270 WSM factory ammo opinions?

[ianpadron]

Down to the last box of Federal Premium Berger Classic Hunters for my 270 WSM and now that they're discontinued I need another go-to factory option. For the record, I'd continue to shoot those if they were still made...very accurate, good terminal performance, and chrono verified 3,315 FPS...but very violent/messy up close.

Seems the 145 ELDX and 150 ABLR are starting to trickle back into stock. Any recommendations between the two?

I've been holding out for the 136 grain Terminal Ascents to come back, hoping to get a little better weight retention at WSM speeds, but I don't see them coming back before spring/summer shooting starts up here quick...

Let me know if you've got experience with the bullets in question, thanks

 

[PredatorSlayer]

When I had my 270 wsm I shot the factory eldx’s and had a lot of success with them

 

[toddrod]

I use the 145 eldx and there good for deer sized game. But if your hunting mostly moose I’d look for some Barnes stuff. The eldx doesn’t hold together very well

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I use the 145 eldx and there good for deer sized game. But if your hunting mostly moose I’d look for some Barnes stuff. The eldx doesn’t hold together very well

Have you shot moose with them, or are you just speculating? I have killed several elk with the 145eldx and have no doubt it would kill moose.

 

[CasNed]

I have no experience with with this company, but might be worth a try.

270 WSM Archives

270 Winchester Short Magnum 145 Grain Hornady ELD-X~ The 270 Winchester Short Magnum or 270 WSM is a short, unbelted, magnum cartridge created by necking down .300 Winchester Short Magnum.

choiceammunition.com

 

[toddrod]

Have you shot moose with them, or are you just speculating? I have killed several elk with the 145eldx and have no doubt it would kill moose.

Shot a few deer. On one it was 250 yards I shot it high in the lungs and I pulled the jacket of the bullet out of the far side of the hide completely detached from the core the deer only went 20 yards. All the other deer were pass though tho. I’d just be a little nervous on moose after that one. I only get a moose tag every 8-10 years so I don’t like to take any chances.

 

[mtnbiker208]

check the classifieds, 270wsm ammo is hard to find.

 

[RockAndSage]

Down to the last box of Federal Premium Berger Classic Hunters for my 270 WSM and now that they're discontinued I need another go-to factory option. For the record, I'd continue to shoot those if they were still made...very accurate, good terminal performance, and chrono verified 3,315 FPS...but very violent/messy up close.

Seems the 145 ELDX and 150 ABLR are starting to trickle back into stock. Any recommendations between the two?

I've been holding out for the 136 grain Terminal Ascents to come back, hoping to get a little better weight retention at WSM speeds, but I don't see them coming back before spring/summer shooting starts up here quick...

Let me know if you've got experience with the bullets in question, thanks

To be honest OP, I go back and forth in my thinking between match-style Bergers and Hornadys, vs bondeds like the ABLR and the Terminal Ascents. Short of 500yds I don't think the accuracy difference matters, and that's a bit further than my personal ethical big-game distances. I guess from there it's a matter of your priorities. ELD-Xs and -Ms are notably cheaper than Noslers and the Terminal Ascents, and easier to find online. And at least on thin-skinned game I'm not hearing anyone talk about them "failing" to put an animal down.

I do hear that a lot on elk though - and just as many people responding with "you didn't shoot them in the right spot then". So, there's all that. On that issue, I think it's fair to point out that I'm not hearing anyone say shooting bondeds is "wrong", but you do have a lot of guys saying that about match bullets, and match-bullet proponents saying their bullets are "more right", essentially. But nobody seems to say that bondeds are a bad choice for ethical hunting distances. There might be an occasional rando fanatic being an exception to all this, but that's broadly the truth of what I'm seeing.

One thing I can't get around in considering all this though, is that match bullets are essentially detonating inside the animals, and leaving quite a bit of lead dust, birdshot-sized bits, and chunks all along the wound channel. That's part of why they're so devastating. But I particularly enjoy heart meat, and also don't want a slight screwup on my part shredding up a shoulder and contaminating it at the same time. Given that you've been using Bergers it likely isn't an issue for you, but because of this I personally have chosen not to use match bullets on big game. I generally run copper monos on my faster cartridges, and bondeds in slower ones and on elk. I love the Terminal Ascents for this, and am a fan of the accubonds and ABLRs.

Having choices is great, but I suppose that if I were in your shoes and had to choose exactly one bullet for that one cartridge to feed my family with forever, it would probably be an accubond or ABLR or, or if you could find them the Terminal Ascent. They work very well, and the only controversy from some circles seems to be whether or not something else works "better". The biggest con on those premium bonded bullets is they're definitely more expensive.