140 gr. or 150 gr. 270 bullets for sheep?

MD

MD

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I've been using 150 grain bullets, both factory and handloads in my 270 cartridges for deer primarily because they are accurate in my rifle.

I was just drawn for a mountain sheep tag here in B.C. though, and I wonder if I should make up some premium loads with 130 or 140 grains to get that extra reach if I need it.

What do you think?

Is the trajectory improvement in a 140 or 130 gr, 270 bullet over a 150 gr going to be so much better that I should switch?
 
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The trajectory of a 130 @ 3100 fps, a 140 @ 3000 fps, or a 150 @ 2900 fps are so similar I don't think you'd notice a difference in the field. If your 150s shoot good, there really isn't much reason to change.
 
either/or. A sheep won't notice a 10 or 20 grain difference. I doubt you will either - the extra range it buys you is really not all that significant
 
I have had extremely good results using the 140 gr Hornady boattails in my 270. Check the ballistics out...flies like a 130...hits like 150. In sheep country you may be required to reach out and touch it and every bit of advantage you can glean from your equipment is essential. I recommend the BTSP's not the sst's as they are too fragile on impact.
Bottom line is shoot what shoots well in your rifle and what you feel confident in and only shoot at yardages that you know you can effectively drop it.
 
Check out the 140 grain accubond... they shoot like a ballistic tip and deliver energy consistently at a wide range of velocities. I am not a sheep hunter but I have shot these bullets accurately to 400 yards with a .270.
Many members here will attest to the killing ability of the Accubonds.
 
I would agree with almost all of the above statement.....shoot what you like and what you feel comfortable with and what shoots good in your rifle. A good premium bullet these days will do all the killin in the world....150 or 140...or 130...whatever works best for ya in that gun...

I also agree on the Accubonds...great bullet IMO.....
 
I'd agree that you should go with what your rifle likes for sheep. I've been using 130 gr ballistic silvertips in my .270 wsm because they get the best groups - but I'll be switching to something more robust this year - I had a shot on a legal ram last year at about 60 or 70 yards (that I passed up), at which range the silver tips are prone to come apart, I've unfortunately learned from experience.

I'll be handloading this year, so it'll probably be shooting 140 gr TSXs, or 130 gr accubonds, if I can get them to shoot. But I say use a bullet that'll work at your maximum range, but also one tough enough if you get a close shot - I figured that I wouldn't have to worry about close shots and too-rapid expansion, but last year proved me wrong
 
Pick your poison... all will kill sheep with aplomb.

Sheep are thin skinned, light boned animals, and any decent 130, 140, 150gr hunting bullet will do the job from your 270 Win.

I personally would stick with what you already know, and keep the shots within your comfort range. Rest assured the 150gr bullet is still PLENTY flat enough to shoot at barrel stretching distances, and has enough oomph to cleanly take a ram WELL beyond most hunter's maximum range anyhow.

Also rest assured that the VAST majority of sheep are not killed at super long distances....due to the broken nature of sheep country...

Good luck

280_ACKLEY
 
If you are hunting sheep try the barnes x bullet in 140 grain I shoot it out of my 270 weatherby and shot a mule deer in alberta a 279 yards in the boiler room took three steps and fell over shot placement is the name of the game and the bullet will perform well out to 400 yards with efficienct knock down power power to take your sheep home with you
 
One more thing to add: For a mountain bullet in a relatively flat-shooting rifle, wind-drift resistance is probably more important than trajectory. The limiting factor for making a good shot in the mountains past 200 yards is more ballistic coefficient than holdover or range estimation.

The wind is always howling up there, there's all kinds of features that cause unpredictable gusts, and, unlike prairie hunting, sheep are generally found in more barren or closely grazed country that doesn't have enough grass to tell you what the wind is doing between you and the sheep.

So whatever bullet or weight you pick, make sure its got a high BC.
 
While the advice given so far is very valid, and the difference in trajectory of the 3 weights is not substantial, I would lean to the 140's of some flavor, my personal favorite being the 140 Accubond, mainly because this bullet is very accurate in my 700 CDL. Regards, Eagleye.
 
anything pointy and 150 grain or less will work well downrange

personally Id load 140 gr Accubonds for sheep in a 270 Win, as a first choice assuming they'd shoot well :) ​
 
The Accubond works great on whitetail bucks.

.270Win, .277" 140gr. Accubond Nosler @3000fps, recovered from whitetail buck at 40m. Bullet entered left shoulder, broke both and then deflected up into neck area where it was found just inside the skin opposite side. Buck dropped like a sack of hammers.
recovered weight- 91.5grs or 65.4% weight retention
width- 0.591"
length-0.455"



Accubond270-140gr.jpg
 
I have hunted for, and guided a lot, for sheep. The point made about wind in the mountains should be well taken.

Although I really love the 130 gr bullets in the 270, I always hunted with 150 gr because they drifted less in the wind. They still shoot plenty flat enough for all the shots you will take. In fact if the sheep is far enough away to make any difference between a 130 and a 150, you are just too far away.

Contrary to what most people think, most sheep are shot at ranges much less than you would think. I would bet money that 99% are taken at 300 yds or less. Because of the nature of the terrain they live in, most are taken much, much closer than that.

I guided a fifteen year old kid in 1973, during the making of a movie by Outdoor Film Productions, that shot his sheep at 35 yards. That's thirty- five yards. We have archery hunters who regularly take sheep every season up here.

Best on your hunt. You are in for a treat! :cool:

Ted
 
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