# .270 loads



## Canadian Buckeye (Nov 5, 2014)

New to the site... Forgive a newbie if this is an old topic.

Our Whitetail deer hunting is all very close range as we are in heavy bush and tend to find deer on tight game trails/ So - 50 yards is a typical distance. I am shooting a 25-06 and 100 gr ammo. No problems - quick drop and little secondary damage. My wife is using a .270 with 130 gr ammo and while she places good heart/lung shots there is usually a lot of what I would call secondary damage. Burst diaphragm and lots of what looks like shock damage to the gut bag. Is this just physics? Too heavy a bullet and too much kentic energy? Should she maybe downsize the round? Opinions anyone?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

There is a couple of things you can do. Your 25-06 is fast, but with a smaller bullet. Her's is a little slower, but with more energy. If you go lighter in the 270 it isn't that good for big game. So I would suggest a reduced load in a heavy bullet of good construction. Perhaps the best bullet out there to reduce your problem is the Barnes X bullet. It will give you about the same cubic inches of tissue damage, but rather than a large diameter wound channel it's smaller around and deeper. One of the bonded bullets like the Swift Scirocco or the Nosler Accubond would also work well. Although the Nosler partition is known for deep penetration the forward part of the bullet is soft and expands rapidly.

I would think going from 3100 fps with a 130 gr to a 150 gr at something between 2700 fps and 2750 would keep recoil close to the same and reduce the diameter of your wound channel. If you don't reload Hornady sells reduced velocity loads.


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

For a lighter bullet in the 270 I have had and seen the sierra 110 gr prohunters do extremely well and they have held together. I believe Nosler makes a 110 accubond as well.

I wouldn't load them up to the max for those ranges though.


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## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

I'd go with a 130-150 grain Barnes copper bullet! I've hand loaded more than 50 years, but since I switched to any of the all copper bullets, Barnes, Nosler, Hornady, ( take your pick, for hunting purposes they are all essentially the same) I've had great performance no matter the range/bullet velocity. They seem to perform great no matter distance, whether short or long range. At short range they open up well, yet hold together without fragmentation and don't create much secondary damage like you describe.
Though I sound like a Liberal Tree Hugger here, what I like best other than their first class performance on big game is that with their lack of over fragmentation with bits of lead leaving the hunter with significantly more usable meat, I feel like I'm helping the environment by not leaving gut piles filled with fragmented lead bits for eagles or other raptors to chomp down. 
I have a hunter friend who works at the local zoo/raptor rehab center, who reported the other day that starting this time of year they begin to see eagles turned in with lead poisoning. Some make it, others don't! Yes, this is anecdotal, but it's good enough for me, especially with the availability of better bullet performance to boot! 
As a hunter, if I can prevent secondary lead poisoning while harvesting less shot up and more usable meat, it's a win-win situation!
Back to your original question, if you handload I'd sure recommend any of the copper bullets. IMO you'll see immediate performance improvement.


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## Canadian Buckeye (Nov 5, 2014)

Thank you all for the feedback. Much appreciated and lots to think about for sure. I am thinking a lighter bullet that is not going to fragment as badly will be a good option to try. All we need at that really short range is a good clean in-out shot with minimal fragmentation in the chest cavity. Will see what ammo is available up here (comparable to your suggestions) and go with a few of them and see what happens. Deer hunting over for us this year - 4 tags and 4 deer. There remains a long season still but we are lucky to be blessed with an abundance of White Tails and so our 2014 hunt is over. As you may guess we hunt for the meat animals not the trophies. Lots of deer up here but we cull carefully to make sure we keep up the breeding stock. So preservation of the meat is very important to us. It keeps us fed all year.

Once again - thank you to all who responded - a great forum! Great information! Will take all this to heart and make changes for next year's hunt! And if ya'll are hunting White Tails - best of luck!

Canadian Buckeye!


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## Canadian Buckeye (Nov 5, 2014)

And a response to Plainsman - Yes I do understand what you are saying and will also try - not only a lighter bullet but also a heavier bullet with less kinetic energy down range. Makes sense too. It is going to take a bit of experimentation but thanks to the feedback I do know that where we are at with the current .270 load and bullet weight is not right. So heavier and slower or lighter and faster will both perhaps yield a quick kill with less secondary damage. Gotta say the 25-06 at 100 gr is perfect for our unusual conditions. Have taken a lot of deer with that rifle and they don't go more than 10 feet. Kind of nice that all our shots are up close that's for sure.

Thanks all - lookin foward to next year. Gotta keep up with all the topics on this forum - it is simply a wealth of information. Great for a new member to see all that is going on in this community. You have helped me so much!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

If you go lighter bullet call the manufacture before purchasing. As you go down in bullet weight most manufactures think your using it for something other than big game. For example many of the 125 and 130 gr 30 caliber have thinner jackets and expand more rapidly than heavy bullets. I guess they assume you want splatter affect on small pests. Anyway, just a heads up before you go lighter. In most cases it will cause more of what your trying to avoid. I have shot some of the 100 gr in the 270. I totally decapitated a fox that was peaking over a rock and all I could see was his head. I like shooting highly frangible in winter and in cases like that fox peaking over a rock. It's not that I like them on game so much, but they don't ricochet of frozen ground or hard surfaces as much as heavy constructed bullets. Oh, they ricochet, but normally in dozens of small pieces.

The all copper Barnes that Habitat Hugger mentioned, and the Barnes X bullet that I talked about are the same bullet.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

If you are "meat hunting" at those short ranges, ANY bullet will do the job if you hit your target just under the ear in the neck. No damage and no tracking. I shoot all my deer there up to 200 yards.


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## oldfireguy (Jun 23, 2005)

I used the Barnes solid copper bullets in my .270 a couple years back for the TRNP elk herd reduction hunt.
Very effective.


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## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Yep, me too Sasha/Abby! Not much of a hunt this year, but it was a good year to draw a doe tag for meat. I had extensive back surgery a couple weeks ago and couldn't walk without a walker or crutches. Had a handicapper permit, so sitting in a nice warm pickup I picked out a fat yearling at 80 yards, shot her between the eyes with the 85 gr. Barnes 243! Backed the pickup to her and my buddy field dressed her and loaded her. No " hunt" to it this year, but next year might be a good one to draw a buck tag again.

I keep seeing lots of does, herds of 20-25 at a time, both Muleys and wt's! But hardly any bucks, a few forks, but that's about it! Strange year.


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## Canadian Buckeye (Nov 5, 2014)

And yes - Thank you to Painsman - I think we have a solution - get a bullet that does not fragment as much. In - out and gone. I will check with the suppliers and see what choices we have for a bullet that does not have high fragmentation. That will be best in our situation - no doubt!

Thanks again to all - much appreciated!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Canadian Buckeye, thank you. It's not every day we get the chance to help someone. :thumb:


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## Canadian Buckeye (Nov 5, 2014)

A shout out to all who offered insight in to loads for my wife .270. You guys are great! Thank you so much!

Have been out of touch for a bit - helping my buds with their hunt. My wife and I were blessed with early success and so we are paying back a bit by helping out with the skinning and butchering of their harvest.

By the way - not to get overly sentimental - but here goes. We are both new to this area (Dryden Ontario) and also new to hunting. Been at it for about 4 years now. To make a long story short - without help, guidance and insight we would be nowhere with hunting. Please keep helping others. The hunting fraternity needs people like you. We were lucky enough to meet people here who were willing to share hard won knowledge. In a very short time we were able to hunt with great success but have also learned how to field dress, skin and butcher our deer. Along the way we were taught so much about ethics, which deer to cull and when it is better to pass up a shot. All in the interest of preserving the resource.

So - as a newcomer to this - we are both incredibly thankful for all who have helped us. A lifetime of knowledge absorbed and we have to give credit where credit is due. We only hope that along the way we can return the favour and give back in any way we can. Keeping the hunting tradition in mind is so important.

At least I am a reasonably good cook and can share great recipes with our local hunting group. Have been able to use all of the meat harvested in creative ways.

With much respect for all who share this dedication. Thank you all for your help!

Canadian Buckeye


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