270 winchester bear loads

[machine]

Going to be hunting bears with a 270 come august.I'm thinking about using federal vital shock loaded with 130 grain game king bullets.Should I step it up to 150 grains and not shoot as flat?what factory bullets do you 270 shooters like for bear?

[carpsniperg2]

the 130 will be fine just shoot what the gun groups best with plenty of bears have been killed with a 130g bullet

[bobcat]

There's really not enough difference in trajectory between the 130 and 150 grain in the 270 to make a whole lot of difference. Either one will kill a bear. But I would favor the 150 as long as it shoots as accurately in your rifle as the lighter bullet.

[h20hunter]

Big fan on the Barnes Triple Shock. I like a very solid bullet when hunting dangerous game. I'm a believer in the shoulder/lung shot for bears and want a bullet that will really hold together as it hits bone. Overall, whichever one shoots the best.

[bearmanric]

i like 130. i'm shooting 130 gr Rem corelocks. in my 270wsm stainless stalker. very accurate . Rick

[Archery King]

130 my favorite

[C-Money]

I shoot 140 accubonds in my .270 win. But like said before, shoot what your gun groups best!

[saylean]

Used a .270 on my first bear...should be a fine load.

Good luck, shoot straight.

I use a 165 grain in .300 wsm nowadays...although this season, I will be using a bow.

[SkookumHntr]

-Go with the 150,  270 is alittle light for bear so use the heaviest bullet you can! Even better if you can get ahold of a 30 cal in anything! Bears are tough animals!

[halflife65]

I've shot a couple of bears with a 270.  One when I was deer hunting and had 130 grain Sierras and the other when I was spefically hunting bears with 150 gr Nosler Partitions.  Both seemed fine.

I think that a .270 is a fine caliber for black bears.  If you were hunting grizzlies/brown bears, maybe not.

[SkookumHntr]

the 130 will be fine just shoot what the gun groups best with plenty of bears have been killed with a 130g bullet

And plenty lost! Use the 150 grn Noslers. Still not ideal but if its the only gun you got use the heavier bullet!

[billythekidrock]

I have killed a lot of bears with my .270, mostly with 130s. Shoot what shoots best and you should be fine.

[C-Money]

I don't want a caliber war thread here, but I don't see how a black bear would not be vaporized by a well placed shot from a .270 regardless if its a 130, 140, or 150. Black bears are not Brown/grizzles. I have never killed a bear, but have been in camp when a bear was killed by a friend with a .270, and the chest was very heavily damaged.

[Curly]

Wasn't Ralph Flowers' gun of choice a .270?  I wonder what grain bullet he used.........probably 130 since they are the most popular.

[Curly]

And plenty lost! Use the 150 grn Noslers. Still not ideal but if its the only gun you got use the heavier bullet!

Could always go with the 160gr Nosler Partition.........but 130, 150 or 160......doesn't really matter.  Like Carp and others said, whatever shoots best.

[Bscman]

With a non-bonded bullet, 150gr without a doubt.
Any good quality bonded bullet I'd probably lean 150gr if it shoots well, but wouldn't hesitate with a 130gr.

My #1 would be a Barnes Triple Shock...most likely the 130's will shoot better than the 150's with this bullet. Either will be MORE than enough for a WA state blackie.

Modern bullet technology will change the way you view "smaller" calibers on "bigger" game...once you see the results first hand.

[klickitat]

find a ballistics table for the .270 and compare energy at the furthest yardage you are competent shooting at.

BTW: if a bow and arrow will kill it  then a .270 has nothing to worry about.

[Coasthunterjay]

Modern bullet technology will change the way you view "smaller" calibers on "bigger" game...once you see the results first hand.

Agreed...

Partitions hand down are a great bullet....but going to 150 will loose you distance...

Also im a big bonded bullet fan...going bonded allows you to use a little less grain bullet and still produce the knock down power of the higher grained bullet. and in return allowing you to have a higher performance round. FASTER+KNOCKDOWN=DEAD EVERYTIME! Well as long as you can aim at what your shooting at....lol...

But personnel preferance.....
Accubonds are my favorite(ILL EXPLAIN MY REASONS), but i have alot of friends that ive seen first hand have had great results with the Barnes TSX....The only thing or technical difference between the two is that the barnes vs nosler, weight for weight will have a lower BC(balistic cofficiency), not much, but it does.... Which not sure if you know what that means, basically is how well it will fly. So the higher the BC..the better it flys and more accurate at longer distances it will fly....im talking at ranges ot past 500YRDS...Which for most are not trained or proficiant enough to shoot those distances...So in most cases most this idoesnt matter...but back to what i was saying.

I guess I should explain that a little better...if you measure a 140 grain accubond(or ballistic tip, its in the upper 400BC almost 500BC i think...which is really good) its basically the highest BC 270 bullet on the market...because its almost perfectly aerodymanic or better shaped like a foot ball. perfect length for the calibers width. The Barnes tsx 140 bullet if you take a micrometer will be slightly longer which makes it a hair longer..making it a hair unbalanced or i dont know how to say this...um...not as TRUE i guess...and in return actually makes the 130 grain barnes tsx a better option because the BC(balistic cofficiency) is better.

But in the END...if you take a common higher grained bullet...140-150 grained bullet and get good sucessful groups with it..IDE STICK with it...aim for the sweet spot..which is actually shallower in the body cavity than most think..and wait for a stepping off shot and hope that the bullet will take out the back leg going back words...a nice open shot is what you want...BUT AGAIN JUST MY OPINION! probably plenty that will agree with and some that might disagree...but then again there are alot of different ways to skin a cat...lol

[bobcat]

Partitions hand down are a great bullet....but going to 150 will loose you distance...

Not really. Maybe 3 or 4 inches more drop at 400 yards. Not enough to matter. With either one, when you get much over 300 yards, you should have a rangefinder and know how much the bullet drops at that range. Also, the 150 grain, with a higher B.C. will be pushed less by the wind.

[BOWHUNTER45]

This subject keeps popping up.... Not that I am one to brag about anything but I have shoot thousands of rounds threw a .270 from target practice to coyotes to elk and bear ... the ONLY BULLET THAT COMES OUT OF MY .270 IS 140 GR. HORNADAY BOATTAIL AND HAND LOADED WITH IMR 4831 AND taking 21 bear from 25 yds out to 500 + yds this bullet has been flawless ... and has dropped every animal it has come in contact with... But it doesnt matter when the bullet doesnt land in the kill zone.....it is all about bullet placement  , if you cant shoot for *censored* a 300 ultra mag. wont help ya neither!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jdb]

the 130 will be fine just shoot what the gun groups best with plenty of bears have been killed with a 130g bullet

And plenty lost! Use the 150 grn Noslers. Still not ideal but if its the only gun you got use the heavier bullet!

so exactly what is ideal?

[jdb]

a good friend of mines family for years had the government contracts for problem bears in washington state they have killed many many many bears and their favorite bear guns were remington pumps in .270. and they favored the old 130 grain silver tip.

[BOWHUNTER45]

And I MUST SAY ONE MORE THING, IF you have not taken many bear I would suggest shooting alittle high in the shoulder and you will see a bear drop in his tracks .. Shooting a bear threw the lungs will end up with you tracking him threw brush and most likely well over 100 yds before you recover him....Just 30 yrs of bear killing experience talking......not just talking but a whole lot of killin.......

[bobcat]

I shot a bear through the center of the heart with a 30-06 and 180 Winchester Power Points. He still was able to run 100 yards.

[BOWHUNTER45]

LOAD UP A FEW 140 GR. HORNADAYS WITH IMR 4831 , SHOOT YOUR GUN IN ABOUT 1 1/4 HIGH AT 100YDS  ( FROM CENTER OF BULLSEYE ) PUT YOURSELF A MILK JUG AT 300 YDS HOLD DEAD ON ( SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER) AND SEE HOW THAT TREATS YA !!!!!!!THIS BULLET IS SERIOSLY FLAT SHOOTIN AND DEFINATELY WILL DROP *censored*.....

[carpsniperg2]

good soild bullet like the nosler partition and you will be good to go

[bearpaw]

Partition is good, but because the triple shock retains its weight, it will get better penetration and will more often shoot clear through a bear which is extremely important for tracking a bear. Entry holes do not bleed on bear, you need an exit hole.

I have seen hundreds of bear killed with just about every modern rifle and pistol caliber ever produced. The .284 and larger calibers are definitely better, the 444, 45/70, or 12 ga slug/buckshot really drops them at close range and at longer ranges any of the 300+ magnums are extremely good.

But put a triple shock in your 270, sight it in dead-on at 200 yds, and avoid shooting past 300 yards and you will do OK. The partitions will work too, but the Barnes will work better because they retain their weight and will penetrate deeper.

The average hunter does not hold a good enough group past 300 yards to consistently put a killing shot on a bear with any caliber.

Almost forgot to add, try to get the vitals and break at least one front shoulder and you will do OK.

[carpsniperg2]

yep good point bearpaw about tryin to break one of the shoulder but always go for vitals first and try to break the opposite shoulder. i have shot the barnes but i had very poor results on paper with them and the only bullet i have ever shot that i have seen key hole and they were doing it at 100 yards as well not sure what was up i only use there handgun bullets now and muzzle bullets

[bearpaw]

If your gun won't group the Barnes then I agree they are no good for that gun. From what I have seen with the barnes you can just bulldoze right through the shoulder take out some vitals and exit the other side. Truly an amazing bullet.

Before Barnes came along the Partition was one of my favorites. I have also shot a bunch of Corelocks but sometimes I shake my head at the poor construction and the way they come apart, especially if they hit some bone.

The big difference is the tough construction on the Barnes, it retains it's weight, so you can shoot a lighter bullet and get better penetration than you would in a heavier bullet of almost all other brands.

FYI - The Remington guy we had at our competition shoot told us that Remington has bought Barnes and will be lowering the cost and tightening the specs on the Barnes bullets. Thought you might find that interesting. They are also releasing factory Remington ammo with Barnes bullets.

[carpsniperg2]

very nice to know.

[Coasthunterjay]

Ok i looked it up...140 grain accubonds measure at .496...WHICH IS CRAZY GOOD!

Best Balistic cofficiency for a 270.

and the barnes TSX 140 grain is .404, there 130 is higher....(.431)..both being a lower BC...which means in return that it isnt as perfect

BUT REMEMBER THIS IS SO MINUTE THAT ANYTHING OVER .350 IS A RELIABLE HUNTING BC. ANYTHING OVER .400 IS BETTER..AND WELL .496 IS CRAZY! LOL...

OH AND THE PARTION 150 GRAIN IS .465 the 140 partition is lower at .432....JUST FACTS.....lol...

but remember this also...its all about what your gun likes spitting out...if it groups one better than the other..pick that one...lol

GOOD LUCK MAN!

[Coasthunterjay]

The average hunter does not hold a good enough group past 300 yards to consistently put a killing shot on a bear with any caliber.
Almost forgot to add, try to get the vitals and break at least one front shoulder and you will do OK.

AGREED! Hands down....

Oh and for an actual answer.....stick with a 140 grain bonded bullet( because of weight retention and higher BC, a bonded bullet will retain over 20% more of its weight than other none bonded bullets) and IMR4831...NO short cut..i have tried both and for some reason my gun doesnt like the short cut 4831.

[hunterheinz]

My dad uses a win. model 70 in .270 with 140 Acccubonds.-Great on Bears out to 300.
Great caliber if shot placement is right.

[Bscman]

yep good point bearpaw about tryin to break one of the shoulder but always go for vitals first and try to break the opposite shoulder. i have shot the barnes but i had very poor results on paper with them and the only bullet i have ever shot that i have seen key hole and they were doing it at 100 yards as well not sure what was up i only use there handgun bullets now and muzzle bullets

A lot of times you may have to step down a weight when switching to a Barnes TSX or similar. They are less dense than lead, which means they are slightly longer...which can affect stabilization depending on your rifle and twist rate. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, because the performance of said bullet will allow you to step down to a slightly lighter bullet and still get superior performance...and a flatter trajectory.

Also, if you load your own ammunition, try to give them a .040-.060 jump off the lands. They seem to be a bit finicky until you find the right OAL for your rifle...when you get it right, you'll surely know it.

[huntlakewood]

Its all about shot placement

[Squatch]

I use 130 g Accubonds.  However, the Barns X bullets are hard to beat too.