A better bullet for performance and group
 

Model 700 Rem SPS Stainless chambered in 270. I have had this gun for about a year now and have been shooting Core-Loct through it primarily and am not too impressed with the bullets grouping or performance.

I was thinking about getting into doing some reloads for it, but the expense of reloadingreally doesnt meet my needs as a hunter who is limited to whereI can even use a rifle vs my slug gun.

The 130gr Core-Loct i get about a 3in group @100 yrds with them off bags. Ive even let more experienced shooters shoot it and they get about the same grouping. I have a VX1 Scope as well.

The DeerI was able to take last yearI had one bullet perform very well and the other not so well.

I decided to call sierra's reloading hotline to see what type of load and bullet weight they would recomend for accuracy and putting meat on the table. The told me to look into a higher quality jacketflat based 130gr round. They recomended their pro hunter bullet in 130gr.

I guess what i am looking for is who makes a better 130gr Soft point flat basedbullet in a factory load? Federal offers the nosler partition, but that is slightly over kill for whitetail. I know federal premiumuses some sierra loads, but only in boat tail. I was thinking about just buyin a box of hornaday 130s and winchester 130s to see what they shoot like, but at $30 a box i guess this could get a lil pricy.

Any suggestions on this matter?

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

First of all your going to have to try out different brands until you find one that shoots well from your rifle. Every rifle will shoot differently and by the way every brand and type of bullet doesn't preform perfect every time. Core-lokts are excellent bullets and have probably taken more deer then just about any other on the planet. 3'' in my opinion is not acceptable so start trying for better, the winchester powerpoints will kill a deer just as fast. Start out with the cheaper ammo if you need to watch cost and work your way up. I think the sierra guy was trying to sell you the deer can't tell the difference between a flat base or a boattail.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

My brother has 2-.270s, a Remington and a Ruger...Both are sighted in 2 inches high at 100 with the Federal Premium Sierra GameKing SPBT 130gr bullet...Both guns shoot into 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches...Between them they have killed about 100 deer and a black bear...I know it's not a flat based bullet, but it works...

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

See i think he under sold me. I asked about ballistic and boat tails and he told me they come apart alot faster than the normal soft point with a flat base. I rarely make a shot over 150 yrds that is why he primarily told me to lean towards the flat based bullets.

I only get to rifle hunt maybe 5 times a year...the rest is with a bow or slug gun.

I believe you are right about the core loct killing alot of deer. I just would like to get some better accuracy and some more consistant performance out of the bullet. I am not confident in the remington if i have to line up on a trophy whitetail...$2.00 a shot is nothing for piece of mind in the woods. I am just tryin to get to the point where i no longer am worried about my rifle accuracy or the bullet performance that is going to take the time and some $$...UnlessI get lucky....lol

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

Are you sure its the ammo?

Action screws tight, scope mounts tight, clean barrel, free floated barrel?

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

I agree with the thought that your going to have to do your homework and start shooting some different bullets through your gun to see what shootsbest through it. Even different weight core lokts could shoot better than the 130's you have tried. It is trial and error until you find the right load and brand.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

He is correct in telling you this. A boat tail bullet tends to shed the jacket easier than a flat based bullet.

Some good but inexpensive factory ammo include Federal Power shock, Winchester Super-X, Hornady soft point.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

+1.

I tried tons of different ammo in all my rifles, with varied results. Finally, I started paying attention, & realized that each of my rifles seemed to prefer a particular weight of bullets, regardless of brand:
.30-'06 = 165 grain
7x57 = 174 grain
.243 = 85 grain
.223 = 64 grain

I used to obsess that if I wasn't shooting 220g bullets out of my '06, I wouldn't get the John. C. Holmes-like penetration that I wanted on my elk hunt. Still, with 2½" groups, I wasn't comfortable using 220's on my trip. So, I went with 165's, & the elk got just as dead.

Just from the Remington site, I see they have 100, 115, 130, 140, & 150 grain offerings in .270 Win. I'd check the 150's first, 'cause they'll be cheaper than the premium bullets in the 140 range. Once you find a weight that your rifle seems to like, then you can check different brands. FWIW, none of my rifles seem to prefer one brand over another in their "favored" range of bullet weight.

Good Luck,

FC

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

I have had good luck with the Hornady 130 gr spire point out of my Remmy 270 which did not like the corelokt at all.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

I think what i am going to do is buy a box of hornaday SP 130s and 150s and see how the gun likes those....if it doesnt improve try another factory load...and so on...might cost me $120 to get 4 or 5 boxes of ammo, but in the end i should be fairly familiar with my rifle and what it likes.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

That is what will give you confidence the next time you take your rifle out hunting. Bullets can never make up for a hunter knowing his/her rifle.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

I have grouped and killed deer with about 10 different factory loadings, you will see a big difference in not only groups but how they preform on deer as well as drop out to 300 yards...It's funny to me how guys will spend so much on a rifle and scope and then balk at spending money on different bullets to try...

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

Believe me ifI could rifle hunt moreI wouldnt even hesitate in getting into reloading. To get to a place where I can pull out the long gun is literally an hour drive. IfI hunt locally its bow and slugs only.

Im just looking to find a bullet that my rifle fires better and hits with a little more pop.

I use my rifle in northern PA and WV primarily. It a real no frills rifle, just use it to put meat on the table, but im almostgetting better groups out of my slug gun at 100 yrds than my rifle...

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

I'm talking about factory loads, I don't reload either...

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

For the close shots of Northern WV I always used plain ol blue box Fed 130's in my 270. They done a heckuva job for me.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

As jeepkid asked, have you checked everything on your rifle first? I have a Winchester model 70 Super Shadow in .270 WSM. I couldn't get it to shoot better than 2-1/4" at 100 yards with any ammo I tried. I bought a Boyd's Laminated stock, pillar and glass bedded the action, free floated the barrel and now it's a sub MOA rifle. The stock was actually pushing on the right side of the barrel. Check all of that first or you will just be chasing your tail with ammo. Then follow all of the advice you've gotten about ammo.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

Good advice! Make sure that everything is tourqued to specs (bases, rings, guard screws).

I have found that 130g bullets favor the .270, mine loves the federal vital-shock 130g btsp...but groups other 130's good enough.

Things started to open up when I tried 140 and 150g.

RE: A better bullet for performance and group
 

IMO the Hornady ammo is very good stuff and the bullets areaccurate, mushroom nicelyand hold together well. It is my second favorite bullet and first choice for factory ammo.

That said, I am a Nosler Ballistic Tip man all the way. I have taken lots of different critters with lots of calibers in lots of situations with them and never a bullet failure when appropriate for animal calibers are used.

Lastly....at $120 for some factory ammo to test, is reloading looking any better? You can create perfectly good ammo with inexpensive Lee reloading equipment.You only have to load 3 of each recipe to test. Do you have a friend or neighbor with a loading outfit you could use to work up a load for your gun? I have a friend that I allow to purchase his own components and use my equip. to "roll his own".