which .270 bullet for elk?

[boyce]

First, some background. This year will be my second elk hunt, as well as second bull hunt, by sheer luck I have drawn 2 years in a row in AZ. I am choosing the 270 because its what I have. Last year I took a spike at 117yds quartering away right behind the front shoulder and the exit took out the opposite front shoulder, the second shot was identicle except on opposite side(he sat back on his butt and then spun a 180). After the second shot he ran about 3 yds down hill and then piled up. I recovered only small pieces of bullet so I think there was wasted energy or the bullet disentigrated. I was using hornady 140g interlock with a muzzle vel between 28 and 2900fps. This years hunt will be in AZ unit 10 late bull and I want to maximize what I have. I understand the limitations of my rifle and feel with last years results and the hornady I could feel comfortable with a still broadside shot of 300 yds and closer and not more than 125 to 150 for a less than perfect (quartering away) shot. Am I on track with my thinking and is there a better bullet I need to look into? Sorry for the book but I wanted to put as much info as possible when asking for help>

 

[AJ Peacock]

I don't have any experience with the 270Win for elk, but if it were me, I'd go with the 140gr Nosler Partition or Accubond. I'd probably use the Partition, as I've seen great elk results in other calibers with it.

AJ

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I would use a good 150g bullet like a partition. The heavier weight will penetrate better and not break up on bone as much. They also hit harder. SD's are a relative number to look for penetration. The .277" 150g slug has a decent SD comparable to many other popular caliber/bullets. The key is to use a good controlled expansion bullet on elk. One that will expand, yet punch through w/out breaking up to much.

You could also use a barnes x or swift a frame, but the partition is more then enough bullet and much cheaper.

With a good 150g bullet from a 270 win, I'd have no problems busting elk out to 500 yards.

 

[jde512]

I have taken many elk with the 270 at ranges from 15 yards to 500 yards. All have been taken with the Nosler Ballistic Tip 150 gr, most have been one shot kills but none too more than two shots. The NBT with my experance has been the best for elk in the 270. But it all comes down to shot placement.

 

[406pat]

I've shot a .270 win. since I was 12. I've always shot 130 gr soft points. since I started reloading it's been Speer 130 gr spbt all the way. I wouldn't be too comfortable taking a shot where I had to break through a lot of bone but a couple seasons ago I took a big cow at about 400 yds and the 130 gr Speer passed completely through. She was perfectly broadside and the bullet got both lungs just above the heart. Bullet went through a rib on the way in and left a hole about 1 1/2" on the way out. Dropped where she stood. Didn't recover the bullet but the exit wound indicates that it did what it was supposed to.

 

[LewisH]

Nosler 150 gr Partition. Great results on big, tough, elk-type critters from less that ideal angles.

 

[J E Custom]

First, some background. This year will be my second elk hunt, as well as second bull hunt, by sheer luck I have drawn 2 years in a row in AZ. I am choosing the 270 because its what I have. Last year I took a spike at 117yds quartering away right behind the front shoulder and the exit took out the opposite front shoulder, the second shot was identicle except on opposite side(he sat back on his butt and then spun a 180). After the second shot he ran about 3 yds down hill and then piled up. I recovered only small pieces of bullet so I think there was wasted energy or the bullet disentigrated. I was using hornady 140g interlock with a muzzle vel between 28 and 2900fps. This years hunt will be in AZ unit 10 late bull and I want to maximize what I have. I understand the limitations of my rifle and feel with last years results and the hornady I could feel comfortable with a still broadside shot of 300 yds and closer and not more than 125 to 150 for a less than perfect (quartering away) shot. Am I on track with my thinking and is there a better bullet I need to look into? Sorry for the book but I wanted to put as much info as possible when asking for help>

For Elk I would recomend a bullet around 150 grains. The Partition is the right one if your going
to hit him in the shoulder. For behind the shoulder shots the accubond or ballistic tip.

I also had good luck with other bullets in the 150gr class.

For deer size the 130gr bullets work best for me.

J E CUSTOM

 

[3006savage]

For maximizing the terminal performance of the 270 I would go with a 150 grain Swift A-Frame. It has a respectable .444 BC makes a large mushroom, for a big for caliber frontal area, and retains 95% weight for deep penetration. There are some slightly higher BC bullets out there but I do not think anything out there performs better on game than an AFrame at 270 winchester velocities.

Another higher BC bullet with excellent weight retention and expansion is the 150 grain interbond. It offers 90% weight retention and has a BC of .525. It also has very reasonable price for a bonded core bullet.

 

[boyce]

Thanks for all the great responses, please keem them coming. I have only a small number of posts but I read almost daily on this forum and think it is a very good tool for learning. Is there a place I can find out how well bullets expand at different velocities, and what is recommended muzzle velocity for the 150's to get my job done? I have found that my gun preforms better group wise at less than the max load (in my books) using the serria 130gk, and best right up to the max load using the 140g hornady's

 

[AJ Peacock]

Thanks for all the great responses, please keem them coming. I have only a small number of posts but I read almost daily on this forum and think it is a very good tool for learning. Is there a place I can find out how well bullets expand at different velocities, and what is recommended muzzle velocity for the 150's to get my job done? I have found that my gun preforms better group wise at less than the max load (in my books) using the serria 130gk, and best right up to the max load using the 140g hornady's

If you have a couple hours to spend, this is an excellent read regarding wound channels and the performance of different bullets and different velocities. Some of it is a little tedious/long but overall it is an excellent discussion. It was posted on another thread a couple weeks ago.

Terminal Ballistics


AJ

 

[bigngreen]

My hunting buddy has shot quite a few elk using the 130 speer soft points and he has yet to need any second shots. He's running them fairly fast and they just punch a nice hole right through them, he also keeps the range under 300yds.

 

[trebark]

Everybody on the board today wants to shoot elk......this is the second post today on the subject.

I'll pile-on with another vote for a tough 150grain bullet. Winding up the exbal program shows that if you push a 150grain bullet at 2900fps, you have 1500lbs of energy between 400 and 500 yards, depending on the bullet you choose.

My recommendations....Berger VLD or Nosler Partition

 

[beretzs]

I use the 270WSM, but have taken elk with the 140gr Accubond and it did a fantastic job for a .277 bullet. THe bullet shoots flat and expands very well. I would stick with something like an Accubond, Partition or Interbond like bullet and you will be happy with your 270. Elk are tough, not bullet proof, but they do have big bones that hurt little bullets. Although, your Hornadys sounds like they are doing fine also, just nice to keep a bullet together if possible. Scotty

 

[ricasdad]

You are hunting unit 10, may I suggest solid copper Barnes bullets? I am starting to use them this year. A little more expensive but 100%+ weight retention and condor friendly. Lots of luck
Rich
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