Last Thursday I had the good fortune to harvest one of God's beautiful creatures, whitetail buck, in Northern Idaho. I was using my 270Win I purchased last year and shooting the Hornady Outfitter ammo with the 130 grain CX bullet (sexy looking ammo by the way). This is my first experience with this bullet that I thought I wanted to reload with in the future however... Holy smokes does this bullet do some damage. Bullet went through the heart and out near the base of the neck. The blood shot trauma on the entrance side was crazy. Deer was at just over 200 yards so the bullet wasn't carrying massive amounts of energy but to see that much "shock" trauma was crazy. Bullet was a pass through and to be honest I had trouble locating the entrance until I took off the hide. Sorry I didn't take pics. Anyone else have experience with this bullet?
Hornady 130 gr CX
- Thread starter Cammy
- Start date
That’s odd. I hunted many seasons with reloads using 130 grain GMX bullets in my 270. I took many deer and an elk with the load and never had noticeable meat damage. Ranges from 60 to 300 yards.
The CX is just an updated version of the GMX so I don’t think it would be that different.
The CX is just an updated version of the GMX so I don’t think it would be that different.
MNHunter67
Well-known member
I’ve taken a pronghorn buck, a muley buck, and six whitetails with either the gmx or cx superformance load out of my .270 at ranges from 40 yards to 300. Most showed very little meat damage, but I did shoot a doe that was quartering to at 125 yards and that front shoulder was messed up pretty good, but I think it would have been much worse with a traditional lead bullet.
Don Fischer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2017
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- 3,159
Huh, isn't the GMX a all brass or copper bullet? Doesn't sound like the CX is ne to me. When I had a 270 I always figured the 130gr bullet was a bit to light in the first place and used 140gr Hornady in mind. Unfortunately, it was stolen before I ever got to shoot anything with it. If it did the same, I'd go up to the 150gr. oh, I use cup and core bullets only. But tried 100gr bullets in my 25-06 to start and discovered they were just too destructive for me. Went to 117gr and the problem went away. Your problem with the 130gr in the 270 would probably fix itself with a lighter monolithic bullet.
GMX is Gilding Metal Expanding bullet. Primarily a copper bullet alloy. I believe 95% copper but don’t quote me.
CX bullet is Copper Expanding Bullet. Basically the same as the GMX they just updated. You’d have to ask Hornady what they changed.
In either case they are considered monolithic bullets. With mono bullets you get a higher weight retention so can stay with a lighter for caliber bullet. Also due to copper being lighter mono bullets are longer than a cup and core of the same weight. Therefore you don’t generally see 150 grain monos in a stock 270. You can but less need.
I took a moose this fall with a 150-gr CX out of a 7mm Rem Mag (handload). Exit wound was roughly the size of a quarter at 375 yds. I didn't see a large amount of meat damage and the first shot was right in the boiler room. Second shot was high shoulder that also passed through with enough damage to shock the spinal cord without damaging much of the meat.
Agree on ability to step down in bullet weight for a mono vs bonded bullet given the much higher mass retention of the mono.
Agree on ability to step down in bullet weight for a mono vs bonded bullet given the much higher mass retention of the mono.
BRI
Well-known member
Switched to the CX from Hammers last year and have taken 2 bulls, 3 deer, and 2 antelope with them. Overall very happy with the performance. All pass through with only one bullet hitting bone in the shoulder. Seeing a bit more bloodshot than I saw with the 13 animals taken with Hammers but still less than I was seeing with lead bullets.
Thanks for all the replies. Went with the 130 grain CX factory ammo as that is what I shoot in my 270WSM though the WSM is a Barnes bullet. The performance of a mono copper bullet is amazing and I don't worry about lead particles in the meat (don't start with the "you ain't gonna get lead poisoning" comments). I switched to a 270 caliber from 30 caliber years ago because I was tired of blowing up shoulders and dealing with all the bloodshot meat. This is the first deer I have shot with the CX bullet so my data population is too small to pass judgement.
jryoung
Well-known member
I shot a pronghorn with a 120gr from a 6.5 PRC at 300 this year. Loud "thwack" on impact, it sounded like I hit a rock. He ran 75 yards like he wasn't hit at all, then tipped over. Jellied his lungs, lots of bloodshot fat/interstitial tissue between the hide and meat, way more than a typical copper bullet would.
It was all just weird, and probably a one off, but it was clearly hit hard and lots of shock trauma from expansion, but he didn't act like he was hit at all until he stopped.
It was all just weird, and probably a one off, but it was clearly hit hard and lots of shock trauma from expansion, but he didn't act like he was hit at all until he stopped.
SixPoint
Well-known member
I’m shooting the 139gr out of my 7-08 this fall. Two deer and one antelope so far. All 3 were around 200 yards and broadside. All three did a big jump, ran full speed for 50-100 yards and piled up. Massive blood trails compared to other monos I’ve used and definitely more damage in the carcass. Found copper fragments on the exit on one of them. I’d say so far so good. Hopefully test them on a cow elk here shortly. I like that they blow up a bit and don’t just punch right through. I’ve had some elk in the past that really suck up the monos before tipping over. Time will tell
It sounds as though you have observed what I was referring to with the shock trauma. It seems more with the CX than a Barnes bullet without the ballistic tip.
bucdoego
Well-known member
Good to see others shooting this round thru their 270WSM. I bought heavy at the introduction since 270WSM ammo options seemed to have dwindled. My gun seems to shoot them pretty well. I also have some Federal Trophy Copper that my gun likes. I haven't used any on game at this point. I'm keeping the 270WSM as my "anything bigger than Deer" gun. Otherwise, I'm shooting a 6.5CM.
