90 grain 270 bullet

[Benaiah]

This may be a dumb question, but here goes. Can a 90 grain hp bullet for my 270 be loaded slow so that it won't blow up a coyote? I hear a lot of people talking about loading 270 bullets as fast as they can. This may be wrong thinking, but wouldn't a slower moving bullet cause less damage? Along that line, how slow can that bullet be loaded? Is there such a thing as a too slow load? My only hunting rifle is a mauser action 270. Can't afford a new rifle for predators, so that is not an option.

Thanks

[Siskiyou]

I have loaded the 100 grain and 110 grain bullets in the .270.  Years ago I loaded a low recoil 110 grain for my son.  I selected the minimum load for H4831.  In some areas the 110-grain Sierra is used on small deer.

But the 90-grain bullet is constructed as a varmint bullet.  One of the positive attributes of a good varmint bullet is to break-up on impact.  They are normal used on small non-dangerous game.  A lot of time they are used on farmland where a ricochet is to be avoided.  Ranchers do not care for bouncing bullets around their livestock.


90 GR. SIE HP    90    H4350    .277"    3.200"    58.0    3401    43,700 CUP    62.0C    3603    49,800 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    H414    .277"    3.200"    55.0    3361    42,200 CUP    59.0    3585    50,700 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    H380    .277"    3.200"    53.0    3344    45,600 CUP    56.3    3462    50,900 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    Varget    .277"    3.200"    51.0    3409    46,000 CUP    55.0    3596    51,400 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    BL-C(2)    .277"    3.200"    49.0    3328    45,400 CUP    52.0    3475    50,100 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    H335    .277"    3.200"    46.0    3313    46,100 CUP    49.0    3459    50,900 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    H4895    .277"    3.200"    50.0    3482    48,100 CUP    53.0    3595    50,400 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    IMR 4350    .277"    3.200"    56.0    3251    41,900 CUP    60.3    3516    50,800 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    IMR 4007 SSC    .277"    3.200"    53.0    3293    54,600 PSI    57.5    3508    63,300 PSI          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    IMR 4320    .277"    3.200"    48.5    3220    46,800 CUP    52.7    3425    51,500 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    IMR 4064    .277"    3.200"    49.6    3295    44,400 CUP    54.0    3538    50,500 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    IMR 4895    .277"    3.200"    49.0    3268    43,700 CUP    53.3    3507    50,300 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    IMR 3031    .277"    3.200"    46.0    3299    45,000 CUP    50.2    3487    50,600 CUP          
90 GR. SIE HP    90    760    .277"    3.200"    55.0    3361    42,200 CUP    59.0    3585    50,700 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    H4350    .277"    3.145"    56.0    3258    44,000 CUP    59.4    3401    50,200 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    H414    .277"    3.145"    53.0    3262    46,000 CUP    56.0    3383    50,700 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    H380    .277"    3.145"    50.0    3160    46,200 CUP    53.7    3274    50,300 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    Varget    .277"    3.145"    48.0    3232    44,400 CUP    52.0    3397    50,200 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    BL-C(2)    .277"    3.145"    45.0    3144    47,300 CUP    47.3    3243    50,500 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    H335    .277"    3.145"    41.0    3058    45,300 CUP    43.5    3185    50,200 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    H4895    .277"    3.145"    47.0    3298    47,000 CUP    50.0    3401    50,200 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    IMR 4350    .277"    3.145"    54.0    3072    40,100 CUP    59.5    3383    50,200 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    IMR 4007 SSC    .277"    3.145"    52.0    3108    52,800 PSI    57.0    3357    64,000 PSI          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    IMR 4320    .277"    3.145"    46.2    3066    47,100 CUP    50.0    3220    51,000 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    IMR 4064    .277"    3.145"    48.0    3116    40,800 CUP    52.7    3380    50,100 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    IMR 4895    .277"    3.145"    48.0    3180    47,900 CUP    52.2    3367    51,500 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    IMR 3031    .277"    3.145"    45.5    3139    44,700 CUP    49.0    3339    50,400 CUP          
100 GR. SPR SP    100    760    .277"    3.145"    53.0    3262    46,000 CUP    56.0    3383    50,700 CUP          
110 GR. HDY HP    110    H4831    .277"    3.250"    58.0    3057    42,600 CUP    62.0C    3214    48,200 CUP          
110 GR. HDY HP    110    H4350    .277"    3.250"    54.0    3164    46,900 CUP    57.0    3267    50,100 CUP       
I think a 90-grain bullet at a minimum velocity will still be too explosive for you.  You are better off selecting a heavier bullet at minimum velocity.  A FMJ bullet might suit your needs but is subject to ricochet.

At one time the .270 was my only rifle and I shot a lot of varmints with it.  I do not collect coyote skins, I shot them because they are an ugly killer of fawns. 

[Jerry Lester]

Stick with a tougher bullet like the 130g SP's. Load them as slow as you can, and still keep them stable within 100-150 yards or so. This combo won't blow up the hides, but it'll still have plenty of thump within calling ranges.

[BCB]

Benaiah,

I've been a 270 man for over 40 years and presently own 4 rifles in that caliber.  I have loaded the 90, 100, and 110 grain bullets and I don't think you will be able to slow them down enough to not cause damage to the pelt.  You would most likely have to go to powders even slower than the 4831's and then you stand the chance of not getting good ignition and this leads to other problems.  SO, I agree with going to heavy bullets and loading them as slow as the published data will allow.  FFJ's are another option, but as the previous poster mentioned, they have a habit of going "bouncing along" after impact--not good.  The other option is to use cast bullets.  I shoot 150 grain cast at 1700 fps and they are accurate.  Zero expansion.  But if you are not setup to cast bullets or load them into bottle neck cases, it would be more effert than it would be worth.  Heavy bullets loaded slow is probably your best bet.  The Hornady 140 SPBT can be loaded down to around 2400 fps I think.  It is super accurate in my favorite Model 70.  Good-luck...BCB

[Benaiah]

Thanks for the advice.

BCB wrote- [But if you are not setup to cast bullets or load them into bottle neck cases, it would be more effert than it would be worth.]

I don't currently have a casting setup, but will in the near future. I do have a reloading set. Is there a source where I can buy the cast bullets for 270?

[BCB]

Benaiah,

I personally don't know of a source, but you might ask on the cast bullet forum of this website or go to the following website, if the link wiill be allowed to stay...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php

If you ask there you might find a source...Good-luck...BCB

[iiranger]

As you observe the goal, often, for hot cartridges and the .270 was one of the first... is explosive performance. And if you don't want that??? Someone has Blue Dot loads or even Bullseye... downloaded like that can be dangerous. You have to be extremely careful when the case could hold 10 or 25 loads... I think it is the Lyman manual where they talk of cutting 4895 loads by 40% safely... still "fast."

On the other hand, if you don't want the bullet to "blow up" and since slowing it down gives up the benefits of high velocity anyway... REVERSE it. Put it in base forward. Sure it will drop like a rock and this is not a 200 yard load, but up close... FMJ performance. I think it was Ackley telling about Fred Barnes doing this with elephant bullets for culling at close range in Africa for the government. Said he could tell a difference from the same bullet with round nose forward. Won't hurt your attempt to anchor Mr. 'yote... luck.

[Lone Star]

While the Sierra varmint rifle bullets are designed with relatively thin jackets and soft cores - it is important to remember that they are "relatively" soft bullets.  I know from personal experience that slowed down to around 2000 fps they don't expand, usually just deforming the nose giving no expansion past bullet diameter.  Speer lists safe loads down to 1915 fps and lower with their 100-grain bullet.  This is pretty slow, and as others have stated you may be better off with heavier bullets at around 23-2400 fps.  Those will give little expansion in a small animal like a coyote. 


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