Author Topic: .270 Winchester loads. ADVICE NEEDED (Read 1440 times)

Jeffery8mm · « **on:** November 15, 2005, 02:55:42 AM »

I am working with my Winchester Model 70 270. I have worked up about 18 different loads using Win 760 and IMR 4064 powders. By the way the 4064 seems MUCH cleaner and is more accurate to boot!
Bullets have been 130 gr hornady sp flat base and CT Balistic Silertips and Sierra gamekings boat tail. All 130 gr. Now, I weeded it down to the best 5 loads. These are all with the 130 Hornady and 4064 powder ranging from 43gr to 46gr and diffrerent COL. The deal is that they all shoot acceptable groups for my hunting purposes. They are averaging 5 shot groups from 1.25 to 2.00. at 100 yds. The thing is there may be a group with 3 in one hole and two on the outside that is a little larger than a group with 5 distinct holes Since season opens up Sat morn I need to choose a load and hunt with it for now, then tweak it a little after season. How do I decide which load to use this year since the best 4 are SO close. What would you all do? This is my first year to reload.

Thanks guys!
Jeff

myronman3 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2005, 03:10:15 AM »

run them threw a chrony, see which is the most consistant.

or you could just make a decision.

John R. · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2005, 03:17:18 AM »

I load for 4 270's and they all like 55 grs. of IMR 4350. This is the load I try first when dealing with a 270. This is with a 130 gr. bullet. Hope this helps. :grin:

Jeffery8mm · « **Reply #3 on:** November 15, 2005, 03:19:50 AM »

John, how well do they like that load on average?? Might be something for me to try if you are getting good groups with that.
Jeff

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2005, 03:50:44 AM »

Until you have an opportunity to experiment further, use the smallest group without fliers.

John R. · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2005, 06:35:12 AM »

I load for three Remington's and one Weatherby Vanguard. The Rem Sendero shoots between 1/4" and 1/2" consistantly with 130 gr. Bal Tips and believe it or not 130 gr. Partitions. The other three average between 3/4" to 1". The Vanguard will shoot 3/4" with 130 gr. Hornady Interbonds. (For some reason it doesn't Partitions.) All use 55 grs. of IMR 4350, Win. brass, and Fed 210 Match primers. You will find this load in any manual. Anytime I'm loading for a 270 I start with this load. (If it won't shoot this load most of the time it won't shoot anything else either.) PS. Be sure and deburr the inside of the flashhole on your cases. I have found this helpful in shrinking group size. :grin:

Jeffery8mm · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2005, 06:42:14 AM »

Thanks for the info so far guys. Most of my shots here in Mississippi are under the 200yd mark. I cant wait to shoot a deer with ammo that I made!!!!! :-)
Jeff

Arrroman · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2005, 07:52:04 AM »

My "pet load" for the .270 Winchester:

140grain Hornady bullet
44grains IMR4064
CCI Benchrest Primer
W-W case

My Remington Classic shoots this load into a half inch @100yards.

Good luck hunting! >>>------------>

Jeffery8mm · « **Reply #8 on:** November 15, 2005, 07:56:26 AM »

Hey Arroman!!
Glad to see someone else using 4064 for the 270!!!!!
Jeff

John R. · « **Reply #9 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:14:32 AM »

Hey Jeffery I live in Miss. also. This weekend I carried my son on the youth hunt. We were hunting a corn field when a doe stepped out at a measured 442 yds (lazer rangefinder), normaly I would never advocate shooting at deer at that range, but my son is a large 14 year old and has been shooting since he was five. He was shooting the Vanguard I was talking about with 130 gr. Interbonds. I told him where to hold and he dropped the deer in its tracks. (double lung shot) We were in an elevated box stand with a good rest. There was not a breath of air moving that afternoon or I wouldn't have let him shoot. Afterwards I explained that there are to many varibles involved to shoot at deer that far most of the time. But it was a hell of a shot!!! :grin:

robin-hood-90 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:21:24 AM »

Hey Jeff, Your old buddy Broken-arrow here. I've tried 4064 in the .270 but have gotten better accuracy from H4831.My Savage likes 60 grains H4831SC with a 130 gr. bullet. I shot partitions and Gamekings for years but the 130 gr. ballistic tips are more accurate in my guns and drop deer like a hammer. The first load I tried in my model 70 was 58 gr. H4831SC, CCI200 primer, 130 gr. BT seated just off the lands. This load groups consistently @ 1/2" or less ( 3 shots from a cold barrel ) This a brand new bbl with only 30 rds through it. I still can't believe it , It outshoots the Savage ! (Of course the Winchester has a MUCH better trigger)

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Siskiyou · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:24:00 AM »

Jeffery: I started loading for the .270 back in the 60's. My first powder choice was IMR4064. I loaded with it for few years. The loads were accurate but pressure built up fast. I started working with IMR4350 and H4831. My wife's Uncle managed a shooting range and he took my rifle to work. He developed outstanding loads using IMR4350.

At the same time I started working with H4831. I found excellent accuracy with both IMR4350 and H4831 with the benefit of longer case life. I believe the slower burning powders produce better results at the high end in the .270 Win.. IMR4064 reachs it's pressure peak a little to soon for the .270 to reach it's potential safely. If you not interested in the full potential then IMR4064 is a good powder.

I killed a lot of deer with 130 grain bronze points, and 130 grain CorLoks pushed by IMR4064. But experience taught me that I needed to back off and try a slower burning powder. I wish that I had my Chrony in those days.

I burn a lot of IMR4064 in my Rem.722, 300 Savage. I believe it is better suited to the .300 Savage, 308 Win., and the 30-06. As soon as you reduce the neck size of that '06 case you need a slower powder.

Jeffery8mm · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:24:08 AM »

Hey John R!!! So glad to see a fellow Mississippian here. Congrats to your son on the shot, and to you for being there for him!!!! My girl is 4 and she "helped" put up stands this year. Cant wait to take her on her first hunt!!

Jeff

Jeffery8mm · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2005, 08:29:09 AM »

46 grs of 4064 with a col of 3.275 is what I have had the best groups with

I need to try a few loads in 1 gr increment increases and play witht the col a bit.
I wish I could try some of the other powders without having to buy a full pound!!!!

Jeff

Siskiyou · « **Reply #14 on:** November 15, 2005, 11:42:30 AM »

Jeffery8mm: Sure sounds like your 4064 load is safe and reasonable. I was lucky when I started out with H4831 because it was selling for around one or two dollars a pound. And to think I did not stock-up on it at that price. My best guess would put the velocity of your load out of a 22-inch barrel between 2800-2850 fps. My old load of 4064 was hotter and it showed in reduced case life. Reloading manuals have backed off a lot over the years. According to my records I fired 600 rounds of .270, 130 grain loads pushed by IMR4064.

Your WW760 has a slower burning rate. I have not tried it in the .270 Win.

From the Chrony at 6000 foot plus elevation:

WW785 Hornaday 140 grain, New Rem Cases 3030fps.* Accurate
WW785 Hornaday 130, Case Rem. 3051fps*Accurate
H4831(56.5) Hornaday, Norma, Nosler SB, and Rem. 150 grain 2876fps Sav. 110, Accurate; Rem M760 accurate, ( deer getter. ) Rem 700 accurate, vel 2830 fifteen feet from muzzle.
H4831(56.0) Sierra 150 BT. Had to back off on this bullet from (56.5) to hot.
WMR(Winchester Magnum Rifle) 140 Win. Silvertip. Still working on this load. Looking good.
H4831 Hornaday 140 grain BT. I thought I could load a little heavier, but quickly retreated to 57.2 grains. Great deer load. Average muzzle velocity was 2878fps. As you can see this is very close to what I was doing with 150 grain bullets. My hunting standard for the Hornaday 140 BT has become the WW785 load. The "Crony" showed me the light.

During my first ten years with the .270 most of my shooting was with 130 grain bullets. From Jack Rabbits to Deer. At the same time a friend was knocking two deer a year over using 150 grain Remington bullets. My standard loads depending on the .270 is the 150 grain bullet or 140 bullet.

Clearly velocity is not the whole story. One of my best kills was with a WW150 Power Point at 252 yards on a Mule deer. penetration was over 25 inches on a frontal shot, after entering the lower neck, took out a lung, and cut off five ribs before coming to a stop. It had mushroomed to 75 caliber, and weighed 74 grains. Velocity fifteen feet from the muzzle is 2727. This factory load was not accurate in my M760 but when I found it to be very accurate in the M700. I an now hoarding two boxes of this ammo with the same lot number. I would have no problem using this load on black bear. I understand this factory load uses WW760 powder.

*WW785 has been discontinued.

*WMR has been discontinued. :shock:
* Clearly there is a difference in rifles of the same caliber. I have only tried the WW785, 140 grain load in my Sav. 110.

+These loads may not be safe in other rifles, and under different conditions.

Some powders burn cleaner then others. Being these are not combat loads I am not concern with that issue. My concerns are safety, accuracy, reliability, and velocity in order. :money: