LIGHT or HEAVY THAT IS THE ?

[super7mag]

I'm wonder what theory handloaders on the forum subscribe too! Light for cal bullets at super sonic speeds , or heavy for cal bullets at moderate speeds? what do you like/dislike about one or the other? Lets take a .270 for example 110gr accu bond @3300fps or a 150gr accu bond @ 2900fps whats preferred?

[munyee4321]

niether.... 130 accus at 3000-3100fps

[blacktailslayer]

The only bullets I like to push really fast are the Barnes TSX and.TTSX. Use a light for caliber bullet. These Barnes hold up(and open up better) at extreme velocity, unlike other bullets.

[ceedub]

Hmmm.....interesting question with an infinite amount of correct answers. I tend to not go too light or too heavy. For .270 I generally like 130g, kinda middle of the road for that calibre but in a well constructed bullet. I like Grand Slams for the .270. I guess it's like a combination of weight and speed, for me it works.

In my 300 Weatherby I shoot 165 grain Barnes Triple Shock. Although I do handload for performance and all my current rifles are magnums, none of my pet loads are at maximum. Accuracy for me is number 1, and when I find a combo that works, I stick with it until I find something better.

Craig

[eric2381]

I like heavy. 117gr for 25 cal., 140gr. for 264 cal., 150gr. for .277, 175gr for 7mm, 180gr. for 30 cal., 195gr. for 8mm, 225gr. for 338 cal., 250gr. for 35 cal.

I also like plain Hornady bullets in most of my rifles. I think all of them except the 180gr. from my 300 Win mag.

[super7mag]

Standing in line at the gun store one day and picked up barnes latest RL manual and noticed there max loads were significantly slower than my nosler book in 3 cals. I don't no why?

Originally Posted by super7mag

Standing in line at the gun store one day and picked up barnes latest RL manual and noticed there max loads were significantly slower than my nosler book in 3 cals. I don't no why?

The difference in test barrels that Barnes and Nosler use may account for the muzzle velocity discrepancies. There are a lot of factors that come into the equation besides BS.

[super7mag]

Well I was surprized because I had loaded some 120 gr tsx for da 7 a fair bit hotter than thier info. I like'm for coyote killers hold on hair out to 400.

[PoppaW]

Originally Posted by super7mag

Standing in line at the gun store one day and picked up barnes latest RL manual and noticed there max loads were significantly slower than my nosler book in 3 cals. I don't no why?

Load em up and shoot over the chrony. I have found some books slower than others. It just goes to show how many variables in reloading. If you buy a faster book it won't make your gun faster.
As for the question... I like heavy and fast. 375-270gr, 416-350gr, 404-400gr, 460-450 or 500gr. One day Ill own a 257 and I will shoot for speed with 100gr TSX.

[blacktailslayer]

My custom 25-06 with 26" barrel pushes the 100 gr TSX 3500 fps with 54.5 gr RL22.A lot cheaper to shoot than the Weatherby, and deadly on deer!!

[catnthehat]

Varmint cartridges, I tend to push the envelope with that will shoot accuratly.
Big game cartridges, I tend to go heavy for calibre bullets that will give me the greatest acuracy.
Match cartridges , whatever is most accurate with a load that won't beat me up for a full match.
Accuracy is King, everything else is just along for the ride....
Cat

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by super7mag

I'm wonder what theory handloaders on the forum subscribe too! Light for cal bullets at super sonic speeds , or heavy for cal bullets at moderate speeds? what do you like/dislike about one or the other? Lets take a .270 for example 110gr accu bond @3300fps or a 150gr accu bond @ 2900fps whats preferred?

FWIW: as soon as a bullet is over about 1100fps it is super sonic.

Back to what I think the jist of your question is.

At one point I was using 100gr. Barnes X originals in my wife's 270 Win, those bullets were one heck of a game getter, she even took a couple cow moose with them.

As to confirm Barnes claim that their monolithic bullets were as tough as the next nearest weight in a Nosler Partition, I did an expansion test vs. 130gr. Partition's with a similar to equal impact energy.
I found those 100's to penetrate a touch deeper, and retain about 30% more weight. The rub here was getting those solid copper bullets with no bands to shoot good in anyother rifle, to which I often found things a bit more frustrating.

Selecting light for caliber bullets that are not specifically designed as a big game bullet, can get problem plagued really fast, especially if the classic double lunger is'nt in the offering. Example being a 100gr. Hornady SP (.277") is a thin jacketed varmint bullet, and it's use on critters bigger than coyotes, is far from recommended.

Choose your bullets based on two criteria. Accuracy as your first quest, then the design parameters WRT it's on game performance.

[super7mag]

I was using " super sonic" as slang to get apoint across, not as in litteraly the speed of sound. My ? is more of atrend I noticed in factory fodder, Hornadys light mag/heavy mag all push light for caliber bullets at 200 250 fps faster than most factory loads. Now I see federal has hyper velocity bullets doing the same thing. Nosler custom ammo just released the 110 gr accu-bond in 270 and it is loaded hot (supposedly). I was wondering if handloaders are buying to the theory as well. By the by I like middle of the road weights, except in varmint loads.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by super7mag

I was using " super sonic" as slang to get apoint across, not as in litteraly the speed of sound. My ? is more of atrend I noticed in factory fodder, Hornadys light mag/heavy mag all push light for caliber bullets at 200 250 fps faster than most factory loads. Now I see federal has hyper velocity bullets doing the same thing. Nosler custom ammo just released the 110 gr accu-bond in 270 and it is loaded hot (supposedly). I was wondering if handloaders are buying to the theory as well. By the by I like middle of the road weights, except in varmint loads.

Gee I'm getting behind on my new for stuff. Did'nt even know Nosler had a 6.8mm 110gr. Accubond.

Perhaps it's a bit to new to get a bunch of from the field reports.

But this much I've seen with the 130gr. AB @3300fps, she's a tad gruesome on the entrance wound even at 250yds. Bullet exited, but I was wondering with the entrance wound. I can only imagine what a 200yd impact with a 20gr. lighter bullet doing close to 200fps more would be like.

I'm thinking the TSX would be a much better fit.

[Huntnut]

Originally Posted by Dick284

But this much I've seen with the 130gr. AB @3300fps, she's a tad gruesome on the entrance wound even at 250yds. Bullet exited, but I was wondering with the entrance wound. I can only imagine what a 200yd impact with a 20gr. lighter bullet doing close to 200fps more would be like.

I'm thinking the TSX would be a much better fit.

Or the E-tip

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Huntnut

Or the E-tip

110gr.?

[Huntnut]

Originally Posted by Dick284

110gr.?

Sorry-was talking 130gr when you were talking the 130 accubonds being a tad gruesome at 3300fps.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Huntnut

Sorry-was talking 130gr when you were talking the 130 accubonds being a tad gruesome at 3300fps.

Gruesome yes, but whats a couple more inches of bloodied rib meat. They shoot great, and the critters simply die.

[Huntnut]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Gruesome yes, but whats a couple more inches of bloodied rib meat. They shoot great, and the critters simply die.

For sure.
I have found that the e-tip will shoot as good once you find their "sweet spot" but they do seem more finicky then the accubonds.

[Jerry D]

Generally I aim for what gives me about 2800 fps. Normally that is a heavier type bullet compared to a lighter bullet.

For my .30-06 I tend to favor the 165 grain offering
For my new to me .25-06 I like the 110-120 grain offerings over the 100.
For my .223 I like the 60 grain vmax and the 69 grain matchking.

[elkhunter11]

Heavy isn't at all necessary,so I use lighter weight bullets.

[Traps]

Originally Posted by super7mag

Standing in line at the gun store one day and picked up barnes latest RL manual and noticed there max loads were significantly slower than my nosler book in 3 cals. I don't no why?

The reason they are slower is the Barnes bullets take up a larger volume because lead is more dense than the copper compound used taking up more powder space. The etips are the same, when you open a box of etips they warn you not to exceed the mid load.

Barnes bullets are also harder, not sure if that spikes pressures or not, even with the grooves...who knows about that one, just a theory of mine.

Light for cal bullets at super sonic speeds , or heavy for cal bullets at moderate speeds? what do you like/dislike about one or the other? Lets take a .270 for example 110gr accu bond @3300fps or a 150gr accu bond @ 2900fps whats preferred?

It really depends on what you want for terminal ballistics, do you want a high velocity bullet with less penetration making for blood shot meat but a fast kill. Or a medium speed bullet thats not overkill but will penetrate more for those less than perfect shots.

I like medium speed so as to not lead lace any meat. I am a big fan of a bullet with a large diameter like .323, .338, .375 to transfer as much energy to the animal but without all the recoil of a magnum. Momentum and expansion dictate how much any given bullet penetrates. I like medium speed to pentrate more and larger frontal area to penetrate less, and a medium tough bullet with high retention, that is my recipe, its a tradeoff to what I see as optimal. To sum it up its etips at 2700-2800 fps. To each their own.

[Canuck44]

Doesn't a 110 in a 270 have a poor bc which sort of ruins its downstream performance? I like 130gr game kings or 140gr accubonds if I want to spend more money per shot. I don't see any benefit to shooting any lighter in a 270 or the need to go to a 150 grain or heavier bullet.

[super7mag]

nosler partition's claim to fame was/is penetration and not weight retention, even the nosler web site says parts are only expected to retain an avg of 70%. but deep penetration. The last one I recovered from a moose, was found under the hide, by the off side shoulder, 160 gr part perfectly mushroomed it weighed 144gr. bang flop =dead moose. The fedral hyper velocity bullets are using barnes t-tsx and claim to push in 270 win 110gr ttsx@3420fps, so they ain't loading them light at all.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by super7mag

Standing in line at the gun store one day and picked up barnes latest RL manual and noticed there max loads were significantly slower than my nosler book in 3 cals. I don't no why?

Better pressure testing equiptment.

And oh ya Barnes had some over the top loadings they had to do a re call on in their older manuals too.

[oldgutpile]

My two cents worth (being the guy who usually gets to clean up the mess)
I highly recommend going with heavy-for-calibre well constructed bullets on any game animal you plan on turning into cuts for the freezer. (critters like bear, wolf, etc, if you dont plan on eating it, its wide open!)
I still maintain that the .270 and the 25-06 are the two worst meat-wreckers out there (this should stir up a bit of sh*t!) I've always found that the .30 cal outfits and higher had more knock-down with less damage. From there, its all about shot placement.
As someone who also reloads, you dont need "super-sonic", and you will likely want to experiment with velocity to see what recipe works best in your particular rifle. There is NO magic recipe for every calibre, and two identical guns may like different loads. The joy of reloading is finding that sweet load that prints MOA groups for you. I quite often use the cheap bullets for bench shooting, and then switch up to the good stuff for hunting season. (Makes for more quality time at the range).
If you are reloading for a game hunt, use the most well constructed heavy-for-calibre bullet you can, and if you can crank out some high velocity while doing a decent group, all the power to ya!