Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Recommended .270 cartridge for woods with lots of saplings/branches in the way.

I use Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silver Tips in 130g for .270 right now. I'm wondering though, how that round would hold up when shooting into cover to penetrate that cover and make your shot.

I don't mean taking shots through heavy brush. But, the woods we hunt in took a beating from the ice storm we had in Jan this year. And now there are tons of downed limbs as well as alot of saplings to deal with.

I wonder if a heavier bullet with maybe a soft tip would tear through any obstacles without being deflected.

Or, will my round of choice work fine and I'm just being paranoid?

No clear no shot

+1

I've done well with accubonds out of my .270 and 30'06 in the north woods where a clear shot is a rare bird. Here is where my buck stood last week ( my orange hat), 60-70 yards out. 1 shot, DRT as per usual.

You were lucky! I have bullets from a 45-70 get deflected in less brush than that. All it takes is one branch. I missed a deer shooting a 54 muzzleloader once. I went to look for blood and found none. Then I noticed the broken branch!
Now I hunt the edge and wait for them to come out into the open.
whelennut

branches, leaves, twigs, et.al. deflect bullets, even the bigger ones (but to a somewhat lesser extent). your best bet is to use a good scope and pick your shooting lane. you could also cut shooting lanes but most don't do this. they just spray and pray. no 270 win bullet (especially a bt) is going to bust thru twigs, small limbs, etc. and perform as designed (if it even hits the animal). best to pick a clear shot imo.

What you have will work as well as anything...

Slingshot and box of 150gr Roundnose.

passed on that shot yesterday. Not ethical in any way.

Sherman Tank pos.This is faster.I'm talking about the 4wheeler.

Situations like that are exactly what I am referring to. Sometimes there are no absolutely clear shots. I know that some ammunition is designed for certain situations. Like the ballistic tips, I've read they're for longer open country shots than some other types.

Oh, and thanks for posting pictures of machinery and a saw. Absolutely not what I was asking for and completely encompassing the "smart-assery" I was expecting from those who don't care enough to give a good, honest answer to an honest question. Job well done...now, can I get replies from people who hunt "thick" areas that may or may not use a different round for those areas vs. open terrain?

Good honest answer from me: Twigs, sticks, leaves, grass, it don't matter. Your bullet, no matter the make or model is going to get deflected.

Your next question should be how to grow thicker skin.

Hence my 'no clear, no shot' reply.


Only idiots shoot into timber.

yep.

Those that say there are no brush cartridges and bullets are right...anything deflects.

We looked high and low for a doe my companion shot at,distance about 40 yards,but he was low to the ground...a pencil-thick sapling had deflected a 50 caliber conical half way to her,and missed.

My own snafu's are two;both times I thought I had clear paths,but a willow branch deflected a 160 Partition right in front of the buck;it hit midway catching the liver,spun out both cores,and deer was dead in under 100 yards.....

Another,a snow tracked buck in New Brunswick at 15-20 yards in a pine thicket on the side of a ridge,he walking,me on my knees looking under pine boughs...thought I had a clear path to the shoulder,but it was dark down there and happened fast.The 130 BBC deflected,hit side ways but held together and broke the leg,driving through the chest....lotsa blood.A followup and I finished him within 50-60 yards.

Notwithstanding very best efforts,you can't always see all branches,and stuff happens(hey'it's hunting).Then, IMHO,a tougher bullet stands a bit better chance,not of avoiding deflection,but holding together well enough to inflict serious damage if things go awry.

To answer your specific question,no, I would not pick a BT for the job.I would not feel helpless with one,but there is other stuff I'd rather use,given a choice.JMHO

The Texas Way!