For you pronghorn hunters that use a .270 Win. (if there are any on this forum!), what bullets do you find best? I suppose most use just about any 130-grainer that shoots accurately in their rifle. But are there other, lighter, .277" bullets that kill effectively and provide flatter trajectories? I notice that Hornady have a 120-gr. SST bullet, and Nosler have a 110-grain Accubond. I suspect that the latter 110-grain bullet was designed more for the 6.8 SPC than the .270 Win., but has anyone used it in a .270 Win. on pronghorn (or for deer for that matter)? Both these lighter .277" bullets produce very flat trajectories at velocities possible with the .270 Win.
Pronghorn Bullets for the .270 Win.
- Thread starter South Pender
- Start date
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The 110 is designed for the 6.8. Suspect it would be rather explosive at 270 velocity. Like sub 100gr 25 cal, I would bet light 270 is all explosive, varmit. How would 130 not work?
You may be right, but the construction of the Accubond--with jacket-core bonding--should lessen the tendency to explode on impact. The 130 works, but I'm always looking for good alternatives. The 110 Accubond can be launched at about 3400 fps from a .270 Win., and, even with a rather poor BC of .37, shoots much flatter than any 130. In the pronghorn hunting I've done, I've often been able to sneak up to within 250 yards, but sometimes there's that one with 16" horns sitting out there at 500 with no chance to get closer!
if i were goin light in a 270 win "magnum" for sake of arguement..... id look at TTSX an not much further....... fling em as fast as possible.
those SST sound Super Stupid Thin in 120gr.... atleast an Accubond is more up for the Task....... 110grain sounds Zippy.... i would Armpit em or 3 inches behind Shoulder em, an watch em in the Binos for a minute.
those SST sound Super Stupid Thin in 120gr.... atleast an Accubond is more up for the Task....... 110grain sounds Zippy.... i would Armpit em or 3 inches behind Shoulder em, an watch em in the Binos for a minute.
i hate to be the bearer of Bad news, but That my man, Is Hunting.
draw a line .. or where does it end?
i can normally stalk to within 500m but sometimes i cant and i really want a set of horns so im thinking i need a scope for 800meters.. sarcasm
hooroo
This past autumn, 2021, I shot an antelope buck with my 240 Weatherby using the 90 grain Nosler Accubond (3,660 fps). I closed the distance on the buck from one mile to 175 yards. I'm sure that the 110 grain Accubond out of the 270 Win. will be most sufficient.
Did a little research comparing the Nosler 110 AB with the 130 AB and found this:
The Nosler 110 AB bullet has a BC of .370; the Nosler 130 AB has a BC of .435. Nosler (Reloading Handbook #9) gives muzzle velocities of 3440 fps vs 3125 fps for the 110 and 130 respectively. Here are the two trajectories with both sighted +3.0" at 100 yards (my standard sighting procedure with any load to be used for longer ranges):
110 AB: -7.30” at 400 yds.; -21.5” at 500 yds. Retained energy: 1419 at 400; 1168 at 500.
Wind deflection with 10 mph wind at 90°: 12.13” at 400; 19.79 at 500.
130 AB: -11.25 at 400 yds.; -28.0” at 500 yds. Retained energy: 1516 at 400; 1280 at 500.
Wind deflection with 10 mph wind at 90°: 11.46” at 400; 18.60” at 500.
So about 4” less drop at 400 yds. for the 110 than the 130, and about 6.5” less drop for the 110 at 500 yds. Retained energy is more than sufficient for pronghorn kills at 400 and 500 yds. for both bullets. Wind deflection is a little more than a half inch more at 400 yds. for the 110 vs. the 130, and a little more than 1 inch at 500.
Seems to me that, if we can assume that the 110 AB, with its bonded core, will not explode violently, it may be the better long-range choice for the small and light-boned pronghorn antelope. Nosler claims that the Accubonds need to impact at 1800 fps+ for reliable expansion. The 110 AB retains 1800 fps out to just under 700 yards, about the same as with the 130 AB.
The Nosler 110 AB bullet has a BC of .370; the Nosler 130 AB has a BC of .435. Nosler (Reloading Handbook #9) gives muzzle velocities of 3440 fps vs 3125 fps for the 110 and 130 respectively. Here are the two trajectories with both sighted +3.0" at 100 yards (my standard sighting procedure with any load to be used for longer ranges):
110 AB: -7.30” at 400 yds.; -21.5” at 500 yds. Retained energy: 1419 at 400; 1168 at 500.
Wind deflection with 10 mph wind at 90°: 12.13” at 400; 19.79 at 500.
130 AB: -11.25 at 400 yds.; -28.0” at 500 yds. Retained energy: 1516 at 400; 1280 at 500.
Wind deflection with 10 mph wind at 90°: 11.46” at 400; 18.60” at 500.
So about 4” less drop at 400 yds. for the 110 than the 130, and about 6.5” less drop for the 110 at 500 yds. Retained energy is more than sufficient for pronghorn kills at 400 and 500 yds. for both bullets. Wind deflection is a little more than a half inch more at 400 yds. for the 110 vs. the 130, and a little more than 1 inch at 500.
Seems to me that, if we can assume that the 110 AB, with its bonded core, will not explode violently, it may be the better long-range choice for the small and light-boned pronghorn antelope. Nosler claims that the Accubonds need to impact at 1800 fps+ for reliable expansion. The 110 AB retains 1800 fps out to just under 700 yards, about the same as with the 130 AB.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Ditto!
I loaded some Barnes X solids in my 300WM one hunt, and punched a hole through and through a nice goat buck. My heart sank when he scampered off. So, always choose something that has really good expansion or terminal performance. Velocity isn't everything.
Sorry, only pronghorn I have taken to date with a rifle, was with the 160 gr AB out of my 7MM STW at 140 yds. Quick, clean kill (DRT). I have also taken smaller whitetails with this rifle as close as 15 yards, and a mtn goat at 30 yards. Worked just fine. This bullet starts out at 3220 fps.
Having taken game with the 270 Win (deer, moose, mtn goat and caribou), mostly w/ the 140 gr Ballistic Tips, I can confidently say that the 130 gr bullets will work just fine on antelope.
I was working up loads with the 110 gr AB and TTSX in 270 Wby and getting a chronied 3800+ fps out of a 28" barrel for deer hunting large farm fields. This would retain approx. 2000 ft-lbs of energy @ 500 Yards (good enough for elk). Unfortunately, I never did get the chance to prove it on game. I can tell you that the 100 gr Hdy Interlock out of the 270 Wby does make a mess of a mule deer's shoulder @ 200 yards, if you hit it on the point of the shoulder, but the animal quickly expired!
While the 110 gr AB may have been developed for the 6.8 SPC, this bonded bullet should hold together just fine in the 270 Win on game.
My first hand experiences with AccuBonds on various big game, at varied distances, from various cartridges, suggests that the 110 gr AB in the 270 Win would be stellar for antelope at any distance
Having taken game with the 270 Win (deer, moose, mtn goat and caribou), mostly w/ the 140 gr Ballistic Tips, I can confidently say that the 130 gr bullets will work just fine on antelope.
I was working up loads with the 110 gr AB and TTSX in 270 Wby and getting a chronied 3800+ fps out of a 28" barrel for deer hunting large farm fields. This would retain approx. 2000 ft-lbs of energy @ 500 Yards (good enough for elk). Unfortunately, I never did get the chance to prove it on game. I can tell you that the 100 gr Hdy Interlock out of the 270 Wby does make a mess of a mule deer's shoulder @ 200 yards, if you hit it on the point of the shoulder, but the animal quickly expired!
While the 110 gr AB may have been developed for the 6.8 SPC, this bonded bullet should hold together just fine in the 270 Win on game.
My first hand experiences with AccuBonds on various big game, at varied distances, from various cartridges, suggests that the 110 gr AB in the 270 Win would be stellar for antelope at any distance
Over penetration can be a big problem with Antelope when they flock up. This is one instance when cup and core bullets are better. The most experienced Antelope shooter I know uses 110 Hornady V-Max in his .270’s.!
Interesting. The V-Max is a varmint bullet, so it's interesting to know that it's not too frangible for pronghorn-size game. Pronghorn are pretty small for a big-game species and lightly-boned, and so if the V-Max works, there would seem to be no reason to believe that the Nosler 110-grain Accubond won't work as well.
For what it's worth, I emailed Nosler CS a few days ago asking about their view re the 110-gr. Accubond on pronghorn-size game and received the following very-prompt reply:
"Thank you for reaching out to Nosler with your inquiry below. AccuBonds have an unlimited maximum impact velocity so you can hunt deer with them at 270 Win velocities."
Now, I'm not sure just how much credence I should give this, but it seems to me that, if Nosler had designed the 110 AB strictly for the 6.8 SPC, they would have indicated that the bullet is not recommended for big-game at .270 Win. velocities. I think the Nosler rep was saying that the AB will expand and remain intact at any maximum impact velocity. That was my main concern with the 110 AB. Nosler claims that Accubond bullets need to have impact velocity of at least 1800 fps (the bare minimum) for reliable expansion. The .270 110 AB, at the MV I started with, shows 1800 fps at just about 700 yards. At 300 yards it shows velocity close to the MV of the 6.8 SPC. So, if it stays together at short ranges (as Nosler claims), it should perform adequately out at 400-500 yards. However, I’d like to see some game field reports with it.
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