Help choosing a good whitetail bullet

steviebiggun · 09-09-2009, 08:36 AM

I shoot a 270wsm, I am wonder which bullet to reload, its between the CT Ballistic Silvertip and the Sierra GameKing in the 130 grain. Please give me pros and cons of each bullet. Thanks, Steve

wjsmall97 · 09-09-2009, 08:45 AM

I also have a 270wsm and I stay away from the ballistic silvertips.I hunt up in Maine and there is always a chance for a bear or a large bodied deer and I've heard to many things about the ballistic tips blowing up at short range when hitting something solid. Also don't like cleaning the Moly out of my barrel.
Bill

TUK101 · 09-09-2009, 10:30 AM

I shot a bunch of the Sierra Gamekings last year during the winter when we had 4+ feet of snow on the ground and have since found a bunch of them on the ground. I am not impressed. Most of them had the lead seperate from the jacket and the jacket is just folds of metal. Maybe I am wrong and that is how they are supposed to work? Idunno, for a deer bullet and a good all around getterdun bullet I like the old fashioned Core-Lokt. They aren't as sexy or cute as a Silvertip or Gameking, but in my experience they have always gotten the job done.

handloader1 · 09-09-2009, 03:00 PM

A Hornady Innerlock will do the job. Good luck.

nchawkeye · 09-10-2009, 04:49 PM

I wouldn't shoot either, they are both known as "soft" bullets and with the speeds of the short mags, you need a tougher bullet...

My cousin has killed several deer with the 140 gr Nosler AccuBond, that or the 150 Nosler Partition would be a good starting point...

HEAD0001 · 09-10-2009, 10:54 PM

Either bullet would work perfectly on deer. I would shoot which ever bullet shot the most accurate.

IMO premium bullets are a complete waste of money on deer. Especially when you are shooting a magnum cartridge. Why would you need a $1 a piece-controled expansion bullet on a thin skinned deer. The mfrs. have done a fantasic job on marketing. As was mentioned if you can get the Core-Lokt to shoot they are more than adequate. Controlled expansion bullets have their place on larger-harder to kill game, but not deer.

The premium bullets have their place. For people who want to shoot with diminuitive cartridges they need a premium bullet. Last time I checked a 270 magnum was not a "girly gun". So no need to waste your money on expensive bullts(IMO).

thndrchiken · 09-11-2009, 06:34 AM

I shoot 130 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, sitting on top of 63 gr of IMR 4350, WW case, WLRM primer. 3250 fps out of my Ruger MK II. I have yet to recover a bullet on shots from 50 to 175 yds. I have also had excellent accuracy with the 140 gr Accubonds and 140 gr Hornady SST's. I haven't tried the regular Interlok's yet. I still have a few hundred Ballistic Tips so I don't think I'll be needing to look for another bullet for a while. Now if I were to be hunting something larger than deer I would probably stick with the Accubond. That being said I also have better tools for the job of hunting larger game like the trusty ole 06 and a 35 Whelen.

rozman62 · 09-12-2009, 04:00 AM

Head 001 nailed it on the head.

redgreen · 09-12-2009, 08:55 AM

I am shooting the 270 weatherby, and use the 140 grain hornady. It groups well, and flattens mules, whitetail and elk.

homers brother · 09-12-2009, 03:38 PM

After weeks working up a load (that my M700 .30-06 liked) for the 165 gr Sierra GameKings (that I liked), it took a pronghorn, an elk, and a whitetail to convince me that what "looked" good on paper, didn't necessarily translate downrange.

EVERY one of them shed its jacket, however it must also be said that none of the animals required more than one shot.

I'll still use GKs and that load for Prairie Dogs occasionally, but I've since switched to Hornady Interbonds for big game.

No experience with the CTs. Have used Nosler BTs, Barnes, and Swift as well as the Hornadys. All kill game equally well, none shed their jackets that I can remember. But then, I don't recall having CoreLokts or PowerPoints shedding jackets either?