Thread: 270 over penetration at close range?

I keep hearing this over and over, that at close range the .270 will just zip through a deer and leave a small exit hole.
the animal then running off and often being difficult or impossible to track.
most commonly the shooter tells me they don't believe the bullet opened up, that it acted like a fmj and drilled a .270 sized exit. because it was going too quick.
they will also say that the same ammo at 200mtrs will flatten a deer no problem, so the common belief is the excessive speed is the reason.
now for me this go's against all the research I have done on ballistics, where a bullet at excessive speed seems to over expand and lack penetration. often breaking apart.
when I question the shooter it is most commonly the 130g factory ammo in standard cup and core bullets. (fed blue box, Remington corloct, nosler bt's, hornady sst etc)
the reputation for ballistic tipped bullets is probably the worst, (nosler, sst etc)
this problem dose not seem to happen in the 7mm range of calibre's even though they have very similar diameter, weights and velocities.
I have not used the .270 extensively so I cannot comment personally but I would appreciate any comments on this phenomena
cheers
greg

I have been using Hornady interlock (soft point) and have shot between 70-250 meters with it. I have had some exits but most of the time it dumps the energy in the animal and drops them on the spot. I am wanting to develop a new load, but like you, am hearing all sorts of weird things. I really like the sound and reputation of Accubonds. I have been hunting with someone using them (130gr) out of his T3 at 3140 and within 200m he is getting pass throughs. The bullet seems to be very hard, and unless bone is involved the bullet can put a nice channel through the animal. they have all died, but some have been able to walk a little bit before expiring. These are probably the type of bullets that are gaining the reputation you are discussing.
Again with SST i have heard that if it is going too fast, or hits bone it will just blow up and not retain bullet mass.
Most factory .270 loads are travelling between 3000-3100 at the muzzle, so within 50meters they are still motoring.
Im sure someone on here will be able to better fill u in. It all depends on the situation, but don't think we can pass all the rounds off as FMJ mimics

I propose a theory that there are heaps of newby hunters out there with Tikka 270s because thats what some guy at the pub/gun shop/internet forum told them to buy. The reason for the deer running away is cos they're newbies who aren't putting the bullet in the right place, but the Tikka ad said the gun wouldn't miss and they haven't learnt about shot placement yet so they blame the bullet.

The reason the 7mm08 doesn't get the same reputation is that those people are too busy drinking their lattes to go hunting, or they don't tell anyone when they don't get a deer.

i hunt with a 270, i have no issues dropping deer from 20m to 500m, a good shoulder/lower neck shot will drop any deer on the spot. i used factroy soft point ammo bought from any hunting store nothing fancy.

Cant go past a good old soft point. They have worked for how many decades. God knows how man killed animals without high BC ballistic tipped laser beams.

.,

Originally Posted by GravelBen

I propose a theory that there are heaps of newby hunters out there with Tikka 270s because thats what some guy at the pub/gun shop/internet forum told them to buy. The reason for the deer running away is cos they're newbies who aren't putting the bullet in the right place, but the Tikka ad said the gun wouldn't miss and they haven't learnt about shot placement yet so they blame the bullet.

The reason the 7mm08 doesn't get the same reputation is that those people are too busy drinking their lattes to go hunting, or they don't tell anyone when they don't get a deer.

Your theory has merit. I am sure you could expand this into a thesis and get a degree by specifically studying the connection between 7mm 08 and poor shot placement in the Howick based subculture that drink trim soy chai latte's.

Definitely a big city problem with the .270...where I live the same problem has been said of the 6.5's

I have shot a number of deer (red and fallow) with a .270 using 130 gr PSP Remington Corelokt and my observations of its performance is that projectile causes considerable trauma and if it exits it leaves a hole you could stick a tennis ball in so if others are experiencing a small exit wound then I imagine that it is the nature of the projectile that is causing this to occur.

Too know that the exit hole is similar to the entry hole, one would have had to have found the animal...what's the problem?

Its just a myth, there was a good article written in the NZ Hunter magazine about this exact topic, I have shot plenty of animals with a 270 and at close range it flattens them, dead on their feet.

My mate said the same thing about the 270. He went back to a 308 and he still can't shoot deer!

Originally Posted by Vapour

My mate said the same thing about the 270. He went back to a 308 and he still can't shoot deer!

A poor tradesmans always blames his tools

Originally Posted by oneshot

A poor tradesmans always blames his tools

+1

I use 140 accubonds doing 2950. Makes a mess and goes straight through up close and does the same without as much meat damage at 400

Originally Posted by Gibo

I use 140 accubonds doing 2950. Makes a mess and goes straight through up close and does the same without as much meat damage at 400

Past 400 try the 140 Ballistic Tips, same POI and BC

Fantastic on Ruahine Reds at distance