Another poster and I were having a freindly debate about the merits of 270 win vs 270 WSM. In his post he said that he easily acheived 3200fps with 130gr bullets in a 270 winchester.

I have reloaded for 5 different 270 winchesters and couldn't ever get much past 3100 without undue pressure signs. I asked another friend of mine who is usually quite the hot-rodder and has reloaded for over 7, 270 winchesters and he said that he never got much over 3100 either. Factory loads (other than Hornady Light Magnums) are usually under 3100.

I would like hear input from other experienced reloaders with this cartridge. Am I being a little to conservative, or is my posting friend pushing it a little hard?...........DJ

I have two 270's. A pre 64 M70 with a 24" barrel will go 3200+ with 130gr bullets. My Browning Safari, with a 22" bbl gets 3050 fps with the same load. My conclusion, based on a VERY < !--color--> small samples size, is that there is probably more difference between a "fast" barrel and a "slow" barrel than there is between a 22" barrel and a 24" barrel.

djpaintles:

I also get 3200 fps in my 270 Winchester Sendero, actually 3250+. I am using IMR 4831 and 130 grain Balistic tips.
Like another poster said, it must be a particular barrel, as I can just reach 3100 in my model 70.

Jerry

Imr7828-60.5gr 130gr nos-p 3210av.fps Rem 700 24in barrel-compressed load. Very accurate

SOME WILL GET YOU THERE AT 22"....MOST WONT. 24" ALOT WILL DO IT..... SOME WONT..AT 26 "MOST WILL EXCEED 3200"....TRY RELOADER 22 AND A 130 HORNADY INTERLOCK FLAT BASE ...THE BEARING SURFACE IS SOMEWHAT SHORTER ON THIS BULLET(VERSUS SIERRA,SPEER,NOSLER)YOU SHOULD BE PRETTY CLOSE IN A 22' BBL WITH THIS COMBO

I have a Browning BBR with a 22" tube. The most I can safely get with 130gr bullets is 2975 ft/sec. Factory ammo in my rifle clockes even less, around 2900 ft/sec. A friend of mine also loads for the 270 Win, and reports the same velocites.

My Remington 700 gets 3050 fps with the 130 grain Hornady flat base using H4831. My Adams and Bennet barreled mauser action in 270 gets 3180 fps with the same load. The latter barrel is 24 inches long and is new the former a well worn 22 incher.

Not to change the subject, it appears quite a few folks get 3200 with the 130g. based on the above posts. But that is still 175-200 fps slower than the WSM.

I know 5 other reloaders getting high 3300 fps speeds or hitting 3400fps with 140g bullets in the WSM. So there is still a spread between the two calibers.

I never tried to get 3200 with a 130, because when I pushed them to 3100 they were too explosive on deer. I switced to 150's as they performed better on deer, and were more accurate too. Federal factory loads exceed 3000 in my 24", and 2900 in my 20".

deer don't know 100FPS, but the rifle, brass, and potentially your next of kin might.

for a normal length barrel, 3100 is TOO HIGH for game impact, unless you are using barnes X bullets... corelocks and gamekings detonate (this is a bullet failure) with impact velocites over about 2800fps

jeffe

I have never had a problem getting over 3100 fps w/ a 24" barrel. I have not had much problem getting 3100 fps w/ a 22" barrel either, but not much more. There has been plenty of published loads that show this velocity as being attainable. I've seen some "old" published data over the years from reloading manufacturers that show 3200 fps w/ a 130 grain bullet out of the .270 in a 24" barrel. However, most of this data was from back in the day when loading companies published data based on "pressure signs", at least from what I can tell.

The vast majority of pressure data in today's manuals shows somewhere between 3100-3160 fps is possible wiht a 24" barrel and a 130 grain bullet. I'd expect there is some margin of safety built into most loads, so 3200 fps might be acheivable, but this is speculation on my part and if you are loading that hot, pressure variation between loads would certainly swing you over max saami limits on some of your rounds. I live in TX, and it gets very hot, so am happy to stay a couple grains below this level.

The only 3200 fps+ load I have seen published with pressure data is on Accurate's website using Magpro. I have tried this load and it does indeed get slightly over 3200 fps in the 24" barrel of my .270. I have also gotten over 3200 fps w/ RL-22, but since no published data shows this velocity, I expect my pressure was a bit high and backed off a couple of grains to get to max published velocities in the 3150 fps range.

Regards,

Lou

I live in Texas too and usually work up my loads in april or may to make sure there will be no problems due to temperature. It seems with my rifles that getting near 3000 fps with the 150 grain Hornady spire point is easier than getting 3200 fps with the 130 grain bullet. As to the remark that many 130 grain bullets detonate at impact velocities over 2800 fps I suppose it can happen but it hasn't happened to me but once and that was a Sierra pro hunter that hit the shoulder bone of an antelope at thirty yards.

130gr Gamekings work fantastic in my 20" gun at 2900fps at the muzzle

Truth is all bullets work better at a muzzle velocity of 2800 FPS...

Max load in my abolt (22") gave 3050fps using IMR 4831.

I agree that bullets do fail at IMPACT velocities higher than 2800fps. Most of our hunting is done as "Bushveld distances" this is between 30m and up to about 170m. I have a 7mm Rem Mag and a 7x57mm I use premium grade bullets in both and have never believed in getting every last drop out of a given cartridge. This simply puts strain on the rifle and as previously mentioned on the next of kin if something goes wrong.

I do own smaller and bigger calibres but this is the two I use most on game, if you do decide to go with speed, use bullets that is up to the challenge. We all know that speed causes bruising of meat, so why try and push for velocity if your terain does not require you to light the grass and start bush fires .

Regards
Rudie

I've been loading for the good old 06 Improved--or at least that is what I lovingly call my 270's...grins

I've probably got as much experience with this round from killing to shooting and loading for it as about most any around.

For years, I used IMR 4350 and H4831, they worked just great and most of the rifles I worked with would run in the 3050 to 3100 range with this powder (given 22" tubes).

When R22 hit the shelves, I went to using it-and 3200 is there for the taking with average or normal (22") tubes. It is about all it will give with most tubes of 22" length but it will run at that.

The last time I retubed my G33/40 I had it cut to 25" for giggles at first. It would run 3300 and a tish more with the 130's and the 135's. It would also run 3100 with the 150's.

Now I have it cut back to 23" (fit in my scabbard easier) and my load with R22 runs at 3200.

The last thing I'll say about this is this. With the years and the wiskers and the slower moving joints that I have. I find it less and less appealing to run such and such a round at the max possible speed. I mean really I can run this good old round down another 100 or 200 fps, and it doesn't really mean anything in the real world of hunting. Brad a fellow shooter and friend of mine from the valley here and I did some work the other day taking into account everything being the same for a round. This is what we found. If we took said round and ran it at 3000 and at 3200. And if we started them both out with the same 100 yard setting (right on for our test). Then the bullet drop difference at 500 would be right in the 1.7" mark. Now I don't know about you boys and girls but to Brad and I it just isn't worth it.

To me the only thing the extra bit of speed helps is in shooting in a high wind. And I find that doing that at long distance is a lesson in futility at best, and not fair to the critter at worst.

So I guess to say what I think and know this is it.

Yep it can run 3200, will the 270 WSM run much better me seriously doubts it. I'd say perhaps 150 fps at max. Is there a reason to run cartridges to the hilt absolutely not. At least not in my opinion.

Just my thoughts....

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

My .270 with a barrel a tad over 24" will do 3200 with a 130 grain bullet and does so with about 3% less powder than many others report, so this is obviously a "fast" barrel. The original factory-reported velocity for the .270/130 was 3140 fps, which I suspect is a pretty average number for the 26" barrels typically used for velocity tests in those days. This means that 3200 out of the most common .270 barrel length of 22" would usually require greater-than-judcious pressures. If you have a 22" barrel, settle for 3000-3100 fps.

With the WSM, average velocities at similar pressures from similar barrels should run as much as 100 fps more. Anyone that tells you differently is either unfamiliar with the laws of physics or is trying to sell you something.

Nosler 130 gr. Ballistic Tip
56.7 Gr. IMR 4350
Federal 215
3210 FPS
2974 Foot LBS
TKO 16.46
+ 1.19 100 Yards
Zero 200 Yards
- 5.73 300 Yards