[Rogeritall]

I've been thinking about getting a middle of the road (price wise) bolt action rifle in .270 Win. (I miss the one I had to sell)... We can't really hunt anything with one in Indiana (as of right now), but since I hand load ammo, I could load up some 90-100 grain bullets and justify it as a varmint/Coyote rifle, rather then just a paper puncher (not that there's anything wrong with punching paper I enjoy it myself tremendously).

So my question... Has anybody tried light loads in their .270 Win, and if so, how good, or bad did it do as far as accuracy compared to "normal" 130-150 grain bullets? I've not seen the lighter varmint bullets in a factory load, but I must admit I haven't looked very hard so far yet.

This may be a better question for the hand loading section, but I don't really want to double post.

Thanks in advance for any opinions.

 

[Bindernut]

Accuracy isn't bad with Remington 90gr PSP or the Hornady 100gr SP. These are the only two I've loaded in the .270.

Are you thinking about hunting for hides or just population control?
If you're wanting to save the pelt then stay away from the lightweight little bullets. They are HARD on the pelts!
If you're just culling the critters, then by all means try the lightweights...they do peel open a doggy!
The lightweights are mainly designed for prairie-dog, marmots, etc...

I actually prefer to use the same load that I use on deer (130 or 140 soft points by Winchester Sierra or Hornady...they all get used). On a coyote, they drill through with minimal expansion and don't tear the hide up quite as bad.

A Match HP style bullet would be a good choice for hide hunting too. Even though they're a hollow point, they have a tougher jacket and don't expand like a varmint bullet.

If you want to work up a coyote specific load, you can load down 130/140/150gr deer bullets to 2600-2700fps or so. They're not flat-shooting but they will punch straight through with hardly any expansion at all. Almost as good as using FMJs. Two little holes in the hide to stitch up

 

[cpt-t]

Rogerital: I shot a bolt 270 and, I have found the 110gr V-MAX bullets for Hornady work every well for me. I use H-380 at about 3150 fps. In my rifle is a Sako and I use it quite a bit Varmit Hunting it is a Coyote killing machine. And It does an unbelivable job on Ground Hogs, I even take it along when we go to the praire dog town out in the middle of nowhere. But I don`t get very many richachas using this built. Hornady makes a 110 gr V-MAX in 30 Cal also works great in my 30-06`s and my Son`s 308`s. Both of these bullets give me an excuse to my 270 and 30-06`s more than I use to, and they are not just Safe Queens. Both rifles will shoot under an inch at a 100 if I do my part. GOOD LUCK TO YOU:
ken

 

[woolleyworm]

What range are you looking to shoot at? If you're looking to stabliize the lighter bullet at longer distances and you're stuck on a .270, then I'd look at investing in a 1:12 twist barrel.

 

[Rogeritall]

Thanks for all your replies, and thanks to whichever Moderator moved my post to the Ammo, and reloading forum, it didn't seem to be getting any comments in the rifle section.

I'd be using it mostly for Coyote population control, except for one black color phase Coyote that my wife really wants the fur from. Ranges would be around 50-250 yards, because it's Indiana and in my area it's hard to find an open space any bigger then that.

I was mostly curious if anyone had information about the effects on accuracy with the lighter bullets in a .270. I've got a .223 that will certainly take out any Coyote, or Groundhog that I wish to shoot, but I guess I'm just looking for a legitimate reason to get another .270 Win, other then just the fact that i want one... I shouldn't really need a "Reason" other then I would like to have one, but it's the more practical side of me that ruins it for the "I want it, I want it, I want it" side.

 

[Bindernut]

Well...they are practical so let that side of you agree with the "ohboyanewtoy!" side and go for it.

I never did much paper-punching with those bullets I listed in my above post but they are right around 1-1.5MOA. That's about what that Rem700 does with 140gr loads too so I can't say that it's a problem.

The only other problem you might run into is those fat little stinkers will shed velocity pretty fast and if it's windy they do get pushed around alot. Not a real big problem at the ranges that you're looking at.

 

[MAGNUM44]

I just loaded up some 110 V Max Bullets for my Win 270, To try on Coyotes also, As I can not see wasting my good Factory 130 Gr Deer Ammo on Coyotes, I loaded 10 rounds of each Powder for the 110's I used IMR 3031 & IMR 4064, Manuals say that both of these powders should give great results with the 110 bullets etc.

 

[sharps4590]

45 years ago I loaded a 110 gr. HP in my first 270 and probably over IMR-4831. I don't recall the exact accuracy and didn't have a chrono back then but they were "accurate enough". Devastating is the word that come to mind. Today I believe I'd work up a 130gr.-140 gr. cast load at 1800-2000 fps and be perfectly happy...and save a lot of money on bullets.