7x64 vs 270 win

[Dave881]

Hi everyone,
I have been looking at switching calibre and when it is possible I am going to put in a variation for a spare barrel. I am shooting a sauer 202 so switching barrels is easy and I have had my eye on getting a 7x64 for quite a while now, I currently shoot 243 and 308 and will be getting rid of 243 to fund the new barrel. I am wanting to shoot the nosler 150 grain accubond LR bullets and have seen they also do them in 277 which opens up getting a 270 barrel that will probably be easier to source, so my question is are there any advantages to the 7x64? Will the 270 stabalise this bullet? I want the rifle for general purpose stalking, muntjac, roe and fallow but I am also interested in learning to shoot at longer ranges so will occasionally be playing out to 600ish yards. Any thoughts or experiences would be great.
Thanks
Dave

 

[Alistair]

I reckon they're pretty much the same ballistically.

Advantages of the 7x64 are a better range of bullets, especially for target shooting. Advantages of the .270 are that you'll more easily find components and can source some factory if required.

I currently have .270win, but I'm toying with the idea of a 7x64 at some point, out of curiosity more than anything else.

As for the 277 ABLR. Probably it wil stabilise. I use the 145gr ELD-X in a standard 1:10 and it's fine, so the ABLR would probably be ok too. Nosler doesn't mention twst requirmeents like they do with the 165, so wrth a try at least

Al

 

[Lateral]

I had a 270, decent calibre, does a job, and it works well with 130gn bullets. A 150gn would be at the top of the weight range, unless you were getting a custom barrel, with an appropriate twist rate, which is a pointless excersize, when there are already calibres that will do that job. The 270 went, in favour of a 6.5x47, that shot the same weight bullet faster, with 70% of the powder, and is far nicer to shoot.

I also have a 7x64, which pushes a Norma Oryx 156gn bullet @ 2925fps, and I love it. To be fair, it is my boar stalking, & night hunting set up, but it's taken roe, fallow, and Red's too.

Commonly, the 7x64 will have factory ammunition in the 165gn-177gn range, so anything circa 150gn will work well, assuming finding something the rifle likes.

The ABLR is a long bullet, and whilst I use it, and it's very accurate in my 6.5x47, I don't know how it will perform in the 7x64, not that there's a lack of 7mm options.

 

[Kalahari]

You all know what I think!!!!

David.

 

[enfieldspares]

There's no comparison. The .270 WCF is Winchester's bastardised copy of something that was all around better. Which was, indeed, probably the 7x64 despite the tale about surplus barrels from a cancelled Chinese contract. I think it's a poorly done American 7x64 "knock off" even so.

The only reason the .270 WCF is all around and all about is that they are all around and all about. Remington's .280 Remington (I had a Belgian Mauser 98 in that calibre) and 7x64 are better. Much better and why? As others have said because they can use a .284" bullet that not only gives you a 175 grain bullet option but also a wider choice of non-lead bullets.

OTOH if all you ever need is a 140 grain bullet ad 2,800 fps then there's a lot going in the .270 WCF. I've always when I've handloaded used a 150 grain bullet in my various ones. But everytime I've picked one up I think to myself "Why didn't Winchester make you in .284?"

 

[enfieldspares]

If you already have a .308 Winchester barrel and if you handload? Then I'd maybe consider a .30-06. As if you do ever shoot out to 600 yards it'll do it. In fact keep the .308 and get a 7x64 as it doesn't actually do much that your .308 Winchester can't do.

 

[awmc]

I had a 7x64 barrel for my Sauer 202 but sold it because I needed to change to .308 (due to availability of lead free ammunition 5 years ago).
I only used it for culling deer at ranges up to 250 metres but I liked it. I culled Muntjac, Roe, Fallow and Red deer with it and I don't recall any issues.
I think it was 1:10 twist and I happened on Hornady and RWS 139 gr rds which when propelled by 55 gr Reloder 22 were I/2 Moa at 100 metres - consistently (please don't use this a start point without checking your/current tables and working up).
I'd used a .270 Win before that but it left a sharper impression regarding recoil. May just have been the Sako rifle though.
Best of luck whichever way you go

 

[Muir]

I have no use for a 27 caliber anything but if you are looking for universal convenience the 270 would be the better choice. I personally would shoot a 7x64 as I am a large fan of the 280 -or better yet, the 7mm-08.~Muir

 

[jb7x57]

I shoot a 7x64 Blaser less recoil than a 270 and a lot bigger range of bullets

 

[Flash9919]

I think the twist on the Sauer is the same as the Blaser twist at 1:8.7 so it shouldn’t have issues stabilising the ABLR...although mine undoubtedly prefers bullets 160grns and above....ironically, I’ve just had a box of 168ablr delivered via spud so will let you know how I get on. FYI the throat on most 7x64’s is very, very long, even with ABLR/ ELDX you probably won’t be able to get to the lands!

 

[1894]

You need to do a bit of digging on chamber and throat dimensions. 600yds is getting to the stage you need decent precision. My memory is shaky but I was under the impression that 7x64 has very generous throat dimensions to the extent that a VLD style bullet might run out of magazine length or cartridge neck before it gets close to the lands. 270 doesn't suffer from throat issues just slower twist.

Enfield Spares suggestion of a 30-06 isnt bad. No throat issues, generously twisted, vld bullets. I've shot mine out to 600 in club matches and done well.

You could also consider a 280 - US 7x64 with Saami dimensions ie not so much freebore

It is perfectly possible that a 7x64 or 270 can do what you want but neither are exactly classic precision choices.

 

[Dave881]

Thanks for the replies guys, some great advice there. I am leaning more towards the 7x64 still but the 270 would certainly be easier to get a barrel and brass/dies for.

Has anyone tried the 270 with a really long bullet like the ablr or the hornady eld in 150 grain? I had a play with a twist rate calculator and it said the 10 twist 270 barrel was marginal for that bullet, any experience would be great.

I do like the idea of being able to go heavier than 150 with the 7mm but I am not sure I would need to. And thanks for the suggestion of 30-06 but it just doesn't appeal to me really, silly I k ow but just doesn't float my boat. I should also clarify my longer range desires, I am not looking to shoot at a club or in competition, I purely want to put targets out on my permissions and see what I can do.

Thanks again for the help and tips

 

[enfieldspares]

Well why not go 7mm Remington Magnum and be done with it?

 

[Alistair]

Thanks for the replies guys, some great advice there. I am leaning more towards the 7x64 still but the 270 would certainly be easier to get a barrel and brass/dies for.

Has anyone tried the 270 with a really long bullet like the ablr or the hornady eld in 150 grain? I had a play with a twist rate calculator and it said the 10 twist 270 barrel was marginal for that bullet, any experience would be great.

I do like the idea of being able to go heavier than 150 with the 7mm but I am not sure I would need to. And thanks for the suggestion of 30-06 but it just doesn't appeal to me really, silly I k ow but just doesn't float my boat. I should also clarify my longer range desires, I am not looking to shoot at a club or in competition, I purely want to put targets out on my permissions and see what I can do.

Thanks again for the help and tips

As I said in my earlier post, I had a go with the 145gr ELD-X (longest bullet Hornady do) in my 10 twist .270 and it's fine. I reckon the 150gr ABLR would also be fine. I doubt you could go above 150gr in an ELD type bullet though.

7mm Rem Mag would be more flexible if this is more a LR rifle though!

Al.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

145gr eldx is easily stabilise din a 1:10” twist
They will take a 180rn

I got some great velocities from RS70

For all the bullet choice in 7mm you have probably 10x the rifle and Ammo choice in .270
You are dealing with inconsequential calibre change
But the one you like AND can feed reliably

There is nothing between them

 

[scrumbag]

The twist rate thing could be valid.

7x64 usually comes with a 1:8.7 twist barrel so will stabilise a lot of projectile weights. If you are handloading, the range of 7mm projectiles is staggering and lets you shoot pretty much all of the 270W weights plus upto nearly 180gr.

I'm not sure for deer in the UK you'd notice much difference but if you wanted to do driven boar or the heavier end of plains game I'd prefer a 7mm bullet to .277 - But that's just me.

Whatever you choose, enjoy your shooting!

 

[Dave881]

Well why not go 7mm Remington Magnum and be done with it?

It has crossed my mind more than once and is something I would love to try but I am only wanting to get a barrel and my action won't take magnum cartridges, as nuts as it sounds I want to stay with the sauer 202 so have really limited my choice but I get on so well with the rifle I just want to keep it.
Dave

 

[Southern]

I have not loaded the 150 NAB, but the Remington RN 150 grain, and the Hornady and Sierra 150 gr are all very accurate in all 4 of my .270s.

I have only shot gallon cans at 600 yards with it, to check out a Burriss scope.

The 145 ELD-X is probably the bullet beyond 400 yards.

The 7x64 and .280 Remington with bullets 150 to 162 grains running 2,900 fps are a notch up in many ways, even at 200 yards.

 

[Colonel]

I asked a very good friend that works for Nosler, what’s the advantage of using LR Accubond over the standard Accubond and was told the any advantage to using the LR would only be when shooting over 600yds. I now use Accubond in 270 and 30-06

 

[Heym SR20]

The 7x64 and 280 Remington are pretty much identical in performance, but not identical so ammo from one cannot be used in the other.

Where do they fit. Well they have the trajectory of the 270 but have a bigger bullet and the thump of 30-06, but in terms of recoil it's a bit less snappy than the 270 but not the thump of the 30-06.

I am a hige fan of the 7x64 and its rimmed sister the 7x65R. It's very popular in mainland Europe as with 139gn or even a 123gn bullet its fast and flat shooting for mountain use, 156gn is a very good all rounder and with a 173gn you have a big game rifle capable on wild boar or big plains game - in other words just like the 30-06.

In the UK though the 270 is much more popular. As regards ammo for the 7x64 - plenty available, but you have to plan ahead and keep a stock. You can't expect to walk into little tiny gunshop and expect to find a good selection, like you can with the 270.