Best elk bullet for the old .270

[starbailey]

If your stuck with factory ammo go to the Nosler site and look at some of their ammo. A little pricey but well worth it. I'd stick with the 150 partitions for elk but I do love the performance of the 140 accubonds.

[b23]

I've killed 2 elk with my 270 using the Hornady Superformance 130gr Interbond. Not long range shots (75 and 125yds) but I'd feel confident with them out to 300yds. I've been able to find them consistently on the shelves when I need them. They are very fast at 3200fps.

Unless you find some old stock that somebody still has on their shelves, I don't believe Hornady still makes the Supeformance for 270win with 130 Interbond.

If you like Berger's VLD bullets, I'm pretty sure HSM has a premium line of ammo that uses the Berger 130gr VLD in 270win.

You'll have plenty of options that's for sure but if it were me, I'd start with a box of the Hornady Superformance with the 130 SST and see how they shot for me, then go from there.

[h20hunter]

Here is my 150gr Barnes from my 2013 spring bear hunt. Clearly I did not get text book expansion...probably could have used a few more fps. However, weight retention was awesome and terminal performance was devastating.

[Mxracer532]

If it were me I would go with the HSM 130gn Berger VLD's Hands down! Berger bullets have been by far the most accurate bullet I have shot and also been the best on Mule deer at LONG RANGE 520 yards last yr. (.243 and 95gn vld at that) Buck didnt take 3 steps.
I used the same load on my spring bear this yr. If I remember right 279 yards (pass through) went 40 yards or so till I got a another in him. (Quartered too shot through front shoulder) dropped on the spot.

[Mxracer532]

Here is my 150gr Barnes from my 2013 spring bear hunt. Clearly I did not get text book expansion...probably could have used a few more fps. However, weight retention was awesome and terminal performance was devastating.

IMO thats bullet failure.  Basically a FMJ.

[b23]

Here is my 150gr Barnes from my 2013 spring bear hunt. Clearly I did not get text book expansion...probably could have used a few more fps. However, weight retention was awesome and terminal performance was devastating.

IMO thats bullet failure.  Basically a FMJ.

I would, mostly, be in agreement with you, BUT, philosophically speaking, that bullet did exactly what a bullet of its type is supposed to do.  It, obviously, had maximum weight retention and, I'm assuming because I wasn't actually there, had full penetration.  And, the animal was reclaimed.  Although that type of bullet and its performance is NOT to my liking, I don't know how I could really say it had bullet failure because it actually did everything that type of bullet is intended to do.

What is more puzzling to me though is why so many 270 Winnie shooters use 150gr bullets when the 130 or 140 grainers clearly outperform them and I don't only mean because the 130's or 140's shoot flatter but they produce more energy as well.  My pops has been a 270cal fan forever and he has loaded 270win. for a couple of his friends for about as long as I can remember and though he has changed bullet types as new designs have become available, he still only loads 130's.  If I recall correctly, the last few years he had his 270wby, before he rebarreled it to something else, he shot a medium sized 5pt bull with a Nosler 140.

[h20hunter]

The bullet did not fail. It exited the gun, landed where I put it, went in at a hard angle, took out the liver, lung, lung, broke the far shoulder and stopped under the hide. Distance traveled inside the bear was probably close to 2 feet. The animal took about 4 steps and died.

I typically shoot a 130gr and have had just as good of performance on bear. I tried the 150's to have a little mass and obviously could have worked up my velocity a bit to achieve pretty mushroom affect.

Here is another angle.

[Curly]

Here is on that Midway has available.  Federal Premium.....says solid copper bullet (but doesn't say brand of bullet......wonder if it is a Barnes?)

[coachcw]

Hornady super performance sst 150 ! ha cha !

[bobcat]

What is more puzzling to me though is why so many 270 Winnie shooters use 150gr bullets when the 130 or 140 grainers clearly outperform them and I don't only mean because the 130's or 140's shoot flatter but they produce more energy as well.

Same reason some people use 180s in the 30-06.

[b23]

And that is why I believe it's more of a philosophical view than a clear cut case of bullet failure.

I hear the EXACT same thing with regard to Berger bullets, EXCEPT, their bullets are intended to do the exact opposite.  Berger wants their bullet to penetrate the hide then go off like a grenade inside the animal creating a very large wound channel for maximum bleed out.

IMO, the people that prefer maximum penetration, often, claim Berger type bullets, that are intended to create very large wound channels, have bullet failure because they have considerably less retained weight and the people on the other side of the fence call foul when bullets don't expand very much but in all actuality, BOTH, bullets are doing exactly what they were designed to do. 

Whether you call it bullet failure or not, is likely more dependent on which point of view you buy into versus another.  Like you said, the bullet exited the barrel and you recovered the animal, how can anyone say the bullet failed to do its job.

[bobcat]

By the way, I like 150s in the 270 and 180s in the 30-06. The only disadvantage I see is a bit more recoil.

[h20hunter]

And that is why I believe it's more of a philosophical view than a clear cut case of bullet failure.

I hear the EXACT same thing with regard to Berger bullets, EXCEPT, their bullets are intended to do the exact opposite.  Berger wants their bullet to penetrate the hide then go off like a grenade inside the animal creating a very large wound channel for maximum bleed out.

IMO, the people that prefer maximum penetration, often, claim Berger type bullets, that are intended to create very large wound channels, have bullet failure because they have considerably less retained weight and the people on the other side of the fence call foul when bullets don't expand very much but in all actuality, BOTH, bullets are doing exactly what they were designed to do. 

Whether you call it bullet failure or not, is likely more dependent on which point of view you buy into versus another.  Like you said, the bullet exited the barrel and you recovered the animal, how can anyone say the bullet failed to do its job.

Agree. 2nd easiest recovery ever for me. However, I'd be happy to sit around a fire and have a spirited debate about bullet performance and "to have failed or not to have failed".

[b23]

By the way, I like 150s in the 270 and 180s in the 30-06. The only disadvantage I see is a bit more recoil.

I completely understand there is MANY ways to skin a cat but is there anything particular you like about the 150 over the 130 or is it just what works for you so why change it kind of thing?

[bobcat]

Higher ballistic coefficient, virtually the same trajectory as a 130 with less wind drift, more penetration... What's not to like?

Ever notice what weight bullets the long range guys use?