Model 70 .270 Winchester loads?

[THE#1hunter]

I just picked up a model 70 featherweight in .270. I live in Pa, and I was wondering what would you say the best load for whitetails are?

[THE#1hunter]

Anybody :?:

[Myk]

The best load is what works best in that particular rifle. All barrels are different. Bullet weight would be the heaviest one that rifle likes the best.

You can test bullet weight with factory ammo. Then to figure out your load and seating depth you need to sit down at the reloading and shooting benches and do some experimenting (with the guidance of a good manual of course).

For hunting you generally take an average of most power and most accurate. Accuracy does little good if you don't have enough power, power does little good if you can't hit.

[AAAJohn]

I think we've been here before but I'll in case we haven't I'll try to let u know what I would do. If u are going to keep that rifle for a long time and just buy factory loads, get some 130 gr. Remington, Winchester, and Federal premium and set down and try them all one paper and find out which one it likes the best.
  The deer if hit right won't be able to tell u which one you are shooting. I like Federal Premium but one of the other brands may be more accurate.

[SingleShotShorty]

My favorite load is a Nosler 130 grain Ballistic Tip over Reloder 22. I have not listed the load simply because your 270 might like a different load but I have had very good results with this powder bullet combination in my 270's.

[Rogue Ram]

You didn't say if you were handloading or not.  I can't produce better accuracy or velocity handloading for 2 of my guns than I can get with Hornaday Light Magnum/spire point ammo; 130 grainers-SST in the case of the .270.    Try that, see what happens!

RR

[Graybeard]

There really is no BEST load or ammo to use. But the two I've found that have worked best in my own personal .270 Win. rifles are the Hornady Custom load with the 140 BTSP and the Federal Premium load using the Nosler 150 PT.

In all of the rifles I've seen these fired in they are sub MOA consistently and sure do a job on game. For deer the Hornady load is much cheaper and does the job fine. For larger game I'd go with the Federal load with the Nosler PT.

GB

[THE#1hunter]

Thanks for all the help.....I really appreciate it

[Sitka]

I have the exact same rifle as you do.  I have hunted with one load for 17 years and have never had any problems with it

53.5 gr IMR 4350, winny brass, winny LR primers, 140 gr Hornady SPBT.  Chrony @ 2955 average with 3/4 inch group.  Have harvested deer, moose, elk, sheep, goats and BB.

[razmuz]

I've had three different 270's and this is the load that shot best in all of them:  54gr of Win.760  -  WLR Mag primers  -  130gr Spier @ 3.243 O.A.L.  I don't think it makes any difference, but I used mixed brass.  H-4831, IMR4350 will also do the trick.  A lot of folks on this forum have been talking about Rel.22 being the new 270 powder.  I've got some loaded up (60gr), but haven't shot it yet.  Good luck.

[SingleShotShorty]

60 grains of RL22 and 130 grain bullet is pretty hot I would start at around 57 grains and work up just to be on the safe side

[razmuz]

You may be right.  I'll load up some with 57 and work on up.  However, "A-Square Handloading Manual goes up to 61 grains with a 24 inch barrel.  My barrel is 22 inch, and they show average vel. with 61 as being 3,023 with 22 barrel.  You know Craig Boddington can't be wrong.  What do you think?,Shorty.

[lgm270]

60 grains of RL22 (used to use 60 grains of H4831) with 130 grain Nosler partitions in my .270 WCF have been killing deer for me like Thor's Hammer for more than 25 years.   My hunting companions use 7mm Rem Mags and I can tell no difference  in killing power...and neither can they.  

Best

[THE#1hunter]

Thanks again for the help

[Dragon31]

I like the 270 a great deal and have used it for years.  Favorite load is same as lgm270.  60 gr H4831. I also Drop it 3 to 5 grains and use the Hornady 150's from a 22 inch barrel.  In my .270 Sendero it one holes out of the box Winchester Supreme 130's all day.
The speed of the .270 using H4831 or any other slow burning powder is barrel length sensitive.  My 26 inch Sendero pushes the same load at considerable faster speeds than my 22 inch blue BDL and my 24 inch 700 SS. is closer to the 26 inch than the 22 inch in speed.
With a 26 inch barrel you give up very little to the 7Mag with bullit of equal weight.  Remember most 7mag are 24 inch barrels.

[Mnswede]

I like H1000 with 130 BTs and 4831 with 150 Partions since my rifle shoots very well with these combinations.

[Craig M. Bellis]

I got a Featherweight several years ago and initially had some problems with accuracy. Mine has a 20" inch barrel. I free-floated the barrel, got a little trigger work done, and settled on 52.5 gr. of IMR4350 pushing a 140gr. Nozler Ballistic Tip (O.L. - 3.355"). I opted for the 140 since I hunt the thickets of western PA. The load is devastating. I've shot 7 or 8 deer so far and most of them never left their tracks. I get about 1/2" groups out of that short barrel. I gave some to my daughter's boyfriend to try in his 700 ADL Remington and he shot about a 3/8" group out of his 22" barrel. The Ballistic Tips seem to be a bit fragile at times and usually don't exit even on broadside shots but the fact is that the deer go down and stay down.