Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game .270 Win (WCF)- 1, 2 or 3 bullets for Everything?

Had this theoretical discussion many times with guys at the range.

A couple buddies always say, ONE bullet. Usually a 130 or 150 gr. Partition. We all shoot Model 70s with 24" barrels.

Others say to use the 270 Win. cartridge to it's potential, you need to build a load for that specific hunt, example:

• Hunting Pronghorn/Coues deer: 85 gr E-tip @3726 FPS
• Hunting Mule Deer/Caribou/Sheep/Black Bear/Goats: 129 gr. LRX or 130 Gr. TTSX @3150fps
• Hunting Moose/Grizzly: 150 gr A-Frame, NorthFork or Partition @2986 FPS

What would you do? Do you just hunt with one load for all? If so, what is your ONE Bullet for the great 270 Winchester (WCF)?

I'm leaning to a 140 Gr. as an all-rounder. I just wish that the 140 gr TSX or the 140 gr. Partition had better B.C.s, both shoot very well in my rifle but the 129 gr. LRX overtakes both after about 225 yards.

AZ clues and antelope can take long shots, for me 400 is not unusual. Wind is always more important than range which is easy now with lasers. I have experience with Nosler Accubond and Barnes TTSX but not e-tip. As an example with the Accubond, at the velocities I get the 10 mph drift at 400 is reduced by 3" going from 100gr to 140gr which to me is a material improvement when I am guessing what the wind is doing across a canyon or out there in the grasslands. I would not even look at an 85 gr for long shots should you need one.
I would not hunt Moose/Grizzly with a 270.

130 TTSX and roll on. That bullet will retain more weight after penetrating a critter than a Partition. If it wont shoot go with a 140 Partition. B.C. wont matter too m+ yards.

130 gr Nosler Partition.

Starting over, I wouldn't hesitate to use any of those mentioned except the 85 gr.. Add the 130 Partition to the mix.

I have plenty of 130 gr BBC's so really don't have any need for any of the others though.

Only one. I think the 130 grain is an ideal match for the 270; but, I would and have chosen a 140 grain Partition for everything with my 270 (my son's is 130 for all, go figure).

For a one bullet load I would look at the 140 gr Accubond. For two bullets I like the 150 gr Ballistic Tip paired with a 160 gr Partition. I like your 3 loads listed since it is fun to experiment and come up with the "perfect" load. That 85 gr E Tip load is a screamer.....

I sorta did the same thing Gerry mentioned with my 270 WSM. I run the exact load with the 150 PT and BT's. They both shoot really well and within an inch of one another at 300 yards. I also lucked into a decent bunch of 150 BBC's that shoot into the same group as the 150 PT's, so I have a 3rd bullet. All 150's at 3150 or so. It makes me happy.

I have settled on the 140 gr Accubond for everything in both my 270 and my 270Wizzum. Everything I've shot with that caliber & bullet was DRT. Whitetails, muleys, coyotes, speed-goats, hogs, turkeys (headshots), p-dogs... any & all targets of opportunity.

If I had to go unleaded, I'd go with a 130 gr TTSX, but I have a lifetime supply of 140 gr AB's. So unless the law forces me I'm not going there.

You won't need to roll your own if the 130 grain Winchester/Olin Power-Max Bonded factory loads are accurate in your rifle. This bullet shoots great in my CLR and Remington 760, so I consider if my go to 270 elk load.

I miss my 270 but will get another one soon. It's too good of a round not to have in the fold.

I could see someone also using a 130 gr TTSX, 129 gr LRX or E Tip as an all around load and be happy.

I guess I would fall into the 2 bullet camp.

130/140gr Accubonds for Antelope to Caribou size animals

150gr NP for the bigger stuff.

A 129gr LRX or 130gr TTSX at 3,150fps will do most everything in the America's,and most of the world as well.

I've used Barnes since 1992, in everything from a 22 Hornet to 300 Weatherby. Great bullets!

I have two 270's but only shoot one bullet/load combo in each. One gets the 130 TTSX and the other the 150 Partition, mainly because those combos shoot well in those rifles.

I've used the 140gr Accubond quite a bit in the 270 WCF and really like that load for deer and sheep. I've also used the 140gr. TSX, specifically for mountain goats who have a much larger bone structure than deer and sheep, so I appreciated the insurance. I don't think I would have a problem hunting elk with either of those bullets, although I would probably go with the TSX if I had the choice. I always did want to get a load worked up for the 150gr. Partition, but never really saw the need with the TSX load. My 270 WSM really likes the 130gr. Partition, but not the 140gr. Accubond. I think I'd like to try the 140gr. TSX or the 150gr. Partition in that if I was going to use it for elk, but I never have taken the time since I've got other rifles in larger calibers for that.

My son's, Dad and I have killed critters with 85gr TSX through 150gr NPT and most in between.

Any more, I pick a 130gr GMX, TSX, TTSX, NBT or Hornady IL. Always in the ammo cabinet loaded over 60gr of H4831sc and go hunting.

I shoot more than one, but I could settle on a 140 NAB. It can do it all IME, and all three of my 270s like 'em.

My ADL and Montana both shoot well with 58.5-59 grains of H4831sc and 140 AB's.

135 SMK's matched up perfectly in the ADL but shot like chit in the MT.

I started using the .270 in 1974, and my wife Eileen started using one in 1985. Between us we've used the following bullets on big game:

130-grain Barnes TSX, Hornady Interlock Spire Point, Nosler Partition and Solid Base, Remington Core-Lokt, Sierra GameKing

140-grain Barnes TSX, Nosler AccuBond and Ballistic Tip

150-grain Hornady Interlock Spire Point, Nosler Partition, Speer Grand Slam, Winchester Power-Point

Generally we've ended up using two bullets in each rifle, one a cup-and-core for sighting-in, practice and deer-sized game, and a tougher bullet for game larger than deer, handloaded so they'll land in the same place at 100 yards. The exception was the NULA .270 Eileen shot for a while, in which she used the 130-grain Nosler Partition for everything until the Barnes TSX appeared. Around that time she bought a NULA in .257 Roberts for deer-sized game, and only used the .270 with TSX's for larger stuff.

None of those bullets failed on any sort of animal, with the exception of an early Speer Grand Slam which came apart on an elk. Later Grand Slams were tougher and worked fine, about like Nosler Partitions.

The TSX's have worked great on game from elk on up, including a cow bison Eileen killed, but the Partitions also worked fine, especially the 150, which she used to on elk and a bull moose. Have also seen both TSX's and Partitions work fine on similar-sized African game.

When Eileen's only centerfire rifle was a .270 I worked up a three-bullet system, with 90-grain Sierra hollow-points for varmints, 130 Interlocks for antelope and deer, and 150 Partitions for bigger stuff. But once she acquired a few more rifles, she only used her .270 as her "big" rifle, for elk and larger game.

Being very new to the 270 win, I settled on the 150gr. nosler partition as my do everything bullet. They shoot great out of my old model 70 too.