270W 150g Hot Cor v 150g Nos BT v 150g SST - wet newspaper

[bobnob]

I had a selection of 3 different 150 grain cup and core bullets to test. The 150g Hot Cor, which I have used a lot in other calibres and weights but never the .277 / 150g version, as well as the 150g Nosler BT and Hornady SST both of which are favourites of mine.

I have used the SST more than most in my 270 Win. I have shot several hundred pigs with this bullet, a good numer of goats and the odd deer. In my experience it is a much better big game bullet than the 130g version.

As I like to do, I fired two of each bullet into the test media, one of each loaded to different speeds to simulate bullet strikes both near and far. In the case of this test, I loaded one of each to 2775fps and the other to about 2350fps to simulate hits around 60 and 290y respectively, when launched around 2900fps from the 270 Win.

Some results...

Speer 150g Hot Cor SP

2775fps
Penetration 11.3"
Retained weight 96g
Expanded diameter .565

2350fps
Penetration 12.5"
Retained weight 99g
Expanded diameter .475

150g Nosler Ballistic Tip

2775fps
Penetration 11.0"
Retained weight 77g
Expanded diameter .533

2350fps
Penetration 10.5"
Retained weight 102g
Expanded diameter .554

150g Hornady SST

2775fps
Penetration 10.0"
Retained weight 35g (core completely separated)
Expanded diameter .486

2350fps
Penetration 10.5"
Retained weight 109g
Expanded diameter .592

As they have a reputation for doing, the SSTs both fired at 2775 and 2350fps expanded more quickly than the others. This bullet opens up fast, I have found it fairly soft and it causes catastrophic wound trauma, fast blood loss and devastating shock. Any solid hit in the front 40% of a pig or deer usually results in bang-flops with this 150g version.

The NBT similarly opened up pretty quickly. Strangely the faster launched BT penetrated a bit more than the slower one.

A couple of photos below taken at 5 and 8 inches into the stack of newspapers shows the relative differences of the wound trauma. The order is left top, Hot Cor 2775fps / bottom 2350fps; middle top NBT 2775fps / bottom 2350; right top SST at 2775fps and bottom right SST at 2350fps...

Here's the recovered bullets in the same order...

So any conclusions guys?

For my part I am happy to declare the Hot Cor the "winner". It held together the best and penetrated the most. The SST "wound trauma" was enormous however and often that kills faster. The NBT was probably a little bit of a tweener and might be the better balanced, though the odd occurrence of the more quickly launched bullet penetrating further was weird. I've generally found the NBT as accurate or more so than the other two.

I've got nearly 300 of these Hot Cors that I picked up cheap. They shoot accurate in my Zastava Mauser at 2900fps and give me a MPBR of 280-odd yards +/- 3 inches within the point of aim. So they will get a run for a while for me.

Hope you enjoyed the test!

 

[gerry]

Great work Bob, I'm very thankful that you have tested so many 277 bullets.They all performed well in their own way, pretty impressed with the 150 gr Speer. Like the Ballistic Tip too.

 

[DrMike]

The Speer Hot Cor is a greatly underrated bullet. It works quite well to put game down. Any of those three tested, however, will account for game I should imagine. Good test, Bob.

 

[jimbires]

your in the field experience ,and test results for the SST and B-tip , mirror what I've seen as on game performance in the field . thanks for posting your test .

 

[SJB358]

Very cool. I actually like the Speer Hot Cores and they have been very accurate for me as well. The BT is a good one in my 270 WSM as well. Never tried the SST but it seems like it would work just fine at that speed. Can't wait to see how the Speers work out in the hunting fields.

 

[Guy Miner]

Nice! I love fast-expanding bullets for deer & similar game! Good test.

 

[REDGREEN]

I have used the Speer Hot Cores for a long time. They perform flawlessly on game and the ones that I have been lucky enough to recover have mushroomed beautifully. They are a great cup and core bullet.

 

[PJGunner]

Couple of my pet loads use the Speer Hot Cores. The 165 gr. in the .308 and 200 gr. in the .300 Win. Mag. Only recovered one bullet from the .308 and none from the .300. I like them.
Paul B.

 

[bcraig]

Interesting test
Seems like I remember the test you did with the 130 grain bullets showed the 130 grain bullets penetrating at least as well with much the same expanded diameter.

If my memory is correct why would anyone want to use the 150 grain when the 130 is flatter shooting and hits faster ?

Just an observation and a question.

Thanks again for taking the time and trouble to do these test.

 

[PJGunner]

Interesting test
Seems like I remember the test you did with the 130 grain bullets showed the 130 grain bullets penetrating at least as well with much the same expanded diameter.

If my memory is correct why would anyone want to use the 150 grain when the 130 is flatter shooting and hits faster ?

Just an observation and a question.

Thanks again for taking the time and trouble to do these test.

I have four rifles chambered to the .270 Win. and the 150 gr. Sierra game King and 150 gr. Nosler Partitions are head and shoulders more accurate in them than any 130 gr. I've tried. Three roles have 24" barrels and I get nearly 2900 FPS with those two bullets. I figure they'll reach out and touch just about anything I want to shoot at to 350 yards and possibly beyond, although I dislike shooting that far out if I can avoid it.
Paul B.

 

[longrangehunter]

Nice write up! As you said I suppose it would depend on which bullet provided the best accuracy first and foremost. All three look like they would have preformed well in the order in which you have them.

 

[boomer68]

Very good review, thank you!

 

[bcraig]

Interesting test
Seems like I remember the test you did with the 130 grain bullets showed the 130 grain bullets penetrating at least as well with much the same expanded diameter.

If my memory is correct why would anyone want to use the 150 grain when the 130 is flatter shooting and hits faster ?

Just an observation and a question.

Thanks again for taking the time and trouble to do these test.

I have four rifles chambered to the .270 Win. and the 150 gr. Sierra game King and 150 gr. Nosler Partitions are head and shoulders more accurate in them than any 130 gr. I've tried. Three roles have 24" barrels and I get nearly 2900 FPS with those two bullets. I figure they'll reach out and touch just about anything I want to shoot at to 350 yards and possibly beyond, although I dislike shooting that far out if I can avoid it.
Paul B.

I shoot a Tikka Super Lite 270 Win and with the Federal Fusion 130 grain it will put 3 into .75 inch at a hundred off a rest bout as fast as I can work the bolt. This with a Leupold VX1 3-9x40.
Using the Hornady Whitetail 130 grain it does .80 inch

Although I do reload(8mm JS) I see no need to reload for this rifle !
Most of my shots are 250 and under but I would have no issue using this rifle and either of the 2 factory loads I mentioned at 350 yards.
I dont what the velocity is but expect it is within 50 FPS of the 3050 listed for the loads.

 

[JD338]

Nice work Bob. Interesting results.

JD338

 

[sask boy]

Being 270win type guy, I found this test very interesting :wink:. Bob thank you for doing the test & posting your results!!!

Blessings,
Dan

 

[FOTIS]

Great work. Nicely done

 

[Kodiak]

I would have no problem using the NBT or SST bullet in my .270wsm, as both group into less than 1/2" when fired with max loads. Should do the job,

 

[3deers]

Thank you for the nice work, Bob.
Great Pics !!!

As an aside, I'm in the market for a new scale, and I like yours!!
Can I get a Make and Model ?

 

[DrMike]

Thank you for the nice work, Bob.
Great Pics !!!

As an aside, I'm in the market for a new scale, and I like yours!!
Can I get a Make and Model ?

Look at the Frankfort Arsenal DS 750 Scale.

http://www.gradysoutdoors.com/shop/frankford-arsenal-ds-750-digital-scale-570