Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 270 winchester

I do a little reloading and I had a guy ask me about his 270. He said he is using a 130 grain bullet but in his thought process, the bullet is going too fast to have any expansion on the deer. So he was wondering if switching to 165 grain boat tail mould be a better bullet to use. I realize this is a fairly vague question and there are some missing variables, but any oppinions are welcome.

my dad shot the 130 and had the opposite thing happen no exit holes on deer so started loading 140gr ballistic tip he shot a 110 pound doe this year a high shoulder shot throwed away a hand fool of meat and worked really well hope this helps

Your friend is absolutely right. That's why bullets from magnums "zip right through doing hardly any damage." It's just like the party trick where you pull a tablecloth out from under dishes, plates, glasses, etc. If you do it fast enough, every thing stays in its place.

The reason is that if a bullet is going fast enough, it doesn't have any time to do any damage or expand. As a bullet approaches the speed of light, it probably won't do any damage at all.

hopefully you are not serious.

My guess is that your friend has never taken a deer with a 130 gr bullet from his 270. Just a guess.
I don't believe a heavier bullet will solve his problem(s).
Stick with the 130 grain for deer.... and I am sincere in my feelings (and experience) about this.

He is wrong in his thought process.

The 130 grain bullet is deadly on deer or elk or any other animal you care to shoot with a 270.

Your friend's "thought process" does not exist.
Bear in Fairbanks

With most big game bullets more velocity = more expansion.

Where does this "going too fast to expand" train of so-called thought come from? I would say it's among the dumbest things you can say when talking about guns, but I hear it all the time here.

Do they make a 165 grainer in .277?--maybe in some of the boutique bullets there are 170 grainer available. I think Winchester made a 170 grain in factory ammo, but if I remember right the price was kinda' breathtaking......The heaviest of the readily available bullets I'm aware of is the 160gr.

And no, no bullet goes too fast to evade expansion--most bullets start expanding as soon as they hit hair--or shortly thereafter.......

Indeed, it can be quite the opposite, lighter bullets can open up too much to acheive sufficient expansion. Just because a bullet goes in one side and out the other doesn't necessarily suggest lack of expansion, but rather good penetration.

If you buddy wants good expansion with very good penetration at hair burning range to waaay out there, try a Nosler Partition in 150gr, or 140gr, or 130gr.......


Casey

Kiddin'....right?

Doughboy: His thought process is not only all wet;it's saturated......seriously skewed.

Was my sarcasm too subtle?

It was little too subtle for me, but I like your explanation. Good one!

The myth of bullets "going too fast to expand" has been around a long time, as much as we like to think the Campfire is the origin of all thought on guns and hunting, both true and false.

One of my elk-hunting mentors told me over 30 years ago that the reason the .270 was such a bad elk cartridge was because the bullets went through an elk too fast to expand. Which is why he used the .30-06....

270 and a 130 grain bullet go together like peaches and cream

I'm thinking your friend is about two bricks shy of a load..I don't believe he has ever shot a deer, at least not with a .270.

I can't think of a better deer cartridge than the .270 or a better bullet for deer than the 130 gr...I have never seen a 130 gr. bullet fail to expand from a .270, I have seen some, or rare ocasions years ago, blow up because they were going too fast for a particular bullet.

I'm thinking your friend is about two bricks shy of a load..I don't believe he has ever shot a deer, at least not with a .270. I am always a bit suspecious when someone says my friend says!

I can't think of a better deer cartridge than the .270 or a better bullet for deer than the 130 gr...I have never seen a 130 gr. bullet fail to expand from a .270, I have seen some, or rare ocasions years ago, blow up because they were going too fast for a particular bullet.

Yeah...you were cleverly disguised.. ....surprised to hear it come from you cause I know you know better..caught me off guard..