Reloading for the Encore pistol .270 Win

[K9 Big Dog]

Hi all, new member here.  

I just bought a new Encore Hunter Package in .270 Win. with the 15"bbl.  I have all I need to start handloading for it too (dies, shellholder, etc) and I just need to pick up some bullets. Unfortunately, the only manual I can find any data for the barrel/caliber combination is the Hornady #6 manual.  Both the Speer #13 and Nosler #5 both have nothing on .270 Win pistol.  Is this a relatively new offering from T/C?  I have nothing against Hornady bullets, in fact I like them alot, but I'd like to experiment with some Ballistic Silvertips, Accu-bonds, and maybe some Grand Slams just to see what bullet my barrel likes best.  Anyone have any load data for these?  Any idea why Speer and especially Nosler are ignoring this load?

[Lone Star]

They are not really ignoring the load - they list good loads in the rifle section.  Maxium loads will be virtually the same regardless of barrel length anyway, as the Hornady data proves.  Any difference is due to barrel dimensions and throating, not length; maximum pressuers are reached in the first few inches of any barrel.  Velocities will just be ca. 300 fps less in the short barrel.
Go ahead and use the Nosler or Speer rifle data if you wish, and fine tune the load just as you would for a .270 rifle.  Note that the highest velocities will be with the same powders in either barrel - this has been proven many times in the past, yet some shooters still believe that they have to use faster powders in handguns.  Sierra data uses "medium" speed powders in their .270 pistol section, but they don't get the velocities that Hornady gets....wonder why?  

Best accuracy will occur with some powder depending on the barrel, just as with rifles.  Muzzle blast can be reduced a little by choosing powders in the faster end of the slow burners; choosing IMR4350 over H4831 will give slightly lower muzzle pressures and slightly less recoil with the same velocity.

Bottom line - pretend that the Encore is a rifle and use rifle data.

[haroldclark]

K9 - Big Dog,

Lyman 48th Edition for Reloading lists the 270 in a 15" Pistol barrel.

The list as an accuracy load the following with a 130 grain Sierra SPT bullet:

48 Gr of IMR-4064 for an estimated velocity of 2569 fps.  Over all length of the cartridge is 3.250".  The ballistic coefficient of the bullet is .418.  The barrel has a 1 in 10" twist rate.

They declare that both loads in 100 and 130-grain bullets showed nearly a 500 foot per second difference when compared to a full length .  The list a Lyman #280642 150 gr Cast bullet also.  The cast bullet displayed excellent ballistic uniformity, as did the the reduced loads for the 130-grain jacketed bullet.

The reduced loads utilize IMR SR 4759 and AA XMR-5744 powders with max velocities in the 2100 to 2200 fps range.

You may note that Lyman uses faster powders for the shorter barrel than they do with the 24" barrel.

Lone Star is correct in declaring that the slower powders will still produce as fast if not faster velocities in the shorter barrel.  As he declared, the muzzle blast is considerably more with the slower burning powders.  I would suggest that you do not shoot this type of loading in tall dry grass, though.  

I remember the first time I shot a 10" octagonal barreled Contender with the old Thumb busting grip.  It was just a 30-30 Winchester. I was in dry grass up to my knees.  After the first shot in day light, I realized that I should move out of the weeds.  It is like a fire breathing dragon belching fire and brimstone.

Using powders that burn in the medium range like IMR 4895 to RX15 will give adequate results without setting the woods on fire.


Lots of luck and fun coming your way.

Harold Clark

[KYODE]

the paperback "hodgdon annual manual" has .270 rifle and handgun data, and is inexpensive.