Reloading questions - .270

[billythekidrock]

Below is a pic of a 3 shot group from a Win. model 70 .270 Featherweight XTR. The group measures about 3/4 inch from center to center of the outside holes. This was the max charge and lesser charges were all over the map.



The round:
130 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip Spitzer
55 gr IMR 4350
Win WLR primer
COAL = 3.320


My questions are can this be tightened up by:
A. Using a different powder?
B. Different COAL?

[bobcat]

What's your question? Are you looking for better accuracy? That looks like a pretty good group to me. Did you try 54.5 and 55.5 grains? If not I would try that and see what happens. After that you can fine tune the seating depth of the bullet and try to improve on your groups that way. My 270 almost always shoots best at max charges or even slightly over max.

[billythekidrock]

Yes, better accuracy. I did try 54 and lower but the point of impact was all over the place.
It is ok, but I would like to see if I can do better.

[JLS]

Are you getting pressure signs yet?  I would try 54.7 and 55.3 to see what they do, or half grain increments as Bobcat suggested.  Heck, do all four.  Is your bullet right off the lands, or a fair bit off?

[BOWHUNTER45]

Not bad Billy ... I load 54 gr IMR 4831 ...Have not changed in 35 years    With a 140 gr bullet ...Now you need to play with seating the bullet to what your gun likes ...That's what reloading is all about ...fiddling around until its perfect 

[billythekidrock]

No pressure signs yet. I have tried 53 gr & 54 gr but nothing between 54 & 55 and nothing higher yet. It is bit off the lands.

[Biggerhammer]

3/4 inch is excellent from a feather weight. Looks like the load is good to go, maybe a little match prep on the brass and a bedding job. Other than that, it's hard to ask more of  a factory feather weight.

[JKEEN33]

I start all of my new rifles at max coal and have found this is usually on the short side. I would run these out to 3.340 and see if you get any improvement. A lot of this is trial and testing but this is where I would start if it was my load.

[bobcat]

What's interesting is my Nosler book has an asterisk next to the powder charge that was most accurate for each powder tested. For IMR 4350 it shows that 55.0 was the  "most accurate load tested."


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[billythekidrock]

What's interesting is my Nosler book has an asterisk next to the powder charge that was most accurate for each powder tested. For IMR 4350 it shows that 55.0 was the  "most accurate load tested."


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Yes, and I mistakenly put "max" in my first post. It should have been "most accurate".

[billythekidrock]

3/4 inch is excellent from a feather weight. Looks like the load is good to go, maybe a little match prep on the brass and a bedding job. Other than that, it's hard to ask more of  a factory feather weight.

And that is why I was asking. I don't mind tweaking and learning, but if it is about as good as the factory rifle will get I am fine with it and can move on to other rifles and other loads.

[wildmanoutdoors]

I have 2 270's and use win 760 but it's nearly identical to the 4350. Like bobcat I would try it at 54.5 and 55.5. I run 54.5 with sst's and have great results. But you have great results too.  I really wouldn't mess with it much more. That's freakin great for a featherweight.

[bobcat]

Yes I would say if you consistently get 3/4 inch groups, you are there. You might shoot that same load next time and get an inch and a half group. But if it stays consistent, I'd stick with that 55 grain charge and possibly just tweak the seating depth of the bullet a bit and see if that makes any difference. Sometimes it can make a ton of difference in your groups.


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[wildmanoutdoors]

Tell us how your shooting. Are you letting it cool each time?

[billythekidrock]

Not letting it cool between individual shots, but letting it cool between three and four shot groups.

130 gr SST's did not group well for me but I will try some more.

[wildmanoutdoors]

Is your third shot the flyer? If so I'd let it cool.

[billythekidrock]

Honestly, I don't remember if it was walking in or out. Next time I will pay more attention to each individual shot.

[bobcat]

Not sure which one would be a flyer in that group, they look to all be about equally spaced. I guess the upper left hole may be slightly further out but is that enough to be considered a flyer?

You might try 5 shot groups, it gives you a little better idea if it's grouping good or if you just got lucky. I like to shoot really early in the morning when it's as cool as possible, so I don't have to wait as long between groups.


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[billythekidrock]

We started at 10 am on Sunday and traded back and forth between the 2 .270's and a .243.
Most of our groups were 4 shots, but I only made 6 of these and we both shot 3.

[Biggerhammer]

Is your third shot the flyer? If so I'd let it cool.

I don't think any game animal he points it at is going to be on its feet long enough to care which of the 3 he gets hit by.

I had a Win 70 Feather Wight .243 that walked more than that with three shot groups. The first was always on the money and then left it went. Never bedded it but it was free floated, it was still MOA of Rockchuck out to 300 yards.

[Bofire]

Have you measured or had measured your chamber throat length? An old trick is to take an empty case, stick your bullet in the throat finger tight, just barely in, take a match and blacken the bullet, stick it in, close the bolt carefully open and see how far in the bullet is pushed.
kind of a shade tree mech, way of estimating actual chamber length. compare with your load length.
Carl

[whacker1]

BKTR - Are you set on the 130 grain?  I found the same results with all of the 130's I tried and ended up moving to the 140 grain accubond and tightened the group down significantly using 4350.  I don't shoot it much anymore, but have all the load information at home if you would like to share.

I am shooting it in a Savage 110C with an aftermarket lighter stock, so it is not exactly what you are using. 

I have talked to others and they have all suggested that the 140 grain shoots the most accurate out of the .270 for both factory and hand loads.   

Just my two cents

[wsmnut]

Adjust your seating depths. 
The classic .270 load from Jack O'Connor is 60 grains of H4831 pushing a 130 gr bullet.
Nothing that won't put in your freezer.

Every rifle is different.  My .270 likes 130's and 150's.  I've left it at 59.3 grains of H4831 and a 130 TTSX.  (Model 70 sporter)
My wife's.270 likes H4350 and 130 gr. bullets and 110 gr. bullets.  In both cases I finished the experiments with seating depth adjustments.  Both shoot under MOA.

Wsmnut

[C-Money]

Seems that the most accurate .270 win powder is to work up a load using IMR 4831. I use RL19 in my .270win. Cant say I get any better groups with RL19 than what you have in the pic using the 4350.

[WoodlandShooter]

I'd say you are good for a hunting rifle.

I use 4831 for my lighter bullets, and H1000 for the 150's and Retumbo for the 165's

this is a recent 5 shot group with Factory 130 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertips.

[WoodlandShooter]

This is a 5 shot group at 200 yards using 150 gr Nosler Accubond Long Range bullets.

COAL is per the book, Winchester Brass is Neck Sized, flash holes de-burred, and sorted to 189 grains +- 1 grain, CCI BR2 primers.
Using 60.5 grains of H1000. MV is ~ 3000FPS. It is a warm load, use caution and work up.

[billythekidrock]

Thanks for the responses.

* I have not tried any other powder yet.
* I am not married to the 130 gr.
* I have not measured the chamber throat length.

[whacker1]

adjust for COAL.  Mine likes to be close to the COAL.
140 grain accubond

Best of luck