Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Why would anyone use a .270 for deer with all those .223's out there?

Yep, deer and grizzly are so much alike.

[bleep], deer die easy.

Everything dies easy..It's up to the shooter to see it through.But yes deer are pretty feeble...

When I was a kid any rifle cartridge under .23 caliber was outlawed in Montana for big game. This was because a bunch of old farts got together and most of them had heard that the .220 Swift was no good on deer.

But you could shoot deer with a .243 Winchester and 75-grain factory loads designed for rockchucks--or hunt elk with a .30-06 with 110-grain bullets designed for the same animals. Don't laugh. I knew several people who did, and most of them ended up buying more rifle than they could shoot well, because the .243 and .30-06 weren't enough for deer and elk.

Nowadays there are no regulations on what you have to use for hunting deer with a rifle in Montana. In fact, you can use a .17 rimfire if you want to. This is because the old guys finally died and the new ones decided that most people would use something that worked. They do--and a awful lot of them use .223's and .22-250's on deer and antelope, to a lot better effect than the few dip-brains who still use varmint bullets in bigger cartridges.

There are some of those left too. One of them asked me a couple years ago how come the 90-grain bullets from his .25-06 "flattened out" when they hit an elk shoulder. He still doesn't think .22's should be allowed, though.

Back in the 70s when I bought my first 25-06, worked up loads with just about every bullet then-offered in that bore size. Got a few bullets from anyone I knew that shot any sort of .257 cartridge, so it ranged from 75gr HPs to somebody's 120gr bullet (Speer, I think?).

The 75gr HPs were awful. 87gr Sierras worked very well (my woodchuck bullet for years, until the 100gr Btip came out). Worst groups of any bullet tried, were the 90gr Sierra HPs, with the 75 grainers next and 120gr bullets in third place.

One of the local gunshops once had a mess of ammo acquired from a going out of bidness sale at another shop, back in the early 80s. I bought several 20 round boxes of Rem. 87gr HP loads just for the brass, at maybe $5 per box. That stuff shot very well in the M700 I had at the time, only used them on 'chucks though.

Never figured out WTH a 90gr HP was intended for, but since they refused to go into nice, tight groups, never fussed with them again.

Next to the 87gr Sierras, the 100gr Sierra spitzer was the most accurate load back then and was my deer load for years. Now I shoot 100gr Bitps exclusively in the 25-06, for deer and long whacks at rodents.

Can we find common ground by agreeing that given a properly constructed bullet driven at adequate velocity and sensible placement, whitetails, muleys and blacktails are not particularly difficult to take humanely?

As a "meat hunter", I've never been interested in shooting deer from angles that marinate my venison in gastro-intestinal contents. If I'm pretty much limiting myself to chest shots, it doesn't take a lot of gun to "make venison".

why use a 223 when you can use the 270

Same here in VA/WVa it has to be 23 or larger (24 or larger in WVa I believe but would have to check) and the regulations are still in place caliber size.

I have 2 223 (Armalite M15A2 and a Bushy) both AR's I love to shoot them but with the other tools in my tool box I'd rather use something with a bit more to it.

There are some folks out here that use 22-250's and alike, even though they are technically breaking the law (I guess it would be bad form to turn in my son�s father inlaw lol)

-Edit Just double checked WVa:

It is illegal to hunt deer with:

� a shotgun using ammunition loaded with more than one
solid ball, or a rifle using rimfire ammunition of less than
.25 caliber.

� a fully automatic rifle, shotgun or handgun.

� a handgun using a straight-walled case of less than .357
magnum cartridge or a bottle-necked case of less than
.24 caliber.

� a muzzleloader of less than .38 caliber during the
muzzleloader deer season.

Jeff,

I believe you, but wow! How fast was that bullet still going at that range, anyway?

Perhaps the .223 IS the equal of the .270 as a deer rifle, if it's got 565-yard reach.

-jeff

Hey Jeff...

I hesitated to ask this, because this thread has been invaded by those who see the world through pissin'-contest-colored glasses and I don't want you to think that that's what this question is intended as.

But upon reflection, I think you and I have enough history that you won't take it that way, so... since this is the whole purpose of this thread, here's the question(s):

If the .223 is so good from close to so far, why would you chose anything else, if indeed you do use something else? What do you normally use? What would you take to "deer camp" in Colorado?

Thanks!

-jeff

SeaRunRainbow,

Was there any reason other than just gun-nutiness (which is certainly understood and allowed <g>) that you chose to use a .270 in this case:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1922594

quote SeaRunRainbow:

"Killed one deer at 125 yards with a 140gr 270. Bullet exited, broke shoulder coming and going, deer died. No surprise."

Just curious. Certainly, I would be in agreement with a person choosing a 270- so I have no issue with it whatsoever.

-jeff

What a tool....been here less than a year and almost 3500 posts of drivel

I see ya thought better of it (deleting your last post) realized I hit the nail on the head?

Nope! PM sent.

-jeff

Jeff: You asked a question and received 91 replies. Not all have been constructive, but most have. They amount to a considerable amount of actual hands on experience both in time spent and results. However, they are starting to get repetitive.
So now I have a few questions for you. What have you learned? Has it enforced or changed any of your previous opinions on the subject? Did it influence what caliber you will use in the future? Does bullet selection with the .222�s make that much of difference i.e. weight, construction? What did you learn from this tread that wasn�t covered in similar previous threads? Just wondering, because if that many people took the time to respond to a question I had, I would feel obligated to at least acknowledge their effort, time and experience.

Battue

I've answered that before, because I can. The last 20 deer, 4 bears and a 2 wuffs have been shot with 12 different cartridges and 13 different rifles, that way I don't have to guess about [bleep].

Almost forgot, deer die easy. Drill the shoulders with a GOOD bullet and critter dies.

Like a bolt action rifle, it just don't get more simple.

Fair question, Battue, and thanks.

I have come out of it thinking that I will probably fill one of my doe tags with a .223 next year. I have access to land that has a lot of does- in particular- on it, or for that matter I could shoot one of the tame ones that hangs around our property (my wife is finally pissed enough at them to allow it <g>.) Anyway, I'd like to see for myself how it works, given the number of people who have reported not just success but resounding success with it. However, I will use it in a situation where I can really contral the variables- hence the doe tag on the private land, because I still feel it's far from ideal for the reasons I've alread stated.

So that's one thing. I'm also very suprised- and I might have to eat some crow on this one- that there are people I trust reporting DRT results out to almost 600 yards! I personally don't see it as a long-range deer round, but if Rost95, dogzapper, etc- both of whom I trust and respect- say it works, well then... maybe it works.

My faith in the TSX as a penetrator has been reinforced. Can't wait to try one on meat.

Finally, I have learned that folks are very reluctant to actually debate a position once they are dug in. IE, very few folks addressed the POINT of the thread- why use a .270 if a .223 is so good- even though most of them don't actually use a .223 as their primary rifle! Folks will start others calling names rather than give an inch of "ground"and that's frustrating to me as someone who likes to debate- but I guess I shouldn't be surprised as it's human nature to bristle up when challenged.

-jeff

Fair 'nuff.

-jeff

In california you can hunt big game with any centerfire with "softnose or expanding bullets"

I addressed it. Drill the shoulders with a good bullet and critter dies. I haven't seen one bit of difference between deer shot with a 223AI, 8x57, 35 Whelen (strike that one, cuzz that deer went the furthest with little damage), 270, 250AI, 30/06, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Savage, 6.5/06, 7x57 etc. They all died and died quickly.