powder preference for .270 w/130gr. Nosler partitions

[thelaw]

for some reason my pet load (56.0gr. imr4831, rem. case, win. primer, hornady 140gr. btsp @ 3000fps) has went to pot. i used to hold .75" or better all day with this load, not no more. getting desperate to try another load before my upcoming wyoming trip in a couple of weeks. i bought a box of 130 nosler partition today to try out. i've gathered a lot of dat on the round, but am trying to narrow it down to a powder. i'ver heard imr4831,imr4350,h4350 and h4831 are the best. what's your experience?

[TNrifleman]

I have used both IMR4350 and H4831sc with Nosler 130 grain Partitions in my 270 Winchester chambered Ruger 77 Express rifle with excellent results. Nosler lists data for these combinations in their #5 manual. Good luck with the loads and the hunt.

[Leftoverdj]

I'd suspect a rifle problem rather than a load problem. When a known accurate load stops being accurate, it's generally the rifle.

How many rounds does your rifle have through it? The throat may be going if you have several thousand rounds through is. Adjusting seating depth may restore accuracy. Could be any of the usual stuff, humidity change affecting bedding, bedding screws needing adjustment, etc.

You seem to have the loading stuff down. I'd add AA-3100 to the list but it's close enough to IMR-4831 so that when one works, the other usually works. As for your bullet change, I'd just switch bullets in your existing load and work up from there. Somewhere between 56 and 58 grains of IMR-4831 under 130 grain Nosler Partitions has given me great accuracy in the three or four .270s I have worked with.

[thelaw]

well, while i'm interested in trying a new load, i suspect some sort of problem with my gun as well. 2 years ago i had it rebarreled and glass bedded just forward of the recoil lug, with the front half of the barrel from the recoil lug floated. this past summer i removed the stock for the first time and had the stock refinished. ever since i put the stock back on the accuracy hasn't been what it used to be. i'm wondering if there is some sort of sequence to tightening the screws up or something. at least my .25/06 is shooting cloverleaf groups. any suggestions on my accuracy problem?

[ricciardelli]

RL-19 From 48.4 grains to 60.0 grains
 Winchester WLR Primer

[Dand]

I started having a similar problem with my 300 win mag using IMR 4831 and 180 Nos Parts, 180 Speer Hot Cores.  Burned up all my ammo making groups with unexplained fliers - 2-3 shots in 3/4 in and flier off by 3-4 in! Started blaming the scope, bullets, bore (about 2000 rounds), powder, fouling, hot weather, etc.  Then found a hex key in my range box that fit my stock screws.  WOW they were LOOSE!!!!  Cranking down on them made all the difference.  Now I have some blue locktite on those screws and my confidence is restored.

You might pose your tightening sequence question on the Gunsmith forum and get some expert advise.  I tightened both screws down evenly, a little at a time but then really cinched down on the screw near the recoil lug and left the rear tang screw a little less tight in case the action bedding was not exactly square. I'm back to my standard 1 to 1.5 inch groups.

Should go to the range and check again. The gun has been bashed around in the brush and boat for the last 3 weeks while I tried to find a moose.

My stock is a really old (22 yrs) HS Precision and I'm wondering if the 2000 rounds and years of Shooters Choice and other potent bore cleaners may be attacking the stock - hence the loose screws.

Good luck - I know how you feel right before the season.

[Questor]

TheLaw:

Did you check the scope to see if it's loose? How about the bore? Is it fouled with a lot of copper. It can take a lot of work to get heavy copper fouling out of a bore, like a couple of hours.

[thelaw]

i went and bought some bore cleaner called Sweets 7.62. it is supposed to be the best for getting copper out of the barrel. i spent a solid hour cleaning the bore and finely got a clean patch.

[Gregory]

Had good luck in my Savage 270 with a 130 gr Rem core lokt and 59.5 / H4831.