Is the 207 Winchester Real?
Is a new cartridge, the 207 Winchester, about to be released?
According to the initial thumbnail photo on my most recent You Tube video, it would seem so.
Is a new cartridge, the 207 Winchester, about to be released?
According to the initial thumbnail photo on my most recent You Tube video, it would seem so.
But… No. Just a typo. What was supposed to be 270 Winchester came out as 207 Winchester. We've since fixed that. But, 207 Winchester in the title or 270 Winchester, shooters and hunters are still fighting over which is better: the 270 Winchester or the 6.5 Creedmoor.
Well, which is it?
It’s the… Well, it depends on what you value in a cartridge/bullet. And where, when, and how you use it. Deer hunting? Elk hunting? Target shooting? Open country? Woods? Calm or windy?
In this video I provide considerable history and perspective on the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 26-caliber in general before laying out the ballistic and recoil data. I even compare not only different popular hunting weights in each, but lighter and heavier bullets to provide additional perspective on how muzzle velocity and ballistic coefficient modify bullet performance.
Despite this, viewers are still taking me to task. Maybe you’ll want to, too.
Regardless how we play the numbers, the performance comparisons between the standard-length cartridge 270 Winchester of 1925 and the short-action cartridge 6.5 Creedmoor released in 2007 are remarkably close.
As evidence in support of this contention I offer the following ballistic chart as shown in the video. Study at your leisure and decide which cartridge is superior to the other. Or whether there’s enough difference to matter.
Assuming you decide the latter, how then do you decide which to chamber in your hunting rifle? Well, you might consider other attributes such as…
Rifle length, weight and size. A short-action rifle can be built about 1/2-inch shorter than a standard length. And perhaps 4 ounces lighter, all else being equal.
Cycling speed. A 1/2-inch shorter action will be a split second faster to reload than a long. Whether that matters in the real world of hunting is up for debate. I would say no.
Ammo costs and availability. Right now 6.5 Creedmoor is the hottest selling ammunition in the country, although the 223 Rem. and/or 308 Win. could be surging due to panic buying for self defense. Regardless, there are more than enough brands and bullet types/sizes in both 6.5 Creedmoor and 270 Winchester to satisfy any need. Because the 270 Win. requires a bit more brass for the case and powder inside, it can be a tiny bit more expensive on average, but weighed against the cost of all other hunting expenses… To quote a famous politician, “Come on, man.”
Barrel burning. Anyone who indulges in lots of practice or shooting competitions might worry about burning out a barrel. Heat from repeated shots is what does it. And the smaller the bore and bigger the powder supply being burned, the hotter that steel gets. If you don’t pour 20 rounds down the barrel in a few minutes, a hunting rifle in either of these chamberings should last a lifetime or two.
Recoil. Neither of these has what I’d consider heavy recoil. But you might. Study my recoil chart below and make up your own mind.
Reloading ease and case life. I haven’t kept detailed records on the case life of these two, but my experience and intuition suggest the Creedmoor wins this one. The 270 Win. is rate for slightly more chamber pressure and has a more tapered neck, so neck turning will be needed more often and brass could wear out one or two resizing operations earlier than the 6.5.
Attitude. Don’t laugh. This is a big deal for many. Some macho traditionalists would rather wear women’s panties than be caught shooting a Creedmoor. Some avant garde wouldn’t sully their hands with an antiquated old dog like the 270 Win.
Regardless how you vote, the really significant thing is (as I say in the video) you get to choose! And thank God we live in a country where we still have choices and the power to make them.
Hunt honest and shoot straight, my friends.
Spomer has hunted with the 270 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor, but never the 207 Winchester.
