.270 Bullets on game

[doeroller]

I like the 140 gr bullets the best, particularly the 140 Accubond and the Sierra 140 BTHP. What is you all's favorite deer bullet in .270 caliber. Has anyone had any game experience with the Sierra 140 BTHP? That bullet shoots real good in my old 721 Rem and kills good too.

[Lead Poison]

I've killed deer with the following bullets in the 270 Win.

1. Nosler 150 Partition...without a doubt the best performing, excellent penetration and blood trail
2. Hornday 140 BTSP...good hunting bullet
3. Nosler 150 Ballistic Tip...great accuracy in some rifles, erratic bullet integrity and penetration
4. Nosler 130 Ballistic Tip...great accuracy in some rifles, erratic bullet integrity and limited penetration

Go with one of these for deer hunting;
1. Nosler Partitions (150-140-130)...Partitions are ledgendary because they WORK!
2. Nosler Accubond...should give great accuracy and being a bonded-core bullet, better bullet integrity and penetration
3. Barnes Triple Shocks...I've never used Barnes bullets, but some people report good performance

[jro45]

I like Hornady & Serria bullets for my 270 Win. I don't feel that Noslers are needed for this caliber because it doesn't shoot the bullets at real fast FPS where they could come apart or not preform correctly.

[Bill In SC]

No experience with the 140's, however I shoot the Hornady 130 Grain Interlock.

With a heavy charge of H4831, she will Bang-Flop them 99.9% of the time.  They shoot MOA or better out of my Winchester MOD 70, you cant ask for more.

[Lone Star]

I had repeated failures with Sierra 130 BTs.  Well, the deer were all killed okay, but each bullet came apart with complete core/jacket separation in small to moderate sized deer, 75 to 150 yards.  I stick to Nosler Partition or Speer HotCore bullets, they hold together and by design penetrate deeper.

I gotta laugh at the big deal made over the 140-grain bullets....like 10 more grains will make a big difference on deer.  Shoot what you want, but don't try to convince me that they are markedly better in the field than equal quality 130s.  IMO 140s are for those who are afraid to choose a bullet that really can make a difference in the field on larger game - the 150s or 160s.   
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[aulrich]

I used 130 sierra, I found them a bit soft, I am  likely going with an accubond or interbond, something just a hair tougher (i like exit wounds at least on strainght rib shots). I had used the 130 speer hot core the season before and the worked OK but not that great accuracy wize.

[drdougrx]

I'm in the 150gr camp.  I use either BT or partitions.  Mostly BTs at 2960fps.  Almost all of these bullets exit.  Used 130gr partitions on some exotic sheep and they didn't even know they were hit.  Used 150gr BTs on a slew of hogs and they crumbled.  The only one I've ever recovered was a 150gr BT under the hide of a 160lb deer after a raking shot forward through the paunch (stomach actually) on an angle that actually broke the off sholder and stopped under the hide (believe me this was a lucky and unplanned shot as the animal moved quickly as I finished my trigger squeeze).

[Lou270]

These days, I generally load 150 gr or 140 gr bullets in my .270s.  None have performed poorly.  Some 150s are a bit softer than others like the Sierra BTSP, but none stayed in deer for me.  I have never personally taken deer with the 140 HPBT, but my pal did on a buck at long range and the bullet did the job...expanded well and penetrated all the way through.  Sierra says their HPBT (gameking not match types) are tougher than their SPBT.  I have had good luck with Hornady 140 BTSP and think it's a very well balanced deer bullet.  Penetrates well at close range, and holds velocity and expands well way out there.  130s work very well too, but I shot deer with them a few years back and have been trying something new the last several years and my shots have been a bit closer on average.  I will probably switch back to 130s this year for a Mule Deer hunt.

-Lou

[OLDHandgunner]

For my type of deer hunting I've always had great luck with 130gr Horn. My hunting style has been still hunting and setting on the edge of open fields and picking my shots. Usually one shot clean kills. My son likes the 150gr bullets because he hunts alot different than me. He covers alot of territory and shoots most of his deer on the run. So the 150's work alot better for him. It's all in the type of hunting you do and the size of the game you are hunting.

[myronman3]

nosler 150 grain ballistic tips at 2900 fps.   dead instantly and accurate as hell.

[Mnswede]

When I used my Winchester M70, it was with Nosler 130gr BT's using H1000 powder.  I only had problems of the bullet blowing up and not exiting at 50yd shots and less.  At the bullet averaging 3100 ft/sec, I believe the bullet is going to fast to keep together.  I had the same problem shooting two deer with a 300Win Mag using 200gr Sierra Game King bullets at under 50 yards with a velocity of 2800f/s.  All my deer shot weren't lost nor did they go much further after being shot.

[bja105]

I don't see a bullet "blowing up" to be a problem, if we are talking whitetails, and the typical jacket separation.  I have killed 10 or more whitetails with 130g 270's, mostly ballistic tips.  In my experience, the more a bullet comes apart, the faster the deer dies, if hit in the vitals.  I don't see deer gutshot with a premium turning out well.

I have killed, and seen killed, a lot of deer.  The fastest deaths were 270's and 243's through the lungs, or spine hits with anything.

[K.K]

I like the following, for and how they perform in my 700 BDL

130 Winchester Ballistic Silvertip (3/4 inches at 100 yards, deadly, generally no exit, but dead deer)

150 grain partition (will break shoulders and exit, fairly accurate, lots of blood trail)

140 grain Failsafe (penetration extraordinary, one uneeded follow up shot on a buck running away full penetration rump to chest. works best for me when still hunting, and on drives.)

[lgm270]

My old standbuy for deer is the 130 grain Nosler Partition with 60 grains of RL-22 or H4831.  I have also used the 150 Grain Partition, but can't really tell that it killed any better or any differently than the 130 grain, at least on deer.  I have only recovered one bullet.  It was a 130 Grain Partition from a mule deer shot at 300 yards, broadside (measured distance with laser range finder the next day).  It was rolled up under the hide on the far side of the deer after penetrating through its  lungs.

My 130 grain loads chronograph at 3,080 fps  in 22" barrels and 3,180 fps  in a 24" barrel. 

I have also taken two wild boar with  the 130 grain Partition and both were one shot kills.  One was a heart shot and the other was a head shot.  He was quartering toward me and I led a little too far. Instead of hitting the front shoulder, as he quartered toward me, I hit him in the eye.  It was weird. He dropped like a sack of potatoes at about 50 yards but we couldn't find a gunshot wound anywhere on him.  Finally, the guide opened his eye and there was a bullet hole under his eye lid.  My bullet hit him  squarely in the eye and passed through his brain, killing him instantly. The eyelid closed over the entrance wound.  After finding the entrance wound in the eye, we found the exit wound under his thick matted hair on the far side of his head.   

Obviously the 150 grain bullet is probably better for elk, moose or whatever,  but I use a .338 WCF for that task loaded with 250 Grain Nosler Partitions.   

I have a good friend who uses 130 grain Nosler BT's over 55 Grains of IMR 4350.  In his 20" barrel he only gets about 2,950 fps, but it kills  instantly on lung shots and he has recovered several bullets.

The .270 is among the greatest hunting cartridges  there are.   In many years of hunting I have noticed that .270 shooters are usually good  game shots and that 7mm Magnum shooters, by and large,  are terrible.  I think many guys buy magnums without realizing that the increased recoil and noise require more skill  that most are unwilling or unable to achieve.  Over and over I have seen guys with 7mm mag's blaze away and empty their rifles and miss every shot.  In my experience, the 270 shooters do much better.  Obviously guys who handload and who are "shooters" as opposed to once a year hunters are capable of good shooting with the 7mm magnums, but frankly such guys are far and few between in my experience.   

[41 mag]

To answer your question, I haven't actually used the Sierra 140 BTHP on game. A friend gave me some years ago that he had found while cleaning out a garage at a house they had move into. They shot OK for me but never got around to getting more of them.

I have shot deer/ hogs with weights between 120 and 150grs from several makes. I shot the 120gr Barnes for one season just to try them out. THey were very accurate and shot like a laser out to 250yds, but they were just a little on the expensive side for me to shoot as much as I do.

The better or most used loads are using the Nosler 130gr Solid base, and the BT. If I had my choice it would be the Solid base but they quit making them. I have tried all of the 130's for the most part from the popular brands and have found that they all work well. But I have gotten more consistancy in my loads with the Noslers. The BT's just have to be kept below around 2800fps for impact velocities or they tend to have the explosive effect that some speak of.

With the 140's I have shot the Noslers, Sierra, and the Barnes. All of them shot well and have taken game. But as was mentioned I really couldn't tell much difference in the effects. I would wager that they 140's could be driven just a tad faster and still hold up, where the 130's might seperate. This being just a bit mor jacket. THey were all very accurate in my rifle.

I have had great success using the 150gr Hornady and Seirra RN bullets for both deer and hogs as well. I have also used the 150gr Nosler in both the BT and SB to take quite a few hogs. They all worked out really well and if going after something elk sized I wouldn't hesitate to use them. THey all penetrate a LOT through the  hogs we have shot and still hold together even at almost point blank ranges, and also opened up completely out to around 450yds. Just for most of the hunting I do, they arent really needed. The 130's get the job done just as well, and in my light weight rifle the recoil isn't nearly as sharp.

As for the newer bonded cores, I haven't tried them out in this caliber, as I have a ton of stuff to shoot up already. I would suggest that if the bullets you choose work for you and your happey with them, that you go forth and try them out on something. This will be the determining factor. THey might work well for all of us but you might think they suck. IF your comfortable with your load, you will be successful with it.

 

[Cheesehead]

I have recently ordered the .277 Barnes MRX bullets out of curiosity. Almost experiencing buyers remorse since they cost 29 bucks for 20 bullets. I have never paid so much for bullets. I am not sure if i did the right thing. These are not plinking bullets and will be used for deer when I get the chance.

Cheese

[Coyote Hunter]

Cheesehead -

My first suggestion is to go to midwayusa.com next time ad get them for less - $20.99 in my flyer dated November.

Do your load development with TSX, then make a switch.  Shouldn’t have much tuning to do, which will save some bullets.

Then hunt with them with no regrets. 

[Cheesehead]

Thanks for the advice, but I did order them from Midway and that is the current going price. I will take your advice on the tsx bullets.

Cheese

[Slamfire]

I'm a 130 grain bullet man, Remington CoreLoks or Hornady Interlocks. I don't see the point in turning my .270 into a 7mm Mauser by shootin' the heavier bullets.

[lgm270]

I'm a 130 grain bullet man, Remington CoreLoks or Hornady Interlocks. I don't see the point in turning my .270 into a 7mm Mauser by shootin' the heavier bullets.

Like you i have always had good luck with 130 grain bullets in the .277, although my favorite is the Nosler partition.

[jro45]

I'm a 130 grain bullet man, Remington CoreLoks or Hornady Interlocks. I don't see the point in turning my .270 into a 7mm Mauser by shootin' the heavier bullets.

I agree the largest bullet I shoot out of my .270 is the 150 gr bullet. If I want to shoot a larger bullet I would use my 7mm Mag.

[Coyote Hunter]

Cheese -

You are right - I should have looked at a current flyer or checked the online prices.

The price is somewhat irrelevant to me, even at $28 a box, as I think they are one of the 4 best bullets available:  North Fork, Trophy Bonded, A-Frame and MRX. 

[rickt300]

Coyote Hunter, I am surprised that you went from complete satisfaction with 160 grain Grand Slam to a promoter of the high end bullets. On the other hand $28. for twenty bullets being inconsequential to you, Hmm must be nice.  In my 270's, which I have not been without one since 1972 I first used 130's exclusivly, mostly Sierra and Speer. I felt that for the small Texas wjhitetails I hunted then these bullets were a bit destructive but killed spectacularly. I didn't always get complete penetration but it was surely good enough. These deer were shot at less than 100 yards and loads were hot using IMR 4831. When  I moved to Wyoming I switched to 150 grain Speer hotcors and Hornady interloks as distances were longer and I also hunted elk. I switched to H4831 and had perfect results on countless deer and antelope and around a dozen elk. A rifle that a friend built for me using the original 2 groove barrel (Springfield 03A3) in 30-06 arrived and I started using it with 180 and 200 grain Hotcors for my elk rifle. This rifle had more penetration but didn't kill any quicker than my 270. It is however lighter and has a shorter barrel.

[doeroller]

I have also used the 160 gr partition over 57gr of H-4831. Shoots good, kills good too. Shoots 1in in my Rem 700

[lgm270]

I gotta laugh at the big deal made over the 140-grain bullets....like 10 more grains will make a big difference on deer.  Shoot what you want, but don't try to convince me that they are markedly better in the field than equal quality 130s.  IMO 140s are for those who are afraid to choose a bullet that really can make a difference in the field on larger game - the 150s or 160s.   
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Very good point, Lone.  Years ago I switched from 130's to 150 grain Nosler partitions for mule deer hunting based on something I read.  Actually I was getting about 2,984 fps with the 150's and I reasoned that this was so close to the 7mm Rem Mag  with its 150 grain bullet at 3,050 that my .270 would duplicate 7mm mag performance.

Well, whether it was or not, I could tell absolutely no difference on mule deer between the 130's and 150 grain Nosler Partitions.