Heavy Bullet Preferences in the .270 Winchester

[South Pender]

For you guys who hunt the larger species of North American big game (elk, moose, bears) and correspondingly large African game with a .270 Win., what are your favorite bullets? Conventional wisdom has always touted the 150-gr. bullets for this application over the 130s or 140s, and there is also the 160 Nosler Partition. With the newer powders now available to us (Alliant Re26, Vihtavuori N560, for example) we can get 3000 fps with a 150-gr. .277 bullet out of a 24-inch barrel, giving the old .270 Win. a new lease on life.

Obvious candidates would be the 150-gr. and 160-gr. Nosler Partitions, the 150-gr. Swift A-Frame, and possibly some of the mono-metal bullets like the 140-gr. and 150-gr. Barnes TSX bullets.

So what .270 bullets have worked well for you on larger big game?

 

[Sika98k]

I don’t shoot a 270 but much prefer heavy for caliber bullets for my hunting. With the exception of using 50gr bullets in my 22/250. With a 1-14 twist it’s a great compromise for the type of shooting I use it for, fox’s, crows etc.

 

[Professor Mawla]

I have had good very successful results on American white tail and mule deer with160 grain Nosler Partition soft nosed bullets .

 

[YancyW]

150gr A-Frame is what I use in a 270. I can get close to 3000 using N560, but I don't really use it for large game. But I have zero doubt it would work well on damn near everything huntable in NA.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I’ve seen one elk shot running at 100yds with a 150gr Core Lokt. One shot , one dead elk. I’ve shot several pronghorn and deer with 150gr Nosler Partitions. Pick your poison!

 

[HuntingGold]

Without going to my notebook which is currently buried deep in the closet, I can say I've shot one moose, about a dozen elk (maybe more), 30+ deer, and small handful of deer (mule, blacktail, and whitetail) with my beloved .270, affectionately named Emmy Lou. Bullets have been of various makes, models, and weights and were 95% hand loads. 140 Sierra Gamekings account for a fair percentage of the above mentioned game. The moose likely was with a 150 grain version of something. I used 160 grain Nosler Partition on one small elk. I remember they printed well on paper but didnt develop a fondness for some reason or another. I think it had more to do with my affection of the 140 grain bullets I was playing with. As I have depleted those stocks, and with another elk tag in my pocket, I may play again with the 150 grain bullets on my shelf.
As for African game, my experiences are limited to four trips to the East Cape, but I wouldn't hesitate to use the 270 with good 150 grain bullets on kudu or nyala. Those kudu Ive shot have all been smaller than any elk I've taken. I have no experience with anything larger in Africa and cannot speak to the effectiveness on the larger species.
Just my two cents... I'm sure there will be many that claim my good luck with the elk and moose has been just that, luck.

 

[HuntingGold]

Forgot to attach those that could add their testimonials if they could.

 

[GeoffB]

I have used the 140gr and newer 150gr Nosler Accubonds, 150gr Swift A-frame's, Barnes TSX, Remington Core lokt and Nosler Ballistic Tips in the .270 win on game like Pigs, Fallow and Red deer in Australia and New Zealand. In Africa I have used the .270 Win with 140gr Accubond on game ranging from Springbuck and Impala up to Kudu, Waterbuck, Sable and Black Wildebeest. All one shot kills. I also rate the 130gr & 150gr Woodleigh bullets highly in on my list for any of these animals as well. You don't need to chase the 3000fps with a 150gr bullet in the .270 win. All of these bullets work fine at 2800fps to 2900fps. Others may disagree with my choice of caliber on the larger African animals but I have never felt under gunned on any of these animals. As always your shot placement should be your first priority.

 

[Rum Runner]

Here is a 140 gr. TSX from my .270 Win dug out of my Impala last year (2700 fps). Splendid job on the Impala (and Oribi), but I have to say I prefer the ,416 for most of what I hunted in Africa.

 

[sambarhunter]

Here is a 140 gr. TSX from my .270 Win dug out of my Impala last year (2700 fps). Splendid job on the Impala (and Oribi), but I have to say I prefer the ,416 for most of what I hunted in Africa.

I am really surprised that the TSX didnt drill right through that light animal.

 

[Rum Runner]

He was quartering toward me, so I hit him length-ways. It was about a 100 yard shot.

However, I do have an issue hand-loading those TSX bullets in my .270 Win (too much pressure, so I had to back down to 2700 fps). I would prefer something around 2900 fps, but this rifle and that bullet together won't do it. In the pic above, it mushroomed nicely, but it looks like it could benefit from a little more push. Perhaps that will be a different thread.

 

[South Pender]

Rum

He was quartering toward me, so I hit him length-ways. It was about a 100 yard shot.

However, I do have an issue hand-loading those TSX bullets in my .270 Win (too much pressure, so I had to back down to 2700 fps). I would prefer something around 2900 fps, but this rifle and that bullet together won't do it. In the pic above, it mushroomed nicely, but it looks like it could benefit from a little more push. Perhaps that will be a different thread.

Rum Runner, in your handloads with the TSX bullet, did you seat it deeply enough that it had the recommended .05" (minimum) jump into the lands? You might reduce pressure a little by deeper seating.

 

[Rum Runner]

Rum

Rum Runner, in your handloads with the TSX bullet, did you seat it deeply enough that it had the recommended .05" (minimum) jump into the lands? You might reduce pressure a little by deeper seating.

That's a really good point. Several years ago I found where the lands were and then backed away from them, but for the life of me I can't remember how far. Those TSX's are deceptive because they are so long. The only reason I went with all copper was for hog hunting in California. However, I do like their performance. I'll look around for a "standard" seating depth and go deeper with those bullets.

 

[woods0824]

I love the 150 grain partition and have taken several bull elk and a couple mule deer with it. Took this busted mature bull at 200 yards and he didn't make it 10 yards. A good heart/lung shot with this combo is wonderful on game up to elk/kudu. My brother has taken african plains game up to and including eland with the .270 150 grain TSX.

 

[deewayne2003]

My first real rifle was a Ruger M77 MKII Stainless in .270win with a Leupold Vari-XIII 3.5-10x40 at the age of 14 and I started reloading that same year and in the 22 years since I've tried every factory ammo and hand load I could come up with.

The best all around performer for both accuracy and on game performance I have found is the 140gr Nosler Accubond - For me it's just hands down the go to round for .270win.

My .270win load = 140gr Accubond, RE22 Powder(0.5grn under max), CCI large rifle primer

Likewise I can use that same load with a 140gr. Hornady BTSP and both rounds shoot to the same point of impact, this is the load a use for practice and hog hunting.

Now consider I do not hunt Moose with a .270win, I prefer my .300win with 200gr Partitions

However where I hunt 220lbs(100kilo)+ whitetail bucks are the norm as well as LARGE pigs, I lost count at 50 deer killed with this .270 and that was over a decade ago.

I have been curious about the Woodleigh 180gr .270 bullet and how it would perform.....

Bullet Specifications, Dimensions & Details (.264"-.333") - Woodleigh Bullets

Woodleigh Bullets - Premium Bullets for All Game

www.woodleighbullets.com.au

 

[South Pender]

I wonder whether the 180-gr. Woodleigh bullet would stabilize in the usual .270 Win. twist of 1:10. At 1.391" length, I doubt it.

 

[YancyW]

I wonder whether the 180-gr. Woodleigh bullet would stabilize in the usual .270 Win. twist of 1:10. At 1.391" length, I doubt it.

I'm sure it would at 19,000 feet altitude....

 

[CoElkHunter]

Here is a 140 gr. TSX from my .270 Win dug out of my Impala last year (2700 fps). Splendid job on the Impala (and Oribi), but I have to say I prefer the ,416 for most of what I hunted in Africa.View attachment 365701

This photo is great supportive evidence for my switching to the Barnes from Nosler in my .270. Haven’t yet, but will soon.

 

[Sable_338]

For you guys who hunt the larger species of North American big game (elk, moose, bears) and correspondingly large African game with a .270 Win., what are your favorite bullets? Conventional wisdom has always touted the 150-gr. bullets for this application over the 130s or 140s, and there is also the 160 Nosler Partition. With the newer powders now available to us (Alliant Re26, Vihtavuori N560, for example) we can get 3000 fps with a 150-gr. .277 bullet out of a 24-inch barrel, giving the old .270 Win. a new lease on life.

Obvious candidates would be the 150-gr. and 160-gr. Nosler Partitions, the 150-gr. Swift A-Frame, and possibly some of the mono-metal bullets like the 140-gr. and 150-gr. Barnes TSX bullets.

So what .270 bullets have worked well for you on larger big game?

What bullets weight are shooting accurate in your rifle now? I agree RL26 is getting 3000 fps+ with the 150's and that is some serious big game medicine but so is a mono like a Barnes in a 130 gr bullet clocking 3200+ fps. Neither is a bad choice. I have killed more with the 130's using Barnes & GMX bullets but have shot some big game with the 150 Partitions. I let the rifle dictate preference

 

[colorado]

For you guys who hunt the larger species of North American big game (elk, moose, bears) and correspondingly large African game with a .270 Win., what are your favorite bullets? Conventional wisdom has always touted the 150-gr. bullets for this application over the 130s or 140s, and there is also the 160 Nosler Partition. With the newer powders now available to us (Alliant Re26, Vihtavuori N560, for example) we can get 3000 fps with a 150-gr. .277 bullet out of a 24-inch barrel, giving the old .270 Win. a new lease on life.

Obvious candidates would be the 150-gr. and 160-gr. Nosler Partitions, the 150-gr. Swift A-Frame, and possibly some of the mono-metal bullets like the 140-gr. and 150-gr. Barnes TSX bullets.

So what .270 bullets have worked well for you on larger big game?

I've been getting 3000 fps out of my BDL in 270 with 150g Partitions for 40 years Rem cases, Federal 215 primers, lots of Norma MRP or H4831 SC 1/2" groups at 100 yards no pressure signs, 10 reloads per case then I throw them out even though they still look good. My only big game load for the 270. Killed dozens of elk, many deer and javelina and 9 black bears. All one shot kills except an elk it dropped at 20 yards and looked like it was in pain so I put a finishing shot in.