For deer with a 270 I don't think you can improve on Core-Locts or Nosler BTs. Cheap too. Haven't tried them on hogs though.

The problem that we have is that our deer are not particularly large here. However, our hogs are. What might hammer a deer could be a disaster on a hog, especially a big one.

Back in the 80's I shot the Nosler Partition's. It put the critters down and left a good blood trail. Sometimes they ran but never far. I wondered if a lighter jacket bullet would work better. I switched to the 150 BTSP. That was the ticket. It hammered the hell out of them and they rarely ran at all. My personal theory was that the deer/hog was receiving more of the shock from this bullet but what do I know.

I was happy and continued with these for a long time. One day, I couldn't find them. I switched to the Remington Extended range in 140 grain. They worked great for a while. One day I shot a coyote. It was like I shot it with a solid. Then, in TX, I shot a doe on the chest. The bullet went all the way through just like a solid. I backed off, although I suspect I had a bad batch. Regardless, I do not think they make them anymore.

I switched to Hornady 130 grain something or another. They worked great until I couldn't find them when I needed them. Time for a change.

About this time, I got a new Browning X Bolt. I was asked to try the Federal Fusion's. Jesus, what a disaster. I shot a massive buck in TX at very short range, less than 25 yards. I could see the bullet hit. The buck ran off. Now fortunately, I saw it fall. There was not a drop of blood in spite of a perfect shot. I shot a management 6 point in the chest at 150 yards on the same hunt. We found a single drop of blood. No sign of the buck. It was found the next week less than 100 yards away. I had similar things happen with does on the same hunt. Next!

I went to the TSS. We know that result. Interestingly, my gun guys are totally shocked. They think the lighter TSS at higher speeds is the answer. I have simply lost confidence.

This my dilemma. I am thinking of going to the A-Frame. Yes, it is a tough bullet. Definitely more than needed on a deer. However,on a big old smelly boar hog, it might be the ticket.

Thanks all. I am glad a discussion could take place without a bunch of name calling and insults.

From the 06 or 308 case the Sierra Gamekings, as boreing as they are, are hard to beat. The 140 grain HPBT is perfect for 400 pounds and down. Good expansion, very accurate, tough enough to break bones and stay together, and very cost effective. The improvements in the Nosler Ballistic Tips they now designate as 'Hunting' have made them very similar in performance at only a slightly higher price, and they have the sexy yellow tip. If you keep impact velocities between 2000 and 3000 fps either of these will give you exactly what you want every time, given reasonable shot placement.

I live in California and was forced into the no lead crap! I have not had any problem at all shooting any number of animals with the Barnes TSX bullets. (Including some BIG hogs)

I do not own a 270 Winchester, but in my 270 WSM my favorite bullet is actually the 140 grain Nosler Partition. I have shot mule deer, antelope, wild hogs, black bear, coyotes, etc. with that bullet and have never been dissapointed, EVER.

I've no use for Barnes bullets either, even though they are accurate in my rifles. IMO deer are easy to kill, with almost any name brand bullet. My personal favorites are the Hornady Interlokt, Nosler Partition, and lately the Berger VLD hunting bullet, all in 7mag. My son uses a 140 gr corelokt almost exclusively in his 7-08, and they're deadly too. Well placed shots are the obvious key, not necessarily the bullet for thin skinned game like deer.

This is a 140 gr corlokt one of my last hunters used on a 300lb aoudad ram.

quote:

Well placed shots are the obvious key, not necessarily the bullet for thin skinned game like deer.

My thoughts also, lot of well made bullets
out there that used properly...
Our varied opinions prove this, Sounds like Larry
has plenty of options

I have a 270 win and shot the barnesX when it first came out,also in my 35 whelen.
They worked real good in both.
No joy with the newer versions even in 25 caliber.
Lost 2 deer and some hogs with them in my 257 AI.
Now it's back to the Hornaday and Remington bullets for deer and hogs and if needed Nosler PT for the larger stuff.

Larry,

Use your 375 with the 260gr Accubond or if you are a handloader the 250gr NorthFork softies. Either will work great on whitetail and any pig you come across!

I have shot whitetail with both and pigs with the NF. The results were spectacular!

Andy

150g Partitions at 3000 fps out of my 270 have worked for 40 years on everything from bear and elk to deer and javelina. 130g Partitions work just as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
I witnessed a man kill a 5x5 bull elk several years ago in western Colorado with one hit from a .270 using a 150 grain bullet, the range, according to a fairly new range finder was 500 yards +. I helped gut the animal, and the bullet broke both shoulders, hit heart and lungs and exited.

CH, do you know/remember what bullet he used?

That's one helluvua shot - not that I would shoot that far, but WOW! Gives a person pause about the lethality of modern projectiles even at long range & diminished velocities.

Thanks,

friar

"You've got to have a lead core, the right lead core, to perform on big game."   by, John Nosler 1948

If your hunting deer sized game for behind the shoulder shots with 270, 308, 30-06 velocities use a bullet for that application. 

For big magnum velocities at reasonable range, the Barnes will perform just fine. I watched through binoculars when my buddy shot a whitetail buck at about a 100yds  with a 300 Weatherby and a hot load of 180gr Barnes TSX.  He hit it behind the shoulder and hit maybe a rib but no shoulder/leg bones. The buck dropped without a step and never twitched. 
Now if I would have been shooting the same bullet with factory loads in my 30-06 and hit it in the same spot, it probably would have ran off a ways and died. But I know better than to try that I would have hit it there with a 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip or Partition and that combo, in my experience would have dropped it and tagged it. 

quote:

CH, do you know/remember what bullet he used?

I don't know for sure, but my guess is that he was using Nosler Partitions, this happened about 1994 or 1995.

It was a hell of a shot. In actuality, it was the second shot he fired. The first shot was under the animal by several feet, and the guide said try again.

The bull had ran forward 3 or 4 steps and the hunter lined up again and this time the bull humped up and spun to his right, covered maybe 10 yards and went down. It was one of the most impressive shots I have ever seen.

However the hunter still could not believe what happened 2 days later. I will include that this particular hunter was one of the best rifle shots when it came to shooting at game that I have ever had the honor of knowing.

I load 150 grns Nolser Partitions for my 270 Remington 700 Mnt. I went through the Barnes, Sciroccos, 140 grn Accubonds and wasn’t happy with them. Try the 150s. I’m never going back.

I really like the TSX, however, I've only ever used it in my 375 H&H. I tend to notice though that the big bore crowd really like the TSX and have great performance with it while the medium and small bore crowd have mixed results.

Well, my 270 likes 130gr Hornady SP's, just cup and core but flat based just fine. I've shot through whitetails at over 400 yds with this bullet consistantly. They go about 0 to 25 yds and the exit wounds are impressive. Muzzle velocity is 3100fps out of a 27.5 inch bbl.The standard Hornady Interlocks have shot through almost every deer and antelope I've ever shot, which is a considerable number.

I prefer 150gr NP's for elk. Works fine, I've killed several elk with this bullet at ranges out to 250yds with several of the 270's I've owned over the years. Muzzle velocities have been from 2800 to 3000 fps. My current rifle likes the 130's a bit better but still shoots sub-MOA.

I've heard too many negative comments about Barnes TXS from too many guides, PH's and friends who've tried them to ever bother. Nosler Partitions have worked perfectly every time I've used them.

Larry,

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles with the TSX. I find this very strange. It must be like the Ford vs Chevy thing. I've had 5 Fords in my life and every one was a lemon. Many of my friends have had nothing but Fords and have never had a problem. A real head scratcher ya know?

I've been shooting Barnes exclusively since 95. I must have taken something north of 100 game animals with them. I have never had a animal shot with a TSX run out of sight except for my first Cape Buffalo Bull. I've shot small Whitetail up to Alaskan Moose, Pronghorn Antelope to Brown Bear, Elk, Caribou, Hogs, etc. A large variety of animals of different toughness. The biggest challenge for the TSX's being two Lions (416 TSX and 375 TSX) and two Leopards (375 TSX and 300H&H TTSX). Both of the Leopards were found dead under the bait tree so they obviously opened properly. My experience with the X, TSX, and now TTSX has been over a wide variety of calibers as well: 243Win, 270Win, 7mm Rem Mag, 30/06, 300H&H, 300WBY, 338Win Mag, 340WBY, 375H&H, 416Rigby, 458Win Mag, 500NE.

I've posted this picture so many times now, everyone is probably tired of seeing it. But here it is again. The only TSX bullets I've ever recovered from game except one from my son's Cape Buffalo. All the others have fully penetrated, exited, and dropped the animal within sight of where it was shot.



Left to Right: 570gr TSX 500NE Giraffe, 350gr TSX 416 Rigby Cape Buffalo, 300gr TSX 375H&H Brown Bear, 300gr TSX 375H&H Sable, 225gr X 340WBY.

This is a picture of the last animal I shot. A small Texas Whitetail with a 180gr TTSX from a 300H&H. He literally fell in his tracks. If you look at the Cedar Tree behind his butt, you'll see what looks like red berries. That is actually blood and lung tissue that was sprayed everywhere.



I'm certainly not denying the reports of problems you guys have stated here. Just saying my experience has been drastically different. I can't imagine what the difference is other that as someone already said, the problems seem to be with factory loads. I don't know if that statement holds true but all of mine have been handloaded. I haven't purchased any factory ammo in over 25 years.

I shoot the 180gr Barnes TSX in Federal Premium 30-06 in my Merkel K3. I have taken several red stag, axis deer, boar and a puma at ranges from 35M to 240M. All have been 1 shot kills; complete pass through; minimal meat damage; some have run (but left a good blood trail) and some have dropped instantly. I love the bullet and have no complaints at this time.

I have killed hundreds of animals (deer, hog, stag, antelope, elk) with Remington core lock bullets (factory and reloads). All have been 1 shot kills. Some have run; some have dropped instantly; but I have only recovered 1 core lok bullet and always had a good blood trail. I have killed a few animals with Nosler Partition bullets with the same results.

I have never seen a rifle that would not shoot a core lock bullet well. However, some do not care for the Nosler Partition or Barnes TSX.

I shoot HEAVY lead bullets in my Shilohs and all the animals I have shot have run for a ways with a 1/2" hole pouring a steady blood stream. I have never recovered a bullet.

The only bullets I have no faith in are Hornady Interlocks and SST's. I have had (and seen) several blow up on shoulders and rib cages.

I always shoot the heavier bullet for the caliber and don't try to improve on factory ballistics, so that was never the issue. The lightest bullet I shoot in the 35 whelen is 250gr, 30-06 and 300 win mag is 180gr, etc.

In summary, I think you can't go wrong with Barnes TSX, Nosler Partition or Remington Core Locks if the shooter does his job. Sometimes critters tend to confuse everything by refusing to cooperate and drop immediately from a well placed kill shot. Confidence in your equipment has a lot to do with success in the field. Go with what you know and each to his own. I think it is a best practice to immediately reload, stay on the target and add follow up shots as needed; no matter how much faith we have in our favorite bullet.

quote:

The only bullets I have no faith in are Hornady Interlocks

The reason I went to using the Barnes "X" Flat Base was because the Hornady's I were working with began fragmenting after partial penetration.

I prefer a bullet that expands well and leave a decent exit hole, without excessive meat loss.

"I think it is a best practice to immediately reload, stay on the target and add follow up shots as needed; no matter how much faith we have in our favorite bullet."

I'm inclined to agree with you. I do find it interesting on how results with the Barnes bullets are so mixed. I've only shot one animal with a Barnes TSX bullet, a 225 gr. .35 caliber from my .35 Whelen. I must say the results were spectacular.
I do have some ammo loaded with th 100 gr. TSX in my .257 Robt. but have not had a chance to shoot any game with that rifle yet. Reading some of the results had by others, I'm kind of worried about using them on game now. I also have some 120 and 140 gr. TSX bullets in 7MM. I'd planned on using them in my 7x57 but again, based on comments so far maybe I'll just use them in my .280 Remington where I can push them a lot faster as velocity seems to be the key for decent performance.
Paul B.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul B:
"I think it is a best practice to immediately reload, stay on the target and add follow up shots as needed; no matter how much faith we have in our favorite bullet."

I'm inclined to agree with you. I do find it interesting on how results with the Barnes bullets are so mixed. I've only shot one animal with a Barnes TSX bullet, a 225 gr. .35 caliber from my .35 Whelen. I must say the results were spectacular.
I do have some ammo loaded with th 100 gr. TSX in my .257 Robt. but have not had a chance to shoot any game with that rifle yet. Reading some of the results had by others, I'm kind of worried about using them on game now. I also have some 120 and 140 gr. TSX bullets in 7MM. I'd planned on using them in my 7x57 but again, based on comments so far maybe I'll just use them in my .280 Remington where I can push them a lot faster as velocity seems to be the key for decent performance.
Paul B.

Paul, don't give up on the TSX or TTSX. These treads with negative results pop up from time to time but they are the VAST minority. There is another similar thread going on right now that is reporting the complete opposite. See here: http://forums.accuratereloadin...3411043/m/1881080471

Again not denying the issues some are reporting here but they are few and far between when it comes to the TSX bullets.

Why hunt with a bullet that only works "most" of the time? And please don't say that's all you can expect from any of them. I've been making clean kills with various bullets for a long time and if I had one failure with any of them, that'd be the last time I'd use them.
Too many good bullets out there to put up with a hit or miss result whilst someone field test their bullets on your nickle.

I have used Core-Locts on Deer and Elk for thirty years. Both in 264 Win Mag and 7mm Rem Mag. One shot kills and all where pass throughs. I shot an Elk in MT. three years ago with a 160gr Partition (federal ammo)with my 7mm Rem mag and have never seen so much blood shot meat in my life!!! I loaded up some 120 barns for my 264 Mag for a Lope hunt this year. Time will tell. I'm packing a 375 H&H with 270gr Hornadys for backup!!!

I had the same problem with the X-bullet 130 in my 6.5X55 ... I stick with the old fashion bullets I had the gun made for. This is a 155 grain Lapua Mega that passed through a boar hog's head and lodged in his shoulder. Boar was 249 pounds field dressed. Granted it was a young, but fat hog, but its head was over 30 pounds.





I expected to see fragmentation or other deformities since it passed through so much skull, neck bone and shattered his shoulder before stopping, BUT I WAS WRONG!



I had my M1999 custom built with a 1:7.5" rate of twist and it shoots these Lapua rounds under 2 inches at 300 yards.



The cat thing is a long story!