Range Report: 270 Win & cast boolits

[Jal5]

Finally got to try my cast boolits today, and I am pretty pumped at the results.

I loaded 5 ea. of the Lyman 280473 over Unique ranging from 14.0 to 15.5 gr a total of 20 cs. using RP brass and CCI LR primers. Shot very clean, not a hint of leading and were all nice to shoot. All were shot at 50 yds. The boolits were cast from range scrap and were gas checked.

1st set at 1.597" five shots
2nd set at 1.925" five shots
3rd set at 2.40" five shots, but the first 3 were within 0.634"
4th set I didn't fire due to the first one FTF with a light primer strike and I wanted to check the powder load so I stopped there.

I think the 3rd set at 15.0 gr Unique should be shot again to see if I pulled those last two shots which opened up this group. Another explanation is that the barrel was getting a little warm by this time too and the Handirifle is sensitive to that. Plus I should load up some above and below 15gr too.

Every set was hitting about 8" low but right on for the horizontal axis. Not worried about sighting it in right now until I pick the final load. This was shot out of the Handirifle assembled from parts I bought here over the last year or so, bench rest on sandbags.

Joe  __________________

[Dinny]

Joe,
  I have never owned a .270 Win rifle, so all my cast boolit rifle shooting has been done with a 30-06, 30-30, .243 and 45-70.  I have found Trail Boss powder to give the best results due to it's clean burn and bulky consistency. It looks like you're heading in a good direction with the Unique, but if the opportunity arises, I would recommend for you to give TB a try.


What diameter are your boolits sized to? What weight? Do you have plans to chrono them?




Thanks, Dinny

[Jal5]

Dinny they are sized to .280 using Lee sizer and weigh 125.5
these were my first attempts at casting for this gun and I wound up with a lot of variation in weights so I loaded up these as the standard weight. I think that mold is supposed to drop closer to 130 though. My first time casting for rifle too although I have casted for pistols in 357mag/38spl and 9mm Mak before. I like to use Unique and had plenty of it so I thought I could start with that and it looks promising.  No TB on hand but I will keep that in mind.
 
No chrono unless I can find someone at the club where I shoot who has one.  What are you using for a mold for the 243?  Joe

[Dinny]

What are you using for a mold for the 243?  Joe

Since I don't cast, I am unsure. It is a Lyman 85gr RN boolit. I'll look for the data later, but it is still packed away somewhere to be discovered in my garage.




Thanks, Dinny

[Jal5]

Yeah that is one of the boolits recommended to me, if I can come across the mold.
 
Joe

[bilmac]

Jal, If you have a variable power scope with a multiplex reticle try using the lower post to aim with. If that doesn't zero either, change the power on the scope. Most of my rifles zero when the power is about 3 or 4x which is not the best, but now you have a rifle that will shoot two different kinds of ammo without rezeroing.

[gcrank1]

Ive used Unique for many years, and always have been able to find a load that 'works' though other powders can be better. Im also a long time cast bullet shooter, though never a 270, and have used reduced charges of rifle powders with better success than faster shotgun powders, which I often use for pistol or very small rifle cartridges (25-20, 22H, etc.). Of late I have been so happy with Trail Boss that I bought the 5# jug, a considerable cost savings over the small jug at a time, and my Unique is going to be lasting a lot longer.
Do you have any rifle powders on hand?

[Jal5]

I haven't even attempted to truly zero it yet, just shooting for the best load now.
 
I also have H4350 on hand and have used that to good effect reloading j-words bullets for the 270.
 
Joe

[Jal5]

I also have some Alliant R7 so I can try some other combinations now.