ORIGINAL: LebeauHunter
This is not quite on point, but I'm curious. I'm pretty sure the poster said he was whitetail hunting, but I have seen a lot of responses for moose, etc.
I also shoot a 270 WSM and have been using 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips with 100% success (on about 5 deer so far with this gun and none ran beyond 10 yards). It is also accurate at the range. Isn't the Barnes a little much for whitetail (solid brass)? If I knew I was going to hit a deer in the shoulder I would want the Barnes, but on a well placed shot wouldn't the Barnes blow right through the deer with less damage than the BT?
I'm sure there have probably been a million threads about the BTs being fragile, especially for speeds of 270WSM, but I heard they had beefed up the outside of the cartridge, and that is also why I'm shooting 150 grain.
For whitetail, I haven't seen any reason to switch.
Lebeau:
Original post lists game as whitetail, moose and elk.
I totally see where you are coming from about the solid copper bullets on whitetails, and understand your point with ballistic tips as well. This is really a personal preference thing.
The TSX bullets don't just blow through the deer doing little damage, and the BTs will do MUCH more damage on impact (they are designed to work that way). At slower velocites/longer ranges, the BT bullet is the bees-knees, it expands very reliably. But, as you hinted at, its fairly fragile. Little more than a thin jacketed hollow point with a plastic nose cone for better flight/higher BC. It was of course designed as a varmint bullet, and designed to explode.
This brings us to a crossroads and you sort of have to choose a school of thought. I like the guarenteed to make it to and through the vitals...two holes are better than one school. Since I mainly shoot through the top of the shoulder to take the spine anyway, I need to know that my bullet will make it through. I have shot many deer with a BT in the same spot, and never really had an issue (at least not that cost me a deer). But I did have a few that didn't make it through and cratered.
You are probably of the massive damage school. This is none the less effective, and for most folks who shoot deer right behind the shoulder (which is a fine place) then rapid expanding bullets are ususally the order of the day on whitetails.
The issue with BTs, is that they usuallycrater at very high speeds, which are created by either: A) fast shooting rifles (the .270WSM amoung them) B) VERY close ranges (common with moose and eastern white-tails) or C) Both. Take a .270 WSM with a 130gr BT and have a go at a deer at 50 yards. That bullet will blow up on impact. It will kill the deer, no doubt, if you hit it properly...but you may very well not get an exit wound (depending on angle). If you are shooting deer behind the shoulder, they are usually going to run, and as we know from bow-hunting, two holes are better than one. Thats why I like the TSX bullets so much.