Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Federal Fusion Upset

Thats why I switched from the fusions. lots of mess, not a lot of penetration... a lot of lead in my hamburgers.

switched my .308's from the 150 gr. fusions to the 130 TTSX and never had an issue. lots of dead deer, not alot of mess.

I shot a buck on Wednesday with a Fusion. It was my first time using a Fusion on game. I was impressed with the result. I was shooting a 338 Federal with a 200 grain Fusion, though. The buck was shot at about 50 yards so the speed was probably 2600 fps or so.

How were the results of the impact and exit? That's seems like the classic slow and heavy you here some preach for "eat up to the hole" results?

It was pretty much perfect. I was a small entry with a silver dollar exit. There was no fragmentation or bloodshot meat. It was a double lung shot (I don’t like to waste meat) and it took a couple hops and dropped dead. The blood was like a path. It couldn’t have done much better. I only got the Fusions because that’s one of the few factory loads available in 338 Federal. It was the cleanest kill I have ever had on a deer. It worked to perfection. I was impressed.

I have used a 150g Barnes TTSX on a buck out of a 308. It worked but did not expand well and did not leave much of a blood trail. The buck dropped after about 50 yards though. If I use a Barnes out of the 308 again, ig will be a 110 ot 130 grain. I think a Barnes would work well for you with 270 velocity - especially a lighter one. 100 or 110 grain if they are available in 270. Or a heavier Fusion.

Well, with my .270 I went and had it rebored to .45 Whelen for bigger bullet at slower velocity

But basically step up to a heavier bullet. Also the recommendation of Barnes is good too.

Definitely doesn't sound like Federal Fusion performance. Maybe it hit a piece of scrub brush prior to hitting the deer???

45 whelen?

If you're looking to buy new factory 270 ammo to try this year, good luck finding it and if you do I would appreciate a heads up. Ammoseek is out as well as most of the local stores and online stores.

My first thought as well.
I use Fusions in both my .270 and .243 and have no issues[most shots are 100 yards or less].

Year before last, I shot a medium size buck at about that distance with a Federal Fusion 150 grain .308 factory load out of my 26 inch Ruger 1B. Shoulder shot, pretty much the same results the OP described...a real bomb that just destroyed the shoulder. That was the first deer I’d shot with a factory load in about 35 or 40 years. The last deer previous to that, that I’d shot with that .308 was with a 150 grain Ballistic Tip home load going a little faster at about the same distance and the same shot placement. Same size deer. Nowhere near the rapid expansion, bomb effect.

i had the exact same issue you are having but..........mine was outta a 35 whelen 200grain fusion factory load at 20 yards so i kinda expected some explosiveness. but i've never seen an entrance hole substantially bigger,softball entrance vs 35 cal exit,than the exit before personally.
Big Ed

Not sure about all, but alot of the fusions are pretty soft. You basically got instant expansion on the surface of the near shoulder, shed the most of the mushroom inside the cavity, and the tail end, minus most of the mushroom, went through the off side.

I like the fusions. They are generally accurate and they tend to expand well at lower speeds. As mentioned above, move up to a 150 and this problem will go away. The tradeoff being the deer probably won't die as quickly.

the deer i have shot with fusions all were pretty blown up. but the deer didn't go anywhere.

No this one didnt go anywhere either. this deer looked like she had been hit with the hammer of Thor! Was like a dramatic Hollywood movie shot reaction.

I tried the 130’s in my 270 also. A couple of DRT kills but lots of meat damage seemed to be the norm. It seems like they’re more suited for lower velocities. I wouldn’t trust them on elk.

I've had good luck with Fusions in .270, but they were the 150g.

I've since gone to big, slow 45/70, big, slow 44mag, or 300BO with a can (supersonic).

Less meat damage, especially since my average shot over the last dozen or so deer would be 50 yards or closer.

Are you shooting the shoulder or the ribs?

I can't think of a deer I've shot with the Federal Fusion that has taken a step after the shot. It's a pretty good pick-up load too. That said, I've also recovered a few, but they've been picture perfect mushrooms.

Fusions have generally been pretty good in 30-06 for us in the past.

Last buck I shot with an AMax, it took me 15 mins to find the entrance hole. Perfect little .284 sized hole in shoulder.

Grenade inside.

Ribs on most of them but not all deer stand perfectly broadside. Shot one through the neck at about 50 yards. You could've dropped a beer can through the hole. Too much jellied up meat for me