.270 whitetail bullet shopping again, for the last time.

[Eagleye242]

Well, I love the 270 Winchester, and between my son and I, we have shot a trainload of deer and moose with
that venerable chambering. I have used a lot of 130/140 Partitions, and they have always got the job done with a minimum of fuss. Today, I load the 140 Accubond because it is very accurate in my 270. It just plain works!!
No animal has gone over 60-70 yards after the hit, and the bullets [when recovered] are retaining about 65% of their weight close in, and more if the shot is outside of 250 yards.
I would avoid the SSTs [too fragile] Sierra makes good accurate bullets, but the 270 will turn a 130 P-H inside out if it hits any bone close in. TTSX I only use in my 257 Weatherby because of the velocity....as these slow down, they can fail to expand, I have 2 recovered, but not expanded TTXS bullets in my collection. Generally, they are not as quick a killer as the Accubond or Swift Scirocco II. Just basing our observations on experience. Dave.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

First step is to know your twist rate, bullets selection before knowing that is just a WAG!!

True, But hasn't the .270 factory twist been 1 in 10" since Moby Dick was a guppy?

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

In my Rem 700 in 270 Win I used the Nosler 130 gr Ballistic Tip for years and shot numerous deer and antelope from distances from 10 yards to 450 yards (huge 4x5 mulie) and never ever had a bad experience. Even on that mulie I got a complete pass through and a DRT animal. I loaded mine up with 54 gr of IMR4350.

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

Hornady ELD X have never let me down yet. Baseball size exits on North Eastern bucks. Plus they are really nice in the accuracy department.

 

[Quintus]

There is a perfect .277 bullet for deer from 25 to 450 yards that is generally very accurate (some guns vary), tough enough to penetrate up close, designed to open well at 450 for sure, inexpensive, no lead tip. The 140 grain Sierra HPBT Gameking is the grail you seek. Not the tipped but the hollow point is "tougher" up close, but still opens nicely to 500 yards. Warning, they are ugly. Even the opening is not a nice smooth round hole, but a skivved starlike looking hole you might expect to drill bolt holes with. You won't have pulverized giant rose wounds, or rivited tiny exits. You will have a racket ball sized exit with some good slurry behind it. It will smash a femur or scapula if needed and will make it to a deers heart even if you shoot it from Tejas (sorry amigos, couldn't resist). The perfect .277 deer bullet to 500Y.

 

[DENRIK89]

I'm a huge fan of frangibles, I love Eld-m (used to be amax) They have a better "Berger affect" than Bergers do. I've taken a lot of mule deer and elk from 200-700 yds & not one got farther than 10yds. In .277 I'd try SST or revisit the ballistic tips and go for the meat saver shots, don't try and smash bones.

 

[bigngreen]

True, But hasn't the .270 factory twist been 1 in 10" since Moby Dick was a guppy?

No, 1-11 is common even now and even some 1-12's back in the day.

 

[beretzs]

No, 1-11 is common even now and even some 1-12's back in the day.

No kidding, which rifles were rifled as such? I'd always thought 10 twist was the standard.

 

[Eagleye242]

10" twist has been the standard for eons. But there have been a rare few 11" from offshore.
Never saw a 12" 270, but that does not mean they do not exist.....I'll bet they are hard to find. EE.

 

[ROB WHALLEY]

Ok, so many years ago when I first started handloading I started off with the Nosler ballistic tip. I shot my nice buck with it perfectly broadside at 110 yards and the bullet completely exploded, it literally just made it to the vitals and that's it, the BT in my book was a varmint round, never shot another one since. I am told they made some changes to them but with all the nice bullets out there I won't give them another chance. Next up, for many years I shot the Nosler Partition. I loved the killing of that round, however I never could get it to shoot accurately out of my rifle, somewhere around 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards no matter what I tried. Next up, Speer Grand Slam. Shot many deer with great success, better accuracy, however I'm not of fan of the soft blunt lead nose that gets damaged and my hunting spots have changed over the years and I am reaching out to longer distances. Next up, the Barnes triple shock, unbelievable accuracy, honest 1 inch groups at 200 yards off a bench. Shot around 4 nice bucks with them, lost one. I will no longer shoot a solid copper. The picture perfect mushrooms in gel are all cute and all, but they don't kill deer the way the others do, some will argue but that's just the facts. I have hit deer perfectly with the Barnes and got little to no blood, deer have run off almost like they were not even hit, only to see them tip over 50-100 yards later. So, no more Barnes, and here I am now, looking again. I have thoughts on trying these options. Federal Trophy bonded tip, Hornady INTERBOND, not interlock, Nosler Accubond, and maybe even the Swift Scirocco 2. Again, this would be in the .270 Winchester round, in WI deer at ranges of 0-450 yards. I only want to do this one last time, enlighten me, give me advice, give me horror stories, tell me what to do..

You will never better Winchester 140gr Silvertips, every deer or other game for that matter drops dead right there.

 

[Andrew Cowling]

With fallow deer here which is basically your white tail deer 130 gr SST has proven well at distance for accuracy and performance. If you need to reach beyond 200 yards then the heavier 140 or 150 gr SST may suit better.

 

[.300 Dakota]

Ok, so many years ago when I first started handloading I started off with the Nosler ballistic tip. I shot my nice buck with it perfectly broadside at 110 yards and the bullet completely exploded, it literally just made it to the vitals and that's it, the BT in my book was a varmint round, never shot another one since. I am told they made some changes to them but with all the nice bullets out there I won't give them another chance. Next up, for many years I shot the Nosler Partition. I loved the killing of that round, however I never could get it to shoot accurately out of my rifle, somewhere around 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards no matter what I tried. Next up, Speer Grand Slam. Shot many deer with great success, better accuracy, however I'm not of fan of the soft blunt lead nose that gets damaged and my hunting spots have changed over the years and I am reaching out to longer distances. Next up, the Barnes triple shock, unbelievable accuracy, honest 1 inch groups at 200 yards off a bench. Shot around 4 nice bucks with them, lost one. I will no longer shoot a solid copper. The picture perfect mushrooms in gel are all cute and all, but they don't kill deer the way the others do, some will argue but that's just the facts. I have hit deer perfectly with the Barnes and got little to no blood, deer have run off almost like they were not even hit, only to see them tip over 50-100 yards later. So, no more Barnes, and here I am now, looking again. I have thoughts on trying these options. Federal Trophy bonded tip, Hornady INTERBOND, not interlock, Nosler Accubond, and maybe even the Swift Scirocco 2. Again, this would be in the .270 Winchester round, in WI deer at ranges of 0-450 yards. I only want to do this one last time, enlighten me, give me advice, give me horror stories, tell me what to do..

If you can get the Federal Trophy Bonded Tip to shoot accurately in your rifle, That's the way to go. Some rifles love them and some do not. You can use 1 bullet for deer, big boar, and elk. They are the old Trophy Bonded Bear Claw with a slick nickel coating and better expansion. Sciroccos won't group, neither will Interbonds, and both Interbonds and Accubonds are too soft and don't fully penetrate sometimes, even though they mushroom perfectly. The grooves and coating on the TBT allow for more velocity. My only other selection, if they make them, is a Woodleigh Weldcore protected point. The accuracy and killing ability of the Woodleigh is unmatched. Not as high of a BC, but more than a Grand Slam, and not bad for a flat base. Good luck!

 

[Australia]

Mike your story is one I have experienced however take it from me you will find the Sierra Game kings the only projectile

 

[Laguna Freak]

Ok, so many years ago when I first started handloading I started off with the Nosler ballistic tip. I shot my nice buck with it perfectly broadside at 110 yards and the bullet completely exploded, it literally just made it to the vitals and that's it, the BT in my book was a varmint round, never shot another one since. I am told they made some changes to them but with all the nice bullets out there I won't give them another chance. Next up, for many years I shot the Nosler Partition. I loved the killing of that round, however I never could get it to shoot accurately out of my rifle, somewhere around 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards no matter what I tried. Next up, Speer Grand Slam. Shot many deer with great success, better accuracy, however I'm not of fan of the soft blunt lead nose that gets damaged and my hunting spots have changed over the years and I am reaching out to longer distances. Next up, the Barnes triple shock, unbelievable accuracy, honest 1 inch groups at 200 yards off a bench. Shot around 4 nice bucks with them, lost one. I will no longer shoot a solid copper. The picture perfect mushrooms in gel are all cute and all, but they don't kill deer the way the others do, some will argue but that's just the facts. I have hit deer perfectly with the Barnes and got little to no blood, deer have run off almost like they were not even hit, only to see them tip over 50-100 yards later. So, no more Barnes, and here I am now, looking again. I have thoughts on trying these options. Federal Trophy bonded tip, Hornady INTERBOND, not interlock, Nosler Accubond, and maybe even the Swift Scirocco 2. Again, this would be in the .270 Winchester round, in WI deer at ranges of 0-450 yards. I only want to do this one last time, enlighten me, give me advice, give me horror stories, tell me what to do..

Scirocco II. Pick a moderate powder charge and run through seating depth test out to at least 0.120" jump if you don't find something acceptable in closer. Then tune powder charge.