Results of my first handloads (.270 Win)

[dak0ta]

Thanks everybody for your help in getting me started with reloading.I put together a batch of 270 loads for my Rem 700 Mountain Rifle. First group of the day was 53.5gr and it was en route to a 0.5MOA group until the flyer made it 1MOA at 100 meters. 54.0gr was a decent hunting accurate load. I think I pulled two of the shots, but otherwise it could be also a decent 1MOA load with higher velocity. 54.5gr seems to open up more, and look like a 1.25-1.5MOA group. All are accurate enough for hunting.

Next step is to neck size the brass for increased accuracy after fire-forming. I will load up more 53.5gr and 54.0gr and shoot them at 100 and 200 meters now. Also will chronograph for velocity. Looks like I'll have a good whitetail and mule deer load for the fall!



This is my rifle, there are many like it, but this one is mine...

 

[NoName47]

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...g-why-you-should-full-length-size-your-brass/
Here's an article on why you shouldn't neck size brass.

 

[dak0ta]

Generally factory loaded 150 gr 270 runs at ~2900FPS right? Is that the benchmark that I should try to attain with my reloads? All of these loads are going to be hunting accurate, so should I just try to reach 2900FPS at this point and call it good and let the Nosler BT do it's job at terminal ballistics?

 

[MihiT]

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...g-why-you-should-full-length-size-your-brass/
Here's an article on why you shouldn't neck size brass.

There have been hundreds of thousands of words written in argument for and against FL vs neck sizing, and while at the moment most of the top cats in bench/long range FL size (they have custom dies), the final analysis is
do what works for you

Since OP has stated this is a hunting round, there is likely little benefit to be gained by overworking the brass.

 

[MihiT]

Forget the velocity target. If that 53.5 grs group is repeatable, never, ever change. Whatever you put down with it will never cry out with its final breath "How fast was that?"

Yep! no point in missing fast

 

[dak0ta]

Got it, I was planning on also using some old box of Nosler 150 gr solid bases, I don't think they make them anymore. In your experiences, if switching between the same brand and weight, i.e. BT and Solid Base, is there a huge difference in zero or does it vary 1-2"?

 

[MihiT]

As above. Shouldn't be far off unless you strike out of your node. But you really need to put lead downrange to find out.

 

[Garandimal]

Generally factory loaded 150 gr 270 runs at ~2900FPS right? Is that the benchmark that I should try to attain with my reloads? All of these loads are going to be hunting accurate, so should I just try to reach 2900FPS at this point and call it good and let the Nosler BT do it's job at terminal ballistics?

150 gr. factory field loads are generally ~ 2850 fps, or 2800 fps from a 22" Bbl.

IMR 4831 should do that, or a little better, w/ 55 gr.

(+/-) that has worked for me w/ Speer Hot-Cor/Grand Slams and NP's.

If speed is what you need? Try the slower IMR 7828 or RL-22/26.

(and, yes, stay w/ your 53.5 gr. load and just re-calc your drop chart.)




GR

 

[Bfh_auto]

There have been hundreds of thousands of words written in argument for and against FL vs neck sizing, and while at the moment most of the top cats in bench/long range FL size (they have custom dies), the final analysis is
do what works for you

Since OP has stated this is a hunting round, there is likely little benefit to be gained by overworking the brass.

For hunting it's more important to full length size. Every round must feed perfectly. I just set it to easily close the bolt.
To the OP
Confirm your load, and record everything about it. If it stays like that, you have a winner.

 

[MihiT]

For hunting it's more important to full length size. Every round must feed perfectly. I just set it to easily close the bolt..

Did you set that with a stripped bolt?

I neck size only, I'll warrant my reloads to sub-minute out to 400 in 223 and 600 in 308.

 

[dak0ta]

Now about that 30-30 in the bottom right. Shot both 170 gr Rem Cor-Lokt and Winchester Super X and both seem to be 2 MOA with 2-3 flyers, depending on barrel heating up or just the Marlin 336. Can I expect better groups with handloads as well?

 

[MihiT]

. Can I expect better groups with handloads?

Yes

 

[dak0ta]

Sub Moa in a marlin 336?!

 

[Bfh_auto]

Did you set that with a stripped bolt?

I neck size only, I'll warrant my reloads to sub-minute out to 400 in 223 and 600 in 308.

With my deer rifles I do. It doesn't take much work. I tried neck sizing in the past. Accuracy was equal, but cycling wasn't.

 

[sage5907]

I was spoiled early in my reloading career when I bought a 270 Winchester. I found the rifle easy to reload for and almost anything I tried worked accurately but some loads better than others. The most accurate load I ever found was 53 grains of IMR 4831 with a 130 grain bullet. Even then I always loaded 55 or 56 grains because I am a hunter and wanted the extra velocity. I think that 2900 fps is really optimistic with a 150 grain bullet and real velocity is far less than that. If you want 2900 fps try the 140 grain bullet with something like 54 grains of IMR 4831 or 53 grains of IMR 4350.

 

[mustanger98]

1- In my part of the country, 200yds is a long shot and a chip shot for a .270Win.
2- Place the bullet right and, unless somebody freaks out at the sight of antlers, deer ain't that hard to kill.
3- A trajectory only gets so flat.

My angle... back off on the gas and go for accuracy at near and far zeros... 50/200 in a good many cases. Know your trajectory and you probably won't need a holdover.

 

[Slamfire]

Next step is to neck size the brass for increased accuracy after fire-forming. I will load up more 53.5gr and 54.0gr and shoot them at 100 and 200 meters now. Also will chronograph for velocity. Looks like I'll have a good whitetail and mule deer load for the fall!

View attachment 839366

This is my rifle, there are many like it, but this one is mine...
View attachment 839371

If you plan to go hunting, full length resize your brass, and I am using an RCBS small base sizing die in 270 Win. I do not believe that there is any real accuracy improvement in neck sizing, but I do believe that it will create a stuck case just when you don't want a stuck case. Set your shoulder back about 0.003", use a Wilson type case





to verify the length of the fired case, and then after full length resizing, you are setting the shoulder back about 0.003", and you won't have a malfunction due to a tight case. At least, not due to a tight case with a standard pressure load. Over pressure loads will lock up your rifle regardless of what you did before you pulled the trigger. A Remington M700 extractor is not meant to yank stuck cases out of the chamber, it works fine otherwise, but asking that extractor, or any other extractor, to act as a broken shell extractor



will result in a broken extractor.

I am of the opinion that accuracy in a hunting rifle is a secondary consideration to reliable feed and extraction, and neck sizing, does not increase accuracy, and it causes extraction failures.

 

[Slamfire]

Generally factory loaded 150 gr 270 runs at ~2900FPS right? Is that the benchmark that I should try to attain with my reloads? All of these loads are going to be hunting accurate, so should I just try to reach 2900FPS at this point and call it good and let the Nosler BT do it's job at terminal ballistics?

I am not getting that in my 270 Win's. If I push a 150 much over 2750's, I get blown primers. I have not fired factory 150 grain ammunition, but I did 130 grain ammunition. All the advertisements claim 3000 plus fps, only one brand, Winchester did that, the rest were around 2850 to 2900 fps.

 

[MihiT]

.

I am of the opinion that accuracy in a hunting rifle is a secondary consideration to reliable feed and extraction, and neck sizing, does not increase accuracy, and it causes extraction failures.

I've never had a failure to feed, fire or extract yet...
Not that isn't a valid concern, it's just not one I share.

I. All the advertisements claim 3000 plus fps,

Yeah, you need about a 40" bbl and a tail wind to see "advertised velocities"

 

[MihiT]

With my deer rifles I do. It doesn't take much work. I tried neck sizing in the past. Accuracy was equal, but cycling wasn't.

Semi?

 

[Bfh_auto]

Semi?

No. I could feel a drag when I closed the bolt. It caused the rifle too cant slightly slowing down a second shot.

 

[sage5907]

When I think of velocity with a 270 Winchester I think 3000 fps with a 130 grain bullet, 2900 fps with a 140 grain bullet, and 2800 fps with a 150 grain bullet. These velocities are with high pressure hunting loads using IMR 4831 and IMR 4350. Higher velocities can be obtained with Alliant Reloader 22 but the accuracy may or may not be as good. When I hunted with 150 grain bullets I used 54 grains of IMR 4831 with a velocity slightly under 2800 fps. In my experience Nosler bullets show a higher pressure quicker than either Speer or Sierra.

 

[Slamfire]

With my deer rifles I do. It doesn't take much work. I tried neck sizing in the past. Accuracy was equal, but cycling wasn't.

I will mention that no one should ever neck size for semi auto's. None of them have captive firing pin mechanisms and many allow the firing pin to contact the primer before the lugs are in battery.

This is a M1 Carbine, and it is easy to see from the mechanism that nothing is holding the firing pin back from contacting the primer during the feed cycle





If there is an extra sensitive primer, and the case is a crunch fit to the chamber, and it does not take much resistance to slow the bolt down, allowing the firing pin to move forward, you have created the perfect conditions for an out of battery slamfire. For all semi auto's, full length resize your cases!

Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) Slamfire in 270 Win. Neck sized cases.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7180249#post7180249


It's good to think you had the good common horse sense to ask that question. Some have assumed nothing is any different since the cartridge is what it is, 30-06 or what ever high powered rifle round, and then necked it as with their bolt actions. A man came into the gun shot I worked in with a really nice, well was a really nice Browning semi auto, I think it was chambered in 270 win., no matter. He said he had been necking for a while for that rifle without problems. I doubt he considered now and then chambering issues as problems. Either way, all it took was one slam fire to ruin his day and rifle, and fortunately not his life!

've never had a failure to feed, fire or extract yet...
Not that isn't a valid concern, it's just not one I share.

Never say never. I used to be a very active NRA high power competitor, and shoot enough rounds from the magazine, and you will have a failure to extract. Sometimes it is just due to over pressure rounds, but you will find that with experienced competitors, function reliability must be 100% because alibi's ruin scores.

 

[dak0ta]

Hey guys, so I finally got out to shoot another set of reloads. This time I had NS and loaded 53.5 and 54.0gr in a friend's RCBS NS die. The 53.5gr load was still more accurate, but I noticed that the group sizes opened up quite a bit with NS. I also shot the 53.5gr with a 5 shot group at 200m and it printed quite low, but it was about a 2" group for the 3 shots that hit the paper. I think the last 2 shots are on the black target board which on my measurements, opens the group up to 3.5-4". Right now, I'm going to settle with the 53.5gr loading, however, I did buy a Lee collet die which apparently is better than the RCBS. I'd like to try a FL vs NS accuracy test now in 53.5gr. Have you guys ever experienced worse accuracy with NS? I've read it may be due to bore concentricity and a NS cartridge doesn't allow the bullet to self-center like with a FL sized cartridge.

100m


200m