Best 270 Win bullet for Elk

[kcm2]

One other thing. Elk are delicious. For that reason alone, the lower meat damage from a controlled expansion bullet pushes me to the AB, Partition and copper bullets.

 

[CoMulies]

Appreciate all the reply’s. Unfortunately have not ventured into hand loading (yet), so need to stick to factory ammo and I haven’t found any hammer loads.

Shot a few boxes this past weekend and the 129gr LRX’s were grouping just at an inch out of my Weatherby Mark V Hunter. Figure it’s not going to get too much better than that out of a lightweight hunting rifle with factory ammo, so will likely go with those as my do it all next fall.

 

[Houseminer]

I've shot a few elk with Federal partitions in 150 grains out of my .270. Worked just fine.

 

[Preston]

Anyone shoot the 150gr Speer Grand Slam?

I had some in my inventory and loaded them to around 2900fps for sambar deer.

Did you ever come up with a good load for these?

 

[ozyclint]

Did you ever come up with a good load for these?

Settled for 53.8gr of AR2209 (H4350)
Only shot it out to 100m. Didn't do a lot of shooting as I only have a 14 rounds left to hunt with.

 

[MountainFeral]

Probably been discussed on here a million times but here is 1,000,001. Can’t find rifles or ammo in 280 AI, 7PRC or 300PRC so I’m going with the old gal this year… 270 Winchester model 70. For a 400 yard maximum self-imposed range, what bullet is ideal? 150 partition, 150/140 Accubond, 136 Terminal Ascent, or the 129/130 monolithics like LRX and CX? Maybe splitting hairs here. But what say ya??

Hey OP- what year is your model 70? My dad handed down a 1983 XTR Featherlight, and I'm hoping to find factory ammo that it likes to do prettymuch the same thing you're talking about here.

 

[Igloo]

Sorry for the necro here but on the topic of 270 for big game, do you guys who use it a lot find all things being the same, it leaves less blood on the ground than the 30 cals?

Seems to be a recurring theme in some posts. Have only taken deer with it so far

 

[MJB]

130gr tsx load them hot use mag primer

 

[35WhelenAI]

Igloo, I don't have enough sample size with respect to tracking animals and blood with the 110 ttsx out of the 270 or the 130 ttsx out of 30- 06. Each of the above cartridges with the above bullets have taken pronghorn, deer and elk, and they have all pretty much died where they were or real close that I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to blood because there wasn't enough distance for much to come out. Much of it is bullet dependent, and in my opinion, upon the animal and how it responds.

MJB, what's the impetus for a magnum primer as part of a load versus a standard primer? With that case size it would not be an automatic choice, IMO/IME unless the powder specifically called for it. YMMV.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Have you tried 150 Core lokts? They kill critters real dead. I keep a rifle in MO that I don't reload for and it really likes these.

 

[ozyclint]

What about the Woodleigh 150gr weld core protected point?
I got 2 boxes of them. Haven't settled on a load yet

 

[Athens]

I've shot a few elk with Federal partitions in 150 grains out of my .270. Worked just fine.

 

[Outlaw99]

140g Accubonds leave big holes and dead elk at distances pushing 400 yards just fine

 

[kcm2]

I can't possibly tell you what the best is, as I only know what works for me. The chief guide Three Forks Ranch told me "partitions, Barnes or Swift A-Frames" many years ago.

My experience, 130 or 150 partition, no difference out to at least 400. The 130 penetrated on an accidental quartering toward shot at 519, hitting the rib cage and lodging in the opposite hip on a good sized cow. That's good enough for me.

That being said, I've also had excellent performance from the Hornady 130 Superformance with both GMX and CX bullets, so that's my current go to. They shoot at 3164,, average of 3 shots, from a 20" barrel. And never fail. The 130 TTSX Barnes, out of my 270 Wby, has killed several elk. Accubond, also.

I've taken close to 30 elk with a rifle and seen another 50-60 shot over the years. Many, I'm sure have a lot more experience. Patrick Smith said it perfectly in this order: Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement, use enough bullet, use enough gun.

 

[Igloo]

Igloo, I don't have enough sample size with respect to tracking animals and blood with the 110 ttsx out of the 270 or the 130 ttsx out of 30- 06. Each of the above cartridges with the above bullets have taken pronghorn, deer and elk, and they have all pretty much died where they were or real close that I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to blood because there wasn't enough distance for much to come out. Much of it is bullet dependent, and in my opinion, upon the animal and how it responds.

MJB, what's the impetus for a magnum primer as part of a load versus a standard primer? With that case size it would not be an automatic choice, IMO/IME unless the powder specifically called for it. YMMV.

Thank you!

I've seen some posts appealing to guides or being a guide, etc and that 30 cals leave more blood on the ground if tracking is needed, really curious as to whether thats the case

 

[35WhelenAI]

If my math is right, the difference in diameter going from .277 to.308 is about 11%. The difference in surface area is about 20% when considering a cylindrical object, with no expansion factored in.

All else equal, a .308 has the numbers behind it to say it could leave more blood to follow.

When the shot is good, the vitals are destroyed, they haven't run circles or zigzags, they head off in a more or less straight line for big game animals I've taken if they have moved. Any amount of blood is going to be a benefit, the difference wouldn't concern me with respect to choice of caliber between the two we are talking about.