130 grain bullet vs 150 grain bullet out of a .270

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avs11054

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I've been trying to decide between these two bullets for elk hunting using Federal Power-Shok ammo.

Here is the balistics of the two

130 Grain:

Velocity - 3060 fps @ muzzle. 2803 fps @ 100 yds. 2560 fps @ 200 yds. 2329 fps @ 300 yds. 2111 fps @ 400 yds. 1905 fps @ 500 yds.

Energy - 2704 ft-lbs @ muzzle. 2268 ft-lbs @ 100 yds. 1892 ft-lbs @ 200 yds. 1567 ft-lbs @ 300 yds. 1286 ft-lbs @ 400 yds. 1047 ft-lbs @ 500 yds.

150 Grain (round nose):

Velocity - 2830 fps @ muzzle. 2485 fps @ 100 yds. 2166 fps @ 200 yds. 1871 fps @ 300 yds. 1605 fps @ 400 yds. 1375 fps @ 500 yds.

Energy - 2668 ft-lbs @ muzzle. 2058 ft-lbs @ 100 yds. 1563 ft-lbs @ 200 yds. 1167 ft-lbs @ 300 yds. 858 ft-lbs @ 400 yds. 630 ft-lbs @ 500 yds.


What distances would you feel comfortable getting a clean kill, as long as the accuracy is there? Are there any bullets that would be better than the two listed?
 
For the .270, I always used the 130 grain bullet with excellent results. If the gun were a .30 caliber, then I would go with the 150.

I would be comfortable shooting out to 300 yards (with the gun on some kind of branch or other rest). I am looking at a five-point buck and a 160 LB black bear rug here in my office that were each taken with a single shot from that .270 I used to own.
 
i'd go with the 150gn bullet in the power shock. you will need penetration with an elk. that said, i would use a nosler partition for elk.

if you are hunting in arizona, you will get some fairly long "open meadow" shots. the partition will fly better. imop

murf
 
If you use the Barnes Triple Shock TSX (Terminal Shock-X) solid copper bullet, they recommend going with the weight you would typically shoot and lower to the next weight down as these X bullets open up four razor-sharp petals which peel back and the bullet is going so fast that it plows through bone and muscle, in many medium-size game animals full-length of the animal and still end up going out the other end!

That is what I would use, as I already use the Barnes Solid Copper X's in my 500 Magnum pistol for hunting and for my AR-15 for hunting. I deer and black bear hunt with my AR using the 62 grain X bullet.

Here, someone asked the exact question as the OP:
http://www.fishingbuddy.com/barnes_tsx_bullet_weight_question
 
The 150gr RN is a good load, but it does lose velocity and energy much faster than spire points, and drop much faster.
You might consider splitting the difference and try a 140gr load with good ballistics.
For example, here's a link to a good bonded bullet that will expand and stay together, and won't break the bank either. It's only a suggestion.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=548541

You might also try a 150gr with a more ballistically shaped bullet. The Fusion bullet is also a bonded, and IMO, far superior to the 150gr round nose.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=550965



NCsmitty
 
For elk I would definitely go with a 150 grain bullet in a 270. You'll want the weight and increased sectional density for better penetration. However, I would go with a tougher bullet than a power shok, such as a Nosler Partition, Trophy Bonded Bearclaw, etc. I would also go for a spitzer instead of a round nose unless you KNOW all your shots will be at short range.

http://www.federalpremium.com/products/details/rifle.aspx?id=236
 
Since you are asking about factory loads, and looking at the economical end of them, I personally would go with which ever one shot the best in your rifle to the ranges you specified.

If you can shoot them where you want them either will do the job. The heavier will have a bit more drop, but out to the 300yd mark it is not excessive enough to worry about, as long as you know where it hits you will be fine.

The key isn't what magical bullet will do what, it is what the shooter can do with the bullet in the chamber at the time the shot is taken. As long as you have practiced plenty over the course of time up to your hunt, with the bullets you shoot the best with, and know how they shoot, and where they shoot, and do not take any half donkeyed shots just because you don't want to miss any chance of shooting an animal you will do just fine.

I have been using the same bullets in a 150gr load with my .308 for over five or so years. I use them for feral hog reductions and they penetrate just fine, and do a wonderful job on everything I, and several friends, have put them on, and from plenty of bad angles. Our ranges are from a few feet to over 400yds with these factory loads from a 16.5" barrel so it isn't much more than a decent 30-30 load velocity.

Choose your load based upon accuracy and choose your shot based upon putting the bullet through the vitals and not a rear ham and you will be cleaning what ever your after in short order.

Good luck hope this helps.
 
For a broadside shot, I doubt it would matter very much. But the 150 would likely be better for an angling shot, with better penetration. The old "general principles" thing, I guess...

Inside of 300 yards or so, the difference in trajectory or velocity isn't worth worrying about.
 
Lets take a look at this comparison between the 150 grain spitzer vs. round nose I generated on Federal's website.

http://www.federalpremium.com/products/compare/rifle_compare.aspx

Trajectory differs by only three inches @ 300 yards. A definite difference, but not earth shattering.

Wind deflection is a bit more significant, with six inch difference in a 10 mph crosswind. That could make the difference between a kill and a wound.

The most significant difference is in energy. By 300 yards the round nose has lost a lot more velocity and the spitzer is still humming along. The spitzer will hit with a whopping 47% more energy. That is a significant boost in energy, especially when you consider it comes without one ounce more recoil.

So, like I said, the RN should only be considered if you know your shots are going to be at close range.

Federal270bulletcomparison.jpg
 
A hunting buddy is a avid 270 fan and used the barnes 130gr tsx last year on an elk. He said he shoot it at 250yards and it did its job just fine. He found that bullet on the far side of the elk after going thru the heart both lungs and a rib going in. It was just under the skin. Elk did not travel out of his view.
 
The whole deal is about learning how to put some particular bullet into the right spot on a critter. That's why the Good Lord invented spring and summer: A time to mess around with various loads and figure out wind drift and trajectory as well as group size. You do all that before hunt season, and early enough to think about it.

From what I read on the Internet, it seems to me as though too many folks get all excited about sub-MOA and don't consider the other factors.

Looking at the round-nose 150, then, if you know the trajectory and you know the wind-drift characteristics, what danged difference does it make? Supposedly, you've tried it at different distances and in different conditions--and gained knowledge thereby.

If you want flatter, faster "out there" and less drift, use something else. (Shrug).
 
A hunting buddy is a avid 270 fan and used the barnes 130gr tsx last year on an elk. He said he shoot it at 250yards and it did its job just fine. He found that bullet on the far side of the elk after going thru the heart both lungs and a rib going in. It was just under the skin. Elk did not travel out of his view.

Classic Jack O' Connor :)
 
Looking at the round-nose 150, then, if you know the trajectory and you know the wind-drift characteristics, what danged difference does it make?

Considering what natman posted, it makes considerable difference when you get out far enough. The energy loss of the 150gr RN bullet can indeed have an impact on how clean a kill you get. I'd say 1709 ft lbs vs 1166 ft lbs is quite a difference for an elk. Can they both still kill? Sure! But which would you prefer on such a large animal?

Lower energy means you need to be much more precise about where the shot goes. And at 300yds in a heart-thumping hunting situation, good luck!
 
Looks to me that if a thousand foot-pounds is enough for a kill, the only criterion is the range. After all, multitudes of wildlife agencies say that one-thousand foot-pounds is The Deal. So, a .30-30 is a plenty-good elk gun, if you merely pass shots beyond 100 yards.

Not every elk hunter gets covered all over with heart-thump...

Shot placement. That's a particular place on a critter, not just "somewhere in the brown".
 
Looks to me that if a thousand foot-pounds is enough for a kill, the only criterion is the range. After all, multitudes of wildlife agencies say that one-thousand foot-pounds is The Deal. So, a .30-30 is a plenty-good elk gun, if you merely pass shots beyond 100 yards.

Not every elk hunter gets covered all over with heart-thump...

Shot placement. That's a particular place on a critter, not just "somewhere in the brown".

The spitzer delivers half again as much energy on the target, three inches less drop and 6 inches less wind drift. In order to get this by changing cartridges, you'd have to go from a 30-06 to a mega magnum, with large penalties in recoil, blast and cost. Using a spitzer delivers all this with ZERO extra recoil, blast or cost.

Wildlife agencies say 1000 foot-lbs is the minimum, not "The Deal". Why not use more when it's free?

The low drop and wind drift figures make good shot placement easier with the spitzer.

The military figured out the spitzer's superiority 120 years ago. I can't believe we're still arguing about it now.
 
I'm not advising to use the round nose. I wouldn't. I'm just saying that within the parameters of the OP, it will work.

(I loaned my '06 to Justin, along with some 180-grain Sierra SPBT loads which were three-shot 0.5MOA. He was kind enough to send me a nice UPS package of elk steaks. :D)
 
If I were elk hunting with a 270 it wouldn't be with RN bullets. A longish shot is a very real possibility and the RN bullets lose energy and trajectory too fast.

I'd look hard at some 130 gr TSX bullets loaded at near 3200 fps. If they shoot well in your rifle you get the flat trajectory of the 130's with better penetration than standard 150 gr bullets.
 
With the 130gr tsx you could shoot from 100 to 400 yards with and keep all rouds inside a standard paper plate useing a 250 yard zero.
 
The key isn't what magical bullet will do what, it is what the shooter can do with the bullet in the chamber at the time the shot is taken. As long as you have practiced plenty over the course of time up to your hunt, with the bullets you shoot the best with, and know how they shoot, and where they shoot, and do not take any half donkeyed shots just because you don't want to miss any chance of shooting an animal you will do just fine.

I agree 100%.

These words should be chiseled in stone or cast in bronze.

See it, read it, learn it, live it.
 
150 gr Nosler BT with B.C 0.496 I load it with 53 gr RL-17 and it flies at 3000 fps, its great load and 3000 ft*lbs energy at muzzle and still 1000 ft*lbs at 700 yards
 
I am delving into the world of the .270 here recently (.270 Weatherby). I really like the looks of the Hornandy 150 gr Interbond.

The Hornandy book shows a max load at about 3000 FPS but every other book shows a max load of about 3200 FPS. Hornandy reloading manuals seem to ultra conservative on their load data. The company might be a bit over lawyered IMO.
 
The Hornandy book shows a max load at about 3000 FPS but every other book shows a max load of about 3200 FPS. Hornandy reloading manuals seem to ultra conservative on their load data. The company might be a bit over lawyered IMO.

One thing to consider when looking at this type of data, the bullet manufacturers "might" believe that this is a better velocity for this particular bullet to operate at than the other companies. Lawyers or not this is something folks need to keep in mind when looking at data and working up loads. While you can drive a 130gr Ballistic tip to 3400fps, when it hits something, it isn't pretty, and sometimes makes for a long tracking job.

If the OP considered simply switching to a spitzer in the 150gr load such as the Sierra which is also offered by Federal, then it would be a simple matter of which one shoots best. In the end as has been mentioned, it isn't what or which bullets he uses, it is what he can personally do with the one that leaves the muzzle.
 
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