I feel like looking for opinions, and believe we can have a fun discussion about this subject. As my mind, through experiences in the past, is made up on this topic, does anyone out there agree or disagree with this use of cartridge? How about out to 400yds? Please let me know how you r opinion.

I cannot comment on the 270 for moose since I have yet to hunt for them. As for elk hunting with a 270 it has certainly been done with success many many times. Personally I feel that a 270 with a 140 gr or better yet a 150 gr NP is a good minimum elk cartridge. I dont think a 130 gr is the best choice. As far as a 400 yd cartridge.... Im not so sure. There are limitations to any cartridge, and to the man behind it as well, but I feel that 400 yds is about a football field too far for the 270 when it comes to cleanly taking elk.
KC

Imagine oneself out in the field right now,with an elk at 400yds and your 270 in hand with 130tsx or 150gn premium, would you take the shot?...I would not.

With a .338-225tsx@2800+ I may consider 400yd. I would feel more comfortable around 300-350yd. Not that the cartridge would not do it,but more to the point of whether I could properly hit the target as required.
Even better than that for me would be the 9.3x62-230HV bullet. It will boot less than the 338 and has superior down range strike in the bargain.
9.3-230HV: http://gsgroup.co.za/9362.html
.338wm-225tsx: http://www.federalcartridge.com/ballistics/Ammo_Search.aspx
For a hulk of a moose, I would prefer to bring the distance in some again.
If I was forced to use 270win on well muscled creatures you mention,I would stop around 200yd.

I would use it but not to 400 yards. I'd go 300 That is kinda my personal limit for any shot with any rifle.

Even if Barnes recommends lighter bullets, I don't think the 130 grainer is the best choice for elk at long range. Fast and flat no doubt, but to be sure on it takes sectional density, read weight, which in the 270 means 150s.
I believe the TSX is the best 130 out there, but elk aren't deer and don't give up easily, even when well hit. Look at it like this, the extra bullet weight is insurance!

I honeslty shouldn't comment about taking Marvin the Moose with the combo being as I've never done it.

I kind of come from the camp of if you haven't done it then sit back and listen to the comments from those that have.

Now as to the combo on elk @ 400 yds, yep you bet no problem day in and day out.

I've seen and taken a fair number of elk taken to that range and some a fair bit farther with a 270 and various 130's,150's,160's.

The last bull I took with that combo came out of the timber on the trot at 496 yds. I'd made a shooting nest, ranged it and cow called to get him to hesitate. When he did I dropped the hammer on him. The front left was quartering to me, I took him on that and the bullet exited on the opposite side just before the big hinds start.

He took one step and pitched over.

I've said it b4 and I'll say it again. Killing elk is not rocket science. Take a good bullet, stick it thru the lungs, wreck the lungs and you've elk steaks.

It is not any tougher than that. I've found over the years that the ones who want to make it tougher than that generally have the least amount of experience about said matter.

Have a super day, it is big time smokey and hazy here today in the Gallatin Valley.

Mark D

I've hunted elk with the .270 but have always used the 150 gn NP's to get the job done. I use the 130's for pronghorn and deer. Barnes bullets are supposed to retain something like 90% or better of their weight so a 130 might be a good choice. I've never recovered a bullet so I can't tell you how much weight my 150's retained hell they might be 120 or less when the come out the other side. I've also never used Barnes bullets but I hear only good things about them.

It appears like most people here are failing to consider bullet construction,and the fact that the tsx normally retains about 90% of it's weight compared to about 60% for the partition.Having used both bullets myself,the tsx bullets penetrate and kill just as well as much heavier partitions.Based on my experience,I would be inclined to say that the 130gr tsx will outpenetrate the 150 gr partition,just like the 140gr tsx out penetrates the 160gr partition out of the 7mmremmag.

I have taken five bull moose with various calibers, the lightest caliber was the 264 Win Mag with 140 Sierra SBT at 60yds+/-, it was a head shot and the animal dropped in it's tracks. The other calibers have been 338 Lapua, 330 Dakota, 338 Win Mag and the 8mm Rem Mag. I have shot them from 60 to just over 400 yds (8mm Mag with 220 Sierra SBT). I would not use the 270 for moose unless I was prepared to pass up a less than perfect shot, that also goes for the 264 I used in my past hunt, but on that trip I saw 11 moose so passing up a shot was not a big sacrifice because we had the luxury of being in a moose rich area, that might not be the case for other areas and in general I always use enough gun when hunting these other areas. The shot might not be ideal and I wouldn't want to pass up an oportunity on a big bull so out come the big guns, I have never been dissapointed in using a big gun and they have never required more than one shot on anything they have been used on, moose of coarse being the largest animal we can hunt up here. I have also witnessed two others taken with 330 Dakotas, these calibers are confidence inspiring when you use the heavy 250 gr bullets and they penetrate from various angles with ease into the vitals. Now shooting at 400 yds requires alot of practice and discipline and everything has to be just right. I shot that moose from a treestand at the time and it took me a few minutes before I squezzed off the shot because of my poor breathing control and pounding heart, I knew I had enough gun and that also gave me enough cumfort to shoot. Keep the 270 where it belongs as an excellent medium game cartridge and use enough gun for the difficult shots you might encounter. I know some will say that a bullet in the lungs will bring down any moose that ever walked but so will a 25-06, 243 etc that doesn't make them better suited for the job than the 270 which in my opinion is a great deer round, but if it's all you have and you know your gun and are disciplined to pick your shot, hey go for it!
bigbull

quote:

Originally posted by stubblejumper:
It appears like most people here are failing to consider bullet construction,and the fact that the tsx normally retains about 90% of it's weight compared to about 60% for the partition.Having used both bullets myself,the tsx bullets penetrate and kill just as well as much heavier partitions.Based on my experience,I would be inclined to say that the 130gr tsx will outpenetrate the 150 gr partition,just like the 140gr tsx out penetrates the 160gr partition out of the 7mmremmag.

Saying that the 130 grain TSX bullet isn't the best choice doesn't mean I failed to consider the Barnes reputation for weight retention. My opinion was based upon the 400 yard distance A. Fleming was inquiring about and the fact that the heavier slug will arrive at target with more energy, thus will penetrate better.
A quick look at the loading manual will show you that past the 300 yard mark the 130s have slowed to the same speed at which the heavier slug is traveling, and at the 400 yard line the 150 grain slug will be over 100f/s faster than the 130. Regardless of bullet construction, without sufficient energy at target the ability to penetrate will be compromised.

I am not really a Barnes fan, but recently I loaded up some of these TSX's for another guy I know from the range.. he is a retired marine... I respect that....

But those TSXs sure like like some business like bullets.... I was impressed after loading up 50 in a 7 Rem Mag for him...I could care less for the price... but if I was needing a premium bullet, I'd definitely go with them over a Partition and I am definitely a known Nosler fan...

Barnes finally got one right it looks like...

quote:

at the 400 yard line the 150 grain slug will be over 100f/s faster than the 130. Regardless of bullet construction, without sufficient energy at target the ability to penetrate will be compromised.

If you are cutting it that close that 100fps is going to be a factor,you should step up to a more powerful cartridge.

I took a nice 5x5 with a .270 and 130 Partition but I don't recommend it. Elk are big and tough and really need more bullet. I would prefer a 150gr bullet but I would really prefer a .338 and 225 -250 Partition which is what I usually use.

I use the 270wcf and Barnes for elk every year, since about 1992. I've used the X, XLC and now the TSX, all worked great. Longest shot was 417yds, one shot=one dead bull.

If you haven't tried a Barnes on big game like elk, you should. You may never go back to regular bullets again.

From my experience with 53gr 22 caliber TSX's on deer, 210gr 338 cal TSX's on elk, 140gr 277 cal X bullets on elk.

I would not be afraid to hunt elk with a 130gr 277 cal TSX. I would wager that over 90% of the bullets wouldn't be found either. Maybe even 95%.

I personally prefer something of bigger diameter on elk, but there is no doubt in my mind that the combo would work.

I have zero experience on moose. But can't believe they wouldn't do the job.

The biggest problem I've found with TSX's is what to do with all the other bullet construction types on my reloading bench. They have been pretty much reduced to paper punchers and practice fodder.

the bullet will dispatch both animals with ease,question is the rifle shooter up too the task,is there wind involved, how practicted is said shooter,you owe too the animal too make a clean killing shot,if you can place5 shots inside half the diameter of a 10inch paper plate i''d say go 4 it,.....don''t forget every hunting situation is different nothing replaces practice,regards jjmp

Will it kill elk and moose at 400 yards? Sure, in expert hands.

Would I personally feel comfortable doing it? No. But 250 yards is another story.


Okie John

quote:

Originally posted by A. Fleming:
I feel like looking for opinions, and believe we can have a fun discussion about this subject. As my mind, through experiences in the past, is made up on this topic, does anyone out there agree or disagree with this use of cartridge? How about out to 400yds? Please let me know how you r opinion.

I hear that you can use a 130-grain TSX in place of a 150-grain of standard construction. However, for the elk and moose application, my personal choice is, and has been since about 1964, the 150-grain Nosler Partition Jacket and 53.5 grains of IMR 4350 in the .270 for anything heavier than mule deer.......

I have seen all game in Alaska, including several BIG bears, killed with one shot from a .270 Win. using Nosler 150-grain Partition bullets. The 130-grain TSX might do just as well, but you'd have to try them to find out. Unless, of course, you can locate someone who's already done it!

I think the question is why would you. If you only have a 270 than pick your shot and place it perfectly and you'll have meat on the table. To me it just makes more sence to use bigger guns for large animals. I've only shot 2 Elk, one with a .416 Rem./300 X and one with a .340 WBY/225 Nosler. Both very dead. I've shot several Moose always with 338 and up. They're big critters what else do we own big guns for. I guess I should add that where I'm hunting up here its mostly good Grizzly counrty and we generally get bears on our kills within a day or two. Makes packing the meat out interesting, not to mention sleeping in spike camp with meat near by.

I have only been using a 270 for 21 years so I know that isn't as long as several of you. I own 3. If this was the only caliber I owned, I would certainly elk hunt with it. But, even though I love the 130 TSX dearly, I'd have to give it some thought regarding a heavier 150 TSX. I would not WANT a 400 yard shot but if that was all I had, I would take it. And don't think for a minute that I wouldn't have adequate range time before I did such a shot.

Fortunately, I have other rifles I feel are more up to the task and I feel more confident with them for elk sized game.

I know what a 130 tsx will do to a big deer at just over 500 yards with a bullet in the shoulder.

Elk at 400 yards, 270, 130 TSX....hmmmmm. I might.