Meat friendly .270 Winchester "woods load"?

preacher

Handloader
Aug 19, 2012
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You guys that hunt the deep woods (shots right at and under 100yds anywhere) what do you use in your .270 that doesn't bloodshot a lot of meat? Deer/hog or even elk? I used the old Winchester factory load .270/140 Failsafe up close on a finish shot, a big Spanish billy, maybe 125 lbs, no bloodshot meat ( though we didn't eat that smelly devil!) I also used a 7mm Rem mag 150 Partition going 3200 on a close Georgia whitetail with no bloodshot.
Do you slow yours down ( I hate to do that) or use a Premium bullet going fast? thanks.
 
My favorite load shoots a 160 gr Partition to 2820 fps and should fit what you are looking for. haven't noticed any problems with excessive meat damage on the bears I have taken with it. Flies better than you would expect too out to 300 yards which is as far as I have shot that load so far.
 
Don't own a 27 Whelen but I do load heavy for caliber bullets which usually are not explosive like light bullets at higher velocity. A good bonded bullet also helps.
 
I like a Hornady interlock bullet for deer hunting . I use a lot of the 139 spbt at about 2850 FPS . I made a load up for my 7 rem mag using the 154 sp flat base bullet I think it runs about 3100 or 3150 fps . I don't seem to get excessive damage . a lot depends on how it hits . I try for through the ribs .
 
Loaded my son some Hornady 130SST over max load of IMR4831 He didn't like them said they didn't make big enough hole for him but killed the deer without too much damage. Dan.
 
I've had good luck with the 130 E-tip over stiff load of IMR 4831. Meat destruction has not been excessive, expansion on the few bullets I've recovered has been excellent, and no concerns about errant lead fragments.
 
Forgot about the Etip 130. Son used it this year and it did very little damage at about 100yds. Less than the Hornady for sure. Dan.
 
I haven't used the 270 Win but premium heavy for caliber bullets have always worked well for me. If you can take a high lung shot on a broadside animal, you will drop it in it's tracks and have no meat loss.

JD338
 
Im in agreement with heavy for caliber (preferably RN or Semi Spitzer) loaded 2700ish fps, but hey, I'm old fashioned.

I saw RMR had pulled 150gr RN in .277 available.

If going in good elk territory......I'd probably just stick with partitions though. Not saying others wouldn't work just great but......eh, cheap insurance IMO and it's not like one gets to shoot an elk every day.

My 2 cents worth...if that.
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God Bless
Steve
 
After killed hundreds of white tail deer with about everything from a sharp stick to a 45-70 bottom line is bullet placement. It does not really make much difference what bullet you use if you hit the shoulder scapula, or any other bone because it will result in lots of secondary fragmentation projectiles. Rib bones are small thus less fragments flying. If you use a thin jacket varmint style or some match type bullets then yes if they hit a rib you can have massive damage. But if you use any bullet that is designed as a controlled expanding hunting bullet and shoot them through the ribs you will not damage a lot of eatable meat. Now don't expect that deer to drop in it's tracks with such shot because usually they will not. Expect a 50ish yard tracking job. It always makes me laugh when I hear people say I use a high velocity magnum for under 100 yard deer hunting and then complain that the bullets that are designed for impact below 3000 fps "blew up or did way too much damage". I have killed a bunch of deer with a 270 Win with 130 Sierra and Nosler Ballistic Tips but I am a high shoulder shooter because of the jungle I hunt around you about have to step on a deer to find it. I what them dead where they stand. When it really comes down to it the shoulders don't have much real edible meat on them once you separate that plastic like membrane from the real meat. Most of the real edible meat is on the triceps and a high shoulder shot usually does not ruin that. I have only used the Nosler AccuBond bullet in one caliber 264 Win Mag, 130 gr at a muzzle velocity of 3350 fps. It does expand but holds together and penetrates but does not sent bullet fragments flying like the ballistic tip or most cup and core bullets do at close range. I have this rifle set up for use as a long range bean field rifle but if you have hunted much at all you will know that when you plan everything for those long range shots they may just show up right on top of you. The AccuBond does not blow up at this high velocity at close range. Good luck in your quest but again BULLET PLACEMENT is the key.
 
I use the standards that I'd use for elk, Accubonds, Partitions, TBBC's, Swifts, etc.

As long as you stay off big bones I haven't had too much problem. I don't tend to shoot real soft bullets at above 3000.
 
I used a 130 gr Federal Trophy bonded tip this year and was very happy with the performance. But it was also a perfectly broadside 50 yard behind the shoulder shot that clipped the heart. I think I would've gotten great performance from any of the bullets I load for hunting with that presented shot and placement.

Last year I shot a doe with a 140 gr AB where I pulled the shot some and the bullet hit the leg bone, shattering it, and diverted the bullet straight down through the bottom of the chest instead of out the other side. It nearly took the leg off and the whole shoulder was a mess, so I lost that front quarter of usable meat. But as stated above, there's not a lot of good usable meat on those front quarters (at least not on our typical smallish does). I was glad I had chosen an AB bullet that held together and still penetrated on that close range shot.
 
Thebear_78 said:
Woodliegh makes a 180gr protected point.

I saw a list that says Remington uses a 9 1/2" twist in its .270! , I think I may just have to try this jewel!
 
Hey preacher. I live and hunt the boreal forest fringe we have here in Sask. targeting these big mature deer we have here. As you know the body weights and horn size of these deer are crazy big. For 20+ years I've been using the combination of 56.0gr H4831sc and the Hornady 140gr BTSP. Never lost a deer. Excellent on game performance. Flat shooting, hard hitting and minimum meat loss. We have forest fire burns and logging clearings. That's why I mentioned flat shooting. Cheers.
 
Thanks lagerboy! I have never tried any 140 Hornady, not even in the several friends rifles I've loaded for. I did load the 140AB in my SILs .270 and it works swell. I'm surprised to hear you do so well with it on those big honking deer! I will keep this one in mind!
 
The 150 gr PT would be a great all around bullet in the 270 Win, capable of taking care of everything from mice to moose.

JD338
 
JD338":2dfgqqpk said:
The 150 gr PT would be a great all around bullet in the 270 Win, capable of taking care of everything from mice to moose.

JD338

Any of them, 130-160... Any real or perceived difference is probably more between our ears than out in the hunting fields. Ol Bob knocked over a ton of stuff with the 130 Partitions and a few years back I asked what what the difference between the 130 and heavier Partitions and with a half smirk he said, 10-30 grains depending on the bullet. :lol:

I still stand by my opinion that a 130-150 Partition in a 270 Win is alot of good ballistics that takes a bunch more powder to top in most places. Alot of performance for a little amount of recoil in most rifles.

I hear the 280 Ackley is darned near as good as the 270, so if you have a 7mm persuasion it might a decent choice as well :mrgreen:
 
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