Field report: 170 gr. Winchester Power Points

[PeterCartwright]

I took two deer last Friday with my 30AS and 170 gr. Winchester Power Points.  I came away with some mixed feelings about the bullet's performance.  Mind you, this is only two deer, but, here's what I experienced.  Both deer, an average sized buck and doe-I'd guess about 130-140 lbs. live weight.  The buck was slightly quartering away at just beyond 50 yards so that the shot entered the liver region and angled forward through the lungs exiting behind the offside shoulder.  The doe was a bit further but no more than 70 yards away and almost exactly broadside.  The shot was about halfway up the body immediately behind the shoulders. 

The Winchester bullets print very well from this rifle (slightly over an inch @ 100 yards).  Both deer were reliably harvested with a shot apiece.  Neither deer expired as quickly as I'm used to seeing with 150 gr. .30-30 Remington Core-lokts.  The doe especially surprised me.  After the shot, I naively left my rifle in the blind to find the deer for field dressing (I know, dumb! dumb! dumb!).  The doe took off at the shot and I expected to find her ready for field dressing within 30-50 yards through the woods.  As I approached the place where I shot her, I saw a deer standing.  (She'd obviously doubled back).  Thinking it was another deer, I didn't pay too much attention until I realized this deer was MY deer.  After seeing me, she took off again, and I actually observed a chunk of lung fall from the very modest exit wound.  So now, feeling stupid, I walked back to the blind to gather the rifle, thinking I'm gonna have to deal with a wounded deer.  However, after returning, I found the deer quite dead about 50 yards further in.

I guess I won't be afraid to use this load again, but I'm sorta thinking the 150 gr. Core-lokt may be a more effective load for smaller whitetails.  Any input from the rest of you?

[Swampman]

I think the Core-lokt is a better bullet.  Try the 170 grain Remington.

[tn_junk]

I've been shooting .30-30 for 35 years, and have always had better luck with 150, or even 125, grain bullets. My experience is that the 170 don't seem to expand and just kinda plow right thru.

alan

[Swampman]

That's what I'm looking for breaking both front shoulders when possible.

[cam69conv]

The 170g W power Point has a higher sectional density than the Corloct. Since it sounds like all you hit was rib on both deer, then it just didnt open up like a lower sectional density bullet will. The power points are designed for penetration so with those you will want to hit denser bone structure like the shoulder for them to open at the right time on a smaller deer. 130/140 pound live weight is pretty small and if that is the average around there I would stick to the 150 grain corelocs as they are just about perfect for that size game.

[454Puma]

Yea I would say those 170 gr bullets are for bigger game-Big dear /Bear/Elk.  Just didn't have enough meat /bones to open them up enough.

[Swampman]

I've never found the 150 grainers to be very accurate.  The 170 Core-Locts are plenty soft enough for deer.

[Hooker]

I have to side with Swampman on this. My 30/30s have shown a distinct preference for 170s in both federals and remingtons. I have gotten very good performance with 170s on the deer I have taken with them. I have not tired any winchesters powerpoints but it does sound like an expansion problem.

Pat

[NYH1]

I don't have a 30-30 Win. anymore.  My particular rifle (Winchester model 94) didn't shoot any kind of ammo well.  It wasn't because it was a 30-30, there was something wrong with the rifle.  I traded it and got a Marlin 336CS in 35 Rem.  With that said, I wouldn't hesitate to use a 30-30.  I just thought I'd give the 35 Rem. a try. 

Remington Core Lokt ammo is all I use for deer hunting with my rifles.  I also like the "lighter" grain bullets in the cartridges I use.  I use 140 gr. in my 280 Rem., 150 gr. in my 308 Win.  The exception is my 35 Rem.  I use 200 gr. in that.  I've shot deer with all three rifles/cartridges mentioned and I was very pleased with their performance.  Even the 200 gr. bullets in the 35 Rem. expanded well. 

The farthest I've had a deer go after being shot with these three cartridges was about 40 yards or so.  That was a heart/lung shot with the 308.  The others were shoulder shots and the deer pretty much feel right where they were hit.  Even a deer going 40 yards or so after a heart/lung shot isn't bad, at least in my opinion.

I would go back to 150 gr. Core Lokt's.  As long as they shoot well I'd use them.  Good luck! 

[PeterCartwright]

Have any of you run the Winchester 170 gr. Power Points through a chronograph...from the traditional 20" barrel?  How do the numbers compare with the same weight factory loaded CoreLokts?  (I never believe manufacturer's muzzle velocity numbers without independent verification).

I'm asking because I have suspicions that if the 170's (probably both Power Points and Core Lokts) were actually run at 2,200 fps, we might see more predictable upset on lung shots. 

Input, anyone?

[DavOh]

150 Gr Corelokts print right around an inch at 100 yds out of my old Glenfield .30-30.  If memory serves they did equally well out of my moms old Marlin 336 .30-30.

I tried the Wunderammo this year, and got some dubious results on a small whitetail buck.  It prints the same group size as the rem 150 gr, but about 6 inches higher at 100 yds.  They are alot flatter shooting, so I decided to try 'em.  Have mixed emotions on the results.  I typed up a field report on them in this forum.