.270 Bullet Weight for Deer

[Jseime]

I currently have three types of bullets that i use in my .270.

150 grain SSTs
130 Grain Speer SPBT
110 Grain Sierra pro-hunter

I plan on using the 130 Grain Speers on deer and will stick with them but is the Sierra Pro-Hunter an actual deer bullet even though its so light? IIRC the sierra varmint bullets are Blitz-kings not pro hunter

[taylorce1]

I know that Colorado requires a minimum of 70 grain bullets in .243/6mm for deer. I feel that this is a little on the light side. I imagine that the 110 grain Sierra's are capable of killing deer with your .270 but I think I would still go with the 130 grains of lead. I shoot 90 & 100 grain bullets out of my .270 but only for varmints. I think that pushing the 110's too fast could cause explosive expansion and more damage to the animal than necessary, especially if you are harvesting for meat. The 110 may not penetrate through the shoulder if that is where the deer is hit. The 110 grain bullet may be a good deer choice in something like a 6.8 Remington but I think the 130 grain is a better choice for the .270 Winchester.

[Doubletaptap]

Gosh!! You mean I been doing it all wrong all these years with a 80gr. .223?

[Art Eatman]

The 130-grain is the historic "deer load" in the .270. Most folks I've talked to say they move up to the 150-grain for elk.

Art

[Jseime]

Yeah I didnt think that a 110 grainer would be the way to go and thought id stick with the 130 gr boat tails. I just kinda wondered if anyone had seen or done it.

DoubleTaptap: The legal minimum for shooting deer up here is a centerfire over .23 caliber. You would be doing it wrong around here because #1 its illegal and #2 the deer are too big to shoot with a gopher gun. Im not knocking you or your hunting rifle choice im sure you know enough to limit yourself but youd never catch me with anything less than a .243

[thejeanmachine16]

+1 130

[Doubletaptap]

Oh I agree with you for sure. I come from the land of 300lb deer myself!
I now live in the land of german sheperd sized deer.
Even though, you could hunt them there with a .223 We hunt 400lb. wild hawgs with .223
Shot placement is the key.
And of course you gotta deal with the laws also.

I'd say anything over a 130 grain bullet would do well. Also depending on if it's a soft point,hollow point or what.
Definitely no FMJ's cause they'll go right through.
Good luck

[DAVID NANCARROW]

I'd agree with Art Eatman-the 130 grain bullet is the classic load. I bought a Rem 700 in 270 Win from a friend a few years back, and this particular rifle likes Hornady 140 grain BTSP a bit better than the 130 grain bullets. I also noticed its not quite as explosive on game.

I suggest you experiment with the 130 and 150 weights and see what your rifle likes best.

[mete]

Having butchered a few deer taken with a 130 ,I would suggest at close range [withing 100 yds ] that you use a 150 gr !

[Jack O'Conner]

I've witnessed first hand what a well placed 270 bullet does to a muley. A golf ball sized exit hole is common. Typically the buck topples over or might bound away at the shot and fall over after a couple jumps. But either way, the 270 hits 'em hard.

130's or 150's is your choice. I've seen equal results and could not see a noticable difference at all. Sierra Pro Hunter is a keeper! I've used 'em for .243, .308, and 30-30 and they're quite accurate indeed!
Jack

[jamaica]

I reload for 270, and the 130 gr Hornady spire point is my deer medicine.

I actually quit experimnenting after working up a load that shot consistently and accurately in my rifle.

There is some logic in this. If you stick to the same load in the gun and shoot plenty at different ranges you soon become intimately familiar with what you can do with the gun and the load. No need to ever wonder if a different load will perform differently or change the impact point. ( you can be sure it will)

Yes, as has been said, the 270 with 130 gr bullets, is sudden death for a muley if you can shoot.

Why mess with what works?

Is the 110 gr too light for deer? Not if you are in the habit of hitting them between the eyes. VBG

[conradwojo]

I've ever seen is it's velocity. The lighter the bullet and the closer the target the more fragmentation you get, unless you use a solid copper or something like that. I used full power Sierra Pro Hunter 150s on deer last year and will never do that again, nothing but fragments. Not at all impressed with the Pro-Hunters. Usually I use Hornady or Nosler SP's, or even partitions. So it's not just weight, it's velocity and bullet construction. I'd go with a sturdy soft point in 130 for deer, although you could with re-loading make either of the other weights work too. A 110 would be a great killer if you could keep it together. And you don't need full power unless long distance is a factor. The .270 is a really sweet cartridge!

[castnblast]

You may play w/ the 120. But the 130 bt is the optimum. If you go the 100 or 110 as I did several years back for my dad to reduce recoil due to a neck injury, you'll need to put a good crimp on it because there is not a lot of length in the case. I had a couple come apart, and that makes a nice mess. I also had to change powder. My h4831 just would not group the 100 gr. very well. I think we changed to h4350 and got better results. I'd go w/ the 130 imo.

[Jseime]

Thanks guys I was just curious because the Sierra bullets werent specifically designated "varmint" bullets but i knew that they would be too light.

Two years ago i used 150 grain SP ammo in my .270 and it killed two deer for me and three or maybe four in other peoples hands. The 150s were good but I'm really looking forward to the 130 gr Speers.

Just as a side note i put my name in the draw for moose mule deer and antlerless mule deer. the only tag i got was antlerless mule deer so I'll be buying a whitetail tag as well. I woulda liked to get a moose tag and then I wouldnt have to buy meat this winter at school.

[hpg]

I loaded Hornady's 140gr. Spire Point for my cousin for years. He loves the 140 grain in his 270. hpg

[shureshot0471]

130grn. Sccorio Bonded Remington

[Anthony Terry]

either a 130 or preferably a 140. use a bonded tipped bullet such as the scirocco mentioned or a nosler accubond. these will give you anything you need for deer and they are both really accurate. bonded tipped are the wave of the future dude. hard to beat em, thier tryed tested and true...by yours truly.:D