Hey, let me start by saying that I don't and never have reloaded, I just have a question. I hunt coyotes with my shotgun and .17 HMR. I own a .270 but I would like to know what the smallest possible grain bullet you could use to reload some brass? Also if there any way that if you reload with less powder will that take away some of the recoil? If anyone would like to help and reload I would pay for the services? I mostly want something that only needs to shoot 200-250 yards consistantly and preserve pelts. As I said it would only be used for coyotes so I dont need all the knock down power that regular bullets have? Thanks. Alex
.270 Coyote Load
- Thread starter nc hunter
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nc hunter,
I have shot coyotes using a .270 Win. using my whitetail deer load which consists of a 150 gr. Ballistic Tip. It'll knock 'em down like a freight train hit them and because the bullet is not a "varmint" bullet, it doesn't tear them up as bad as a lot of the lighter weight bullets. Just go ahead and try what you've been using and see how it works, you might not need anything else!
I have shot coyotes using a .270 Win. using my whitetail deer load which consists of a 150 gr. Ballistic Tip. It'll knock 'em down like a freight train hit them and because the bullet is not a "varmint" bullet, it doesn't tear them up as bad as a lot of the lighter weight bullets. Just go ahead and try what you've been using and see how it works, you might not need anything else!
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- #3
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Richracer1
Handloader
- May 12, 2005
- 2,138
- 117
My suggestion would be to find someone to load you some 90gn Sierra HPs. I've used them in my 270WSM with Varget providing the propulsion.
Barnes makes a 120 grain spitzer solid for the .270 Winchester, which is designed specifically for killing fur-bearing game without damaging the pelts.
My older Barnes manual shows starting loads for it which produce velocities of about 2950 fps. If you have an 8 lb rifle, that's only about 12.5 ft/lbs of free recoil (as compared to about 17.5 ft/lbs free recoil with a 150 grain bullet having a MV of 2900 fps).
There are ways to create reduced loads beneath the published minimums, but there are some safety issues when you decrease powder charges too much, and I don't have the expertise to advise you on that.
But if you could find a load that dropped the velocity to about 2600 fps, and assuming that the vital area of a coyote is 5 inches, you'd have a load with a maximum point blank range of 250 yards using a non-expanding, pelt-saving bullet. The problem would be one of where the bullet ends up . . . since it'll punch right through a coyote without losing much velocity.
(Disclaimer -- I'm not a huge Barnes fan)
Brian
My older Barnes manual shows starting loads for it which produce velocities of about 2950 fps. If you have an 8 lb rifle, that's only about 12.5 ft/lbs of free recoil (as compared to about 17.5 ft/lbs free recoil with a 150 grain bullet having a MV of 2900 fps).
There are ways to create reduced loads beneath the published minimums, but there are some safety issues when you decrease powder charges too much, and I don't have the expertise to advise you on that.
But if you could find a load that dropped the velocity to about 2600 fps, and assuming that the vital area of a coyote is 5 inches, you'd have a load with a maximum point blank range of 250 yards using a non-expanding, pelt-saving bullet. The problem would be one of where the bullet ends up . . . since it'll punch right through a coyote without losing much velocity.
(Disclaimer -- I'm not a huge Barnes fan)
Brian
- Thread starter
- #7
Brian, would this load make my .270 shoot lsomething like the .220,.250, or something like that as far as preserving pelts? Then also reduce recoil as I mentioned? It seems that that is how I understand it and if so then that is definatly what I am looking for!! Also, as I said I know nothing aout reloading and was wondering if you could load like that last scenerio mentioned? If so I would whatever you thought would be reasonable? Thanks. Alex
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,276
- 2,989
You can use your big game loads for coyotes to hone your skills and by using the same loads you use for big game you get familiar with the particulars of that load.
If you insist on using a varmint bullet try these. Cheap and accurate
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=646319
If you insist on using a varmint bullet try these. Cheap and accurate
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=646319
Sorry, nc hunter, I don't reload for others.
In answer to your question, using a Barnes solid would not be like using a high-velocty .22.
As a rule, the .22 caliber varmint rounds (.220, .22-250, .223, etc) shoot very light, very fragile bullets at very high velocity. The bullets are specifically designed to expand easily and quickly, the rapid, explosive expansion causing massive tissue damage but limited penetration. If your top priority is to preserve pelts, you should probably stay away from such bullets and use a solid, like the Barnes.
Though I myself have never hunted coyotes, I like POP's suggestion that you use your hunting loads for coyotes.
Hunting bullets -- ones you might use for deer -- would expand and although they'd likely damage pelts more than a solid would, I expect the damage would almost always be much less than that caused by a high velocity varmint load, or, for that matter, the lightest bullets in a .270 going at very high velocity.
It's a cliche to say it, but practice at the range is crucial: for one thing, I suspect that simply firing your rifle a lot will go a long way towards helping you manage your .270's recoil, which you may come to find isn't all that much of a problem after all.
And range time will give you a feel for how accurate the combination of rifle/load/you is, and make safe handling of your rifle automatic (very important).
Also, range practice will familiarize you with both the actual trajectory of your bullets at ranges beyond 100 yards (which can differ quite a bit from what the tables say) and with the effects of wind on your bullet's path.
It's important to familiarize yourself with all of these things before you try to hunt, and it goes without saying that once you know your rifle and its capabilities and limitations, you'll be much less likely to wound your quarry, and much more likely to make clean, quick one-shot kills, which for me would be much more important than preserving the animal's pelt (just my opinion).
FWIW -- if it were me, I'd start with a 130 grain Ballistic Tip, which seems to shoot accurately in most .270s. It's a good deer bullet and I expect it'd be just as good on coyotes , if it's placed properly in the vital zone.
Good luck.
Brian
In answer to your question, using a Barnes solid would not be like using a high-velocty .22.
As a rule, the .22 caliber varmint rounds (.220, .22-250, .223, etc) shoot very light, very fragile bullets at very high velocity. The bullets are specifically designed to expand easily and quickly, the rapid, explosive expansion causing massive tissue damage but limited penetration. If your top priority is to preserve pelts, you should probably stay away from such bullets and use a solid, like the Barnes.
Though I myself have never hunted coyotes, I like POP's suggestion that you use your hunting loads for coyotes.
Hunting bullets -- ones you might use for deer -- would expand and although they'd likely damage pelts more than a solid would, I expect the damage would almost always be much less than that caused by a high velocity varmint load, or, for that matter, the lightest bullets in a .270 going at very high velocity.
It's a cliche to say it, but practice at the range is crucial: for one thing, I suspect that simply firing your rifle a lot will go a long way towards helping you manage your .270's recoil, which you may come to find isn't all that much of a problem after all.
And range time will give you a feel for how accurate the combination of rifle/load/you is, and make safe handling of your rifle automatic (very important).
Also, range practice will familiarize you with both the actual trajectory of your bullets at ranges beyond 100 yards (which can differ quite a bit from what the tables say) and with the effects of wind on your bullet's path.
It's important to familiarize yourself with all of these things before you try to hunt, and it goes without saying that once you know your rifle and its capabilities and limitations, you'll be much less likely to wound your quarry, and much more likely to make clean, quick one-shot kills, which for me would be much more important than preserving the animal's pelt (just my opinion).
FWIW -- if it were me, I'd start with a 130 grain Ballistic Tip, which seems to shoot accurately in most .270s. It's a good deer bullet and I expect it'd be just as good on coyotes , if it's placed properly in the vital zone.
Good luck.
Brian
The One and Only WV Hunte
Beginner
- Jan 18, 2007
- 10
- 0
About a month befor deer season i boughta box of 130 grain Triple Shock X-Bullets from barnes. Although they do not create enough damage to kill a deer so far they have been very good on predators. I was fortunate enough to take a red fox the second week of deer season. The shot was through the ears at 250 yards. Entrance Hole was .270 Win bullet diamiter. Exit hole was about the size of a silver dollar.
The load is:
Barnes Triple Shock X-Bullet 130 Gr. .270 Winchester
Winchester Cases
CCI 200 large rifle primers
IMR 4350 Powder (51.5 Grains of powder)
By my calculations that load produces about 13.4 Pounds of recoil with an eight pound rifle, and 2,900 Feet per second at the muzzle.
A factory remington cartridge for 130 grain bullet produces 11.5 pounds of recoil, and 2500 feet per second give or take a few hundred.
The load is:
Barnes Triple Shock X-Bullet 130 Gr. .270 Winchester
Winchester Cases
CCI 200 large rifle primers
IMR 4350 Powder (51.5 Grains of powder)
By my calculations that load produces about 13.4 Pounds of recoil with an eight pound rifle, and 2,900 Feet per second at the muzzle.
A factory remington cartridge for 130 grain bullet produces 11.5 pounds of recoil, and 2500 feet per second give or take a few hundred.
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,381
- 1,014
Sorry- I tried to post last night and couldnt get on. We'lll seee how this goes. A 130 Gr. Barnes X that wont do in a deer out of a 270???? Not to be critical but maybe I didnt understand.
If you dont reload, does Remmington make a managed recoil recoil load for the 270? I havent tried any of them but the pricipal of a loaded down lighter weight bullet might suit your needs on both counts.
Or it might blow them coyotes up bad- I dont know. You would think the X bullet would punch through with minimal damage.
Sorry not helping much but i do find it an interesting question. CL
If you dont reload, does Remmington make a managed recoil recoil load for the 270? I havent tried any of them but the pricipal of a loaded down lighter weight bullet might suit your needs on both counts.
Or it might blow them coyotes up bad- I dont know. You would think the X bullet would punch through with minimal damage.
Sorry not helping much but i do find it an interesting question. CL
the load that i use is 58.5 grains of imr4831 with 130 grain interlock from hornady with a cci 250 large rifle magnum primer. the bullet is flying at 3100 fps. with my 270 i have shot a coyote out at about 850 yards and dropped him right then and there. when i went up to him the bullet had gone straight through him and about 11 inches into the ground. but if you are going to use this load start out at 54 grains then work your way up. if you need anything else about any gun just email me at cycleboy91@hotmail.com
