OT rifle/reloading questions

[Johnny Dangerr]

Doing an Axis hunt next month and have the same plan. The outfitter is not really bow friendly, and I am out of meat....

[bearintex]

Just remember that 10 year old case lube in a lube pad doesn't work so good anymore! Anybody have a stuck case remover?

[engine4on]

Shoot them pigs in the ear and there will not be any meat damage.

[bowhuntingw]

as already mentioned, stay away from ballistic tips. i'm loading the 140gr nosler accubond to just over 3000fps and its about perfect for everything up to elk at reasonable ranges. holds together,punches thru and exits. since i only load for my .270 i neck size and avoid case lubing cases. good luck

[txfireguy2003]

Thanks for the advice folks, but I have another question regarding the ballistic tips....

I know, don't use them except for prairie dogs etc, BUT, looking at Nosler's website this morning, I learned something I didn't know. They have two types of balistic tips...one called the ballistic tip hunting, and one called the ballistic tip varmint. According to the info on the site, the hunting one has a thicker jacket than the varmint one, and it is recommended for deer and antelope etc. That said, the Accubond has a plastic tip just like all the ballistic tips, and really, I couldn't see much difference between the BT Hunting bullet and accubond, except for the price of the BT Hunting bullet was cheaper, and the color of the tip. SOOO, when everyone says to stay away from ballistic tips, because of rapid expansion...I understand that, but wouldn't the thicker jacket of the BT hunting bullet from Nosler help to slow that expansion down some? Also, the ballistic coeficient and sectional densities fo the two (accubond and BT hunter) are virtually the same, so I can't really see any reason to pay double for the accubond if I can get the same performance, or close, from the BT Hunter. Again, for my purposes, the only thing I would be shooting with these would be whitetails, pigs, and coyotes.

[Mike D]

You will get tons of different opinions on the use of ballistic tips. All I can tell you is that my experience with them on deer size game has been less than stellar.

That being said, my preference is shown below.

1) Berger VLD hunting. I know you said 130 grain, but they are available in 130, 140 and 150 grain. http://www.bergerbullets.com/Product...20Bullets.html

2) 130 grain Barnes tipped TSX . http://www.barnesbullets.com/product...ed-tsx-bullet/

3) 130 grain Nosler Accubond. http://www.nosler.com/accubond.htm

As to meat damage/bloodshock, take the high shoulder shot.

[scotty]

Just remember that 10 year old case lube in a lube pad doesn't work so good anymore! Anybody have a stuck case remover?

I've come close, but I've never stuck a case. I have always been able to stop the downward progress of the lever before I got to the "Oh ****" point!

Sorry, I don't have a case remover.

[txfireguy2003]

Mike D, I hear what you're saying, but I guess what I'm getting at is that I don't really understand what a ballistic tip is. I guess I need to contact Nosler directly and ask what the real differences are between these two bullets. The Accubond looks great, but for the price, I can load twice as many of the BT HUNTERS. Nosler says they are designed to mushroom but not fragment as long as impact velocity is less than 3100fps. The cross section and all the BC and SD numbers look pretty much the same as the Accubond.

So here's the pointed question....What exactly IS a ballistic tip? Does the name refer to the plastic tip on the end of the bullet (which would make it more aerodynamic and therefor, "ballistically superior" to say a standard round nose? If that's the case, then the Accubond is a ballistic tip also. Othewise, I don't know what a ballistic tip is...enlighten me please fellas.

[Coon]

I've never loaded for the .270, but I've always had great accuracy from the Sierra boattails. IMO, the Sierra btsp is one of the most accurate hunting bullets made.
Dave

[Mike D]

Mike D, I hear what you're saying, but I guess what I'm getting at is that I don't really understand what a ballistic tip is. I guess I need to contact Nosler directly and ask what the real differences are between these two bullets. The Accubond looks great, but for the price, I can load twice as many of the BT HUNTERS. Nosler says they are designed to mushroom but not fragment as long as impact velocity is less than 3100fps. The cross section and all the BC and SD numbers look pretty much the same as the Accubond.

So here's the pointed question....What exactly IS a ballistic tip? Does the name refer to the plastic tip on the end of the bullet (which would make it more aerodynamic and therefor, "ballistically superior" to say a standard round nose? If that's the case, then the Accubond is a ballistic tip also. Othewise, I don't know what a ballistic tip is...enlighten me please fellas.

Yes, the "ballistic tip" is the plastic tip on the end of the bullet, it helps make the bullet more streamlined and raises the ballistic coefficient of the bullet enhancing longe range ballistics.

As to the cost difference between the BT and the ab, once you get your load worked up, realistically how much are you going to shoot them? For me, I have bullets that I have loaded 2-3 years ago that I have yet to use up because I just don't shoot them that much. I'll take performance over price any day.

[txfireguy2003]

Agreed Mike, and you may be right that I won't shoot that much, but you may also be wrong...I just don't know yet, depends on how the gun shoots. I enjoy going to the range, or to some land and just punching paper from time to time in order to keep my sanity and my skills sharp. I did get to shoot her Sunday, with the cheapest ammo I could get at Academy, Winchester Powerpoints. I was attempting to get it roughly sighted in so that when I took it to the rifle range to fine tune it, I wouldn't be wasting too much time. Well, that turned out to be an effort in futility due to the wind, cool temps (close to dark) and lack of any reasonable support structure. I did manage to get two bullets to touch, but I'm certain that was pure luck. So, yesterday, while cleaning the rifle, I made a couple of small modifications. First, I did the dollar test, not really sure if it means anything on a break action rifle with synthetic stock, but I like it to freefloat anyway, so I knocked the edges of the forearm down with a little 320 grit sandpaper until the dollar bill slid all the way back to the screw that holds the forearm in place on the barrel (which is about half way up the forearm). Then, I flipped the forearm over, got out my trusty cordless drill and bored a little hole in the center of it about 2 inches from the tip. Insert swivel stud and placed a nut on the backside. Now I have a bipod on it and we'll see how she shoots now.

[ballisticbudda]

Agreed Mike, and you may be right that I won't shoot that much, but you may also be wrong...I just don't know yet, depends on how the gun shoots. I enjoy going to the range, or to some land and just punching paper from time to time in order to keep my sanity and my skills sharp. I did get to shoot her Sunday, with the cheapest ammo I could get at Academy, Winchester Powerpoints. I was attempting to get it roughly sighted in so that when I took it to the rifle range to fine tune it, I wouldn't be wasting too much time. Well, that turned out to be an effort in futility due to the wind, cool temps (close to dark) and lack of any reasonable support structure. I did manage to get two bullets to touch, but I'm certain that was pure luck. So, yesterday, while cleaning the rifle, I made a couple of small modifications. First, I did the dollar test, not really sure if it means anything on a break action rifle with synthetic stock, but I like it to freefloat anyway, so I knocked the edges of the forearm down with a little 320 grit sandpaper until the dollar bill slid all the way back to the screw that holds the forearm in place on the barrel (which is about half way up the forearm). Then, I flipped the forearm over, got out my trusty cordless drill and bored a little hole in the center of it about 2 inches from the tip. Insert swivel stud and placed a nut on the backside. Now I have a bipod on it and we'll see how she shoots now.

Any other mods, how is the trigger? My -06 is a tack driver with cheap Remington 165gr PSP bullets that I moly coated. Never had a hog or deer run after being shot. I always go for a head shot, I hate wasting shoulder meat.

[bowmedic]

I reload for 25-06, 257 Roberts, 7mm Rem Mag, and 7x57... All my guns like the Sierra Gameking bullets mentioned above. They are pretty inexpensive at around 19 dollars per 100 bullets ordered from Midway or Natchez Shooters suppply. I have used the 117 grain bullet out of my 25-06 for the last 10 years or so with most kills being behind the shoulder instant drops.. I have used them on pigs and deer from 25 -300 yds with excellent results.. Experiment with powders, bullets and seating depth.. Finding what your gun likes is half the fun and another good reason to go to the range...

[tgridley]

I load almost everything from .22cal to .338 and you will have to see what your rifle likes at what power charge. My Kline Gunther 270 Weatherby mag really likes the 130 gr sierra match king HPBT. My 300 WSM hates boat tails in the 180gr but shoots really well with flatbase bullets. It also shoots lights out with 135gr sierra match kings. Burger is an excellent choice for bullets.

For all around performance in your 270 I would stay with a 130 grain bullet.

[tgridley]

Hey Fire Guy

You mentioned MOA. You know more than your original post would suggest.

There are two kinds of rifle folks out there. One says well it was on last year - and the other actually shoots their gun numerous times a year.

I have always been a fan of accurate rifles. Most guns shoot way better than the person holding them.

For the last couple of years I have had a 360 yard feeder set up for pigs. My members and friends did not even try the shot. This year I moved it to 190 yards.

Winchester has come up with a ballistics program that you could use with a smart phone. Temp - wind - taken into account for to the moment ballistics.

Simmons makes a mild-dot scope that is reasonably priced. Whith a little practice anybody should be able to take ear shots out to 300 yards.

The chase to get there is all the fun. Enjoy.....

You can also send your Leupold to the factory and they will install a custom retical for $65.00. I sent them a 6.5x20x50 varx III with the ballistic info on my 270 wby mag, 130 grain bullet, fps etc and they put in retical to shoot from 100-600 yard for that gun and load.