Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Sierra bullets in the .270?

Well I have very thin amount of game shooting experience with the 130 gr Sierra in the 270. Back in the day I had a Model 70 Winchester XTR so chambered. It shot them pretty good, so I used them for a season or two of deer control shooting on a tree farm. I was not to particular about it for that purpose. For some reason I started shooting a 130 gr Speer SP. and for a cheap bullet it when with the 270 like ham and eggs. Its a funny thing about bullet failure, you have to first collect the bullet in order to see the failure, that means you either dig one out of meat, you collected your game or out of the dirt at the range. Well dirt is not meat. All most any bullet is going to do ok on White Tail, they are not that heavy skinned or boned. So bullets do more damage than others. Just don't shoot them in the eatable parts.

Your results WERE what I expected.

You came to the SAME conclusion I did.

Am always amazed by the people who use C&C bullets at 3000+ fps for "woods hunting," and then are dissatisfied by the results.

Of course, this was somewhat encouraged by some gun writers from the 1960's onward for 25-30 years, because they suddenly discovered such technical terms as "ballistic coefficient" and kinetic energy," and never ceased to point out that velocity had more effect on muzzle energy than bullet weight.

But other gun writers, who actually shot big game, had long emphasized heavier bullets and moderate velocities when using C&C bullets at woods ranges. Elmer Keith was the truth-teller here, though his insistence on .33+ calibers turned off some hunters. Even Elmer, however, recognized how well the 7x57 worked with 160-grain Sierras at 2700 fps or so. He used to handload them for Don Hopkins and his wife, who used them for many years in Africa on smaller plains game with perfect satisfaction. I've used the same basic load both in Africa and here in Montana on the same sort of game, and it works great.

If I were going to use a .270 with Sierras on Pennsylvania whitetails at woods ranges I'd load 150's to 2800-2850 and never worry about. In fact I've used a load very much like that with not just Sierras but the pre-Interlock Hornady Spire Points and Winchester Power Points to take a bunch of deer from right off the muzzle to several hundred yards with fine results.

Understood, however I NEVER shot 1 Sierra bullet AT game.
My testing turned me in another direction.

Yes I've done my share of woods hunting but MORE in/over longer distances, such as power/gas lines and cutovers.

I'm more mellow now, but I don't regret my choice of bullets.

130gr Sierras were the most accurate bullet in my 270 back in '83, so that is what I hunted. Never had one exit. Lungs and hearts turned to mush. I did have one fail to penetrate a shoulder at woods range, so my recommendation with Sierras is to keep them in the ribcage and away from bones and heavy muscle on the entrance side. It doesn't take a tough bullet to penetrate the ribcage and turn the lungs to mush, and Sierras have a reputation for accuracy, so as long as you wait for broadside shots and keep them in the ribcage, you're eating venison.

These days I go for bone to drop the animal on the spot, so I no longer hunt with Sierras. My aim isn't always perfect either so I prefer my bullets a bit tougher. I've been out of the 270 business for a long time, but I have a new Forbes 24B that might change that if it doesn't sell before hunting season. That rifle shoots so well it's boring.

But Muledeer, I was an adolescent moron who considered himself a genius back in the '90s. And I knew bullets wouldn't work unless they were going at least 3000fps. I hate to admit it, but at the time I actually stressed at the thought of getting less than 2700 fps from anything. The other thing going for me was I had read way too much Jack O.

Now I've come full circle and own and use more moderate velocity rounds much more.

It's always interesting to hear about others results. In all the deer we've shot with the Pro Hunters, we've yet to recover one, all were pass throughs with shots behind the shoulder. One year my brother hit bone and they they skinned it he said you could just about stick your fist in the exit.

One of the areas I hunt is the edge of cedar swamps and in the edge where a 60 yard shot would be stretching it. Years ago I ended up giving up my 270 for that area and bought a 358 Win in the BLR.

pabucktail,

In the 1970's I had a friend from eastern Montana who loaded the 130 GameKing in his .270 and really liked it. Then he went elk hunting for the first time, and in those days most elk were found in timber. Got a chance at a 5-point bull at maybe 50 yards and shot it several times before it stayed down. Luckily he could shoot fast! I told him a 150 Partition would have worked a lot better....

Wasn't that about the time when you were using 200 grain partitions in your '06 for elk in the timber?

The heart of the matter....

These will be the same people who tell you the 270 doesn't kill worth a hoot. Generally, as a Partition shooter I am mystified by these "problems".

Yeah, it was around that time--though I used the .270 before getting my first .30-06, and had a problem with a new "premium" 150-grain bullet that actually turned out to be a glorified C&C. I'd bought a box of 'em because several gun writers had "reviewed" them, saying they'd work really well due to some special features, and down at the local store they were a little cheaper than Nosler Partitions. Got an angling-away shot at angling cow elk at maybe 75 yards, a shot I'd used on a lot of deer. She never stopped and never bled, and there wasn't any snow on the ground. Finally found her dead a day later, the meat soured, half a mile up the mountain.

Bought my first Nosler Partitions before the next season, the old model with the relief groove, and used them in both the .270 and .30-06. Never had any problem with any Partition in either cartridge since, though the design has changed considerably.

I don't see them as likely to hit the same place or have the same size groups, so don't see much good practicing with a substitute round.

As a side benefit, it will provide you with some once fired cases that you can reload with a bullet you like.

I shot 130 Sierra flat base for awhile in the 1970's they were quick killers on small bodied Texas deer, if you're not fussy about the big holes they sometimes make.

When I shared the results of my use of the 140 VLD out of the .264 Winchester on a 6X6 with a few friends and how it was the quickest, cleanest kill I had ever witnessed, one of them replied to me something along these lines:

"I have had the same results with the 130 Sierra out of my 270"

He's killed something in the neighborhood of 25 Bulls that never took another step.

You know him John.

I've killed enough deer with the 130 Sierra PHs and GKs to have formed a rock-solid opinion on 'em. I like 'em, and I use 'em, and they've worked for me. Some bullets have worked better than others at times, usually due to placement, though, and not what happens afterwards. Farm country deer aren't the same as a moose in a bog someplace up North, of course, and I offer no opinions on THAT, but for a farm deer, it would be hard to find anything better.
I've had some GKs go to hell, probably because I was closer than they're designed for, but I can't blame that on the bullet, can I? I've had GKs go to hell when hitting down the spine, too, but they weren't made for that, either.

I use PHs now, because I got into a bunch of them at a good price, and frankly, they kill a bit quicker than the Gamekings. Then again, maybe I've killed more animals now, and I'm not so frantic about killing as I used to be, and take better shots (or don't take a shot at all).
Shoot, they all work, if you put 'em in the right place, or don't, if you don't do your own part.

Rick,

Amazing how putting a bullet that tears up innards in the right place kills animals quickly!

I have a friend who's killed, uh, more than one elk with the 100-grain Ballistic Tip from a .25-06. He puts 'em in the slats and the elk fall over. Of course, he lives and hunts in very open country, not thick timber where according to some elk must be shot up the wazoo.

I did some wet newspaper testing on some bullets including the 270 cal 90g Sierra that I mentioned in an earlier post. Rather than explode on impact, the bullet penetrated about 3 inches before it started to expand at all, while the other regular 130g bullets started to expand much sooner.

Granted, the 90g HP once it did start to expand, completely flew apart within the next 3 inches. But on medium game shot in that rib area, its no surprise those little Sierras punch above their weight. Talk about turning innards to mush...

Interesting. That's exactly how Berger VLD's act when they hit something.

Mule Deer, it was a simple, dinky fun experiment. But here are the photos of the six 270 bullets all fired into the same bundle.

Top row left to right are 90g Sierra HP, 130g Hornady Interlock, 130g Hot Cor, second row 130g Nosler BT, 150g SST, 160g Partition.

First photo, 0.25 inches penetration.


1 inch


2 inches


3 inches


4 inches


5 inches


5.5 inches
[img]http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh543/bobnoble17/IMG-20120804-01544-1.jpg[/img]

The little 90 didn't go much further than that. But even though it was only a one-off, it was a strange (I thought) and interesting result. Impact speed from memory was about 3400fps.

They are also very accurate in my rifle so its all good, though I generally use the heavier ones. I have found the 90 grainers great for taking people shooting who don't do it much and might be put off by recoil.

I recall two bullet "failures" , but I collected both deer. First was about an eighty yard shot, with a .243. 100 Sierra BT stoked with the Carmichial load (100 grains, 42 grains IMR 4350 for about 3000 fps). A large bodied river bottom WT buck was facing me -he was actually standing at a fence surveying a wheat field. I was in a fence line where I could see both the field and the brush- at about a 60 degree angle. I needed to hit the shoulder to,get the bullet into the boiler. DRT. Field dressing revealed no damage to the heart/lung/arteries. I butchered that deer myself. The bullet had come apart into lots of pieces after hitting the shoulder blade. A good sized piece of the core had angled up and servered the spinal cord.

The other was a 180 grain Hornaday interlock .30-06. The load was a Light Magnun factory load advertised at 2880 from a .22" barrel. My delightful custom stocked '50s 24" commercial Mauser throws them at just over 2900 over a friend's Chrony. The shot was a Texas heart shot at about 200 yards, to prevent a mule deer buck from escaping over a ridge. The shot broke down the deer's back legs, requiring a quick neck shot to end it all. Because it was a long way to the nearest two track, I field dressed and boned out the carcus on a nice flat rock that was handy, while my hunting partner went for a container. I found that the pelvis and the bullet were shattered, I mean little bitty pierces of cup and core.

Actions: I switched to 100 grain Partitions for the .243. I had made a sizeable purchase of the LM Interbond 180, and I still have about a box and a half some ten years later. The rifle likes that loading, and the results of that shot were predictable. Since my annual use is fire a shot to check the scope, maybe a deer, and several shots for coyote, porcupine, and other varmints of chance, I may have to buy bullets again in a year or so. Or just use another rifle?

Really, neither bullet failed, since I collected both bucks. The bullets did not work as advertised. In each instance, a slower load might have produced different results. Yes, I succumbed to the 3000 fps syndrome some years ago. There is hope. I think I have just sold my last magnum. Just waiting to see some money. Jack

Interesting about the Interlock. They are pretty good bullets but not quite as good as some people believe.

Over 20 years ago I agreed to handload .30-06 ammo for a friend, after he agreed to let me work up the loads in his rifle. He was mainly interested in an elk load and asked what bullets to buy. I said there were a lot of good ones, but it was hard to beat 180-grain Nosler Partitions, and they were available at just about any sporting goods store. I also told him to pick up a pound of IMR4350, since that would work and wasn't hard to find either. (This was even before the first political ammo and component shortage, the 1994 panic over the assault rifle ban.)

He came back a week or so later with a pound of IMR4350 and a box of 180-grain Interlock Spire Points. I asked him why he didn't get Partitions like I suggested. He said the clerk at the store claimed the Interlocks were just as good, but cost half as much.

Now, Eileen and I have killed several pickup loads of game with Interlocks in various sizes. Offhand I can remember the 100-grain .25, 130 and 150 .270, 139 7mm, 165 .30, 225 .338 and 250 .35. But they are NOT Partitions, and I could give a long list of field examples. Your experience with the buck is another.

I worked up a load for him and loaded a couple of boxes of ammo, but he never shot an elk with one. In fact I don't think he's ever shot an elk.