Author Topic: 270 powder? (Read 1193 times)

PartsMan · « **on:** March 07, 2008, 08:47:56 AM »

I have been gathering supplies and info to reload for my new 700 270 Winchester.
It shot 3/4" at 100yd with Winchester 130g power point.

I have 130g Nosler Accubonds now and some 150g Speer on the way.
Winchester brass. (Once fired in this gun)

I have some h4350 that I am trying in my 7mm-08.
Should I try it or is there a better powder to start with.

BCB · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2008, 09:23:29 AM »

Any of the 4350's would be O.K. to start with and you may stay with it. I personally have used H-4831 for over 35 years, and I have burned up several 8 pound kegs of the stuff in various calibers, but the 270 Winchester is my main rifle--I have 4 of them. Good-luck...BCB

EVOC ONE · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2008, 09:24:47 AM »

H4350 would be a good start for the .270 . Hodgdon even lists it as a favorite powder for the .270.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2008, 09:33:35 AM »

I have been reloading for three different .270’s. I have tried IMR4350 and a few friends use it in their 270’s. The results have been good, and you may not want to look at other powders.

My favorite powder is WW785 which has been discontinued. But I am hanging on to a couple of pounds for loading with 140-grain Hornady BT bullets. I killed a bunch of deer and antelope using the same powder with 130-grain Hornady bullets.

My long time standard powder for the .270 has been H4831 for 130-grain and 150 grain loads. I did not care for it with the 140-grain Hornady. It resulted in dead deer but I felt that WW785 and WMR resulted in better accuracy and velocity when loading 140-grain bullets.

A powder I am thinking of trying down the road is Accurate Mag Pro.

130 NOS BT

   4064 43.2 2569 4064 48.0 2920 51200 3.330"
   2700 49.4 2777 2700 52.0 2954 52000
   4350 49.5 2660 4350 55.0 3020 52000
   3100 52.2 2577 3100 58.0 2841 51500 Compressed
   Magpro 58.5 2919 Magpro 65.0 3234 63200 Pressure in Psi

150 SRA SBT
   5744 30.6 2202 5744 34.0 2503 54600 3.300"
   2700 47.5 2574 2700 50.0 2738 52000
   4350 47.0 2515 4350 53.0 2880 52000
   3100 52.2 2547 3100 58.0 2769 52000 “C”
   Magpro 55.4 2725 Magpro 61.5 3000 63600 Pressure in psi

The .270 works best with powders in the 4350, IMR4831, H4831 burning range.

When I was a kid I tried IMR 4064 and collected a few deer using it, but pressure was on the high side because it burns to fast.

Catfish · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2008, 10:18:42 AM »

My old .270 always shot best with H-4831, you might give it a try.

myronman3 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2008, 10:41:18 AM »

my 270 HATED 4831, but it loves imr 7828 with a magnum primer.

PartsMan · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2008, 11:08:29 AM »

I was thinking about 7828. Most loads show a little higher velocity.

Sounds like I better try my 4350 first.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #7 on:** March 07, 2008, 12:54:32 PM »

The two traditional powders for the .270 are 4831 and 4350. Jack Oconnor, without whom there probably wouldn't be a .270 still hanging around, swore by 4831. But his was milsup 4831. Don't know if it's the same stuff as they're sellin now or not.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #8 on:** March 07, 2008, 01:56:24 PM »

At the time Hodgdon ran out of surplus 4831 and started selling H4831 manufacture to the same standard in Scotland I purchased 8 pounds. (1978 or 79) I have loaded about a pound of the Scotland manufactured H4831 in the 270 Winchester and it seems to perform the same as surplus 4831 and Hodgdon has always stated to use the same data for the surplus powder and the new powder. I have also loaded both in the 7mm Mag and they seem to perform the same. I use the term “seem” from checking cases for pressure signs and target results. I now place the kicker (seem) because I have not done any comparison over the Chrony.

At the time the word started getting out that the supply of surplus 4831 was getting low and I stocked up a bit. It is about all gone now, but I am satisfied with the replacement H4831.

· Do not substitute IMR 4831 for H4831 because it has a faster burning rate and has it’s own loading data.

Jack O’Connor mentions 7828 in his book “The Hunting Rifle” on as a canister powder used to load the 7MM Remington Magnum. As I recall I read a magazine article where he got some of it and was impressed with its performance. It should be noted that after O’Connor moved to Idaho he lived near where Speer was manufacturing bullets and had access to the facility. At the time the book was published 7828 had not been release to the public.

The one item that I wish I had back when I started loading the .270 Winchester is a Chrony. It came along 20-years later, but my Chrony has given me a lot of comparison information.

Hodgdon list H4831 in it’s extreme line-up which provides consistence velocities in a wide temperature window. This is nice for the reloader who develops his loads in warm weather and hunts game in freezing weather. http://www.hodgdon.com/smokeless/extreme/page2.php#top

When hunting in sub freezing temperatures in the Colorado Rockies my partner's .270 using IMR 4350 worked just fine, as did my .270 using surplus 4831.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #9 on:** March 07, 2008, 02:37:59 PM »

reloader-22, sierra 130, Remington primer works well for me......

Siskiyou · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2008, 07:36:54 AM »

Dangerous Thoughts or Victorcharlie is messing with my mind.

R-22 falls into the burning rate that is slightly slower then H4831. In fact it falls right next to my favored discontinued WW785. Reviewing loads for the .243 Winchester, the 270 Winchester, and the 7MM Remington Magnum R-22 produces top velocities.

But is top velocity necessary in the .270 Winchester, will another fifty feet per second make a difference? I try and obtain the best accuracy and velocity at a safe level in my .270 rifles. But I intentionally hunt with an accurate factory load in my Remington 700, which produces less, then 2800 fps for a 150-grain bullet. The 150-grain power point has proven itself beyond 250-yards. The rifle has a 22-inch barrel.

The 130-grain bullets do an okay job but I prefer the 140 and 150-grain bullets. This one was at a little over 3000 fps out of a 22-inch Savage barrel. The load was 60-grains of surplus 4831, CCI 200 primer, and a 130-grain Hornaday bullet.

While the performance of the 130-grain bullet was good, I think you are on the right track with the 150-grain bullet. A friend killed a buck using the 140-grain Accubond this year achieving full penetration. I am a great believer in the heavier bullets because the velocity normally exceeds the 130-grain bullets of the same style after 100-yards and they offered deeper or full penetration.

Undoubtedly now that I have one, should I go for R-22 or any other powder, I will be comparing the results using a Chrony. In the past it has been the published data, cost, accuracy, functioning, pressure signs, and sound. Another test point is comparing factory velocity to your loads.

270 fever has not proven curable in many cases. Additional 270 rifles in the safe help settle down the symptoms, along with prolong sessions of reloading and load testing. The purchase of other calibers that duplicate the trajectory curve with lighter bullets such as the .243, and with heavier bullets such as the 7MM Remington Magnum mask the symptoms, but do not cure them. The adding of a 270 WSM or 270 WB might prove helpful.

I have successfully taken bucks the last few years with the 6.5X55, 300 Savage, and the .270 Winchester. But my GoTo rifle is chambered in .270 Winchester, and that is what I will be carrying in 2008. Have you hugged your .270 lately?

tn_junk · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2008, 04:35:58 PM »

Just loaded and shot my .270 with 150 grain Sierra and MagPro powder. Don't know what the velocity was, but it shot and grouped very nicely. Seemed to be less recoil than the H4895 I normally shoot.

alan

victorcharlie · « **Reply #12 on:** March 09, 2008, 04:00:20 PM »

Siskiyou, I'm loading a few grains below max with R-22......56 grains shoots very well......no, it's not a top end load....but it's very comfortable to shoot and very accurate in my rifle.........

myronman3 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 10, 2008, 03:03:16 AM »

4831 velocities were 2650's. imr7828 with a MAGNUM primer were an honest 2900 with a 150 grain ballistic tip, and my rifle loves it (accurate).

beemanbeme · « **Reply #14 on:** March 10, 2008, 05:48:57 AM »

Those are NOT mushroomed bullets in the classical sense. You, Sir, have had a BULLET FAILURE! I am amazed that the animal dropped dead on the spot.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #15 on:** March 10, 2008, 07:33:12 AM »

Victorcharlie: Without a doubt your load is a safe, performing load. I could not help myself but look up a similar load, same charge, and different bullet. The reference being the Nosler #3 manual. The Nosler 130-grain with 56.0 grains of RL 22 is shown producing 2950 fps out of a 24-inch barrel. Your load is a very respectable load indeed.

Last night I was looking for some old Chrony notes, but the old tired eyes could not find what I was looking for. The reference I was looking for was regarding some 25-yearold 130-grain Federal ammunition I fired across the Chrony from a rifle with a 22-inch barrel. I think it was from my faster Savage barrel and not the slow shooting Remington. The velocity was near 2800 fps. The ammunition had been stored for years and the brass, and box appeared like they were new off shelve. It is not the first factory .270 ammunition that I found to perform way less then advertised.

A bright spot when testing old 150-grain, factory .270 Winchester ammunition was Remington. The 150-grain C-L exceeds published velocity when factoring in that the test barrel was only 22-inches long. Winchester and Hornady did not make 2800 fps. My son had bought the Remington ammunition in the early 1980’s.

I like they consistency of reloaded ammunition over buying a box or two of shells every year off the shelf. Once I develop a keeper load I will invest in one hundred new cases and loaded them up. The resulting loads go on the shelve as hunting ammunition. For practice and sighting I will duplicate the loads in cases that have been used before.

You got me researching RL 22, and I called one of my most reliable resources. He burns a lot of powder in the H4350 range and slower. A few of his rounds include 6.5 Wildcats, which includes a 6.5-284, a 270 Ackley Imp, and he might still have a real .270 Winchester. I caught him loading a one of his wildcats that calls for a H4831-RL22 burning speed powder. His was finishing off his last keg of WMR and it was a good time to catch him. Or was it, one of his first questions was had I burned up the 8-pounds of WMR I got in trade from him for 8-pounds of H4831SC. Younger brother is on the hunt.

I was surprised when he told me he had not tried any of the Alliant powders in rifle calibers. He had burned a fair amount of it in handguns. The slot RL-22 fills could meet his needs.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #16 on:** March 11, 2008, 12:02:18 PM »

Yes, 2950 fps is probably close to correct. I don't have a crony yet but I suspect the velocity to be around what you stated..... To look at reloader 22 it looks alot like the IMR's......

Over the past 6 months to a year I've spent a fair amount of time and effort on my .270 loads......

According to my logs, I've put well over 400 .270 rounds down range in the last 6 months......and usually shoot every other Saturday morning.

I've tried IMR4350, IMR4831, and H4831sc.....before trying what the sierra manual list as their most accurate load.......reloader-22......
Darned if Sierra isn't right, at least for my rifle........

I've tried Hornady interbonds and Sierra 130's.....the boat tail being just a bit more accurate than the flat base.......I haven't tried any of the more expensive bullets as I just don't see the need and can't justify the extra expense. I don't really spend a lot of time on cases and neck size only.......

I'm shooting a $250 Savage 110 with a Leupold VX-II 3X9X40......I've glass bedded the already pillar bedded action......making sure the barrel is floated and worked the trigger down to around 3 lbs but it breaks clean and feels lighter......the rifle is more accurate than I'm able to shoot it.....and I love it when a fellow with a thousand dollar rifle sits down at a bench near me......

I shoot 5 shot groups...off bags...on a concrete bench......my best group of 5 measuring .2 inches but I haven't been able to repeat that .....I am consistently under an inch with this load with most groups running much less than that......three shot groups would be much better than this as I have many groups with three in the same hole but I don't consider 3 shot groups a good indication of consistent accuracy.....

Some of the fellows posting here have years of experience with the .270.....much more than me.......I'd like to know what bullets they're shooting.....as well as more about their most accurate loads......

IMR 7828 will be the next powder I plan to try as I think it might be as good or better than what I'm shooting......the problem is, I just bought a Remington 700 30.06 and I have been working up a load for it and the .270 is getting a rest.

nodlenor · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2008, 02:25:58 AM »

I've used IMR4895, H4895, IMR7828, W760, IMR4831, H4831, and IMR4320 in my 270. My rifle seems to like them all fairly well. I think they are all good powders it depends on what you are looking for, such as good metering, clean burning, low recoil, or whatever. I've had good accuracy with them all.

myronman3 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2008, 10:27:28 AM »

7828 gives me the best accuracy, velocity and the cleanest burn out of the 4 powders i have tried. i have resigned myself to stick with what works. ensure you use a MAGNUM primer.

41 mag · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2008, 11:27:40 AM »

I got into shooting the .270 Win back in the mid to late 80's. I have been around them for much longer but never had the need nor oppurtunity to load for one. Sine that time I have tried several of the "top" powders most of which are mentioned here. I am similar to some who find a load and stick with it however I do also enjoy tinkering around from time to time.

I have a stock Rem. BDl with the standard 22" tube on it. I have only glass bedded it in the past year. The overall best load I have ever had for it was shooting the 130gr Nosler BT over 46.5grs of IMR-3031, nestled in a Wichester case and lit with a Win-WLR primer. This load was developed for my mom when she was still hunting. The velocity is only running around 2750fps however the accuracy is scary. It has accounted for many groups under 1" at 200yds, and taken many head of deer and feral hogs with lights out preformance.

I hardly ever shot the rifle simply due to other favorites, however Recently in the past couple of years I began to work with it again. I had picked up a decent supply of Hornady 130gr SSTs and figured that I might as well work something up for them. I have played with the RL powders and tried 19 and 22 and got respectively good results. I also picked up a pound of Ramshot Hunter to try out and found that it worked exceedingly well with both the 130gr and the 140gr bullets. The load I ended up with is running 56gr of he Hunter and the 130gr SST right over 3050fps form my rifle. It will easily group around or under an inch at 200yds and hits the dots on the Burris scope I have on top perfectly out to 600yds. My hunting partner was so impressed with the results that he also worked it up for his rifle and is getting the same results. WE have taken deer and hogs from distances of less than 50 feet to out past 350yds and all so far have been DRT results with no excessive damage noted.

For me I prefer to do similar to Siskiyou, and load up a "lot" then set it aside for future hunting and then work up other stuff to close or better. If I find something I prefer more than the original I will use up the original lot first then convert over to the newer load. I still have several boxes loaded of the 3031 load as well as a newer box of the Hunter load both see some use though the year as they both serve different purposes.

I actually feel that the 140gr bullet is the best of both workds with this caliber as you can still get some real decent velocity from the shorter barrels and have plenty of meat when they get there. My main reason for not working more with them is I have several different 7mm's which do even better with them so I stuck with the 130's in .270.

drdougrx · « **Reply #20 on:** March 13, 2008, 02:09:36 PM »

RL-22 for me. I shoot 150gr bullets exclusively, BTs and Part. I use 58gr and get a vel of 2920fps.