reduced load 270/7mm WSM for first deer rifle?

If you are considering the 270 Win cartridge then why not the 280 Rem instead? It uses a better bullet and can be loaded very easily to match 7-08 ballistics, but can also be loaded with good 160-180 gn bullets for bigger game. It idles along nicely with a 140 @ 2800 fps but will also drive it at 3100 fps if you want. If you are stuck on the short action, then the 7-08 is a great choice, as is the 260 Rem, but the king of the short actions is the 284 Win but getting very hard to find anymore.
There is nothing wrong with your plan to buy a bigger case and down load it initially, in fact it makes good sense. It also gives you greater flexibility on the upper end later on. Don't shy away from the 7 WSM because of lack of brass, it is a better cartridge than the 270 WSM and when you are reloading you can use either 270 WSM brass or 300 WSM brass for the 7mm so you will have no more problem finding brass than if you had a 270 WSM.
Unless you just have to have a NEW rifle, I'd be looking for a good used one in what ever rifle fits your wants and in what ever cartridge you desire. Although a lot of combos are not available at this time, chances are they have been available in the past so there will be some good used ones out there changing hands. I'm fairly certain Winchester did offer it's FWT in 7 WSM some time back, I know I have one in a 325 WSM.
Welcome to the gun owner/hunting/reloading community and realize that whatever you start out with it'll just be the first of many. You will, through trial and error find a rifle and cartridge combo that works perfectly for your requirements. Then you'll want a varmint caliber for those pesky coyotes and groundhogs, then you may want to take a coastal grizzly so you'll need a good medium bore, then you may decide you can't live without a Cape Buff so you'll need a big bore or large medium bore.........and on and on and on.........Trust me, I quit counting at 180 rifles, handguns and shotguns and I still want more to fill unnecessary perceived niches..........
 
If you are considering the 270 Win cartridge then why not the 280 Rem instead? It uses a better bullet and can be loaded very easily to match 7-08 ballistics,
For discussion sake ........ How is a .284" bullet of like construction and weight better than a similar .277" bullet? :)

I personally think they are both good and never considered one better than the other. I could easy own either a 270 or 280 and be quite pleased with the results.
 
That model 70 featherweight compact in 7mm-08 sounds like the perfect deer rifle for you. I have one in .308 and it's my go to deer gun. I was even going to take it for moose this year but my 9.3 shot some stellar groups for me so it deserves a chance to go to newfoundland.
 
That and high BC .277 bullets are a scarce commodity. There's a few, but when you really get into the big numbers the .27O runs out of twist.

Whether or not a person pushes things to where it really matters, or even wants to, doesn't change that. The 7mms don't share that short-coming.
 
I thought the exact same stuff today whilst driving down the hwy...


at Which point does the Hunter physically feel 'undergunned' by using his .270 WSM for Long Range hunting ..... Compared to the 7 WSM and 300 WSM.


Like without looking at 'numbers' on a sheet that someone has printed, Fundamentals would play a bigger part in Success V Failure AKA Practising with Chosen Calibre.


Like it doesn't make much sense to me without getting into the Technical krap, isn't it just a few Inches more drop, in reality.. Couple less FPS maybe..

same krap that is debated why the 308 V 3006 for elk debate?


ya know what I mean, is it just nit pickin to be the better man? ;)

WL
 
10-4 on that one mate!

I agree having played with the 308, the 7mm/ 08, my wildcat 270 / 08 , performance is so close almost like peas in a pod.
It becomes a matter of " take your pick " as they will all do the job and very well too.
And same for reloading, similar powders, similar results.
In hindsight the 308 Winchester sired a good family
 
I thought the exact same stuff today whilst driving down the hwy...


at Which point does the Hunter physically feel 'undergunned' by using his .270 WSM for Long Range hunting ..... Compared to the 7 WSM and 300 WSM.


Like without looking at 'numbers' on a sheet that someone has printed, Fundamentals would play a bigger part in Success V Failure AKA Practising with Chosen Calibre.


Like it doesn't make much sense to me without getting into the Technical krap, isn't it just a few Inches more drop, in reality.. Couple less FPS maybe..

same krap that is debated why the 308 V 3006 for elk debate?


ya know what I mean, is it just nit pickin to be the better man? ;)

WL

It depends on what you consider long range. If you think 400 is long, then it probably doesn't make any difference. If you thnk 700 is long, you better take anything you can get going in your favor.

I'm a long ways from hating .270s, I've got 4 in 3 different chamberings. Facts remain facts.
 
...How about a .270 WIN with a 22" barrel ie Model 70FWT? ...I do expect there to be a lot of dense forest to walk through and compactness will definitely be a plus, but in the Model 70 the 7mm08 FWT has a 22inch barrel ...

I think that would be an excellent choice. The 22" barrel isn't that big of a handicap. It would have the same overall length roughly as a 28" barreled hinge-action shotgun, and there aren't many complaints about those being too long in thick bush for upland.
 
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