What is the deal.....seriously!

[Coasthunterjay]

Ok i have a 30 year old winchester mdl70 in 270 cal...it has been shot alot...

And it has for a long time shot very well...now last year i started shooting accubonds 140gn(reloads) and ever since my group has gotten a little worse...basically going from a 1.5 inch group to over a 2 plus inch group....

then last year i ran out of some of my bullets on a trip and instead i went ahead and bought a cheep blue box of federal bullets in 150grain. that being all they had. I litterally saw the best groups ive ever seen my gun shoot. Non ballistic tip..not even sure if its a boat tail. so i new for sure it wasnt my guns barrel getting bad which is what i was thinking...

I recently started messing with accubonds again. Got some factory loads..shot them, and my gun shot them about 1 inch group at 100Yrds. i also got another box of those cheep federals..litterally shot 20 rounds into clover shaped three shot groups all over the paper....almost shooting holes into holes...gun just eats those things...

I love this...BUT....I dont want to hunt with these factory bullets i want to hunt with reloads...there suppose to be more accurate...lol

So here is what im doing. which isnt showing anykind of results...


140grain accubond. ive tried Hodgkins 4831SC at 52 gns, 53gns, 53.5gns, 54gns, and 55gns. The best group being at about a 2 inch group...

Then i switched to IMR 4831....Gun likes this better..groups back down to about 1.25-1.5 inch group at 100yrds...But it can be alot better...Specially when i shoot the crappy factory bullets in between. or shoot factory accubonds and still shoots way better. well under an inch group.

ANY TRICKS or any other ideas, something i could change or try?? Recommended powder changes...I noticed when i took one of the federal accubond bullets apart the powder inside of it was super fine compared to the 4831SC...

let me know what you think....I really would like to get a round thats tack driving.

Thanks, Jay

[stumprat]

I guess I don't understand

Sounds like you found a tack driving bullet. Why does it matter if it is a factory load

[quadrafire]

Simple answer. 2 inches is well within the kill zone. Hunt with your handloads and play with the paper later.

[chester]

sell your reloading equip and stock up on those factory loads. 

[CheyTac]

 No brainer Jay, hunting is all about shot placement. If you are deadly accurate with the Federals why on earth would you insist on shooting something that admittedly is not acceptable?

 Hunt with the Federals for confident, ethical one shot kills and do your plinking with your "superior" hand loads.

[Coasthunterjay]

sell your reloading equip and stock up on those factory loads. 

I know i know i know...easy enough said..Ide prefer to be able to fins a reloadable round that is superior...I really like the results of the accubonds, and so my mission is to get something that i can make when eveer i want...Not have to depend on the store to have. That and the distance and velocity differances at longer ranges is alot different..


Ide really like to find a reloading option

[jackelope]

accubonds are noslers.

Thor's hammer.
 

[bobcat]

I'd probably look at your cases first. Make sure they're all trimmed to the same length, sized correctly, good condition, etc. And then be sure you are seating your bullets consisently the same, and straight. Also experiment with different seating depths. I think these things will have more of an affect on accuracy than adjusting your powder charges.

[CheyTac]

and so my mission is to get something that i can make when eveer i want...Not have to depend on the store to have.

 Go buy two boxes of the Federals, that will give you 40 years worth of hunting in Washington and give you plenty of time to look through the stores for another box.

[Woodchuck]

For what it is worth, my gun shoots imr 4831 well, use the same equivilent powder weight in r22 and i cant hardly get on paper, same new brass same hornandy bullet, maybe not the bullet 

[bobcat]

Another thing I noticed... I also shoot a 270 Win. and reload for it. One of the most accurate loads in my rifle has been 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips with a charge of 58 grains of H4831. I see you're only going up to 55 grains. Try bumping it up some, unless you're already getting pressure signs. My rifle seems to be more accurate when loaded right up to the max.

[Coasthunterjay]

I'd probably look at your cases first. Make sure they're all trimmed to the same length, sized correctly, good condition, etc. And then be sure you are seating your bullets consisently the same, and straight. Also experiment with different seating depths. I think these things will have more of an affect on accuracy than adjusting your powder charges.

ANSWERS! THANK YOU!

ON IT....i will double check them tomorrow. Maybe seat the bullet a little farther in the cartridge. im pretty sure my cartridge length is within tolerances...and i always throw out the bad ones...and ill try a hoppier load...take her upto 57 gns and see what happens with that and a little higher


how do i check for properly seating the bullet? might sound like a stupid question but i thought the die was suppose to do that?




Accubonds are awesome and ide like to keep them..and its not the bullet because i shot the factory accubonds just fine...ajust gotta figure out if its seating, cases, or powder...

i think im even tempted to buy new dies....

[bobcat]

It wouldn't hurt to try some new dies. And, I don't think there's a better powder than H4831 for the 270 (or IMR).

[bobcat]

To answer your other questions, you need to read this:   http://www.24hourcampfire.com/reloading.html

[Coasthunterjay]

Go buy two boxes of the Federals, that will give you 40 years worth of hunting in Washington and give you plenty of time to look through the stores for another box.

Cheytac i get your point...but i really like to shoot my hunting rifle(is my primary everything rifle)...as often as i can...probably 150-200 rounds without hunting season on the lowside......


and bobcat..thanks for all the info...im gonna check that site out ASAP! and i like 4831..the sc sucks...but hopefully with all this help ill be able to keep using it and fix my accuracy issue.

[phishisgroovin]

i for one am very happy my rifle likes the cheap blue box Federals, having the same results as you are with them.
Its really nice being able to go to a shelf and grab a box of ammo on the run and know i wont have to go sight in prior to every trip or build a load.
I too am having close grouping with them and my rifle is a 1917 WWI Eddystone enfield.
In or almost sharing the same hole at 100 yds is what its all about, knowing your going to hit where you aim every time is key.

[billythekidrock]

My father's .270 likes the blue box Federals in 150 grn.

[phishisgroovin]

Its nice because buying Nosler brand ammo is too much like a yuppie. i like Hick ammo lol!

[Bofire]

  Jay. I love the Federal blue box ammo. People will not like this BUT, virtualy NO-ONE handloads a better load than factory. They beleive the books numbers, I have NEVER seen a handload perform like the book said. Once in a while a guy finds a load that is accurate, mostly on the internet, but some guys for real, but is it as fast?
In my opinion "whiz bang" custom bonded, expensive bullets are a total waste of money. I have killed a bunch of game with the "cheap, non custom, worthless Federal bluebox ammo" I have a few rifles it is very accurate in. Why use anything else? I just bought 243 ammo federal bluebox 80 grain, $16.65 per box. I have one 300 mag that hates the Fed blue box, one, I shoot Winchester Supreme in it. try federal out, you'll like it.
If you need to go out and burn up ammo, who cares just so it goes bang. I like to reload 38 special ammo to go bang bang bang with.
Carl

[Coasthunterjay]

well as for now im thinking of hunting this year with blue box and as soon as i get the down time(which i dont have alot lately) then ill go out to the shop and reload some stuff up and see what i can come up with...

But from what ive read..Im actually leaning towards new dies, and making sure my bullets are centered better. but well see what i come up with later...

Thanks for the help guys....

Hunting season here we come!

[haugenna]

Not sure if this has been mentioned.....

Take one of the tack driving cheapies and measure the distance from the base to the ogive. (Not base to tip) That should get you in the ballgame on seating depth of your rifle. 

Take the round apart and dump all the powder out and weigh it.  Look to see if some of your powders can duplicate that charge and stay in the safety range of load data. 

Measure the length of the brass.

Try and duplicate with your handloads.

[Coasthunterjay]

thanks man...ill give that a look.

[Mike450r]

4831 is a great powder for the 06 based cartridges, but I have always gotten more consistency with the 4350 H or IMR.

Definitely get my best max load accuracy from 4350 in pretty much all calibers I load.

That being said, I have found .270 to be one of the most finicky with C.O.A.L. having to be just right.

[buckhorn2]

I finally learned to load what my gun likes to shoot not what I want it to shoot. It could be more of a bullet seating problem than load we have to load our accubonds out a little for there best accuracy.

[BLUEBULLS]

I'd probably look at your cases first. Make sure they're all trimmed to the same length, sized correctly, good condition, etc. And then be sure you are seating your bullets consisently the same, and straight. Also experiment with different seating depths. I think these things will have more of an affect on accuracy than adjusting your powder charges.

I was thinking similarly, maybe your overall length is off a little

[arrowflinger]

Have you tried the 130 gr accubond? I shoot 130 in front of R22.

[jeepasaurusrex]

We've had good luck with H4831-SC, 56gr, and 130gr Ballistic Silver Tips. My Howa will shoot them all day long at 1/2 MOA groups.