now for my elk rifle I like my 30-06 with 180gr bullets, cup and core. My backup for it is my 6.5x55 with a good bullet, cup and core! I have only shot one game animal in my life over 300yds, actually 330 yds on my range finder. I did it just to say I did it! All this talk about the need for a rifle to use out to 500 yds is to me just BS. Anyone actually seeing an animal at 500 yds and taking the shot was hunting for an animal out that far! At 500 yds you could probably stand straight up and cut it down to 400yds in plain view!

So, the only real difference between my 30-06 and my 6.5x55 is the weight of the rifles and the amount of recoil! 6.5 CM can come in a bit lighter rifle than a 270 and have somewhat less recoil! Any other difference is all in your mind!

So OP, do you enjoy shooting your 270? If so, there's no need for a new rifle that's gonna do the same thing your 270 already does. If on the other hand you simply want a new rifle, good reason, I'd sell the 270 and keep the 243. I'd lots rather spend the say shooting over a varmint colony with my 243 and 70gr bullet's than my 30-06 or 6.5x55 or any other rifle I have. Don't have a 22 CF.

Well, I miss spoke. if i simply wanted a new rifle I'd buy it and keep both the 270 and the 243. I doubt you'll get enough from either to buy a new rifle!
 
BuckBerry, I read your post about elk hunt you have coming up and you mentioned using 270 for that. I'd keep 270, be good choice for elk.

I have 270 and 243. 243 mostly use for coyotes and 270 deer tag if drawn. I have some other hunting rifle so 270 may not get hunted with every year but I won't sell it or 243.
 
I would keep my guns and buy the 6.5CM. This type of thinking has ended with me getting two safes for long guns and one safe for hand guns. The last time my bride caught me bringing a new gun in the house she said " you can buy all the guns you want but you can't buy another safe". Not sure what to do.
 
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