Heavier bullet

[eagle rider]

Hey fellow New Yorkers, been taking some time off the blogs, but I'm back now. So time to refelct, I shot the 6 this year at 100 yds with the 270 WSM headon. I was using a 130 gr bullet. It totally decintrigated inside of him. It liquified his heart and a half a lung. I'm thinking about going up to a 150 gr as a deer round in that rifle. Its my go-to-gun (Weatherby Vanguard). Anyone out there have 150 gr in a 270 Win or WSM experience for deer. I just want something beefier. Don't misunderstand, the 130 gr worked fine. The deer took two steps and went down. But I want a bullet to stay together too.

Edited February 1, 2012 by eagle rider

[Pygmy]

Actually, bullet construction is much more important than increasing bullet weight by 20 grains.

If you want to make sure your bullet stays together, go with a Nosler partition, Barnes TSX, or other premium bullet that is designed NOT to go to peices. A 130 in a premium will hang together better than a 150 in a standard cup and core or a bullet that is DESGNED to expand quickly, like a ballistic tip.

[Lawdwaz]

What kind of bullet was it that you killed the 6pt with?

Pretty good velocity diference between a 270WSM & a 270 Win, I'd consider a Barnes bullet............

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/74407-1.html

THAT load will stay together in the boiler room!

At the distance you shot that deer, plenty of bullets would have grenaded like that. The Barnes won't.

[eagle rider]

It was a Sierra Game King. I'm thinking about switching to the Speer Deep Curl in 150 gr. i will still be up around 3000 fps. The 130 gr was 3208. I'm also switching from Ramshot Magnum to Winchester 760.

[Lawdwaz]

Since you do hand load, why not give the 110 or 130gr TTSX?

Less recoil than a 150, more velocity and will not grenade like a cup/core or bonded bullet.

[Lawdwaz]

Either way, good luck and keep us posted on load development. (thats the part I enjoy!)

[Pygmy]

What Lawdwaz said..... Barnes TSX are scary accurate in my rifles and will hold together. They seem to kill just as quickly as lighter constructed bullets( I have used Nosler Ballistic tips on a lot of game).

The Sierra gameking, while very accurate is noted to be on the "soft" side, as are the Speer Hot core. I haven't had any experience with the Speer Deep Curl.

[NYbuck50]

If it ain't broke don't fix it?

[Buckstopshere]

Depends on the situation. I like to have a bullet that will do the job at close range and still will give me the accuracy out to 400 yards. So there is a lot of compromising going on...so I like a 180 grain in my 30.06, but the 220 grain is a good "brush buster," while the 150 grain is a great long range round.

[Larry]

A poacher can kill a deer with a 40gr. 22 long rifle. You want to increase the bullet weight by 20grs. If you can’t get the results you want with a 130gr you’re not going to get it with a 150gr. They are only deer.

[Lawdwaz]

This thread is really going down hill fast..........................................

[erussell]

Bullet placement is key, 150 grains through a shoulder bone will grenade to.Ive killed deer with 90 grain bullets out of a 25-06. With that said, any of the above mentioned premium rounds are good suggestions. I prefere a well placed round in the ribs that will expend all it's energy inside the deer's vitals. problem you might get going to a heavier constructed bullet that stays together is the bullet might not expand correctlly on such a thin skinned animal as a deer, and just zip through leaving a small hole to bleed out of. Not much differance in diam. of 130 and 150. It's what happens after it fully expands that counts. If it's grouping good and your confident in it I wouldn't change a thing.

[Geno C]

i was also thinking of going from my 130gr to a 150gr in my .270 WB. For some odd reason putting the round through the boiler maker doesnt pile the deer up like i would think/hope it would. i shot an 8 point 2 season ago, heart/lung and he still ran 20 yards which surprised me considering i shot him at 18 yards i figured he would pile right up...

[Pygmy]

I have posted this several times, so please forgive me for sounding like a broken record. I am not an expert but in nearly 50 years of hunting it comes from killing or observing other people's kills somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 big game animals, ranging in size from pronghorns and small whitetails to Alaskan bull moose.

A center , broadside heart/lung shot will VERY SELDOM drop an animal in it's tracks, regardless of what firearm/ projectile you are using. They nearly always run from 15 to 100 yards and then pile up.

If the bullet STRIKES or passes VERY CLOSE to the shoulders, or the CNS (brain or spine). The animal will drop in it's tracks. Quite often a deer will drop at the shot from a high lung shot because the bullet or fragments of it pass close enough to the spine to affect it. A bullet OVER the spine will often drop a critter, but in a matter of seconds or minutes it will usually get up and run off, and may even recover from such a wound.

I have butchered my own big game animals for years, and I always pay attention to the effects of the bullet wounds.

[Setters4life]

I have posted this several times, so please forgive me for sounding like a broken record. I am not an expert but in nearly 50 years of hunting it comes from killing or observing other people's kills somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 big game animals, ranging in size from pronghorns and small whitetails to Alaskan bull moose.

A center , broadside heart/lung shot will VERY SELDOM drop an animal in it's tracks, regardless of what firearm/ projectile you are using. They nearly always run from 15 to 100 yards and then pile up.

If the bullet STRIKES or passes VERY CLOSE to the shoulders, or the CNS (brain or spine). The animal will drop in it's tracks. Quite often a deer will drop at the shot from a high lung shot because the bullet or fragments of it pass close enough to the spine to affect it. A bullet OVER the spine will often drop a critter, but in a matter of seconds or minutes it will usually get up and run off, and may even recover from such a wound.

I have butchered my own big game animals for years, and I always pay attention to the effects of the bullet wounds.

I totally agree. On heart and lung shots the animal may be "dead on its feet" but will run a short distance. (I've seen deer run headlong into trees.) On a hit close to the spine I've seen the animal fall over and die and never leave its last footprints.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Setters4life

[steve863]

Yup, Pygmy has got it right. You don't hit the front shoulder or spine, and the animal will not drop instantly in the majority of cases. There is NO magic bullet out there that will make it happen either.

[erussell]

Longest and easiest track job Ive had was a heart shot deer. Heart was litterally gone and that deer made it 150 - 200 yrds down hill before pileing up. Blood everywhere though. I got a little worried after about 100 yrds and no deer yet. But another 50 yrds and I could see it dead, was really amazed when I opened it up and saw the damage from the shotgun slug.

[Buckwild96]

.308 Win is a bullet just looking at it scares the S**t outta me

[dirt_a_KISS]

.308 Win is a bullet just looking at it scares the S**t outta me

yeah but i think the man wats to still have the same bulllet 270 i would recomed the 160 but its the way the bulklets designed im pretty sure