6.8/.277 Speer bullet in .270 Win?

[bamaranger]

Has anybody worked with the .277 115gr Gold Dot/Fusion bullet in the .270 Win? A call to Speer got the answer "We have no data" but the bullet is loaded to 2800 fps or so in the Grendel. I'm wanting to drive it to 3150fps +/- in the .270. I'm sure it can reach that velocity........do you think it will hold together on whitetails.

Sierra has discontinued the .277/110 which was a bit frangible in .270but killed like lightning in my limited experience. Nosler has the Accubond, but they are a wee bit pricey. The Gold Dot is priced right, will it hold up on game?

[T. O'Heir]

Hodgdon shows 110 and 120(a Barnes solid) grain data. They show 90 and 100 grain bullets too.
The 110, which is close enough, 5 grains won't matter much, is a regular Hornady HP. Start loads run around 3,000/3,100 FPS. Max loads between 3,000 and 3,300 with one running 3,396. Those bullet weights in .277" are usually varmint bullets.
Mind you, Speer markets GD's as "Personal Defence" bullets. So I'm thinking it probably would be OK for deer
There might be proper 115 grain data in a manual. Not at home to look.
There is 115 grain data here. https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading.../?cartridge=15
Midway has 'em on sale at $12.59 per 50 with an available rebate.
No$ler stuff has always been pricey.

[Unclenick]

The Gold Dots have a form of plated jacket rather than being cup and core, and in recognition of that being a little more delicate, they coat them with hBN powder, which reduces bore friction and generally makes you need a little more powder than a jacketed counterpart would. But being about 4.5% heavier than the 110's may make up fo that. So I, too, would expect the 110-grain data to suffice.

As to expansion, Speer couldn't give you a maximum expansion velocity? In that situation, I would drive them to 2800 fps and see how they behave in water jugs or wet newspaper, then up the velocity to see how the recovered bullets compare. (3150/2800)²=126% more energy. That may or may not drive it over the edge.

[Pathfinder45]

What? Is there a sudden shortage of proper game bullets for 270 Winchester now? I would just use those for practice, plinking, and maybe varmints, unless there is an actual shortage of game bullets. You can probably get that bullet up to 3,300 fps, but it might not be practical since it was designed for a substantially lower velocity. Still, they might be perfect for a reduced-power, low-recoil, load for deer that are not so far away.

[Unclenick]

That's a fair point. On another forum, a fellow wanting to run 30-30 FP bullets in .308 didn't like the idea he'd have to load down to avoid their impact disintegration at eastern woods hunting distances. But there's no choice if the bullet can't take it, so you either devise tests to see how far you can take them or you buy some bullets rated for the chore. The latter is almost inevitably going to be cheaper when your time and transportation and test supply costs are taken into account. Nosler makes a 110-grain Accubond and Barnes makes a 110-grain TAC-X, both of which should handle the higher .270 velocities and hold together better on impact than the 115-grain Gold Dots. Both are about $30 a box or $0.60/bullet at Midway.

[bamaranger]

Lots of game bullets, and I am well aware that the .270 made its reputation on 130 grain projectiles. But my .270 for reasons only known to the gremlins that haunt it, will only make about 2800 fps with its accuracy load with a 130 from its 22" tube,and that is too slow to suit. The moderate velocity negates the flat trajectory for which the round is known. I could move it along, rebarrel, or.......go to a a lighter slug and boost velocity.

The 110 Accubond is probably the answer, I just hate to give for them. I've taken the same stance with Partitions and Ballistic Tips. Nosler must make them out of gold. .......or think their gold. I'm a big Sierra fan, but their stuff has nearly gotten out of hand price wise as well. Hornady's bullets sell for near half the price of any Nosler, and are far easier to find in my area. They run about $10 a box cheaper than Sierra's too.

I got interested in the Sierra .277/110 working up reduced loads for youngsters. Reports back from those folks killing deer with my youth loads were positive. Why not boost velocity a bit and make a fast, flat load for my pedestrian .270? So I did, and results have been satisfactory thus far on our medium sizes whitetails. A broadside shot will usually give a pass through, quartering shots usually do not exit. By the way, I've found about the same results with a 130 Ballistic Tip.

[Pathfinder45]

Have you tried 150 grain bullets? Some 270's show a distinct preference for them; mine does. You might be able to get an accurate loading at higher velocity with 150's.

[Unclenick]

Originally Posted by bamaranger

The moderate velocity negates the flat trajectory for which the round is known.

Hmm, have you calculated how much? Keep in mind the heavier bullets, if the nose and tail shapes match, will have higher BC, so they start out slower but maintain velocity better.

[T. O'Heir]

Had a look at a couple of my old manuals. Lyman and Hodgdon circa 1977. Neither of 'em listed a 115 .270 bullet at all. Kind of surprised me.
Just had a look on-line for 115 grain .270 ammo. It seems Remington loaded(Midway shows 'em as discontinued. Target Sports says they have some. $15.99 per 20.) a Cor-Lokt PSP at 2710 FPS.
A 130 at 2800 FPS is just as deadly as a 115 at 3300 FPS.
"...No$ler must make them out of gold..." Hence the '$'. snicker. Actually more about No$ler being European and duty, but No$ler stuff has always been over price. Never seen a high priced hunting bullet that killed any more than any other bullet.
Anyway, I'd try the Gold Dots on varmints(coyotes) between now and deer season just to see what kind of hole they make. Everybody says the .30 Carbine isn't enough for deer(ours run to 300 pounds too), but a Speer 110 grain HP makes a hole the size of a grapefruit in a ground hog. I wouldn't think twice about using my Carbine(if our idiot government hadn't declared the Carbine evil) on deer.

[bamaranger]

No........I have not calculated how much flatter a 110/115 would be, and that is a valid point. I cannot imagine a taking a shot at a whitetail much past 300 yds, but I understand how a heavier slug could well drop less further out.

As an example, my 68-69 gr .223 loads are flatter than 62's past 400 and on out to 600.

I'll get one of my ballistic app buddies to crunch my 130 v. 110 numbers and we'll see.

[Unclenick]

What will matter is the zero range you want to use and the height of the point-blank range definition window you want to use and the BC's of the bullets, their initial velocities and how high your sight is above your bore line (1.5" typical with many scopes). These factors all affect how high the initial trajectory arc is. The amount a flatter-shooting bullet then extends your point-blank range is all about what happens past the zero range. Often the difference is much less than folks suppose it will be.