accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I just bought my first deer rifle in 40 years. I always used a .35 Rem but I am going deer hunting down south (SC)where the shots will be 150 to 200yds. Ipicked up a newSavage in 270win.
Here is my question;
I can get a box of Remington 130gr bullets for about $17 and I can put 5 shots inside a 2" circle at 100yds. It's my feeling that this is the best I can do reguardless of the ammo used. Will the more expensive $55 a box bullets improve on this or just move the center of the bullet pattern?
Are you paying a higher price for accuracy or down range performance on the game (expansion and penitration)?

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

The only question is will the low cost ammo/bullet perform properly.More expensive ammo generally comes with premium bullets but you don't need the best.I'm certain you can do better than those two extremes.Rem Core Lokt factory ammo is very easy to find in .270 and should only cost around 25 a box.Hornady and Federal also have good or better .270/130gr loads at around the same price.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

CoreLokts are fine for deer, I've killed about 85 with them out of my .243...

If you are a marginal rifle shot the easiest way to see what the gun will do is to have a better shot see how it groups for them...Two inches inside 100 yards will kill deer just fine...Another ammo you might try is the Federal Premium 130gr Sierra GameKing SPBT...My brother and his son have killed 50 or so with this ammo but it is running about $35 a box currently...

Two moreoptions are the Winchester PowerPoint 130gr loading, and the Federal Classic 130gr Speer HotCore...They bothrun around $18-20 a box...

You certainly don't have to buy expensive ammo to get good accuracy and kill deer...I'd rather hunt with a guy that shot a couple of cheap boxes a year getting ready than a guy that didn't want to practice because he was blowing 2 bucks everytime he pulled the trigger...

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

When it comes down to how much shooting you plan to do, all the costs involved in the actual hunt with license/travel/equip/etc. the cost of ammo is very insignificant. Even at $55/20 = $2.75 per shot unless you plan on shooting a truck load of deer isn't very much money. Consider also that if you are just talking about shooting deer and they aren't really big deer, just about any factory .270 Win ammo will handle the task with little trouble. I would use whatever shoots well in your gun.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Why waste the money on more expensive ammo when no accuracy advantage is going to be realized anyway? Like the others said, the 130s will drop any whitetail that ever walked IF placed properly.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I've got to say that I had more deer drop instantly to the cheaper .270 ammo than I have had with the premium stuff. Sort of doesn't make sense, but then again it does. I think the premium stuff is constructed a bit too tough for the typical whitetail deer and it just zips right thru unlike the cheap stuff that will expand better and more likely to put a deer down instantly. They will surely both kill deer, but I know in some hunting areas it's preferable to have the deer drop within sight before it can run off to someone else so in these cases I think the cheaper ammo might actually be a better choice.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

For deer any standard construction cup and core bullet will work just fine. The question comes in how does your gun like it. I handload everything I shoot now but when I was buying factory ammo for deer the Remington express, Hornady Customer, Winchester PP or blue box Federal all killed deer just fine.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I gather from what you are all saying is that if I am shooting 2" groups with $17 bullets I will probably still be shooting 2" groups with $55 bullets.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Different bullet or weight may shoot tighter groups, only you can decide if it's worth the extra $38 per box.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

More than likely you can find a better shooting bullet....and probably for a bit less than $55 a box.
If you can't I would suggest selling the rifle and getting another. While 2" at 100 yards will kill game all day I see no reason to spend your hard earned money on a rifle that should be shooting better than that.
Like I said before though, you should be able to find ammo that shoots better than the groups you are getting now.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Unless the gun has an accuracy guarantee, every gunmaker will tell you that there is nothing wrong with a 2" group.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

$55/box of .270win? I know ammo has gone up, but are you sure??

my .270 loves the cheap 130gr federals... my BAR shoots about 1/2MOA with em, or less!

give this cheap load a try...

your .270 may like 140grs or 150grs quite a bit more though....mine loves 130grs, so perhaps a cheap 140 or 150gr load might work even better! So at least give the cheap 130gr federals a try...

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

That may be true, but it is not too much to expect to have any currently manufactured rifle shoot a 1" group at 100 yards irregardless of what the manufacturer says. If it doesn't I would sell it and buy a different one.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I've tried Fusions, Federal Nosler Partition, Remington Core-Lokt, Winchester XP3, Hornady SST & Interbond all in 130gr and my x-bolt in .270 preferred the Hornady's by far the best. Sub-moa for the Hornady's to absolute crap with the XP3's, so yes, it does make a difference. It can be a spendy trial though. Used Hornady 130gr Interbond for my deer tags this year, both in/out and 1 shot kills.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Any time you change ammunition it can and usually does make a difference in group size and point of impact.

If Remington Core Lokts are giving you 2" groups then try Winchester power points (silver box) orFederal power shock (blue box). If these still don't shoot well then move up to more expensive ammo like Hornady innerlocks or SST's.

Generally speaking, the more simply constructed the bullet is the more potentially accurate it will be.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Here's my 2 cents.

First, for whitetails you do not need premium bullets. I have killed a duel wheel dump truck load of them in my lifetime with basic Remington cor-lokts and Winchester power points. Simple lead tipped cup and core bullets are as lethal on whitetails as anything out there. In factI think a lot of people are using bullets too toughly constructed for deer. Going on a Moose or Elk hunt? Fine buy some trophy bonded bearclaws. But for deer such bullets are not needed.

Second, there is no gurarantee that more expensive ammo will shoot more accurately in your gun. Each rifle, even of the same brand, caliber, and type, can be very different in what they like. They might shoot the premium stuff better but they are just as likely to group well with simple core-lokts or power points.That being the caseI would sure as heck start with the cheaper stuff first to see ifI could get acceptable accuracy before I moved on to the really expensive stuff. Since your goal is 2 inch groups at 100 yards (a very realistic and practical goal by the way) I'm betting that eithercor-lokts, power points or the blue box federal stuff will meet or exceed your expectations.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

A little different twist to the same goal. I just set my accu-trigger down as low as it would go on my Savage and it helped my groups a little. If your Savage doesn't have the accu-trigger, get a trigger job. A little thing like a trigger job will allow you to shoot cheaper ammo with better groups.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Price isnt usually inidicative of the accuracy potential, but moer of the toughness of a bullet. Expensive bullets are meant for bigger, hardier animals with tougher bone and hide. They dont expand as fast, and hold togeather more to mkae sure they get ito the vitals before opening. You dont want the bullet achieveing expansion before it punches through a shoulder, and wasting all its energy on a non vital spot.

Cheap Rem, Win, or Fed ammo is more then enough for deer.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I was discussing this question with my son who is living near Monterey,Ca and he is now having a hard time finding ammo. He can't find cheap or even midpriced 270win ammo and he can't even find 22s. I went to my local Walmart in NY and I was shocked at the almost empty shelves.
Anyone know what's going on?

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Have you been hiding out in the Alaska wilderness since November 11 of last year or just living under a rock? ;)

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

If working 12 hour days and spending my spare time with my grandkids is considered living under a rock, then I guess i'm guilty.

What's so important about Nov. 11 ? If you are refering to the presidential election, I thought that was Nov 4th.

I have read that the ammo supply was low due to people buying up all they could. But why? Are they afraid that Obama is going to stop ammo from being produced or sold? Is it really a supply and demand issue or is there some other underliying problem?

I'm just asking because I don'tunderstand it.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I just figured I'd put my 2 cents in here as well. Sometimes more expensive ammo will shoot more accurately-sometimes not. It's not worth the price anymore to shoot premium factory ammo IMO. I have a hard enough time seeing myself purchasing premium bullets for handloading when I can shoot for less with Core-Lokts :D

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Warren...Prices started up about 3 years ago as China developed and the price of metal increased...
I bought 8 boxes of CoreLokts for my .243 at that time for $11.88 and there was plenty avaliable...Now CoreLokts from the same store are $18.98 if you can find them...

Once Obama took office all sorts of rumers started flying, ammo was going to only last 2 years and go bad, Obama is taking away guns, taxes on ammo will skyrocket, etc...

So many shooters started buying ammo to have it stored away...I'm not talking about a couple of hundred rounds...I've heard some guys say where they had several thousand rounds stuck away...

The result is a shortage on ammo, primers, powder, bullets, reloading equipment, etc...There is quite a bit of price gouging going on as well...

That's my take on it from down here in NC...

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Try the ol blue blox Federals. Ive killed damn near a train car load of deer with them.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I only buy premium ammo for the bullet. Sometimes there is an accuracy improvement with the premium ammo, but again, I think that has more to do with the bullet than anything else. I prefer the Federal Fusion bullets, because they do an awesome job in weight retention based on my experience last year, but most of the time I will shoot Core Lokts or whatever I can get on sale.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Hey... Just get yourself some Hornady ammo, if your gun will tighten up with factory ammo, this stuff will probably help it along. 130gr SST or Interbond. You might save a buck or two if you get the BTSP.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I just recently purchased a new .270 Win and I plan on buying a box each of 130gr Power Point, Core Lokt and Federal Blue Box. I'll run each box through the rifle and will use whichever groups tightest for deer hunting. I just don't need premium bullets for deer or antelope....

Now, when elk is on the menu, I'll try 150gr Fusion, Partition, Grand Slam, Trophy Bonded, Triple X and whatever else I can find. I'll use what shoots best, but will be happy to pay the extra $$$$ for the premium bullets when hunting critters bigger and tougher than deer.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Warren,
If you haven't adjusted the trigger down on your Savage, I bet you could shrink that 2 inches down to at least
1 1/2 inches by easily turning your trigger down to 2-3 pounds. I like my trigger even lighter than that. I bought a Tikka a while back, and the first thing I did was turn the trigger down. The triggers on the Savage and the Tikka are very good.

C. Davis

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I have a Winchester M70 in .280 Rem. that loves Remington Core-Lokt bullets. It will put 5 rounds in a 1" group at 100 yards. I tried many different types of ammo and that was what the gun liked the best. Some of the others I tried were Hornady,Winchester,Federal, and some reloads from a friend. unfortunately here in Maui we have always had a hard time getting ammunition so we have to order a case at a time when we need ammo. I was lucky that a friend of mine gave me different ammo to try to see what was best in my gun before I ordered my ammo. Good luck and happy hunting!


Frontier

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I once had a ruger 77 in 06 that one of my sons now has, and it loves federal blue box, before that the hunter pack stuff....it shoots 5 shots you can cover with a quarter at 100 yds...the "Premium" stuff in this gun, wouldnt shoot any where near as accurate...a dead deer is a dead deer no matter what you use..However bulletts that penetrate too much and punch holes all the way through the animal I have totally changed my opinion on especially on deer size game!!....So premium ammo designed for heavier game should be avoided for sure...I would try a few more brands of less expensive stuff first and see if the 2" groups improve...you might be surprised...I handload now and have a much better appreciation of how much a slight change in something can make ..so if you find a particualrly good inexpensive ammo, by a couple of extra boxes of the same "Batch" number listed somewhere on the box...

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Update:
I went back to the range with another box of inexpensive Winchester 130gr .270 ($17/box of 20) and took the best steady rest I could come up with and took 3 shots at 100 yards. These 3 shots could be covered with a quarter.
Conculsion: Out of the box Savage .270win with factory scope and inexpensive ammo and a steady rest is capable of 1" groups at 100 yards.

Thanks to everyone for your replys.

Warren

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

The preference a rifle has for a given lot of ammo has nothing to do with price of a box of cartridges. The inexpensive stuff is just as likely to prove accurate as the more expensive variety. Remington ammo with Corelokt bullets is adequate for deer. Many rifles will not shoot better than 2" @ 100 yards right out of the box, which is not too shabby performance.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

What part of SC will you be hunting in? I live in and hunt public lands in the Midlands of SC( Sumter, Lee, Richland, Clarendon, and Kershaw) area.

If you still have the .35 Rem bring it. Most of my shots are well under 100 yards and in brush, heck I have missed deer due to a long bbl, scoped rifle. I plan on using my new to me M44 with factory iron sights for a some of my close in hunting. I choose that gun because it should be fun to take a deer with an old surplus rifle. The 270 is more than enough gun for the bean fields and power lines where longer shots are the order of the day. By the way, 2 inch groups are darn good and more than good enough for deer hunting, if you can do that every time and put a cold bbl shot close to POA you will do just fine in the woods. I don’t think you said, but if the .35 is a lever gun with iron sights or a low power scope, it will provide a fine and handy rifle for hunting the brushy areas we tend to have in down in the “Carolina Pines”

Good luck in our fine state. Stay safe and hunt hard when you have time to do so.

Ford351Win

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

I would buy a 3 set die and reload so u can stick to a load and its cheaper than buying a box of ammo.

RE: accuracy vs inexpensive ammo
 

Congrats! I'm glad you found something that works for you.

I think the posts have been spot-on, where the folks have mentioned not bothering with premium bullets for whitetail hunting. I have tried far more types of ammo than it was worth, trying to find my "magic bullet" for accuracy. 'Twould have been better to define "good enough" for me, then move on with my life.

My experience has been that different rifles may prefer different bullet weights. I've heard about people who will shoot 150's, 165's, 180's, and 220's in their .30-'06, depending on the game. I tried all of them in my '06, and only the 165's would shoot worth a darn. So, I accepted the fact that I own a lover of 165's, and I go kill everything I point them at. So far, no critter has laughed at me after a shot, and suggested I come back with some 220's...

FWIW, I've got a 7x57 that vastly prefers 175's to 140's, and a .35 Whelen that's much happier belching out 250's than 200's. I feed them what they like, & they all seem to treat me pretty well.

These days, when I'm wringing-out a new rifle, I'll try 2 or 3 different boxes of ammo, in different bullet weights. If one of those shows more promise than the others, I'll buy 2 or 3 other types of ammo in that bullet weight, & see if any of those are better still. Seeing as how most of my rifles are shooting < 3,000 fps, I almost never reach for the premium ammo anymore.

Now go out there & knock 'em down this Fall, then send us some pix!

FC

Nov 11 is the day that WWI ended. It used to be called Armistice Day, and is now known as Veteran's Day. So it is an important holiday.

this has been played out, but my $.02 is... 2" ain't a bit bad. Apparently your rifle likes Winchester ammo a bit more; good.

I think that for deer, 'premium' ammo is a waste of money. As others have mentioned, lots of inexpensive bullets out of .270 will kill the deer just as dead as anything else. And I'll had... they'll do it further out than most of us have any business shooting at a deer.

I'm usually hunting with a 336 or a muzzleloader.

eldeguello
The date of Nov. 11th was brought up by Bigbulls and he was talking about last Nov 11th and implying that this date had somrthing to do with the ammo shortaged. I don't think he was referring to WW1.
I am well aware of Armistice day, both of my Grandfarthers served in France during that war. One of them was mustard gased and wasn't expected to last 6 months but he lasted until 1964.

Untill about 8 months ago, I bought my bullets. I have since started to load my own. My grouping shrank, accuacy improved and cost per shot went down. I buy quality bullets and make all my rounds the same. Very consistant. Every bullet has the exact amount of powder in it, same length, same everything. My Reming 700 is a tac driver @ 100yds. Sub MOA. At 300yds, it opens up to about a 2" MOA. That is what you should expect to do. My understanding of the basic rule of thumb is, 1" MOA @ 100yds, 2" MOA @ 200yds and 3" MOA @ 300yds. My standards are a little higher but @ 100yds, the holes should touch. Even my ML has 1" MOA @ 100yds and that is with a peep.

If you're worried about tightening up your grouping, by a trainer .22 (in your case the Savage Mark-II) and set it up similar to your .270. My Mark-II will print .8" groups at 100 yards. It's easier and cheaper to work on shooting w/ an accurate .22!!

As for the ammo itself in your .270, the only thing I can tell you is to buy a box of each different loads and see what your rifle likes the most. One of my savages LOVES 168gr SMK's whereas the other one is a hair more accurate with the 175SMK's. Some rifles like some ammo more than others.