Here's the hunt scenario;
Dark timber bedding area, where shots limited to 75 yds. or less...mostly much less.

The rifle; 270 Win.

Question; Which bullet would you choose, and why? Would you go with shear weight, mono metal, or bonded?

130gr. TSX
140gr. Accubond
150gr. Nosler partition

Of the listed I would do the 150 NP, but my choice of bullet would be the 160 NP. Partitions have never failed me, monometals have. Never killed any game with the Accubond.

I would use the 150NP of those, but round nose remington core lokt 150gr would be my short range choice

Because I am tried and true with 150NP but for the short shots the price of the core lokt wins out plenty to do the job, never shot accubonds. Just good old lead core bullets.

150gr partition are my choice. gonna use the same bullet out of my 270 for elk in a few months. they have always worked for me. ymmv.

Thanks guys.
I know there's not a lot of difference in these slugs, and I know they all work. My main concern is in regards to steep shot angles and/or frontal shots. I've had bulls walk right down the trail to within about 40ft., directly in front of me.

Ain't ever shot an elk (yet), but I'd lay good money no bull would keep walkin' if you hit him good from 40-75 yards with ANY of those bullets at .270 speeds.

For close range shooting I would rather have a heavey for caliber bonded round nose at modest velocities. Of the three you listed 150 nosler partition would be my choice. Elk hunting in dark timber is rather difficult, not always giving you a perfect shot, to reach the vital area of a large animal from different angles, heavey for cal round nose bullets at modest velocities is the ticket.

Hate to be the guy saying something not on your list, but sounds like a great job for the 160 Partition...

Or 150 would do well too-

Thanks again.

tdn, I am sticking with slugs in factory loads for simplicty.

Really, in this timber spot it would be fun to use a 35 Whelen or a 45/70. Right know however this .270 is my go to gun if I don't use one of my muzzleloaders...which is also a big rush in the black timber bedding areas.

My .270 doesnt like 150 grain bullets but will shoot the 130 grain barnes TSX very well. We have shot several elk up to 250 yards with a WELL PLACED 130 grain and found the elk to be....uh.....um.....dead.

Totally understandable - any of the 3 would work in that case.
Good luck!

I've killed quite a few close range elk with a 270 using Speer 150 gr Hotcores. Great penetration and wt retention.

I would shoot the one that shot most accurately in my rifle. Shooting in timber, you may be shooting through a small window. Hitting an inch to the right may be the difference between dead elk and aspen tree soup.

Have fun.

I could use any of the 3, give my druthers...grin (old gun writer speaky) I'd prefer the 160 Noz at about 2750.

Dober

I've shot elk at 15 yards running through the black timber and at just over 500 yards with the 150g Partitions through my 270. They're devastating at close range and never fail to expand at long range. It's the only big game bullet I load in my 270. I shoot those lovely little Sierra 90g HPBTs for varmint and target shooting though. My youngest just shot a 550 lb feral hog at 12 feet in a thicket with the same gun and a 150g Partition. It did the job.

The 150 Partition will do anything that the 160 will do. Shoot whichever works the best in your rifle. I have shot two bulls at less than 30 yards in aspen thickets, one with a .338 Win Mag and 225 A-Frames and one with a .338-06 and 200 Ballistic Tips. Both ran, but less than 50 yards and I heard them die, and I was able to walk right to both of them.

Sounds like a great chance to add a 45-70 to the safe.
BBJ

Hands down the 150gr NP would be my choice. I use that round for pretty much all my big game hunting, less the big brown bears.

I'd run a TTSX instead of a TSX due to a bad experience with XLCs and only good experiences with TTSXs.

Otherwise, any will work.

I'd vote for the 160 grain partition.

I haven't shot 'em in .270 Win, but during my short time with a .270 WSM that was one of my more accurate bullets. A .300-ish SD is nothing to sneeze at and though it is listed as a semi-spitzer the BC is pretty decent, too ... not that you care at 75 yards!

Tom

If you buy factories, go with the 150 Partitions. If you handload get a box of 160's.

+1, and if You wanna build a close range basher, order You some 180 gn. Woodleigh PP's, at 2650 there piledriver's according to an old Bud of mine.

Gunner

Gunner,
Can you get the 180's to twist right in a factory gun?
BBJ

BBJ, Yes Sir, a bud of mine kills everything w/ that load in a factory Browning single shot rifle, according to him its a real bruiser of a load on critters the size of moose on down to WT deer.

Gunner

I have used the 270 Winchester on Elk for umpteen years and seen it used far more than that..The 130 grain partition is all you need..Period.Com!!!

Jayco

For me ... 130gr TSX and it wont matter if the animal is at your boot laces or 300 yards along a shooting lane.
Cheers...
Con

Really, any of those would work. Here is a .270 140 accubond that was shot into an 800lb moose (dressed, post rut) my buddy put in the ham, broadside (don't ask). It was caught by the skin on the opposite side. At least 24+ inches of pure muscle. Another round severed the spine. The shot was at 30 yards, impact around 2900.

I have just killed one elk with a .270 and that was with a 140 grn Accubond

i have taken 7 elk with 150 NP so pretty partial to those. they have worked great with all three that were taken less than 100 yrds.

Buy you a box of Federal PowerShok 150 JRNs for $14.97 at Wally World. Zero at 50 yards.

Shoot an elk in the right spot from zero-200 yards and it will prolly just collapse, swearing it was a 300 gr. TSX out of a .375.

150 Noz or the 130 TSX would be my pick. That's just an inexperienced opinion though.

Out of your list I'd choose the 150gr Partition.

On your list, I'd choose either of the Nosler offerings.

If it were me, I'd just grab a green box of 150 Core-Lokt and go to work killin stuff. They've worked just fine for me.

All will kill if properly placed and wound, if not.

No = 130gr. TSX -- but I �d run with a 130g TTSX with enthusiasm
Yes = 140gr. Accubond
Yes = 150gr. Nosler partition

The 150 NP off of your list. If using factory loads, the 150 Win Supreme XP3 would also be one to consider.

That's impressive. Those Accubond's really hold together.

To the original post, a 150 NP would be my 1st choice in a 270 up close or far. 2nd choice would be the 140 NAB. But I don't tend to think in terms of "75 yards or less." If I did, Dober's 160 NP recommendation makes the most sense.

From any angle w/a snap shot?

150/160 PT
140 Failsafe - maybe discontinued
Barnes..

If all I had was an AB or corelokt 150, I'd let fly.

Would surely even use a 150 BT - long as an ICBM

I've seen enough Failsafe's not open to make me think they're junk. I believe the Barnes offerings, flawed thought they are, are still an improvement over the Failsafe.

Ditto here!

The OP should sell the 270 and buy a 280 ....150 gr bullets from a 280 beat the snot out of 150 gr bullets from a 270.

I know.....I read it on here tonight.....

7mm devotees are the worst sort of ballistic gnat strainers... sheesh.

Heehee!

:)Ha!

I've used both the 130 gr. Barnes TSX and the 150 gr. Nosler on elk at various ranges. Both work great, and I'd have no problem using either in the circumstances you describe. I generally carry a load that will perform at the longest range I'm likely to encounter, and feel comfortable with it at shorter ranges.

The Nosler E Tip might be considered. I have experienced excellent performance (instant kill with minimal blood shot meat) with it over the last 2 seasons.
The controlled expansion feature of the E Tip seems like a valuable asset for the conditions stated in the original post.
Great alternative to the Barnes for Nosler fans.

150 Partition or 140 Accubond. Alternate choice: Remington 150 PSP Core-Lokt.

And we are not "7mm devotees"...we are fanatics!!! who have been to the top of the mountain and simply came down 'enlightened' sooner than our brothers who still use other, subperfect and naturally less effective calibers. But don't fret...someday you, too, will achieve satori!

I used Nosler Partitions for years in my 25-06 and 30-06. Loved the performance. I fell and broke my 25-06 in 2002 and bought a 270WSM as a replacement rifle. I tried all kinds of bullets as I worked up loads for that rifle. Best velocity and accuracy came with the 140 TSX. I've been using that since.

I've killed 7 elk with that load. One bull I shot head on facing me at 200 years, I found the bullet in the rear ham. It had traveled almost the entire length of that bull and broke numerous vertibrea and ribs in it's travels.

I've killed elk with broad side shots at 30 yards in both the lungs and neck. Nothing has walked away.

My advice is find a load that gives good accuarcy in your rifle and go with it. In a cup and core type bullet, I'd stay with the heavier for caliber slugs, with a monolithic or premium bullet, You can use the 130s or 140s.

To be perfectly frank, I'd shut my eyes and pick the bullet that gave me the warm fuzzys when I envisioned shooting an elk.... E