270 Caliber Berger 130 Grain Classic Hunter on Whitetails and Mule Deer

[cottonant]

I've read the "Goodbye 7mm Rem. Mag, Hello 270 WSM" Rokslide article from 10 years ago but couldn't find anything as to the success or failure with the 270 Caliber Berger 130 Grain Classic Hunter bullets.

I've got a 270 WSM pushing 130 Accubonds at 3253 fps and it almost always shoots under and inch but wouldn't trust them at longer ranges of 500 to 600 yards.

If there's anybody here with real world .277 130 Classic Hunter experience, I will be very much obliged if you will share your opinion. TIA

 

[CJ_BG]

Out of a regular 270 they were pretty nasty at high impact. We didn't observe the longer neck lengths that typically happen at lower velocity. It was usually an inch or so in before they started the come apart. Very effective just know what you're getting.

The 140 classic hunter and 150 vld seemed to do slightly better terminally but really it was hard to tell on most shots. Limited data set to, only 4-6 animals with each of those three.


Also the accubonds at 3250 should be fine at 5-600yds. 5000ft elevation, 40 degree weather, 50% humidity looks like over 2000fps at 600yds with the accubonds.

 

[cottonant]

Out of a regular 270 they were pretty nasty at high impact. We didn't observe the longer neck lengths that typically happen at lower velocity. It was usually an inch or so in before they started the come apart. Very effective just know what you're getting.

The 140 classic hunter and 150 vld seemed to do slightly better terminally but really it was hard to tell on most shots. Limited data set to, only 4-6 animals with each of those three.


Also the accubonds at 3250 should be fine at 5-600yds. 5000ft elevation, 40 degree weather, 50% humidity looks like over 2000fps at 600yds with the accubonds.

Thank you so much for the response! My main concern with the Accubonds at around 1 MOA is making/getting good shot at 500 to 600 yards.

Thanks again!

 

[cscott144]

I've really liked the Cavity Back MKZ bullets. Their heaviest supersonic bullet is 120gr. Though and probably wouldn't have a high enough BC or energy retention to help you at 500-600. Have you tried the Hornady ELDs?

 

[cottonant]

I've really liked the Cavity Back MKZ bullets. Their heaviest supersonic bullet is 120gr. Though and probably wouldn't have a high enough BC or energy retention to help you at 500-600. Have you tried the Hornady ELDs?

Yes we’ve used ELD Ms in heavy 6.5 RSAUMs with great success but pretty sure Hornady doesn’t make them in .277.

Except for one stand the odds of getting a long shot at our place now is pretty slim and the 270WSM is a factory gun that I would not take to that stand. Being a habitual tinkerer though I thought I might try the 130 Bergers after reading the referenced article to see if I could get them to shoot sub-half.

Thank you for the response!

 

[Macintosh]

Thank you so much for the response! My main concern with the Accubonds at around 1 MOA is making/getting good shot at 500 to 600 yards.

Thanks again!

Have you tried it? The difference between it and a higher bc version of the same bullet is small, even if there is a difference on paper. If you cant do it reliably with the AB’s I have a hard time thinking you can do it reliably with the bergers either. (I cant consistently shoot the difference in my own 270, my ability to read wind is BY FAR the weaker link. Bc helps, but ime not enough to really make a consistent real-world difference at that range, just estimating from memory but maybe a 1mph difference tops. It undeniably helps but it just doesnt increase my own effective range by enough to fight over)

 

[cottonant]

Have you tried it?

Tried it with Accubonds? No. And no plans to. While I love their killing effect - in my experience at least - Accubonds are too hard to tune and are not consistent. Bergers and ELD Ms in the 6.5 RSAUM with the right loads have produced great SDs, great groups and we've harvested whitetails at longer ranges with the ELD Ms.

Will likely never shoot my factory 270WSM past a few hundred yards but was wondering what the .277 130 Berger Classic Hunter terminal performance is - since I'm unable to leave well enough alone .