.270 Whitetail bullets

[Wrage]

I didn't want to create a new thread so I searched and found this thread, it is very insightful, but if I could add my experience and see if someone may be able to help my 'fear' regarding reloading with the right bullet choice:

Last year had a nice whitetail come out about 150 yards, I had my son's .270 using factory Remington Core-lokt 150 grain bullets. Had lots of time took my shot and completely dropped the deer (it completely fell sideways and did the whole neck flop thing). I saw it lying there unmoving and was in the middle of rejoicing with my 5 year old son and the bugger got up and ran off on me. Still I though I got a great shot it shouldn't run far.

Went down and checked - not a spot of blood anywhere, found the imprint of the deer on the snow, but no blood - searched everywhere - no deer.

That night a 3 pt. ran out 80 yards broadside, same ammo - great shot just behind the shoulder - ran 30 yards - but upon inspection we couldn't find the exit wound at all! Didn't find the exit until we skinned it, the bullet went through a rib, then went at about 45 degree angle and came out the neck with a very small hole.

Now almost everyday I replay that hit on the 1st deer and I am skeptical of a .270 being able to do the job (even though I KNOW a .270 is sufficient). So other than buying a .300 WinMag I am in a quandary about reloading a bullet choice that I feel confident would have bagged that first deer and would cause a better wound in the 2nd deer.

Do you have any bullet suggestions that I could reload that would give me the confidence to hunt with the .270 again this year? If so, I would be glad to hear them!

P.S. What do you think could have happened with that 1st deer? Shoulder shot? Didn't penetrate the shoulder? Blanks and I just scared him sideways?

Thanks!

 

[dzelenka]

I didn't want to create a new thread so I searched and found this thread, it is very insightful, but if I could add my experience and see if someone may be able to help my 'fear' regarding reloading with the right bullet choice:

Last year had a nice whitetail come out about 150 yards, I had my son's .270 using factory Remington Core-lokt 150 grain bullets. Had lots of time took my shot and completely dropped the deer (it completely fell sideways and did the whole neck flop thing). I saw it lying there unmoving and was in the middle of rejoicing with my 5 year old son and the bugger got up and ran off on me. Still I though I got a great shot it shouldn't run far.

Went down and checked - not a spot of blood anywhere, found the imprint of the deer on the snow, but no blood - searched everywhere - no deer.

That night a 3 pt. ran out 80 yards broadside, same ammo - great shot just behind the shoulder - ran 30 yards - but upon inspection we couldn't find the exit wound at all! Didn't find the exit until we skinned it, the bullet went through a rib, then went at about 45 degree angle and came out the neck with a very small hole.

Now almost everyday I replay that hit on the 1st deer and I am skeptical of a .270 being able to do the job (even though I KNOW a .270 is sufficient). So other than buying a .300 WinMag I am in a quandary about reloading a bullet choice that I feel confident would have bagged that first deer and would cause a better wound in the 2nd deer.

Do you have any bullet suggestions that I could reload that would give me the confidence to hunt with the .270 again this year? If so, I would be glad to hear them!

P.S. What do you think could have happened with that 1st deer? Shoulder shot? Didn't penetrate the shoulder? Blanks and I just scared him sideways?

Thanks!

I would say bad shot placement on the first deer. A .300 or anything else won't help that. The .270 is probably one of the best deer cartridges ever brought to market. The 150 Core-Lokt if anything is a bit heavy for deer. It is possible that they didn't expand.

When I shot the .270, I used the 130 Partition with great results. It always expanded and always penetrated. Unfortunately, my .280 doesn't like the 140 Partition so I have experimented a bit. I really like the 140 Accubond in the .280. It is both accurate and deadly. If I were to go back to a .270, I would load either the 130 Partition or 130 Accubond over IMR4350 and not worry about it.

On the bad shot placement, it happens; but that can be minimized with practice.

Dan

 

[BoilerUP]

First buck I ever killed was with a Savage 110 .270 using a Remington factory 130gr Core-Lokt when I was 11 years old; just behind the left shoulder at ~40yd and the deer ran about 25yd before collapsing. IIRC, the bullet didn't exit but was found against the opposite hide, having penetrated the deer's right shoulder.

16 years later I'm playing with the same rifle again, and with the "internet special" 130gr Nosler Ballistic tip and 60 grains H4831SC I'm getting pretty good accuracy, though I need to fine tune the charge as well as bullet seating depth. H380 also provided good accuracy with that bullet, though it was a milder load. I am a bit concerned about meat destruction using that bullet on a high shoulder shot, though.

Haven't found a good load yet for the 140gr Sierra Gameking HPBT, and am considering trying both the 140/150gr Sierra GameKing SBT and Nosler BT to see how they do.

 

[GTS Dean]

I've become a strong believer in the Hornady Interlock bullets. I shoot a pre '64 Mod 70 .270 with a 24" barrel. Over the last 4 years, I've tried 130 Nosler, Sierra and Hornady bullets of various styles over IMR 4350, 4831 and RL-22. The best, by far, are the Hornadys seated shallow (just-to the cannelure) over 56.3 gr of RL-22 and CCI-200 primers. I've gotten 0.3" @100 and 0.6" @200 center-hole groups, and they drop whitetails in their tracks.

My son's .308 gets similar accuracy with 150gr Hornadys over 4064.

 

[Wrage]

wow, so just a 130 grain bullet is all you use for whitetails? I guess I am used to my dad's cannon with 180 grain bullets

the bullet didn't exit but was found against the opposite hide, having penetrated the deer's right shoulder.

But here is an issue I am concerned about , I really want an exit wound even if I do hit it in the shoulder - does the .270 just not have enough 'punch' to put one all the way through?

I mean I knocked that bugger over, there should have been a hole someplace even with a bad shot shouldn't there?

It is possible that they didn't expand.

I was wrestling with that idea too, but without expanding, how did it 'ricochet' on the 2nd deer and come out the neck? Shouldn't it have continued to plow through on a somewhat straighter path?

So it sounds like the trend is to go with a lighter bullet...and I appreciate the powder suggestions with the different bullet choices! I have yet to reload my first .270 cartridge so I want to make a 'proven' choice before I buy a can of powder and bullets and give them a run. Anymore suggestions are more than welcome - I am willing and wanting to learn! Thanks!

 

[GTS Dean]

Save your brass, buy a neck sizer die and keep your brass separate from anyone else's.

 

[Wrage]

Save your brass, buy a neck sizer die and keep your brass separate from anyone else's.

Yes I am planning on doing this, I just bought a neck sizer die and I have a couple boxes of ammo, I was thinking to buy some brass so I can get near 100 rounds - is that a better/cheaper idea than buying factory and 'chamber sizing' it first in your opinion?

 

[Seedtick]

Here's a place to buy some Winchester 270 Power Point bullets (and others) in bulk.

My brother-in-law just picked up a bunch of the 130 grainers. He loves them.

Seedtick

 

[supercalvin56]

130 Sierra flat base bullet pushed by 57 grains of IMR 4831 has been my meal ticket. Of course, you need to find what works in YOUR rifle...this might be too hot in your gun....work up carefully and watch for pressure signs.

 

[BoilerUP]

I've also had a 180gr Core-Lokt from a 30-06 fail to exit the opposite shoulder of a 180lb buck shot at about 70 yards.

Course, the deer ran less than 15 yards before collapsing in a heap...

I'd say bullet construction is important, but not as much as shot placement. That said, some folks do heart/lung shots and need a solid blood trail and others like head/neck/shoulder shots to break the animal down, if not DRT, and want energy expended in the animal. Just depends what your purpose is...

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[blarby]

Sierra makes a fantastic 135gr HPBT in their matchking line.

 

[Water-Man]

Remington 130gr. Core-Lokt in a 700 BDL for deer and 150gr. Nosler Partition for bear.

 

[GTS Dean]

Quote:
Save your brass, buy a neck sizer die and keep your brass separate from anyone else's.
Yes I am planning on doing this, I just bought a neck sizer die and I have a couple boxes of ammo, I was thinking to buy some brass so I can get near 100 rounds - is that a better/cheaper idea than buying factory and 'chamber sizing' it first in your opinion?

Here's my suggestions, FWIW:

If you have mixed brands of new ammo, consider giving/selling it to a friend who shoots the same caliber and buy new brass. If it's the same brand, fire-form it, keeping boxes together. De-cap, trim and prep the brass. Fill, weigh, empty & weigh each case to determine volumes. A digital scale is worth every penny here. Group brass by volume, (+/- 0.5gr) then begin your load development. Buy a bullet comparator and calipers. Sort bullets by base-ogive and measure loaded case head to ogive length. Keep meticulous records. Buy an annual membership to your nearest range. Read the forums and be careful.

 

[6.5swede]

The 130gr TSX and 150gr NPT have served me well in my 270's. H4831sc and H4350 are good powders for the 270. The 150gr NPT with 57 - 58 gr of H4831sc has been an accurate, hard hitting load for me.

 

[[email protected]]

If you want exit wonds then use a heavier constructed bullet instead of just a heavier bullet. Look at the hornady gmx or other no lead bullets. Most 270 loads are tuned to release all its energy into deer sized game and not waste the energy flying throught the air on the other side of the target.

 

[Wrage]

If you want exit wonds then use a heavier constructed bullet instead of just a heavier bullet. Look at the hornady gmx or other no lead bullets. Most 270 loads are tuned to release all its energy into deer sized game and not waste the energy flying throught the air on the other side of the target.

Would you recommended going with the 130 grain in a heavier constructed bullet or going with a heavier grained bullet too?

And correct me if I am wrong but it sounds like R-22 is a little hotter powder than the IMR which may be better for an exit wound?

 

[Redhat]

Try Nosler Partitions if you want penetration.

 

[[email protected]]

I am pulling from my expierence with my rifles. Both of my 270s like the 130gn better than the 150s. The 140s are ok but I dont want to rework loads for only 10 grains. R22 is a slow powder and I dont know what ImR powder you mean so I cant compare the two. I have found that my 270s like a slow powder which gives a higher velocity. You usually get a higher velocity with slow burn powders than faster, but you have a window to work in. You dont want a too slow powder just like you dont want a too fast powder. I have used H4831 for some time with the 130s and it works for me, but I do like to tinker with my loads.
To get back on the subject at hand. It is not uncommon for a bullet to deflect once it his bones and muscle. They are like water or lazy people and take the path of less resistance. One area of consern is retained energy and sectional density. A heavly constructed bullet will retain its energy better but deforms less. Like shooting a deer with a 300 ultra mag it will go straight through but the wound channel will be smaller. I actually like a round to deposit all of its energy into the target. I like the ballistic tips and the hornady ssts for this, but If you take a shoulder shot the bullet will cause more meat damage and if it hits bone it may not make it to the vitals before it breaks up. Same thing with breast shots. The core lokts are good bullets and have controlled expansion, but I have expierenced bullet core jacket seperation with them. it is not common and usually with close up shots. The bonded bullets are a step up from the corelokts design. They still have controlled expansion but the jacket and core is bonded together for more weight retention. These will drive deeper into the target. Then next level is the bullets with structure support (partitions). youll have more weight retained so it will go deeper. Finally there is the barnes and gmxs. with almost 100% weight retention. All of this is dictated by the impact velocity. The 270 is plenty for deer sized game and I never understood the magnum trend for whitetail (everyone seems to want a 100 caliber super short super duper ultra times 10 magnum to shoot a 150lb deer in my neck of the woods). No matter the bullet it will not make up for a bad shot placement.
Ok back on track. Form what you posted you want through shots even in the shoulder. I dont believe that a 270 could go straight through if it hits the bones in the shoulder. It will either deflect or dismantel itself. If you are determined to only make shoulder shots then look at a 45-70 or 444 marlin because it is hard for a deer to run with only three legs. I cant say if the 130s are better in you rifle than the 150s but you will want a premum bullet.

 

[Wrage]

Ah that is a great explanation! Thanks! This past year was the first time using (my son's) .270, I have a .32 special levergun I got from my grandpa years ago but I wanted to try out a scope as my eyes are starting to..um...age I am used to seeing deer my dad blasted with his .300 WinMag (even saw him shoot one deer through a 6" cherry tree and still dropped it in its tracks) so when I used the .270 my thinking was it going to be 'similar but not as strong' as my dad's 300. That's why I took the shoulder/lung shot - I see now with the various bullet choices and what I had I probably took the wrong shot for what I was shooting with. (cuz it was a nice deer!) So then it makes sense that I bounced it off the shoulder, therefore no blood.

So my choices then are 1) heavier bullet/design for penetration (like partitions or GMX) 2) different shot placement 3) Bigger gun - is that correct?

Number 1 or 2 seems the most reasonable to me...Out of curiosity - where is the best .270 shot placement then?

Perhaps I should give the partitions or gmx a try.

Most 270 loads are tuned to release all its energy into deer sized game and not waste the energy flying throught the air on the other side of the target

Yes I can see, that does make sense...but I have such a difficult personal battle with overkill...

 

[[email protected]]

The perfect shot is just behind the front shoulder about midway up with the deer squared off to you (doesent happen often). A friend of mine shot a deer just behind the shoulder with a gmx and it did go all the way through and it was a 130 grainer if I remember correct. I have shot a few with hornady's sst (almost a ballistic tip) and they only took a few steps but no exit wound. They dont do very well on shoulder shots. I have also helped people track deer shot with a 300 win mag allegally shot in the same place. They were wsing a bullet that was intended for elk size game. After finding the deer we found a small entrence wound and a small exit wound bullet did not expand. If funds allow you could move up to a 7mm rem mag as I cant see the need for a 300win mag for deer. But the older I get the more I like softer recoiling rifles. I aquired a ruger 243 compact last year and dropped a smaller buck in his tracks with a 100 grain hornady sp.

 

[Redhat]

The .270 is known as one of the best deer calibers out there. I don't see what the problem is?

I once had a hunting buddy shoot a small deer right in the sweet spot behind the front leg with a 7 Mag. The bullet exited and the deer ran at least a hundred yards.

 

[Pop]

I like the 130 Nosler Accubond.

 

[kelbro]

I haven't seen many 'bad' 270 deer bullets. Have seen a lot of bad shots on deer, with all calibers.

 

[kingmt]

And correct me if I am wrong but it sounds like R-22 is a little hotter powder than the IMR which may be better for an exit wound?

Depends on how you define hotter. I relate hotter with faster so that would put R22 way down on the list. It also depends which IMR powder you are relating to. I would suggest studying up a little more so you have more knowledge to base your decisions on.

 

[6.5swede]

Ah that is a great explanation! Thanks! This past year was the first time using (my son's) .270, I have a .32 special levergun I got from my grandpa years ago but I wanted to try out a scope as my eyes are starting to..um...age I am used to seeing deer my dad blasted with his .300 WinMag (even saw him shoot one deer through a 6" cherry tree and still dropped it in its tracks) so when I used the .270 my thinking was it going to be 'similar but not as strong' as my dad's 300. That's why I took the shoulder/lung shot - I see now with the various bullet choices and what I had I probably took the wrong shot for what I was shooting with. (cuz it was a nice deer!) So then it makes sense that I bounced it off the shoulder, therefore no blood.

So my choices then are 1) heavier bullet/design for penetration (like partitions or GMX) 2) different shot placement 3) Bigger gun - is that correct?

Number 1 or 2 seems the most reasonable to me...Out of curiosity - where is the best .270 shot placement then?

Perhaps I should give the partitions or gmx a try.



Yes I can see, that does make sense...but I have such a difficult personal battle with overkill...

I don't think your lost deer was an issue of a bullet bouncing off its shoulder from a 270 Win. It may not be a 300 Win Mag but it's more than enough for deer. With contemporary bullet design, I also don't think you need to consider that heavier bullets for penetration is necessarily the answer. Bullet construction not weight is more important. I know guys loading 110 gr TTSX's and pulverizing deer with their 270's. Also the high shoulder shot is very effective, 2/3 up the chest and in line with the foreleg...when the shot presents itself. Often results in DRT.....dead deer.