Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
.270 WSM
Winchester Short Magnum is a short, broad-case .270-family sporting cartridge. It uses its own case geometry and short-action dimensions.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.560–2.860 in
65.024–72.644 mm - Case length · max
- 2.100 in
53.340 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.278 in
7.061 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.535 in
13.589 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.2780 in / 7.061 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 9 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 130–150 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.270 WSM is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 270 Winchester Short Magnum. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
WSM and WSSM are different cartridge-family abbreviations. The full name must match the firearm.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .270 Winchester Short Magnum was introduced in 2002 and applied the short-magnum concept to the established .277-inch bullet diameter. Its design objective differed from simply increasing the size of a conventional long magnum: it sought magnum-class sporting performance in a short-action rifle with a short, relatively wide case.
Winchester and Browning emphasized that rifle package, offering the chambering in lightweight hunting models such as the Classic Featherweight and A-Bolt Stalker. The idea was particularly relevant to hunters carrying a rifle in steep country, where action length and overall rifle weight mattered alongside ballistic performance. The .270 WSM therefore belongs to the early-twenty-first-century interest in compact magnum hunting rifles. It shares a bullet-diameter class with the older .270 Winchester but has a different case and a distinct commercial story, built around the short-action concept rather than the 1925 cartridge’s long-action heritage.
Historical sources: Sierra: .270 WSM development context ↗ · Winchester: 2002 .270 WSM introduction ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited .270 WSM examples, bullet weights are 130, 136, 140, 145, 150 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
130 grains
3,250 fps
SP
136 grains
3,240 fps
TERMINAL ASCENT
140 grains
3,200 fps
BERGER HYBRID HUNTER
Compare all 9 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal270WSME | 130 gr 8.42 g | SP | 3,250 fps 991 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalP270WSMTC1 | 130 gr 8.42 g | TROPHY COPPER | 3,280 fps 1,000 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP270WSMTT1 | 130 gr 8.42 g | TROPHY BONDED TIP | 3,280 fps 1,000 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady805574 | 130 gr 8.42 g | CX® | 3,150 fps 960 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
| FederalP270WSMTA1 | 136 gr 8.81 g | TERMINAL ASCENT | 3,240 fps 988 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP270WSMBCH1 | 140 gr 9.07 g | BERGER HYBRID HUNTER | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP270WSMTT3 | 140 gr 9.07 g | TROPHY BONDED TIP | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady80558 | 145 gr 9.40 g | ELD-X® | 3,100 fps 945 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗ |
| FederalF270WSMFS1 | 150 gr 9.72 g | FUSION | 3,060 fps 933 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.270 WSM: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 130 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 3250; 100: 2978; 200: 2722; 300: 2480; 400: 2251; 500: 2034 |
| 136 gr Federal TERMINAL ASCENT | Federal | 0: 3240; 100: 3036; 200: 2842; 300: 2655; 400: 2477; 500: 2305 |
| 140 gr Federal BERGER HYBRID HUNTER | Federal | 0: 3200; 100: 3011; 200: 2830; 300: 2657; 400: 2489; 500: 2328 |
| 145 gr Hornady ELD-X® | Hornady | 0: 3100; 100: 2918; 200: 2744; 300: 2576; 400: 2414; 500: 2258 |
| 150 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 3060; 100: 2867; 200: 2682; 300: 2504; 400: 2333; 500: 2169 |
| 130 gr Federal TROPHY COPPER | Federal | 0: 3280; 100: 3059; 200: 2850; 300: 2650; 400: 2458; 500: 2275 |
| 130 gr Federal TROPHY BONDED TIP | Federal | 0: 3280; 100: 3050; 200: 2832; 300: 2624; 400: 2426; 500: 2236 |
| 130 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 3150; 100: 2907; 200: 2678; 300: 2460; 400: 2252; 500: 2054 |
| 140 gr Federal TROPHY BONDED TIP | Federal | 0: 3200; 100: 2982; 200: 2774; 300: 2575; 400: 2385; 500: 2204 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .270 WSM?
Winchester Short Magnum is a short, broad-case .270-family sporting cartridge. It uses its own case geometry and short-action dimensions.
What diameter does .270 WSM use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2780 inches (7.061 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
WSM and WSSM are different cartridge-family abbreviations. The full name must match the firearm.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 102 ↗
- Sierra: .270 WSM cartridge background ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 185 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
- Winchester: 2002 .270 WSM introduction ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.