277 AM First call to duty

[srhaggerty]

My wife put in back in April for a cow moose hunt in Eastern Idaho. Well we found out earlier this week that she drew it!! She is very excited since this will be her first animal she will kill. I just hope the stork doesn't have other plans.. I am trying to decide what bullet will best be suited for this challenge. Shots will be 200 and less. Any thoughts?

Sean

[Fiftydriver]

Sean,

Get ahold of Richard when he gets back from his bear hunting trip and see what he recommend for a bullet. At the velocity of the 277 AM I would say the new 185 gr ULD RBBT would work but he may recommend a heavy bonded core for that range of shooting at a critter that size.

Something like his 170 gr FB Bonded Core would certainly do the job. If he could make you up some 180 gr that would be even better in my opinion for that close range shooting.

He will tell you what works best though.

Kirby Allen(50)

[srhaggerty]

I will drop jim an email and see what he suggests. I was thining of the bonded cores as well at that distance. I had given thought to the Barnes 150 TSX as well.

[royinidaho]

Sean,

Here's what a 277, 130gr Sierra @ 3200 MV did to a Moose's heart @ 65 yds. Complete penetration and right where I wanted it. However, it didn't phase him one iota. He just walked off about 40 yds. I was so dumbfounded I didn't shoot again.

Then after standing, headed away from me, for quite awhile he toppled and rolled back to the point of the first shot. Then, I'll be damn'd if he didn't get up again.

Next shot went through both shoulder blades. Again complete penetration. However, I guess he was dead with the first shot, but neither he nor I knew it.

He wasn't a large fella either. Antlers like Bullwinkle. The 4 quarters hanging in the butcher shop were right at 400#s.

Of course this was back in 1970 and I didn't know much. Still don't, but I do have a 270 AM on the assembly line. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Would expect much more from the AM.......AND a HEAVIER bullet of the WC variety. Might want to break some bones to keep it from expiring at the bottom of a draw or thicket. Would save a lot of work....

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[srhaggerty]

Roy that is kind of my intentions. Depending on the terrain I may have her take the shoulders out.

That is just amazing at how tough that animal is. That is a lot to go thru and still get up.

Would be kind of interesting getting a 180 grain bonded @ 3200 MV. Wonder what it might do to the cow?

[Fiftydriver]

Kill it with no recovered bullet to look at I would predict [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]!!!

The 150 gr TSX should also work but thats kind of like putting pump gas in an F1 race car!!! It would work well I suspect though. The TSX generally shoot very well in the Lilja barrels.

Kirby Allen(50)

[srhaggerty]

LOL pump gas eh? I think you are right. I guess I didn't have you build a gun in that cartridge and not use it's full potential.. I think those 180 BC ought to do the trick. Wonder what the sectional density of that bullet is?