.270 & 150 grain bullets

[rancher05]

I seen in the mule deer section there was a lot of comments on the 130 grain bullet.

My question is which is better, 130 or 150 grain for a .270 caliber? I use 150 grain for deer and elk because i don't want to keep sighting it in back and forth. which is actually better for knock down at 100-400 yards. I'm getting ready for an elk hunt and I'd like to know your thoughts. should I stick with the 150 grain bullet for my elk hunt and for good?

 

[sageadvice]

Do yourself a favor and don't use the Remington 150gr loading!! It only comes in the round nosed version and it's really a dog of a loading. I don't know why Remington doesn't come out with other 150 gr bullets, other than this round nosed dud, for the 270 as a good hot 150gr loading has it merits and needs, but they haven't to my knowledge.

Federal, Winchester, and Hornady all make good products in 150gr 270 loadings and they certainly can be used to great effect!

Joey

 

[gb22]

I'm prejudiced toward the 130 and don't like the 150. My buddy switched to 140s.

Biggest factor?

Whichever one you choose, practice until you know exactly how it performs. That's "easy" advice to give but it's really about all that matters. The biggest bull moose won't go too far if shot through the heart with a 130 grain bullet. A poor shot with a .30-378 will result in lost game, or at least a long search.



Within the shadows, go quietly.

 

[rancher05]

Well I do appreciate your thoughts. I have been using winchester and federal so I do feel better about that. My rifle seems to shoot the winchesters really well, the remington's, not so much. its been 6 years since I've shot federals so I do need to try them out again. I have heard from others that 130 grain is all I need for deer and elk. the only reason I use 150 grain is because it's heavier and I thought it has more knock down power.

 

[justr_86]

Check out the ballistic charts at www.remington.com. You will see the 130 flies flatter faster and hits harder than the 150 at any range other than 100 yds where the 150 hits a little harder. Everyone I know with the 270 shoots 130's and wont consider another bullet. I have personally put elk and deer down in their tracks with shoulder shots with the 130 grain winchester power point. Great bullet and cheaper to buy than most!

 

[sageadvice]

just_86

The only problem with your thoughts are that when you compare Remingtons 150gr loading to any other company's 150gr loads, you will see just how bad Remingtons load is. As i mentioned in the upper post, it's a dog!

In all fairness, you are correct, the 130gr 270 loadings are excellent! There can be cases made though for the "better" 140 and 150gr ammo in the 270, especially when taking bigger animals like Elk. This "discussion has been debated for generations and surely won't be settled here.

Joey

 

[rancher05]

Well I'm glad I talked to all you about this, because I thought I knew enough about it but it looks like I didn't. Well I just might switch over to 130 grains. However I do have a box of power point 150 grain so I might just use them this year but then switch over after that. that chart sure did help and I appreciate all this information.

 

[sageadvice]

Rancher, are you not reading my posts?

"That chart" is for the Remington 150gr loading only. That chart does not reflect the excellent qualities and ballistics of other company's 150 grain loadings!

Joey

 

[bigmoosie]

Jf you guys will look at a good ballistics table you would see that the 140 gr is flatter shooting than the 130 after about 250 yards and has much more knock down power than the 150 after about 200 yards. You get the best of both worlds with the 140. I would get a box of Hornady light magnums and see how they shoot in my gun and never look back.Most 270's will shoot all 3 grains much better than most other calibers, one of the good things about a 270. Most will shoot the 130 and the 150 in a good ballistic tip pretty close at the range usually a lot better than other calibers.THis is from real life experiance not fron reading magazines.

 

[rancher05]

yes sir I have been reading them, as a matter of fact I went to winchester's and federal's websight also and got there ballistics and there is a difference in both 130 and 150 grain bullets comparred to the other brand's. The remington bullets don't shoot as well as i'd like them to so I don't use them no more but the winchester bullets shoot really well. so for the last few years i've been shooting them. So now in everyone's opinion what would you use on Bull elk? 130 or 150 grains? obviously I would never use anything smaller. 130 is faster and packs a punch but is it going to fast? the 150 is a little slower and when it hits it's probably more of a punch when it hits.

justr_86 did say he has great success with 130.

Like you said, "discussion has been debated for generations and surely won't be settled here."

 

[rancher05]

Thanks big moosie, I'll go check that out as well. I have heard about the 140 grain, aren't they more expensive though?

 

[completesportsman]

If you hand load try some 140gr Accubonds & Reloader 22

____________________________________________________________________
"Now we come to the most important pre-season question. Do you just want to go elk hunting, or do you want to bring one back? If you desire the latter, there is no substitute for hard work. The bigger your goal, the harder the work required to get there. Good luck!" - Cameron R. Hanes

 

[REDDOG]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-22-09 AT 10:20PM (MST)[p]there is no debate, A HIGH BC 150 will beat a 130 or 140 all day at every range.

as big moosie said, a 140 is a good middle of the road, but its not better than a 150.

do yourself a favor, find ammo loaded with swift sirocco's, nosler partition, E-tip or accubond, hornady's, Barnes TTSX in 140 or 150. remington, winchester, hornady and federal have factory ammo with all those bullets.

if you are shooting power point win's or rem CL, or blue box federal, there is nothing wrong with that, but those loads and performance in the same sentance is an oxy-moron.

 

[CAelknuts]

I'm very partial to the Nosler 150 in the 270. My son is pronghorn hunting right now, and he's shooting those bullets in his rifle. That bullet is good for about anything you'd want to hunt with a 270. He killed a very big greater kudu with that gun and bullet in June, and nearly penetrated completely through the bull. It went about 100 yards and piled up quite nicely.

 

[bhunter]

I have been debating this same problem. I am getting excellent results with the 130 partitions in my gun. The 150's are not shooting as well. I am going to keep working the 150's I mean they are right at a inch at 100 and the 130s I can get to .5 on a good day with me behind the trigger. I go right from deer to elk but If I can't find a day to re sight the 150's I will just use the 130 partitions a lot of elk have been killed with both. But it make sense to use the 150's on elk. My shots won't be beyond 200 yards for either animal.



If there is any proof of a man in a hunt it is not whether he killed a deer or elk but how he hunted it.

 

[koldtrailin]

Rancher.. My thoughts. The 270 Winchester is a great round. For what you want in your hunting round you have to balance velocity, ballistic coefficient, sectional density and bullet core design. Since you want to have the best of all the different options out there and use only one bullet I would use the following. Go with a 140 grain Nosler Accubonde at 2950 feet per second at the muzzle. This is why.
The 140 grain Accubond design has a .456 ballistic coefficient so it will fly better than the 130 grain. It will go slighly faster than the 150 grain. The Accubond design will give you a 60-70 percent weight retention. Good expansion on a deer but also deep penetration on an elk. The bonded core will hold together if you hit a bone. Zero at 280 yards. You will be +3 at 100, +3.5 at 200, -2 at 300, -12 at 400, -30 at 500, -55 at 600. It will hit hard down range. Aim dead on out to 320 yards. At 400 aim at the back, at 500 1 body above the deer. Practice and you will be deadly. Shoots real flat for a standard round. It is hard to beat the old 270 Winchester. It has low recoil and with a good 3 pound trigger makes for a great hunting rifle.

 

[sageadvice]

"Thanks big moosie, I'll go check that out as well. I have heard about the 140 grain, aren't they more expensive though?"

Koldtrail, pretty darn good sale job but me thinks he's wanting the best of the cheaper loaded stuff. This economy, tuff to blame him.

I'm near broke but just sent off over $50. a box for three boxes of Nosler E-tip 270WSM stuff. Doesn't matter what you spend on your bino's, spotting scope, rifle scope, rings, or rifle, the bullet is the one and only thing that actually puts the meat in the back of the rig or not. Yes i could go cheaper and have taken a LOT of game with cheaper rounds but thru the years i've also lost a couple animals that i felt were because of improper bullet performance. Never again, i hope, i'm doing everything i can to insure that if/when i hit them properly, they will stay hit, properly!

Good bullets +1
Joey

 

[rancher05]

You are right sage, for this hunt and this year i'm looking for a cheaper bullet. I think that accubond would be great and I have been looking at them as well. I know someday i'll go to a more expensive round but for this year i'm squeezing my pennies. I really do agree that you get what you pay for but I do exercise great shot placement above all else. I don't think i'll be shooting over 300 yards on this years hunt but ya never know. if I can swing it i'll get a more expensive round but I still have a box of the winchester 150 grain power point so I just might use them since I already have them. I have learned alot these last few days on bullets and their ballistics. the goal is to find the perfect bullet and to never change.

 

[sageadvice]

Rancher, as i said above tuff to blame you. Chances are with good shot placement you'll be fine. All these "better" bullets on the market are a good thing but they really do cost too damn much money!! Sounds like you may want to invest in some reloading equipment. Lots of guys here in the guns and shooting section that would be more than willing to help. Also good equipment is good equipment, new or used, and doesn't really cost much to get to rolling them out like a champ! You can load the best for the cost of the cheapest!

I've lost one or two animals, of near a hundred, that i finally gave up on and that HURTS ME INSIDE, BAD! One with a Nosler ballistic tip that hit a rib bone and glanced off and out instead of going in the quartering away shot i had, and, another where i busted the buck in the shoulder joint, busted it up, but don't believe it penetrated to the vitals as i followed his blood and 3 legged sign for two days where he covered some distance and real rough country before i lost blood and finally gave up.

Good luck to you!!
Joey

 

[rancher05]

thanks, i'll be sure to do just that.

 

[HUNTER231]

I prefer to shoot the 130 grain I think they shoot better that means im more percise with the 130 shot six elk with them and not one of them elk went 75 yard after shot I have had elk go farther after being shot with my 300 and 200 grain bullets I love the 130 grain just personal preference but have had awsome luck with handloads and the nitrex 130's.
Just my 2 cents!

 

[RUTTROE]

Thank you Bigmoosie!! I shoot a Winchester Model 70, 270 Featherlight. My bullets are 140gr Winchester Supreme, my North Idaho buddies got them for me. All that matters is that I keep my buck-fever in control and shoot straight come October. Hunting a great unit for Muley bucks and Bull elk middle of October.