270 bullet question

[PYBUCK]

If you want pass throughs, shoot Nosler Pratritions. I believe Hornady loads them

[Bigfootwolff]

I have used .270 Hornady Custom 140 grain BTSP factory rounds for almost 20 years, and I have had full pass through shots on all deer and hogs I've shot. All were broadside shots and many of them were DRT, and if they ran, it was no more than a few yards. There was always a great blood trail, and significant internal damage. The blood trail is helpful if the deer bolts into dense thick woods, which can happen where I hunt. Standing at the edge of a thicket and having no blood trail can be disheartening.

My son shoots a .243 with 100 grain soft points. His first deer, which was a perfect broadside shot at 160 yards with Hornady Custom 100 grain soft points. The buck, which was one of the largest ever killed on our place, ran into thick woods. We searched the road and a 50 yard circumference, and saw not one drop of blood for 30 minutes. I was sure my son missed,but he was confident he hit the buck. I continued looking and found the buck dead about 125 yards from the point he was shot. There was no exit wound, but devastating internal damage. The following year he got a shot at a nice buck just before dark. The buck was 75 yards away, and he ran into a thicket. After 20 minutes of scouring the sandy ground with flashlights we observed 1 small drop of blood, and a few minutes later we found a second drop 15 yards from the first drop, and that was it. Luckily that deer only ran into the woods about 50 yards and folded up in a dry creek bed, which was on a main game trail. Again no exit wound, but massive internal damage.

I grew up hunting with a .243 in North Texas, mostly hunting large wheat or oat patches, which were surrounded by fairly open mesquite brush or open oak woods. Most deer were shot either in the field or near the field edge. Deer that were shot could easily be observed running across the field and collapsing, and even if they made it into the oaks or mesquite brush, it was sparse/open enough to maintain visual contact until the deer collapsed. Most deer never ran more than 50 yards, and the lack of a blood trail in that terrain never seemed to be a problem and I never lost a deer. I used to say I was glad all of the bullet's energy was dumped into the game, and not lost on a pass through shot.

After changing terrain, and hunting roads in east Texas that have thick woods on both sides, my views changed. Good shot placement is important, but it will not always anchor a deer DRT. In those cases a pass through shot and good blood trail are critical to reliably recover a deer when it has run into thick cover.

Please understand that I am only giving my opinion based upon observations hunting in vastly different terrain, with different calibers and bullet weights.

[ColinR]

Just the basic Hornady Custom 130 gr. Pass Thru but no need as they DRT

[Gonzo]

12 for 12 on deer .... if it ain't broken don't fix it

This ^^^

[JW]

If you want pass throughs, shoot Nosler Pratritions. I believe Hornady loads them

I dont think Hornady loads the Pratritians. I do know Feceral loads Partitions.

[ducks-and-bucks]

Sounds like they are doing what they are suppose to do very well

[Mike D]

Without getting into a pissing match about energy transfer and all that other voodoo garbage, if you want pass throughs get either Barnes Vor-TX ammo or HSM trophy gold loaded with the Berger VLD bullets.

[bboswell]

Without getting into a pissing match about energy transfer and all that other voodoo garbage, if you want pass throughs get either Barnes Vor-TX ammo or HSM trophy gold loaded with the Berger VLD bullets.

I find this recommendation very interesting given the Berger's reputation and design. Your suggestions are usually spot on so please elaborate on your experiences with the Berger VLD's.

[Artos]

Federal Fusion- puts a hole in them

This is what I would try next...tougher bullet, not too expensive, good exit wounds and darn accurate.

I will not use a bullet that does not exit on big game...

[chief longshaft]

find a Barnes triple shock tipped thatll go threw anything.

[bboswell]

find a Barnes triple shock tipped thatll go threw anything.

Yep.

[trophy8]

find a Barnes triple shock tipped thatll go threw anything.

with a 3 digit number on the headstamp that starts with a 3 instead of a 2

im kidding!! i actually have a box or two of those for my wifes 308. i have yet to try em, but ive been wanting too!!

[clintb]

I use Federal Premium 150g in mine and have never had one not pass through at any distance. Most my shots are within 150 yards but have hung them out there with the 270 at say 350. All have passed through

[clintb]

I dont want a pass through. If your round is exiting your game its not the right round for what your hunting or for the shot your taking. You want all of the energy of the round to be transfered to the game. With rifle rounds your main killing effect is the permanint wound cavity which is made by the round transfering energy to the tissue.

What????

[Aggiehuntress]

Shot core-locs for years in the hill country (boerne area) with no probelm. As soon as we moved out west, to the bigger bodied deer, the core loc just werent doing it. Had a double lung shot, no pass thru looked for hours and found him 120 yards away right over the fence line. great shot, just not enough thump.

I switched to the winchester accubond 150gr and haven't had a problem since. keeps a 1/2 inch group in my gun and they may run 30 yards, but that is it. usually has a great blood trail. will do a number on the shoulders if you hit them though.