I would like to rebarel my 270 win someday... at this point my two thoughts are either down to 6.5 swede or up to 280 AI.

Nick1,
Depending upon the actual cartridge, (some left off of this discussion include the 264 Win Mag and the 26 Nosler)the various 6.5 cartridges out there can be used on anything from jackrabbits and gophers up to elk and moose. In fact in the Scandinavian countries, may moose (or elig in their lingo) are taken each year with 6.5x55 cartridges. Many of those are loaded a bit lighter due to being in older rifles (over 100 years old in some cases).
As FiremanJG stated, the improved ballistic coefficients (BC) and/or heavier bullets available, give the various 6.5's out there the ability to take game animals far above what many would think they should/would take and do it in a very economical, light-recoiling package.