[ReadyontheRight]

I mistakenly bought a box of 135 grain .270 last year. I've got my rifle and scope sighted in for 150 grain, but I was thinking of sighting it in and using up the box this season.

Any opinions on the lethality on a big (hopefully) whitetail of 135 vs. 150 grain from a .270? I doubt if I'll take a shot longer than 100 yards. I figure I'll be fine, but I've never shot a deer with anything less than 150 grain.

Thanks!

[Keith]

135 grains is plenty for deer, if the round in question is designed for deer.

They make rounds for varmint shooting, etc, that are too fragile for use on big game. Check the box, or the manufacturers web site to see what that particular load is designed for.

Keith

[critter]

Agree.

[Art Eatman]

The 130-grain has pretty much been the standard deer load for a .270 since it first got started. Most folks have recommended the 150 for elk.

I hadn't heard of a factory 135-grain, but I'd imagine it would be a good enough deer-killer.

Most .270 varmint bullets are down around 100 grains...

Art

[mete]

In this area most shots on deer are short range. The problem with the 130s at short range is that ,while they make spectacular kills, they ruin too much meat. I've butchered such deer and if you shoot through the shoulders you just throw away the far shoulder. That's why I always recommend if you want to eat it use the 150s for short range.

[Delmar]

What Mete said. The 150 punches through a white tail both sides and is an all aspect application, but doesn't destroy meat like a 130 does. I would check to see if that 135 grain is for hunting-I understand somebody makes a 135 grain Match load which you prolly won't want to hunt with.

[ReadyontheRight]

Thanks Guys. I should have mentioned both are Remington softpoint "Core-Lokt" -- their mid-range soft point ammo.

I figured the 135 was OK, but I thought I'd check it out.

[ReadyontheRight]

You're right Art. It is 130 grain.

Interesting points on the 150 grain. The deer I've shot with 150 have had exit wounds. So the 130 doesn't go all the way through? Maybe I will stick with 150.

[St. Gunner]

Ready on the right,

I've never had a 130 fail to exit a deer, for many years I shot 100gr speer hotcors out of a .270 at varmit rifle velocity and most times still got a pass through. I use 130's on hogs and never have a problem. Remington keeps the stuff loaded down enough you don't normally have the bullet blow up.

I'd shoot em and not worry about it a second.

[Art Eatman]

My life settled down in 1963, after the Army and College and such. I had to make a fresh start on guns and reloading. Got a Sears .270 and a K4. I got a few deer with it; don't recall any "blowups" with 130-grain bullets.

I do have a vague memory of a Peckinpaugh-like spray of blood exiting one of the last bucks I shot with the .270; while sorta spectacular, it still was just another case of an exit wound...

For my handloads back then, I had gotten into using the Remington Bronze Points. They seemed to work well at all ranges.

A broadside deer, depending on range, were always neck or heart shots. No real waste of meat, regardless of the bullet's performance.

Art

[Smoke Rizen]

I agree with Art. At 100-150 yards a neck shot will drop a Deer, Elk,or Bear sized animal in their tracks. I use 130 gr. Nosler Partitions,have for 25 plus seasons, reducing to possession, several of the affor mentioned critters. I have never been dissapointed in the Noslers performance,with a properly placed shot. Aim small-miss small... Smoke

[ReadyontheRight]

I got the 130gr rounds sighted in today. I had a nice string of three touching in a straight vertical line just under the X ring shooting off the bench at 100 yards until the barrel started getting warm. The 4th shot moved left and up a few inches. I should have let the barrel cool off more, but the icy, blowing snow was pelting me -- and more importantly my gun and scope.

The remainder of the shots stayed nicely in a plate-sized group shooting offhand and on one knee with a somewhat warm barrel. It's shooting consistently a little low, even after bringing it up a few clicks, but not enough to worry about.

I'm heading out Friday for the MN whitetail opener on Saturday. Thanks for the advice!

[Matt G]

For whitetails, there's not a deer on this continent that a 130 .270 wouldn't be fine for. For elk, I'd have no hesitation with the 150's. In open country, the 130's have such a flat trajectory, it's like magic out to 300. In closer forested areas, I'd probably go with the 150, just to put more oomph into my target in an area where I couldn't take advantage of the awesome flat 130g trajectory.

Or, you could split the difference with Hornady Custom 140's. :)