.270 Whitetail bullets

[Wrage]

I appreciate all of the responses I am getting - and I don't want to beat this thing to death - sry...

I see now the importance of bullet construction vs. weight - this is something I am reading up on now thanks to all of your input.

By hotter I meant slower burning/higher pressure = more velocity - (assuming same bullet load) is that correct? (r22 vs. IMR 4831sc)

I know I am probably just being overpicky - I just need to start testing...just looking for a place to start as I get some different options depending on what manual I look at - but I have several suggestions here and these line up with my manuals so I will just have to choose one

I think the crux of the issue is I was just expecting more from what I experienced this past season. Both in the one I hit but lost and the one I hit and got. But I am realizing my expectations were based on my dad's deer (.300 WMG) and I think I need to realize that this is a whole different caliber so I need to start over with no expectations and get a solid bullet/powder choice and work on shot placement this summer. (assuming my son will let use the .270 again )

BTW, Here is a pic of where I hit the 2nd deer - I hit right where I was aiming - and I aimed for the same spot on the first deer. Is this a good spot for .270 130 grain say accubonds or partitions?

Thanks again for your patience and input!

 

[6.5swede]

Wrage,

That appears to be excellent placement for a heart/lung shot. I've shot many deer with a 270, both 130gr TSX and 150gr TSX or NPT in the same location and have seen many run 50 - 75yds before dying. After dressing those deer, it was evident that the lungs were jello and the heart was just bits of tissue....totally destroyed. The deer that I've seen DRT (drop right there) were usually CNS shots...ie neck or more commonly a high shoulder shot that broke one or both shoulders and either hit the spine or had significant spine trauma from the hydrostatic shock of the bullet. I've helped hunting buddies track deer for some distance after a heart/lung shot from bigger calibers as well.

 

[kingmt]

By hotter I meant slower burning/higher pressure = more velocity - (assuming same bullet load) is that correct? (r22 vs. IMR 4831sc)

Slower doesn't mean higher pressure it just means slower burning which gives you a push for a longer amount of time. You normally get faster speeds from slower powder considering you have enough pressure to burn it all while it is still shoving the bullet. This is hard to explain without going into teaching the transfer of energy or physics.

Another point is faster isn't always better. In your case you want pass through the faster the bullet is traveling the more friction is on it & it is more likely to come apart.

I like complete transfer of energy myself & I want the bullet to dump all its energy inside the animal not in the dirt on the other side.

 

[kingmt]

I wanted to add this example to maybe help you understand: Your standard trans car has a dead battery you have there choices for people to push your car the first guy is the strongest but doesn't run so he can stand still & shove you as hard as he can the second guy isn't very strong but once he gets you moving he can keep picking up speed & 1mh, 2mh, until you have enough momentum the last guy can get you moving but doesn't move fast enough to get you up to speed before running out of road.

The biggest guy is going to transfer the largest peak energy(max pressure) but the second guy applies it over the amount of time he has & transfers the most energy.

 

[Wrage]

I wanted to add this example to maybe help you understand: Your standard trans car has a dead battery you have there choices for people to push your car the first guy is the strongest but doesn't run so he can stand still & shove you as hard as he can the second guy isn't very strong but once he gets you moving he can keep picking up speed & 1mh, 2mh, until you have enough momentum the last guy can get you moving but doesn't move fast enough to get you up to speed before running out of road.

The biggest guy is going to transfer the largest peak energy(max pressure) but the second guy applies it over the amount of time he has & transfers the most energy.

Stinking awesome...I love word pictures, I think I understand much better!!! Thanks a lot!

Swede, this one didn't run far at all. I have a much better understanding of how the bullet works now - my understanding was - a hole is a hole, and bigger is better, and 2 holes is better than one

I think I am starting to get the idea of energy transfer, penetration, and even what happens when a bullet enters the animal. This all has a bearing on bullet weight and design...I never knew all this technical stuff went into choosing a bullet - I AM LOVING RELOADING!!! I wish I had started doing this years ago!!!

 

[6.5swede]

I have a much better understanding of how the bullet works now - my understanding was - a hole is a hole, and bigger is better, and 2 holes is better than one

" 2 is better than one " is one concept of bullet performance. Tougher bullets like the TSX, A-frame, NPT, etc. that penetrate well, expand, retain most of their weight and leave an exit wound.

Their is a whole different category of bullets like the Berger VLD and Hornady Amax that are also effective killers but work in a completely different manner. They penetrate a few inches and fragment like a bomb into schrapnel, creating impressive wound channels and depositing 100% of their energy within the animal but often don't exit. These bullets were often considered "target" or "varmit" bullets. But there is a growing body of evidence for their extreme effectiveness on big game. I've personally been very impressed with their terminal performance on deer and hogs.

 

[kingmt]

It depends on how fast you push a bullet how much it comes apart. If you shove a HP slow it wont open & if you use a varmint bullet at a slow speed they won't come apart. A V-max or Nosler Ballistic Tip can be turned into a penetrating slug if used at a slow speed. Look into reduced loads & you can leard a lot about powder vs bullet type or pick up a Nosler box & it has great pictures to help you understand.

 

[JASmith]

Deer aint bullet proof and all the suggestions so far looked excellent to me. Most any old cup and core bullet will work. I noticed you live in Maine if thats where you are going to be hunting deer with the 270 how far is your average shot distance. If its pretty close range I would think about stepping up to a 150 grain bullet. They will damage a little less meat than a 130 at close range.

... you won't go wrong in Maine with a 150 grain Speer 150 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail or Sierra 150 grain GameKing.

 

[aerod1]

I load Remington CorLokt

 

[JASmith]

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

Folks are reporting through-and-through penetrations with decent exit wounds even for the 110-115 grain bullets motivated by the 6.8 SPC. Even the 95 gr Nosler TTSX is reported to do well (http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=635411)

A quote I can't seem to forget, but have trouble remembering the source (Jack O'Conor, I think) is: "If your rifle likes the heavier bullet, smile and go with it!" The reverse is also true.

This tells us that, when the blood trail is important, you will probably be OK with the modern bullets (including partitions) independent of the weight as long as you hit where you want.

A note of caution: Some of the heavier constructed bullets don't expand well enough for deer -- they are intended for heavier game.

Also, the Speer HotCor, Sierra ProHunter, Remington CoreLokt, Winchester Power Point, etc. offerings have stayed with us for a very long time simply because they do very well on deer and don';t cost a lot!

 

[25cschaefer]

.270 130gr are more than enough, I killed my whitetail this year with hand loads (Barnes Tripleshok(they we free, I can't see spending that much for bullets), I hit a little high; rib, vert., rib and out it cut the two large arteries next to the back bone.
I use my .270 for elk with 150 gr Partitions, I shot a large cow a few years ago at 80 yds up a hill I hit a perfect shot through a rib, lung, heart, back bone and out, she died in her tracks. At the same time, my little brother shot a cow in the back with a 30-06 180 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, we recovered the bullet in the hide on the other side.

I'm not saying the .270 is better but it is defiantly on par for elk and smaller at 200yds and closer, I would hesitate on an elk past 300yds or moose much further than 150.

It all comes down to the shooter; you never hear anyone say,"Big guns make perfect."

 

[25cschaefer]

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

A 22-250 does the job.

 

[smartshot]

hornady interlocks. I've seen them do tremendous damage up close and always penetrate through, which tells me that the expansion is just right at 3000fps and it shows no signs of "blowing up on impact." the more expensive bullets typically have better penetration and less expansion, did I mention that I've never seen a 270 interlock NOT penetrate all the way through a whitetail.