which .270 bullet for elk?

[royinidaho]

There has been some good advice given here. I'll ruin that by voicing my opinion and experience.

The Sierra 130 SPBT (#1820) has taken more mule deer for me than I can remember. I kept them moving at just under 3200 MV. A muley any closer than 200-250 yards usually had a completely blood shot front half. Started taking only longer shots after awhile.

At 60 yards the same load out of the Win did in a moose. 1st shot through the heart. Complete penetration, bullet not recovered. Second shot through both shoulder blades about an inch from the knuckle. Holes in shoulder blade revealed perfect mushroom. Again complete penetration.

I don't use the 150 BTs in the Win as it looks to me that the 140 passes the 150 as I can load the 140 NAB @ 3200 and can't match the ballistics with the 150.

For your use with my rifle I wouldn't hesitate using the 130 Sierra, the 130 Nosler or the 140 NAB and go for the double lung or heart shot avoiding a shoulder bone shot.

Your post indicated the Nosler shot better at higher velocity. Which would heavily influence my choice.

 

[ralfus]

I'm in with the 150 grn crowd. Partitions have worked well for me on elk along with Hornady Interlocks, usually my practice bullet but worked fine on my sons first elk.

 

[280AIman]

I'm in with the 150 grn crowd. Partitions have worked well for me on elk along with Hornady Interlocks, usually my practice bullet but worked fine on my sons first elk.

I too will be with the 150gr crowd the Nosler Partition is one of the greatest bullets ever built, they are the only Nosler bullet i will use from that company i hate Noslers but give me the partition and i'm happy. i dont own a 270 any more but i do use them in my 280rem and all my 280AI they are wonderful.
Strong good, weight retention, deep penatration, and yes they are a very accurate bullet for the handloader.
With a 280rem I took an Elk at 429yr last year through the left shoulder and it exited the right shoulder elk went 10yrds and piled up, i was using 160gr, nosler partition and i will not use anything else anymore out of this, and i do believe that 150gr partition out of the 270 would do as well if not better.

 

[padd54]

No one has mentioned the Nosler 160g bullet, any reasons? I have had great success with this bullet, I hunt mostly in the underbrush and heavily reforested areas.

 

[struff55]

My personal experience with the 270 win is many whitetail deer and mule deer with 130gr. accubond only one cow elk 140gr.accubond 160yds dead on her feet fell where she stood i also use the110gr accubond for yote's works well all bullet weights are very accurate out of my rifle i guess i have confidence is this bullet .rifle ruger 1B.

 

[DanMan]

This thread started in the summer. Now Its Dec. 24th. I want to hear the hunting report. What did you decide to use and how did you do?

 

[COBrad]

Surprised there is only one mention of the Barnes 130 gr. TSX. I'm getting 1/2 MOA at 550 yards, and about 3100 fps. No elk with it this year, so no report with the .270. I have used them in the past, 168's in a .300 WSM, loaded to a moderate 2890 fps. Shot a cow at 292 yds, high shoulder shot through both shoulders and the spine, and into the dirt on the other side. Another shot at similar range with similar results. That particular Kimber shot 3/4 MOA with no real load development.

 

[CogburnR]

I'll vote for the 150 partition.

I shot a cow in 2008 with a 270WSM and the bush that was below and in front of her was 482 yards. 500+to the cow.The high shoulder shot tumbled her and the 150 partition went through both shoulders and laid under the skin. 65g of Magpro will get one moving pretty good.

 

[Catahoula]

Hey Savage,
I have a question about the Hornady 150 Interbond bullet. What kind of accuracy can I expect from that bullet? My 1st big game rifle was a 270 and I shot the Sierra 130 MK's. Killed everything from coyotes to elk. Then I got into 25-06's and forgot about the 270 cal. Last winter I found an old Parker-Hale in a gunshop and that **** thing drives nails. After terrible results on mule deer this last fall with the 140 Berger I decided to try a different slug. Picked up a box of the 150 IB's this week and am working up loads with a few powders right now.
Thanks for any help, Kirk

 

[CogburnR]

I shoot interbonds quite a bit so I thought I'd chime in and say that they work better than most anything else I've tried on deer in the 270WSM...the 130g variety anyway. They seem to make big holes and not pencil or blow up.

I like the 140g Sierra Gameking for the 270Win though better.

 

[3006savage]

Hey Savage,
I have a question about the Hornady 150 Interbond bullet. What kind of accuracy can I expect from that bullet? My 1st big game rifle was a 270 and I shot the Sierra 130 MK's. Killed everything from coyotes to elk. Then I got into 25-06's and forgot about the 270 cal. Last winter I found an old Parker-Hale in a gunshop and that **** thing drives nails. After terrible results on mule deer this last fall with the 140 Berger I decided to try a different slug. Picked up a box of the 150 IB's this week and am working up loads with a few powders right now.
Thanks for any help, Kirk

I only have experience with the 165 Grain 30 cal interbond on game. We took 3 elk with them from an 06. Out of 5 hits we had 3 pass thrus and the recoverd bullets were 137 and 154 grains with large mushrooms.

I would expect the 150 grain 277 cal interbonds to outpenetrate the 165s I used because the Sectional Density is so much higher with the 277 cal 150 grain

The 165 grain interbond from a Hornady factory load shot MOA on a calm days.
The interbonds should be as accurate as any other bonded core bullet on average but I was really impressed with their terminal performance.

 

[lucky guy]

I shot 130 AB's in my 270 this year and the elk was drt, did not recover the bullet, exit wound was about half-dollar size. I was ok with the 130 with a cow tag and hunting in the timber, no long shots to be taken. Next year I'm hunting a bull tag so I'll go to a 150 tsx.

 

[Magnumitis]

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>

Sounds like the Interlock did pretty well for you, but have you thought about the SST at all?

 

[elkaholic]

If you were worried about the interlock coming apart,the SST will do it as fast or faster. I would go with the 150 Nosler partition or even the Accubond. With a partition, a shoulder shot will work great and if you hit behind the shoulder you will still get plenty of damage. This is assuming you won't be shooting more than 500 or 600 yards. The partition is a little light on B.C. for that range. At that range, an SST wouldn't be a bad choice. I have killed approx. 30 bull elk with a 6.5, which of course is close to your .270, and by far the majority with a Nosler partition out to 600 yards. I've never had one get away and none made it more than a few yards. A partition gives "VERY" predictable performance no matter where you hit. The bullet will mushroom quickly and stop at the partition. This causes a LOT of initial damage and then drives on through. If you recover the bullet, it will Always look the same. The back portion will be intact with 65% weight retention.Good luck in Arizona.......Rich