1st year hunting with 270 Win.

[mshootnit]

Having become accustomed to fast magnums, and 24 bores, I decided to try an old standby. Rug. has been making fewer of the m77 and there was a good price on one, stainless in 270 so I bought it. I loaded up some 130 gr. SIE Pro hunters. The rifle was grouping very well and consistent, with a nice trigger break right out of the box. The scope I put on there is a Leup. VX2 3X9 LRD. Very bright scope, crisp reticle, and full field of view.
Out in the field we were able to stalk up on 2 bucks. 1 at 150 yds, the other at 250. Both fell to a lung shot after stuttering a few steps. So the venerable 270 performed as advertised.
Some notes: The shots were pass throughs with 2" exit holes and massive lung damage. Even though the loads were full power, the bullets held together very well apparently. Report was seemingly quiet and in both cases hunting buddies in the truck did not hear the shot, (maybe they are just used to the 257 Weatherby?)

20181117_191011

• mshootnit
• Nov 17, 2018

2018 Mulies

 

[Iroquois]

Two very nice bucks! I’d say things worked out nicely. Congrats.

 

[Captcurt]

I shot a Ruger 77 270 for 21 seasons. If memory serves, it took 22 whitetails, 2 mulies, 2 pronghorns, 1 turkey and a bobcat. Shots ranged from 15 feet to over 400 yards. Worked swell with 130gr Speer HotCor over a stiff load of IMR-4350.

 

[mshootnit]

Two very nice bucks! I’d say things worked out nicely. Congrats.

Thank you. Yes worked out well this year. After a few years of shooting some 24" magnum sporters I thought I would try a 22" sporter. Handier to grrt on the shooting sticks and lighter over all.

 

[mshootnit]

I shot a Ruger 77 270 for 21 seasons. If memory serves, it took 22 whitetails, 2 mulies, 2 pronghorns, 1 turkey and a bobcat. Shots ranged from 15 feet to over 400 yards. Worked swell with 130gr Speer HotCor over a stiff load of IMR-4350.

I will have to give those a try!

 

[Bfh_auto]

Looks like you have a winning combination. If you decide to try something else, don't overlook the140 NBT.

 

[mustanger98]

Thinking of a 140gr, my old handload used Hornady's 140gr BTSP at about 2800fps using IMR 4831. I recall selecting this bullet partly because the BC is listed (Hornady 5th Edition load manual) higher than Hornady's 150gr flat-base SP. Muzzle blast and felt recoil were both much more tolerable than factory loads.

 

[J-Bar]

If the .30-‘06 is “never a bad choice”, then the .270 Winchester (the original, not any of the more recent ‘refinements’) can’t be far behind. Any hunting failures I have had with a .270 have been my fault, not the cartridge’s, and there have thankfully been damn few of those!

 

[mshootnit]

Looks like you have a winning combination. If you decide to try something else, don't overlook the140 NBT.

I was definitely thinking of those

 

[Iroquois]

My old Remington 700 LSS will not shoot a 130gr very welll, but it loves those 150gr NBT. They are not as flat shooting as the 130’s but they pack quite punch. If you’re looking for something a little heavier, these may work for you. But as the saying goes “ if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.

 

[mshootnit]

I was reading the Ballistics Research article about 270 Win stating that Ausie hunters had pass throughs with low velocity rounds, which I also noticed mine were not opening up a lot. 2" or less exit, but both dead deer. I have never checked velocity on this one, but used a healthy dose of powder. I think I will get it chronoed, and am thinking about going to 130 Game Kings, or maybe 130 BT hunting.

 

[mshootnit]

I shot a Ruger 77 270 for 21 seasons. If memory serves, it took 22 whitetails, 2 mulies, 2 pronghorns, 1 turkey and a bobcat. Shots ranged from 15 feet to over 400 yards. Worked swell with 130gr Speer HotCor over a stiff load of IMR-4350.

Captcurt
22" barrel on your 270? Do they still make that bullet?

 

[Olympus]

Nothing surprising with the results. The 270 is way more than enough gun for whitetail deer. Congrats on the very nice bucks!

 

[horsey300]

I was reading the Ballistics Research article about 270 Win stating that Ausie hunters had pass throughs with low velocity rounds, which I also noticed mine were not opening up a lot. 2" or less exit, but both dead deer. I have never checked velocity on this one, but used a healthy dose of powder. I think I will get it chronoed, and am thinking about going to 130 Game Kings, or maybe 130 BT hunting.

The pro hunters are definitely tougher, one of my favorites, the game kings are a bit softer, the bts are a decent compromise too, I can't guarantee they'll exit every time but for more expansion at slower speeds, I'd look closer at the 140 sst.

 

[Glockula]

Congrats on the bucks! My go to in .270 have been 130 seirra GK sp over IMR 4064 in a Remy case. Shoots bug holes at 100 and still under an inch at 200. When I pull the trigger deer die. I know 4064 is not an optimal. 270 powder but don't tell the deer that. My furthest kill with this load was and 8 point at 350 yards.

With 15 or so deer killed with this combo only round has not exited. It was high in the shoulder and lodged in the opposite shoulder at 250 yards. Almost always leaves a blood trail a novice could follow.

 

[Slamfire]

I know 4064 is not an optimal. 270 powder but don't tell the deer that.

If it shoots good. It is good.

I have a 100 yard zero on this 270 Win. Going to be testing more ammunition before I take the thing down to CMP and get a 300 yard zero. I will say, IMR 4064 shot well with 130's.



Velocity was not much different between my standard loads with H4350 and IMR 4064.

pre 64 M70 25" barrel, Sako Contour

130 gr Federal Fusion (pulled) 49.0 grs IMR 4064 wtd lot 2449R Win cases Fed210S OAL 3.225"

11 Oct 2018 T = 75 °F

Ave Vel = 2873
Std Dev = 33
ES = 122
High = 2948
Low = 2826
N = 10

130 gr R-P Bronze Point 55.0 grains H4350 wtd lot 22655 W/W cases WLR OAL 3.250"

11 Oct 2018 T = 75 °F

Ave Vel = 2868
Std Dev = 23
ES = 56
High = 2901
Low = 2845
N = 10

 

[LRDGCO]

I came late to the 270 Win. Thought it was all hype from the likes of O'Connor. Yet again, I was wrong. Coyote, antelope, deer. It's the ticket. I'm sure with modern bullets it would be fine on elk but I'm too stuck in my ways to go after elk with anything less than 180 grs and 30 cal.

 

[Glockula]

If it shoots good. It is good.

I have a 100 yard zero on this 270 Win. Going to be testing more ammunition before I take the thing down to CMP and get a 300 yard zero. I will say, IMR 4064 shot well with 130's.

View attachment 814443

Velocity was not much different between my standard loads with H4350 and IMR 4064.

pre 64 M70 25" barrel, Sako Contour

130 gr Federal Fusion (pulled) 49.0 grs IMR 4064 wtd lot 2449R Win cases Fed210S OAL 3.225"

11 Oct 2018 T = 75 °F

Ave Vel = 2873
Std Dev = 33
ES = 122
High = 2948
Low = 2826
N = 10

130 gr R-P Bronze Point 55.0 grains H4350 wtd lot 22655 W/W cases WLR OAL 3.250"

11 Oct 2018 T = 75 °F

Ave Vel = 2868
Std Dev = 23
ES = 56
High = 2901
Low = 2845
N = 10

Thanks for the hard data Slamfire! That is very close to my load. I settled on 48.5 gr 4064 with a Federal 210 and a Remy case.

 

[MCgunner]

Never owned a Ruger 77. Actually, I have only owned three commercial bolt action deer rifles in my life, not to include bubbaed milsurps, and I still own 'em, a Savage 110 in 7 rem mag, a Remington 722 in .257 Roberts, and a Remington M7 stainless in .308 Win. Seems like all the companies that produce bolt guns are going for the budget market now days. The Ruger American, the TC Compass, and such. I don't know how good these rifles are, but they're mighty affordable and I guess that's a good thing, give Savage some competition in the budget market. Still, I'll keep mine. I mean, I don't own Kleingunthers, nothing to brag about, but I do like what I've got and see no reason to fix what ain't broke.

The .270 was never broke. Lots of latest and greatest has come along, I guess the clamor over 6.5s being the latest trend. Of course, back in the day the .264 Win Mag didn't really take off like the 7 mag did. BUT, I don't think any of the new whiz bang gotta have cartridges can do it a lot better than old stuff like the .30-06 or the .270, certainly not enough better to make me spend money on a new rifle in a trendy caliber. I just didn't happen to end up with a .270.

Great bucks BTW!!!!!

 

[Slamfire]

Thanks for the hard data Slamfire! That is very close to my load. I settled on 48.5 gr 4064 with a Federal 210 and a Remy case.

Yesterday at the range, had a pierced primer with a 130 grain Hornady Interlock and 49.0 grains of IMR 4064. Pressures might be a bit higher than I thought. Handloader had an article which stated that 49.5 grs IMR 4064 with a 130 gr was Jack O'Connor's accuracy load, till he got surplus 4831 to shoot, and used that instead.

 

[mustanger98]

Yesterday at the range, had a pierced primer with a 130 grain Hornady Interlock and 49.0 grains of IMR 4064. Pressures might be a bit higher than I thought. Handloader had an article which stated that 49.5 grs IMR 4064 with a 130 gr was Jack O'Connor's accuracy load, till he got surplus 4831 to shoot, and used that instead.

IIRC, later again... here I go quoting "The Hunting Rifle" again... Mr O'Connor worked the IMR 4831 up to 60grs, published his column, and started seeing it in load manuals and otherwise quoted without attribution. He said after that he eased it up to 62grs, published that, and received a load of nasty-grams about didn't he know 60grs was the safe top end.

 

[Glockula]

I have never had any pressure issues at 48.5 but my Weatherby has a long throat and I can load them a little longer than most. Thanks for the warning.

 

[Slamfire]

IIRC, later again... here I go quoting "The Hunting Rifle" again... Mr O'Connor worked the IMR 4831 up to 60grs, published his column, and started seeing it in load manuals and otherwise quoted without attribution. He said after that he eased it up to 62grs, published that, and received a load of nasty-grams about didn't he know 60grs was the safe top end.

I thought Jack was using surplus 4831 and of course, he did not have a pressure gage. I was given some of the WW2 stuff, shot it during load development, it went bang, velocities were a little different by weight from IMR 4831.Surplus powder varies in burn rate, Depots have pressure equipment, each lot has a different pressure curve, so maybe Jack was using a slower lot than what others were using. And without a doubt, his test equipment was unique. Everyone one of my rifles is a unique piece of test equipment, and I had to add more powder in the case, than manual maximums to reach standard velocities (particularly the 30-30 Win), and I have had to cut my loads in other firearms. Any load developed in a Douglas barrel, I have had to make drastic reductions to avoid primer popping in Kreiger barrels.

 

[mustanger98]

I'd have to look back at the book, but he may well have used surplus 4831. And my understanding is IMR stands for Improved Military Rifle.

Thinking of barrels, it's not just different brands. I recall Mr O'Connor saying something about putting five identical barrels in one lot... fire one load in each and get five different velocities. I've heard plenty of guys say barrels can be funny.

 

[Riomouse911]

I got a smokin deal on a straight pull Mauser 96 American .270 many years ago and never really needed anything else.

Oh, I have other rifles... but I really don’t need more than the .270,

Great work finding the load that knocked them clean off their hooves, congrats!

Stay safe!