Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Expanding vs Penetrating Premium Bullets

I disagree: Hornady's cup and core 25 caliber 100 SP at 3500 fps works excellent on deer and antelope. Blows big holes and provides DRT performance.

If you like ‘em, better stock up. Hornady quit making them

In a 270 at 3000+fps, I'd lean towards something tougher. I like accubonds and etips. I'm far from an expert but I tend to go for a tougher bullet after 3000fps. Some of the more fragile offerings can make a mess at those speeds

Agree 100%

I have absolutely no need for a bonded bullet for deer, been there done that...

I'm absolutely in the camp for high BC "cup and core" bullets (VLD's, Scenars) in the 2900-3000 MV range near and far for up to and including elk.

Just this past year at 200+ yards I had a 168 VLD started at 2800+ exit a quartering-to bull elk over a thousand pounds....

Medium velocity impacts with medium expansion bullets work very well on medium and big critters....

My Dad hunted big game all over North America and he liked to say "in this world nothing is certain but death, taxes and partitions."

I’m also looking to use a load with the “premium” bullets for NC black bear, and elk should I ever get the chance to go west again. If I find a good one with something like the TTSX, that’s likely what I’ll use for those animals also.

On another note, has anyone found that when they work up a good load with these bullets that they’re able to switch to cheaper ammo for practice without having to re-zero the rifle?

The only way you will know RE switching ammo is to load and shoot and see what the impact is.

Not even same weight bullets at same speeds impact the same on the target.

I would not do that if practicing for longer shots, unless you match the wind drift/drop issues.

But for short range chip shot stuff of like 300 and in, there isn't a lot of difference.

And FWIW cross training does worlds of good. 100 rounds on the rimfire every other day or so vs 20 on the centerfire once a month, I"d take teh rimfire every last time...

I like to eat deer so I don't like a bullet that expands violently and bruises up meat. I like 2 holes so if they don't drop they leave a good blood trail so you can find them.

Shop around for bullets that works best for your application.I like a bullet that will put a deer down quickly and leave two holes.Good wound channel,but not overly excessive.I've used both bonded and cup and core.The bullets I've grown really fond of are,165&168gr Nosler Ballistic Tips out of my 30-06 and 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tips out of my 7mag.

There are a lot of good comments posted here.
Hogwild7 is right on as is JGRaider.

Velocity is your friend when the bullet is flying, but can be a problem when it hits. 270s are fast. I love my 270s, but I agree that a tougher bullet is a better option. Not because deer are hard to kill, but as Hogwild said, I like to eat them.

I have found that 150 grain Partitions are a marriage made in Heaven for the 270. Doe antelope to bull moose, they work well. So are Barnes X bullets if your rifle is accurate with them

I love Ballistic Tips, too. They are perhaps my absolute favorite for deer and Pronghorn, although most of my experience with them has been the 120 grain in 6.5x284 and .260, the 130 grain in .270 Win, the 120 grain in 7-08 and 140 grain in .284 Win.

I am certainly going to load up some 120s to run through my 6.5 Creedmoor but I am also going to try the 140s. I’m going on a combo Mule Deer/elk hunt in Colorado this fall and that bullet might get the nod if it shoots lights out.

Yep, Hornady quite making them (25 caliber 100 gr SP) and I didn't get stocked up in time and only have enough for a couple of years. I'll find something else to use then.

My 280AI will group 140 TTSX with 139g Hornady at 100 yards.

I agree both the Partition and Accubonds are great bullets, but for me about all I shoot for BG is TTSX's, from .243 to 300 H&H, they've worked great on everything we've shot with them, less bloodshot meat and death happens plenty quick not to mention they've proven very accurate in our guns

For the last several years I have been going back and forth between 130 gr ETips and Partitions in my 270's. Both are quick and effective killers. The ETip usually produces far less bloodshot meat, you can nearly eat right up to the hole. Both produce great accuracy, but I can push the Partition a little faster. Logic says I should just use the ETips, but I have 40+ years experience with Partitions, with complete satisfaction, so I continue to sit on the fence.
This is easy as both bullets shoot to the same point of aim for me.

Stubborn. We get there as we age.

But if I was given a ballistic tip( I don't like them) that was as accurate as what I was using, hit the same point of impact basically, and killed as well but damaged less meat, I'd call myself a fool to not switch.

YMMV.

rost495,
I get confused between foolish and stubborn, but confess to having a strong dose of both, and likely getting worse as I perfect them.
Seems we are enjoying a proliferation of bullets that vary only in their degree of goodness.

If you use TTSX's on deer, you have also set your rifle for success on western game, as even the lightweights will offer enough penetration for deliberate shots.

Other premiums will work as everyone knows and plain old Hornady's only suffer from overlooked credentials in this area.
John

Stubborn.. we all have it.

Thankfully I see the light now and then. LOL.