270 Hornady American Whitetail Review: The Buck Stops Here

Hunting season is open all across the US, and the vast majority of us are after whitetail. Growing up, my Dad always hunted with his Savage 110 with iron sights. We have a lot of great memories of sitting in tree stands waiting for that perfect buck to walk by.

Now, whether you want a trophy or you’re simply trying to stock the freezer, you’re looking into ammunition that will bring home deer meat. To do that, you may need a little more than iron sights (no judgment here) and ammo that performs well.

Hornady ammunition has been around for a long time. Overall, any of the company’s ammo, from handgun ammunition to rifle ammo, is reliable and high-quality. However, there are so many variations of each it can be challenging to make an informed decision. You can pick up a few boxes of 270 Hornady American Whitetail ammo HERE. Otherwise, keep reading my review.

270 Hornady American Whitetail Overview

Hornady American Whitetail ammo hit the scene about a decade ago and continues to be one of the best InterLock bullets the company offers. It’s midrange hunting ammunition that isn’t incredibly expensive, but it’s certainly effective.

Fortunately, the company manufactures this deer hunting bullet in the most popular calibers, like the 308, 300 Win Mag, 243 Winchester, and the 270 Win. Hornady designed this ammunition to shoot straight and create deep wound channels for medium-sized game hunting.

The 270 is popular because it has the power to take down medium and large-sized game without the recoil of heavier cartridges like the 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Winchester Magnum. It has a smaller bullet than other large game rifles, but it has a recoil and accuracy that’s comparable to the 6.5 Creedmoor (flatter trajectory and superb shot groups). Fortunately, Hornady used its InterLock bullets, high-quality powders, and lead-alloy cores to bring us a bullet that performs well.

Hornady pulled out all the stops with 270 Whitetail ammo. You can choose the speedy 130-grain bullets or get the heavier (and slower) 140-grain variation. The company used the standard secant ogive design to maximize penetration. Furthermore, the bullets have a soft lead core and tapered metal jacket, which helps with expansion (for terminal performance).

Now, one of the issues we see in hunting ammo is that it expands too quickly on impact. This causes penetration issues and creates less-lethal shots. Hornady took the lead-alloy core and gave it rings to lock it into the jacket (hence the term InterLock). This mechanically fuses the core to the jacket to maximize weight retention and prevent core-jacket separation.

Ultimately, 270 Hornady American Whitetail ammunition is reliable and dependable. Moreover, it’s a bit cheaper than other popular hunting ammo like Nosler Accubond or even Hornady Superformance SST. The ammunition is manufactured right here in the USA, and it’s within a comfortable price point.

Our 270 Hornaday American Whitetail Review

It’s no secret I’m a fan of the 270 for hunting. Paired with Hornady American Whitetail InterLock bullets, we have a pretty decent setup for deer season. I’ve used American Whitetail ammunition for quite some time. It shoots straight and decreases my chances of having to track blood trails through thick brush.

This rifle ammo has great ballistics, expansion, and penetration. It’s reliable and dependable, and it has a pretty high muzzle velocity. It also has an excellent ballistic coefficient and effective range. Furthermore, you could use it for big game like elk, making the 270 an extremely versatile cartridge.

I’ve never had a problem with American Whitetail ammunition. I get tight shot groups, and I’m confident the bullet’s design will create deep wound channels to keep me from trailing a wounded dear on a cold morning.

The 140-grain InterLock bullet is my go-to for hunting with Whitetail ammunition. It’s fast and accurate, but it also has excellent weight retention, and I can take down any buck within 300 yards. It has a muzzle velocity of 2,940 fps and 2,687 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. Moreover, Hornady also produces 130-grain American Whitetail ammunition for the 270 Win. So, if you want something faster than the 140-grain, you have that option too.

Another thing I love about Hornady Whitetail ammo is that it’s perfect for reloading. It has brass cases that use Boxer primers, which even novice reloaders know is ideal for handloading. As mentioned previously, the ammo is a bit cheaper than other options, but it’s still a worthy investment especially if you can handload your rifle ammo.

What is It Best for?

Hornady American Whitetail bullets are great for deer hunting (clearly). However, they also work well for wild hogs, antelope, and other medium-sized game. You could possibly take down big game like elk within short-range distances.

Some hunters like to push the limits of this ammo regarding range. Realistically, American Whitetail ammo will expand at speeds above 1,900 fps, which is about 500 yards. Unfortunately, that’s a tad unrealistic based on my experience. This ammo works best within 200-300-yard ranges. Therefore, it isn’t long-range hunting ammunition, but it’s perfect for deer hunting.

Disadvantages

Hornady Whitetail ammunition is great for hunting, but it’s priced a bit high for target practice. Naturally, you’ll want to take the ammo to the range to see how your rifle performs with it. However, this ammunition isn’t cheap enough to spend an entire day on the range without some buyer’s guilt.

If you want something to practice with that’s a bit cheaper, try the Winchester Power Point line. It also has brass cases, Boxer primers, and high-quality powders. But it still performs well, and it’s less painful on range day.

Pros and Cons

As much as we love Hornady American Whitetail 270 ammo, there are some pros and cons that we've compiled below.

Pros

• It’s affordable
• Accessibility
• Great for hunting
• Reloadable
• Shoots accurately
• Excellent expansion and an InterLock core

Cons

• It isn’t great for long-range hunting
• Hunting big game animals like elk is questionable

Specifications

Here is a spec chart for Hornady American Whitetail ammo for your enjoyment.

Variation Review

Above, I mentioned that Hornady offers two variations of American Whitetail 270 ammunition. So, let's take a look at both to help you choose which one is right for you this season.

Hornady American Whitetail 270 130 Grain Review

Hornady American Whitetail 270 Win 130-grain bullets shoot fast and have a flat trajectory. They can certainly take down deer, hogs, and antelope. You can trust them to perform when it matters most, thanks to Hornady’s stringent quality standards.

Many hunters prefer the 130-grain variation to the 140-grain option because of the 3,060 fps muzzle velocity. However, the felt recoil feels a bit snappier to me, so it may not be for everyone.

Hornady American Whitetail 270 140 Grain Review

Hornady American Whitetail 270 Win 140-grain bullets are a bit slower than the 130 grain option, but that doesn’t mean they don’t perform equally well. The 2,940 fps muzzle velocity is nothing to scoff at as it’s still pretty fast and shoots flat.

However, it has slightly less felt recoil in my hands, and that helps novice shooters with accuracy. Both variations will take down a deer at 300 yards, assuming, of course, that you’re a good enough shot.

Hornady American Whitetail Ballistics

Below we've created a ballistics chart for Hornady American Whitetail 270 Win ammo.

Parting Shots

Hornady ammo is excellent, and 270 Win is an excellent hunting caliber. We only get so many chances in our lifetime to take home a deer, and the ammo you choose can be the difference between bragging to your friends or sulking in the corner.

Hornady American Whitetail 270 Win ammo is flat shooting and designed to expand. Although it isn’t long-range ammo (or even big game ammo, for that matter), it’s cost-effective and efficient enough to stock the freezer.

Overall, I love Hornady American Whitetail, and I’m confident you will too. Make sure you check out what we have in stock and pick up a box HERE.

FAQs

We wouldn’t leave you without answering more questions you may have about Hornady’s 270 Win American Whitetail ammo. Keep reading this section if you need more answers.

Is 270 Hornady American Whitetail ammo worth buying?

Absolutely! Assuming you want deer or medium-sized game ammo to shoot within 300 yards, this is an excellent buy.

What is the range of 270 Hornady American Whitetail ammo?

Realistically, the maximum range of this ammunition is 300 yards. However, you can push it all the way to 500 yards, but that’s risky.

What makes 270 Winchester Hornady Interlock ammo special?

Hornady Interlock bullets utilize a mechanical ring to ensure the jacket and lead core stay together on impact and through expansion. This allows for better weight retention and deeper wound channels with Interlock bullets.

Is there a cheaper option for 270 hunting ammo?

Choosing your favorite rifle ammunition for hunting season isn’t easy, but there are many centerfire hunting cartridges that vary in price and bullet type HERE.

Are Hornady Interlock bullets as accurate as Remington Core-Lokt?

The two bullets can be equally accurate depending on the shooter and the rifle. The only way you’ll know for sure is to get to the range.

Are Hornady Interlock bullets considered soft points?

Yes. Interlock bullets have a soft lead core surrounded by a metal jacket (with the core exposed).