160 grain bullets in 270?

MD

MD

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I picked up a couple boxes of Imperial brand 270 ammo from a friend at a gun show a few years ago loaded with 160 gain bullets.

I figured seeing as I had a 280 that shot 140 grain bullets, a 7x57 that shot 139 grain bullets and a 270 that shot 130 grain bullets that maybe I should change things up a bit from too much of the same thing and go for a heavier bullet.

Has anyone tried this?

I haven't even shot a single cartridge out of those two boxes yet.
 
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For the 270, the only bullet I can recall was the 160gr nosler partition. Like many large for bore bullets they were round nose, not the long sleek vld bullets of today. Round nosed because if they were long and sleek, typical 1-10 twist wouldn't stabilize them. There are recent bullets, designed for the 6.8 western, as heavy as 175gr, which typically have 1-8 or 1-7.5 twist.
 
I used 160 Gr Nosler 270W in a BRNO ZKK600 - I still have some. They shot accurately and gave good velocity with loads that had quite acceptable recoil. I have no idea how they might have performed cause I never shot anything other than a paper target with them.
 
The old Dominion 160’s shot well in my 1962 vintage Husqvarna .270 but never shot a critter with it. The Nosler 160 gr. Semi Spitzer Partition was super accurate in that rifle and was deadly on moose.
 
nowarningshot said:
For the 270, the only bullet I can recall was the 160gr nosler partition. Like many large for bore bullets they were round nose, not the long sleek vld bullets of today. Round nosed because if they were long and sleek, typical 1-10 twist wouldn't stabilize them. There are recent bullets, designed for the 6.8 western, as heavy as 175gr, which typically have 1-8 or 1-7.5 twist.
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160 Nosler rn in my 270 gave me 2” groups at 200 yards with a K4 weaver scope. I could probably do better now that I have a 2.5-10x on it. I stopped using the Nosler 160s not because they don’t work but because I was looking to reach out further.
 
I knew a customer who would shoot GB with 160grn bullets from his .270.
Used 160grn for everything....shot several GB and lived to tell the stories of his hunts.
Me, I would go with something bigger on GB, but in today's eco climate we have no need to worry about GB as they are endangered ;).
What condition those boxes in MD ?
Rob
 
FLHTCUI said:
I knew a customer who would shoot GB with 160grn bullets from his .270.
Used 160grn for everything....shot several GB and lived to tell the stories of his hunts.
Me, I would go with something bigger on GB, but in today's eco climate we have no need to worry about GB as they are endangered ;).
What condition those boxes in MD ?
Rob
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I'm probably not even going to hunt BB any more Rob, Mrs. has gone off red meat.

The boxes of ammo are in good to excellent condition, the brass is looking a little old and tarnished, it's been a while since I looked, but I don't think the bullet tips have started growing that little frost of crystals that I have seen really old bullets take on.
 
Shot 160 Remingtons out of my model 4 and was HAPPY with 2" groups killed a few mule deer in the day but have not seen any for a lonngg while.
 
madtrapper143 said:
Heavy bullets for calibre were a CIL trademark.(215 in the .303 and 160 in the 6.5x55 to name a few) They work and work well if your rifle shoots them well.
Darryl
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Yeah, a friend of my dad's had a 6.5x54 Mannlicher and I remember seeing the long 160 grain round-nose bullets in the cartridges. When I got my first Swede 6.5x55 ($49.95 at SIR) in 1982 the only ammo available locally was Imperial brand with those same 160 grain bullets.
 
Used to handload them for jumping deer outta their beds in the brush. Length ways penetration every time.
 
Woodleigh Bullets makes a .270 Winchester (.277 Diameter) 180 Grain Weldcore Protected Point which was very popular in Australia for large Sambar deer (caribou sized) and water buffalo and in Africa for large game like Zebra's etc.

Woodleigh Bullets .270 Winchester (.277 Diameter) 180 Grain Weldcore Protected Point Box of 50, Manufacturer Stock #: 73A


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https://www.woodleighbullets.com.au/images/downloads/woodleigh_bullets_2019_catalogue.pdf
 
mkrnel said:
Woodleigh Bullets makes a .270 Winchester (.277 Diameter) 180 Grain Weldcore Protected Point which was very popular in Australia for large Sambar deer (caribou sized) and water buffalo and in Africa for large game like Zebra's etc.

Woodleigh Bullets .270 Winchester (.277 Diameter) 180 Grain Weldcore Protected Point Box of 50, Manufacturer Stock #: 73A


871829.jpg


iv2_recovery_277pp-ebc13616.jpeg




https://www.woodleighbullets.com.au/images/downloads/woodleigh_bullets_2019_catalogue.pdf
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Not seen any of those hereabouts, but I'll keep an eye out. - dan
 
Woodleigh bullets - I never used those - page 65 of their loading manual - Maximum loads circa 2330 to 2470 fps with various powders in 270 Win, with those 180 grain PP SN bullets. Is 7 loads listed, but I think two are duplicates - Australian name / ID for same powder in North America - so, say, five powders listed.

I think we would know the powders listed as RL25, RL22, RL19, H4831sc (aka AR2213sc), and H1000 (aka AR2217).
 
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dan belisle said:
Not seen any of those hereabouts, but I'll keep an eye out. - dan
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Trade-Ex used to sell them, I bought a few boxes of them before they closed.

They shoot fine in one of my .270's and the other not so much.

Probably has to do with twist rate which would make sense since the rifle that shoots them well does not like lighter than 130gr bullets and the other that shoots the 180gr Woodleigh's into 2.5" groups at 100 yards shoots 100gr .277 bullets into 1.5" groups at the same distance. Both rifles group near or around 1" at 100 with most 130gr bullets.
 
In Western Canada, maybe try Larch Valley Enterprises - I think they were the Western Canada Woodleigh distributor - I have made several purchases from them - out of Cochrane, Alberta, I think. Not sure what he has left in stock since the Woodleigh factory in Australia burned down.
 
mkrnel said:
Trade-Ex used to sell them, I bought a few boxes of them before they closed.

They shoot fine in one of my .270's and the other not so much.

Probably has to do with twist rate which would make sense since the rifle that shoots them well does not like lighter than 130gr bullets and the other that shoots the 180gr Woodleigh's into 2.5" groups at 100 yards shoots 100gr .277 bullets into 1.5" groups at the same distance. Both rifles group near or around 1" at 100 with most 130gr bullets.
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Do you know what velocity you were getting with the 180s?
 
I have some 240gr woodleigh for 30cal. Designed for 30-06 at 2400. Those 180gr 270 would be about the same purpose. Sight them in to 2" at 50yds, have one up the tube while your elbow deep in tomatoe sauce. Short range thumpers for settling disputes on ownership of your animal.
 
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