The right bullet choice for a .270win

[jackrabbit000]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

130gr Sierra Gameking in front of a book load of IMR-4831 and call it a day....

LC

That's all I ever reloaded.

[gopher]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Why would that be?

Has been my experience that flat base bullets are more accurate out to 300 yards.

[wonksy]

I have great luck with just 51grains of 4350 and 140gr boattail silvertips in my T3.
Also have used 150gr Nosler Partitions with great success!

[wwbirds]

In front of 51 grains of IMR 4350 for the last 25 years.

I don't load anything else for 270. My son owned a rifle a few years ago that preferred 52 grains but same bullet accounted for many one shot dead deer.

[elkhunter11]

Has been my experience that flat base bullets are more accurate out to 300 yards.

If the application was a precision target load, that might have some merit, but given the scenario of a hunting load to 200 yards, as the OP has stated, that is pretty much meaningless in this situation.

[Thunder Elk Hunter]

Originally Posted by gonewest

The easy way to remember and real effective is to use 55-56 grs of H4831sc for 150gr bullets 57-58 grs of H4831sc for 140gr bullets and 59-60 grs of H4831sc for 130 gr bullets.

x2 57 grs of H4831sc for 140gr Hornady interlock BTSP will handle any of Alberta Big Game from 30 - 300 yds and beyond.

Less than 1/2 group at 100 yds.

What more do you need, they just kill game.

[bowness]

130 grain boattails are my fav.

[benamen]

Originally Posted by jvillads

Anyone have any experience/advice loading 150 Gr Sierra gamekings for the .270?

I purchased one box of 100 15 years ago. Never have loaded all of them as I have had poor expansion with them. Looks more like you pushed a pencil through the lungs rather than a bullet. I have had good luck with th 130 grain SGK which group quite well. Currently using 150 grain SSTs and these put a deer down in a hurry.

[gopher]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

If the application was a precision target load, that might have some merit, but given the scenario of a hunting load to 200 yards, as the OP has stated, that is pretty much meaningless in this situation.

There are flat base hunting bullets as well no need for a hi end hunting bullet in his situation.

[elkhunter11]

There are flat base hunting bullets as well no need for a hi end hunting bullet in his situation.

It really doesn't matter if it is a flat base, or a boat tailed bullet,either will do fine for this application.

[Pudelpointer]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

It's gonna be 140gr SGK's. For 2 reasons, I like how Sierra bullets group nicely and easy to load develop, and I just realized that I have two boxes in stock. I also think that RL22 will be the first powder I'll try.

Hold on there Git, I would rethink that. Bar none the worst bullet performance I have witnessed came from that very bullet; fragmentation and jelly everywhere!

After seeing one bullet fragment and make a mess on a nice Blacktail at 340 yards (velocity should have been down around 2400 on impact) I figured they were not what I was looking for. I gave the remaining loads to a buddy with clear instructions not to use them on anything he wanted to eat. A year later he shot a Muley doe at about 100 and said skinning it was horrific, apparently he had forgot my instruction.

I have used Interlocks, Accubonds, Partitions and TTSX, but have had the most experience with SSTs. Probably killed over 20 deer with the 130 SST (and an elk, and a moose, and...) and I have nothing negative to say about them.

I was using the SSTs because I was shooting a couple hundred rounds a year for a while and they performed well for target and hunting.

Am shooting other stuff these days, and have limited opportunities to get into the field, so am using the 130 TTSX now. One elk and 3 deer so far. Elk was a ban flop, but the deer have all run a fair distance, even though they were missing lungs and parts of their hearts.

I could talk about other calibres and bullets, but I figure this is most relevant to you.

You may also want to look at the 130 Prohunter from Sierra, I bet you will be impressed.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I have never used the 140gr Gamekings.....but I have used the 130's on many deer and a feral russian boar and mostly had "bang flop" type results if I put the bullet where it was meant to go. I have had a couple cup/core separations (that is to be expected with that style of bullet), but no "explosions". The 130gr Gamekings are deadly accurate out to longer distances (500 yards) in my rifle as well. I am so confident in that bullet that I sold all the other bullets I was testing to a member here who is starting out reloading. Shot many deer between 50 and 400 yards without fail.

LC

[gitrdun]

Thanks for the heads up Puddle, I'll take your advise seriously as I have no experience with the 140's other than on paper. I'll pick up or order 130 PH's then or go SST if Udo has them. Thanks for saving me some possible grief,

[sikwhiskey]

Ttsx for me. 130 Grn. Going to try the Gmx this year too.

[aulrich]

Put me down with the 130 sierra games kings as well.

But lots of good heads out there.

Now that my supply of them is getting low, I might have to try those 130 interbonds I have had on the shelf for the last couple of years.

[bighorn1]

My pet load for the 270 hass always been 130gr nosler partitions with 54.5gr of imr 4350.I have done a lot of experimenting over the years and nothing seems to group better and consistantly do the job better. It will all depend on your rifle but when it comes to grouping no other recipe has ever came close.

[couleefolk]

you need to test the gun with different bullets, you can only get close with someone else's best load. 2 huskies, both 270, one shoots 110gr Sierra prohunters, the other 130 gamekings. load a few, go to the range. my savage 270 has only shot the 110 prohunters, but since they group less than 3/4" @ 100yds, they are good enough for my requirements. my last few deer have been close, and i tried the 130gr partitions once, which left me with hardly any meat, so i put them aside. i hit a bone with a 130gr silvertip once, shrapnel through the whole quarter. so many variables on picking a bullet design, you have to know the shooters exact requirements, and find the bullet with the matching characteristics. that is part of the reason hand loading is so much fun, how much accuracy do you need? do i have to use less powder or more? do i want an explosive bullet or a pass through bullet? am i shooting long range or windy conditions?

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

It's gonna be 140gr SGK's. For 2 reasons, I like how Sierra bullets group nicely and easy to load develop, and I just realized that I have two boxes in stock. I also think that RL22 will be the first powder I'll try.

Funny I just bought a .270, opened the cupboard and realized I had 2 boxes of 130 grain SGK's. Read somewhere that a fairly famous .270 lover liked 49 grains of 4064 with a 130 grain bullet. I think I will try it to say I did and then find some 4831, 4350, or go along with your line of thinking and try some RL 22.

[rem338win]

130gr anything. I like Hornady Interlocks, killed some deer with them.

The trick is to use 60gr of H4831sc and a good primer. I like the CCI BR2's.

[Slash8]

Originally Posted by sns2

Hard to argue.

x2

[Okotokian]

Question: Everyone seems to recommend 130g. What's the reason for going light for caliber vs, say, 150g?

To me anyway, it's not like most 150g's shot from a .270 produce much recoil to be concerned about, and in what I shoot, the 130g is only half an inch flatter at 400 yards, but carries nearly 250 less ft-lbs of energy. I use 150g and have felt more comfortable using it on deer or elk. Fill me in on the 130 advantage. I'm not arguing, just don't see it. Thanks.

[aulrich]

It's probably the throw back to 130's are typically a lighter construction than 150's, similar to 150's vs 180's in 30 cal.


130's for deer 150's for bigger, For me, shooting a deer, it is harder to get too much expansion than too little. The 130's give plenty of penetration , (even the soft sierras I use), so a stiffer 150 does not buy me anything.

And if going for bigger stuff the 338wm comes out, none of that one gun BS for me

[elkhunter11]

Question: Everyone seems to recommend 130g. What's the reason for going light for caliber vs, say, 150g?

To me anyway, it's not like most 150g's shot from a .270 produce much recoil to be concerned about, and in what I shoot, the 130g is only half an inch flatter at 400 yards, but carries nearly 250 less ft-lbs of energy. I use 150g and have felt more comfortable using it on deer or elk. Fill me in on the 130 advantage. I'm not arguing, just don't see it. Thanks.

If you use the same make and model of bullet,but in both 130gr and 150gr, both driven at maximum velocity, the 130 will shoot more than 1/2" flatter at 400 yards using the same zero. If you choose a proper 130gr bullet, it will do just fine on any larger game that the 270win is suitable for.

[Smackdown]

http://www.hornady.com/store/270-Cal-.277-150-gr-SST/
Using 43gr of IMR 4895 Gave me these results......2 shots @ 100yds.
If it makes a difference on the rifle.....Sako A7

[bdub]

Heres a couple good loads I worked up for my .270, 22 inch barrel, 130 grain Partitions. The rifle is an older model 700 given to me as a gift.

[bowshot]

140 gr accubonds with h4831sc work awesome

[Jamie Black R/T]

Originally Posted by bowshot

140 gr accubonds with h4831sc work awesome

x2!

thats my new recipe and the accuracy out of my brothers tikka is unreal....when my RMR shows up ill be trying that load first.

[fletcher]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Question: Everyone seems to recommend 130g. What's the reason for going light for caliber vs, say, 150g?

To me anyway, it's not like most 150g's shot from a .270 produce much recoil to be concerned about, and in what I shoot, the 130g is only half an inch flatter at 400 yards, but carries nearly 250 less ft-lbs of energy. I use 150g and have felt more comfortable using it on deer or elk. Fill me in on the 130 advantage. I'm not arguing, just don't see it. Thanks.

Its not light for caliber sd is about equivilent to 165 gr 30 cal which is to say pretty optimum. If you are going to shoot 150 gr you might as well go 30 06 150 it will be slightly faster and flatter to past 300

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by fletcher

Its not light for caliber sd is about equivilent to 165 gr 30 cal which is to say pretty optimum. If you are going to shoot 150 gr you might as well go 30 06 150 it will be slightly faster and flatter to past 300

You do realize the parent case for the .270WIN is the .30-06

The B.C. of a .277 bullet in the same weight and style as a .308 will almost always be higher....due to the length vs. diameter of the bullet.

From my Hornady book

150gr .277 Hornady #2740 BC= 0.462 Style SP
150gr .308 Hornady #3031 BC= 0.338 Style SP

If I was to choose which one to shoot a 150gr bullet out of IF that was the weight I wanted....I would pick the .270, that being said the selection in bullets for the .308 cal will be better.....something to consider though.

LC

[elkhunter11]

You do realize the parent case for the .270WIN is the .30-06

The B.C. of a .277 bullet in the same weight and style as a .308 will almost always be higher....due to the length vs. diameter of the bullet.

It's not that simple.You neglected to mention that the muzzle velocity of the 30-06 with the same 150gr bullet will also be greater, which does a lot to offset the difference in BC.