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bolt-action deer rifle thoughts

3K views 49 replies 37 participants last post by  ranger1968 
#1 ·
I will try to keep this short. Looking for some wisdom here. I hunt short range whitetail where I may get one or two shots per season and they need to count because of the thick cover. I hate tracking deer.

I am emotionally attached to a CDL 700 .270 winchester 130 core lokts. I've lost some deer due to tricky shots and perceived shortcomings of the caliber.

I am considering trying a 308 win, 7mm rem mag, or 300 win mag in 150 gr. Interested in a new model 70

What is the best solution here? This is a major decision to retire my 700.
 
#29 ·
M700 CDL in .270 WIN?

I have hunted for decades w/ a M700 BDL in .270 WIN. This is what I use and recommend for bad country, swamps, and thickets.

The 150 gr. Nosler Partition is what you want, unless you are sure that you can drive the bullet through thick bone, in which case the copper TSX offerings are pretty reliable.

The 150 grain Partition is a truly outstanding bullet. A key factor to extracting this performance is to ensure hand loads are running at muzzle velocities of 2900fps or higher. This projectile is spectacular when used on light game, absolutely emphatic on heavier animals of up to 150kg. On heavier animals up to the size of Elk, the 150 grain Partition is one of the best bullets available in .270 caliber. For a long time I have debated this internally. The .270 is in some ways a light cartridge for large bodied game, it is certainly lighter than a 7mm Remington Magnum loaded with the 160-175 grain Partition or a .30-06 loaded with a 180 grain bullet. For many years, I preferred to ere on the side of caution and recommend the Barnes in the .270 for use on tough game. Yet after many years and having seen many tough animals downed with the violent wounding Partition, this bullet still proves its merit with an ability to produce wide wounding and deep penetration on large bodied deer and tough wild boar with armor plated shoulder shields. Furthermore, this performance can be pushed out to considerable ranges, down to impact velocities of 1800fps although wounding is at its most violent at 2200fps and above.

My one concern with the Nosler 150 grain Partition is that it can be so good, that it can lead to over confidence in the .270 cartridge. Similar notes of this nature can be found in the 6.5x55 text. Sometimes, when a bullet performs extremely well, there is a risk of eventually pushing a cartridge beyond its limitations. Therefore, it is recommended that while great performance can be expected from the 150 grain Partition on large bodied medium game, hunters should exercise circumspection...





GR
This.

I live and hunt in Missouri, where the shots are usually within 100 yards, and usually within thick brush.

My first deer rifle was a Winchester M70 .30-06 I shot my first deer with that rifle, and it dropped like a rock when hit. Problem was, it bucked so dang hard, I didn't like to shoot it more than about 20 rounds at a time at the range, so I wasn't a very good shot. Missed two prior to dropping my first.

So I moved to a Ruger Mk II in .243 and hunted with that rifle for a decade. Killed 12 deer in those 10 years, most of them dropped within 50 yards, a few dropped where they stood. I LOVED shooting that rifle, and put hundreds of rounds down range each year. With a Nikon Prostaff 3-9-40 (IIRC), I was a crack shot with that thing. Not a single shot in all those deer didn't hit precisely where I aimed it.

The last deer I shot with that old rifle was my first real, big-chested 9-pointer. THAT one ran for about 100 yards, and didn't die quickly, and was a bear to track. I don't know what happened, but the round just didn't penetrate like I thought it should have, AND wasn't precisely where I aimed it. My supposition at that time was that it must have hit a twig or branch en route, deflected a little, and lost energy (punched only one lung, not both, and missed the heart).

So I traded to a Marlin 30-30 XLR. I used only the more premium LeverEvolution rounds in it. It is pricey, but I DO love shooting that rifle... same Nikon scope transferred from the .243 Never since have I had a long track on an animal; Dead Right There when I do my part. I fire 500-600 rounds per year through that rifle.

This past year, I mixed it up. I had been building a lower AND upper with premium parts into a 6.8 SPC rifle (over the course of three years), and it was finally built. So that's what I hunted with, and man was it ever excellent. Only a 60-yard shot, but the deer took about 6 steps, laid down gently, and died. Bullet went clean thru both lungs and heart and hung just inside the far side skin.

The point of my long rambling? There's nothing wrong with your .270 that a larger caliber will fix. You need to shoot it more, love on that rifle, all year long - not just in November. A larger caliber will actually probably HURT your abilities, not enhance them.

Buy good glass. Learn to shoot well. Shoot a lot. If you have the chance, practice from an elevated position.
 
#32 ·
I'd change from the Cor-Lok boolet, it might not be expanding as you need. I've shot a ton of deer with my .270 using 130 Sierra Game Kings and a bull elk with 150 Sierra Game King. Most shots for me 200-300 yards. Plants 'em. And these are big mule deer up here too.

 
#33 ·
I shoot several rifles at short range for deer in Texas. A 270 is extremely efficient for all North American game, especially at 200 yards or less. I have no issue going down to a 22-250 for deer or similar size animals, Needless to say the larger calibers you have mentioned will have no issues.

You had indicated hat you have lost faith in your 270 based on some tricky shots and lost deer. Not sure what you mean by "tricky: but in most cases a "tricky " shot should probably not be taken with any caliber. Tricky to me means the odds are not in your favor.

I throw caution to you when thinking about a 300 Win Mag for short distance. I have hunted a lot with this caliber and the noise as well as recoil makes it not in my "favorite" category.

As suggested in an earlier response. Try a new scope and perhaps a Timney trigger upgrade unless you just looking for a reason to get a new rifle (new rifles are fun). I'm thinking at short range you have a sighting issue or just plain operator error. Stay away from "tricky" shots.
 
#34 ·
No offense but the .270 is not the problem. I’ve hunted with the same M70 in .270 for 30 years with great success. There is better ammo available but 130g core-lokt has performed well for me.
One nice thing about the .270 and 30-06 is if you travel to hunt and, for whatever reason, have to buy ammo, any gas station or hardware store that sells ammo will have those calibers. Probably in core-lokt.
 
#35 ·
The thing that anchors the .270 WIN for me is that, in 130 gr., it is, in essence, a very efficient unbelted magnum - and, in 150 gr., it is an optimized 30-06.

The lighter 130 gr. bullets, pushed by magnum pressures (65K vs 60K PSI) , achieve similar velocities as a magnum, w/ only a small reduction in bullet weight. And Powder charges generally run from very close to Case capacity to a compressed load.

The heaver 150 gr. bullets, w/ only a few grains less powder, will achieve 30-06 150 gr. velocities, but w/ a bullet that has the Sectional Density and Ballistic Coefficient of a 180 gr. .308, so they penetrate better and retain their velocity and energy down range like a magnum.

Good on the Plains, Good in the Woods, and easier on both the bore and the shoulder than a magnum, because of the smaller relative powder charge.




GR
 
#37 ·
Depends entirely on who you ask.


There are a lot of guys who hunt with whatever is cheapest. Including the Core-Lokt.

I've got a failed one rolling around in the center console of my truck from several years ago. 338, 225 grain hit the moose high in the shoulder, and completely lost its jacket before it made it to the spine.


Personally, I like the premium non lead bullets like the Barnes TTSX myself, it's my primary bullet of choice. But the Partition, Trophy Bonded, and Grand Slam bullets have never let me down either.
 
#40 ·
Depends entirely on who you ask.


There are a lot of guys who hunt with whatever is cheapest. Including the Core-Lokt.

I've got a failed one rolling around in the center console of my truck from several years ago. 338, 225 grain hit the moose high in the shoulder, and completely lost its jacket before it made it to the spine.


Personally, I like the premium non lead bullets like the Barnes TTSX myself, it's my primary bullet of choice. But the Partition, Trophy Bonded, and Grand Slam bullets have never let me down either.
Did the Moose die? :)

More game animals fall to a Remington Corelokt during deer season than any other bullet. Remington Green box ammo outsells everything else by a large margin.

When I was stationed in Germany back in the 80's I didn't have my reloading equipment and about the only ammo the local Rod & Gun club stocked was Remington Core-lokt .270 Winchester 130 grain. I shot over 30 head of big game in Europe during my three years there and never lost a single animal.
 
#41 ·
Did the Moose die? :)

More game animals fall to a Remington Corelokt during deer season than any other bullet. Remington Green box ammo outsells everything else by a large margin.

When I was stationed in Germany back in the 80's I didn't have my reloading equipment and about the only ammo the local Rod & Gun club stocked was Remington Core-lokt .270 Winchester 130 grain. I shot over 30 head of big game in Europe during my three years there and never lost a single animal.

It probably would have eventually, because it was hobbled. But a 338 should not fail to penetrate a moose spine at any range. Much less close range.


It was brought down by a follow up round to the neck, and that 225 TTSX didn't fail.



I understand that the core lost is a popular bullet. But I've seen too many failures of cheap bullets to shoot them anymore.
 
#42 ·
I took over a dozen deer with my trusty tikka 270. Most fell where they stood. I was useing 130 partitions. I traded up to a ruger #1 in 7 STW because I thought that I needed a magnum for longer shots. Its a great rifle but I know my old 270 would have dropped everything that I shot since. I just bought another tikka in 6.5 swede and will be useing it this year.

I wouldnt think twice about hunting deer moose or elk with a 270.
 
#48 ·
I took over a dozen deer with my trusty tikka 270. Most fell where they stood. I was useing 130 partitions. I traded up to a ruger #1 in 7 STW because I thought that I needed a magnum for longer shots. Its a great rifle but I know my old 270 would have dropped everything that I shot since. I just bought another tikka in 6.5 swede and will be useing it this year.

I wouldnt think twice about hunting deer moose or elk with a 270.
Tikka in 6.5x55!

Yea, that's a sweet set up!
 
#43 · (Edited)
In my experience, as a general rule, if you cant kill a deer with a .243 Winchester, there is no guarantee you can kill one with anything.

The same could definitely be said about the .270.

If you hunt and shoot long enough, you are going to have deer run (possibly long distances) upon being hit and occassionally one will be lost. But a good hit in the vitals with a rifle in the .243 class on up with a hunting type bullet and you should have good results nearly all the time.
 
#45 ·
One thing to think about before you buy that big, bad rifle....are you recoil shy? Some people are, some are not...no great shakes. However, if you are stay away from a 300 WBY and the like. I am not recoil shy and shot a 375 for years but could not shoot 5 rounds from the bench with the 300 WBY. My dad's 7mm WBY was no problem but the 300 left my shoulder black/blue/yellow for weeks.

Luckily for me George Vais's shop was 4 blocks from my house in Boise at the time (before he moved to AZ in 98-99) and he did the trigger and installed a muzzle brake. Best $225.00 I ever spent and though you need ear plugs and muffs, I can shoot 100 rounds from the bench and be comfortable.
 
#47 ·
For short range (under 100 yards) thick woods hunting, your .270 Model 70 ought to do the job just fine, it's likely not the gun. As suggested, consider changing your load and practice with them. My preferred whitetail setup is a Ruger M77 MKII all weather in .30-06, but I use it mainly when hunting open areas with shot opportunities over 100 yards.

For south Arkansas short range brush hunting I've taken whitetail using .410, .20 gauge, and 12 gauge slugs. Also taken whitetail under a hundred yards with .357 revolver, .357 lever gun, .30-30 lever gun, .30 cal M1 carbine, .303 British from a No4 MKII Lee Enfield, 7.62x39 out of an SKS and AK47 clone. I took one nice buck with a .45 ACP from a USGI Ithaca 1911A1 at 30 yards. Killing whitetails at under 100 yards shouldn't be all the tough as long as you can see the target well enough for good shot placement. It has been rare that I've had to blood trail a whitetail from a shot under 100 yards.
 
#49 ·
Anything .243 or larger should have no problem taking down a whitetail to include a .270. A better, more modern round and a nice scope would do more for you than a larger caliber. If you're missing or taking bad shots with a .270, a .300 will get you the same results. I suggest a nice piece of glass and a modern round like the Hornady SST, TTSX, Fusion etc. We've all missed deer, but it usually isn't the equipment's fault. Finding something that will drop a deer inside 100 yards isn't really a difficult task.
 
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