Any 264wm guys out there?

Hardstalk

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Curious if there are any 264 believers on the site. Ive pondering the idea of liquidating my 270wsm to fund a barrel and revamp on my grandfathers old model 70 264wm (1965 acc. To the numbers) It was handed down a few years ago and has been collecting dust after a couple hundred bucks worth of ammo concluded the barrel was done in on it.

I realize the 270wsm and 264wm are very close as far as ballistics go. Just find myself going back and forth on the decision to part with the 270. Im a one gun kinda guy. Mostly bow hunt but threw in a couple rifle choices this season. I was curious of any pros or cons on both to push me over the edge on making the decision. Thanks in advance fellas!
 

Shrek

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I'm not a big 270 wsm fan so... once you take the barrel off you can make it into any cartridge with a .540 base. 7mm Rem mag , 7mm stw , 7mm wsm , 300 wsm , 300 win mag and the list goes on. Or you can make it a 264 win mag again. Just wanted to let you know it could become a lot of things if you wanted.
I think the 7mm stw is a really cool long action magnum that can cover everything in North America. Same can be said for the 7mm rem mag but everyone and their brother has one so it lacks the cool factor of the stw.
 
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Hardstalk

Hardstalk

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I had a buddy say "I can lap that barrel back into shape no problem". Not overly sure of the pros and cons there. Only custom work I have done to rifles is pay a gunsmith to adjust triggers, muzzle break, and other small details.
 
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Hardstalk

Hardstalk

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I think the 7mm stw is a really cool long action magnum that can cover everything in North America. Same can be said for the 7mm rem mag but everyone and their brother has one so it lacks the cool factor of the stw.

Thats one of my pushes for the 264. Its a conversation in itself when you come across someone who has/had one.
 

Shrek

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I agree it's a cool round. The only down side is the bullets top out around 140gr in hunting bullets. Super bc's but not a lot of bullet for big animals. For deer sized game it's awsome but for a larger animal I would want more bullet mass for less than ideal angles. Still , the 264 win mag will get it done on moose and elk . If that little pill hits the shoulder knuckle of a moose or elk you may be in for a long tracking job.
 

Matt Cashell

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140's would be plenty for elk and deer, IMO, especially in 6.5 with the high sectional densities. I would go for it, hardstalk. There is no "lapping" a barrel back into shape, but you may be able to set it back and cut a new throat. I bet the rifling is fine. The throat was likely torched.
 

Shrek

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I had a buddy say "I can lap that barrel back into shape no problem".

It's possible that lapping the barrel might smooth the throat enough to get a couple hundred more accurate rounds but more than likely not. You could fire lap it with a set of tubbs bullets or pay a smith to hand lapp it . It will only buy you a few rounds though. Really fast rounds are hard on barrels.
Need to emphasize the more than likely not part.
 
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robby denning

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I'm a fan of them, just not an owner. It's number 2 or 3 on my list but I only hunt deer. A friend had one. Old wood stocked Win 70, shot an inch every day, managable recoil and knocked big deer down. He shot 140 grainers, can't remember the bullet.
 

Shrek

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you may be able to set it back and cut a new throat. I bet the rifling is fine. The throat was likely torched.

Of course by the time the smith has done the work of setting it back you have paid all the labor of a rebarrel for a maybe. I'd just go for the new barrel.
 
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Yeti

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I own a Sako Finnbear in 264wm its a really nice round. I'm not however a fan of the factory loads that are available for it. I have a friend that reloads rounds for me. I know that it has a reputation as a throat burner but mine has never had an issue. It has taken deer and black bear with no issues.
 
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Hardstalk

Hardstalk

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you may be able to set it back and cut a new throat. I bet the rifling is fine. The throat was likely torched.

Of course by the time the smith has done the work of setting it back you have paid all the labor of a rebarrel for a maybe. I'd just go for the new barrel.

Not the first time I have pondered this. I have been following the carbon barrel thread closely. :)
 
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Matt Cashell

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I was just giving you another option, if you wanted to save the existing barrel from that classic rifle. Also, many smiths will do a rechamber for a pretty reasonable rate, if they don't have to order a new reamer.

I still like 264 WM, but if I was rebarrelling, I would have it cut for 6.5X284.
 
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Hardstalk

Hardstalk

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I was just giving you another option, if you wanted to save the existing barrel from that classic rifle. Also, many smiths will do a rechamber for a pretty reasonable rate, if they don't have to order a new reamer.

I still like 264 WM, but if I was rebarrelling, I would have it cut for 6.5X284.

This seems to be the long range chamber of choice. Either way I think im going to have to go hand loads. As often as I shoot rifles this is a fine decision. Reload 30 rounds. The following year 30 more.
 

Shrek

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You can't go with the 6.5x284 , it has the .473 rim. You could go with a wildcat like the 6.5 wsm or the 6.5 saum that I would like to build. For the 6.5 you are looking at the 264 win mag for a factory case with a magnum .540 rim.
Edit : 6.5 rem mag also.
 
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Justin Crossley

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Any of the 6.5s would be better IMO than the .270 wsm.
I would do a .264 win mag. personally but any of the 6.5s would be awesome.

The 6.5 mm 140 grain vld running at 3160 fps, has 1000 ft lbs of energy at 1000 yds.
The .270 140 grain vld running at 3160 fps, has 711 ft lbs of energy at 1000 yds.
 

Matt Cashell

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You can't go with the 6.5x284 , it has the .473 rim. You could go with a wildcat like the 6.5 wsm or the 6.5 saum that I would like to build. For the 6.5 you are looking at the 264 win mag for a factory case with a magnum .540 rim.
Edit : 6.5 rem mag also.

Woops, forgot we were talking about a Mod 70. You would hae to swap the whole bolt to change bolt faces. Bummer. 6.5 RM or 264 win would still be great though.
 
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Hardstalk

Hardstalk

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Woops, forgot we were talking about a Mod 70. You would hae to swap the whole bolt to change bolt faces. Bummer. 6.5 RM or 264 win would still be great though.

Same buddy of mine just built a 6.5 creedmore (spelling) and he stated its less a burner than the 264 and 6.5x284. Any truth to that? One plus is he already has the dies and is familiar with the round. Are the bolts adaptable for this round?

So many choices! I suppose its a good problem to have when building your one and only game rifle.
 
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Hardstalk

Hardstalk

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Justin-dave-bb-robby, all other responders. Thank you a ton for the input! As you can tell im not much of a rifle guru. All input is very appreciated.
 

Shrek

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The creedmore is a pretty mild round. It has slightly less powder capacity than the 260 rem . It was designed as an ultra efficient target round not a high velocity and energy hunting round. It's a great deer round but it is getting on the weak side for bigger animals and you get nothing putting it in a long action. It also has the standard .473 rim so you can't use it with your bolt.
 

Ray

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In 1962 my mom bought a 264WM M70 off of the swap and sell radio hour. The seller said it would not shoot. Dad took it the the range and after a few shots only one was on paper, but was key holed. The old time stories are that the factory ammo was way too hot, and that was the primary reason for throat burnout.

After hand loading with 140g BTs at a slower rate the gun turned into a shooter. It killed many deer in NV before it went to drawing.

Now that I've inherited it I plan on at least getting it out for a caribou hunt next year to knock the dust off.

For a rifle that is shot out I would get it rebarrled in 264 again and keep it alive.
 
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