I am considering moving up a notch to moose (from caribou) next season and would like to know if anyone has any info/experience on the Nosler 160gr semi spitzers. They will be used in a 1951 Model 70 in excellent condition.

I guess I'm asking for tradeoffs between a premium 150gr and this particular 160gr bullet for large game. (I have lots of good-to-premium 150s in the storage drawer.)

Thanks...

jgnfld

I would go for the 150 if your shots are going to be longer. Otherwise the 160's will be fine.

Two years ago my son used a 270 Win with 160 gr Noslers for a white tail, a caribou, and a big bull moose (the moose was 350 yards). Everything died on the spot, more or less. I would like to say I had a real sophisticated reason for using them, but I just happened to pick up a bunch on clearance and they shot well in his gun.

I don't feel that carrying a 270 with 160 gr Noslers in the north is foolish. A friend of mine was jumped by a bear while hunting blacktails in Alaska years ago. The vast majority of moose and caribou are shot within 250 yards, so the difference in ballistics between the various bullets is not as important as you might think.

That 160 grain Semi Pointed bullet is flatter shooting than most would give it credit for. I ended up with an early Nosler # 2 Manual and have access to one of the Original Nosler # 1 manuals.

Many of the earlier bullets were of the Semi Pointed design.

I usually use load data for the 150 grain bullets when using the 160s, so I load them in a 270 at about 2950 fps. ( yeah I know some might consider that hot).

Most of my field loads in a 270 are the 140 grain Ballistic tip at about 2600 fps for deer etc, but for bigger stuff, my load is the 160 grain SMP Partition at the 2950 fps.

It is the best bullet for heavier game in the 270 in my book.

cheers and good shooting
seafire

I can't think of a better bullet..I used that one a good deal at one time, and short of deer and antelope it would be my pick....BTW, because of its length it will shoot flatter over a long distance than the 150 and will equal the 130 for all practical purposes and have a lot more thump when it gets there.

I haven't done the math but I'm guessing the distance at which the 160 gives a flatter trajectory than a 150 is way out there as in way past what somebody will actually shoot it at game. I'm a die hard .270 fan and like it best with a 130gr partition. I have a box of 160's I'll never use if you want them to play with to see what you think.

dempsey,

you have a PM,

cheers
seafire

160 Noslers are all I reload and shoot out of my 270 Weatherby. Groups under .75 at 100 yards off the bench. I just cant get that from the 150's out of my gun. Best bullet for the 270 IMO. I have taken bears, caribou and deer with this load. Its looking like the same load and gun will be going to Namibia with me because I am so confident with this bullet and gun.

quote:

Originally posted by jgnfld:
I am considering moving up a notch to moose (from caribou) next season and would like to know if anyone has any info/experience on the Nosler 160gr semi spitzers. They will be used in a 1951 Model 70 in excellent condition.

I guess I'm asking for tradeoffs between a premium 150gr and this particular 160gr bullet for large game. (I have lots of good-to-premium 150s in the storage drawer.)

Thanks...

jgnfld

I used a .270 extensively for three years when I lived in Alaska. I loaded a lot of ammo with 160-grain Noslers, but on those occasions when I actually got a shot at game with my .270, it was with a 150-grain Nosler up the spout instead of a 160. Since the 150's performed quite well for me, I assume the 160's would be as good. The longest shot I ever took with the 150 Nosler was around 200 yards, and the semisptizer configuration of a 160 grainer
would not be a problem at that distance.

I had a 270 Winchester back in the 70's. Speer made a 170 grain round nose bullet that was advertised for use in heavy brush. If you are not shooting through brush, go with the 150 grain bullet.

If Nosler ever drops that 160 gr I'm selling the 270. With RL 22 I'm getting 2850 fps with clover leaf acuracy. I like semi-spitzers I quess because of the animals I shot with the old 117 gr 25 cal and 175 gr 7mm Nosler bullets. At any sensible shooting range the trajectory factor is sort of mute.