I've taken on a little fall reloading project that I would like some feedback on.

I'm trying to assemble some loads for my Better Half's .270 using 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips over H4895 in PMC cases. She's having some shoulder surgery very soon, and was never wild about recoil in the first place, so I'm looking for something in the 2500 - 2600 fps range. By my calculations, this should give her a decent 250 to 300 yard deer load that won't beat her up too badly.

After reviewing Hodgdon's youth loads on their website, I'm figuring something in the neighborhood of 40 - 45 grains should get me into that ballpark, but this is really just a moderately informed wild-assed guess.

My hope in posting this is to find someone who has gone through a similar exercise and can share that experience with me, in particular, what powder charge got you this velocity?, how was the accuracy?, and any other information you think I might find useful.

I wouldn't be adverse to trying a couple of different powders, but please don't suggest that I buy her a different rifle. If you want to recommend that I buy myself another rifle, I'm willing to listen....

RXM

the .270 Winchester and 130 grain bullets will do 2,600'/sec with the following loads.(Hornady's manual)
IMR 4064.....41 grains
Win 760......47 grains
IMR 4350.....47 grains
H4350........47 grains

My experience in my own .270 is that accuracy was pretty poor with both IMR4350 and Win760 until you got closer to maximum loads. I don't have any experience with H4350 or with IMR4064, so I can't comment there.

The reason I'm looking at H4895 is that Hodgdon claims good accuracy with light loads. I haven't figured out yet if that's true.

The IMR4064 looks pretty promising. My Speer manual has similar numbers as those you're quoting. You must have a newer Hornady manual than I have. Mine (4th edition) doesn't even list any 130 grain loads under 2,700 fps.

Thanks for the information.

RXM

Mr. Moore.

I have a good friend that lives in Billings that I get out your way to shoot prairie dogs with every year in that general area...

I play around a lot with downloads, particular got started on it for youth loads and training new shooters....

I am sad to report that I have been highly disappointed in reduced loads with H 4895 in about all calibers... I don't know what their definition of accuracy is, but it not the same as mine, that is for darn sure....

What I can pass on, and you can verify in most reloading manual's trajectory charters... Most big game bullets if zeroed 3.5 inches high at 100 yds will be dead on a 200 yds....and about 3.5 inches low at 230 to 240 yds without having to make any compensation on the cross hairs...

I have really found some strong accuracy with several of the fast powders.... These include, IMR 4198, IMR's SR 4759, IMR 4227, Blue Dot ( one of my favorite) and 2400.....

If you can live with the 2200 to 2300 fps range, with the above powders, I can guarantee you that recoil will be about 50 % less or more than the standard 270/ 130 grain bullet loads....

Another good thing to know if that Ballistic Tips really open up well and penetrate very well at these lower velocities, right down to 1500 fps....

Several years ago, we took a 650 cow Elk that was 11yrs old, over by Gardner MT ( Yellowstone)... the load was in a 30/06 with a 165 grain ballistic tip exiting the muzzle at 2250s fps...

The Elk was shot running broad side to our position at 175 yds... she went 40 yds or so before piling up... on field cleaning the bullet destroyed both lungs, cut the esphogus in half and destroyed the upper end of the liver and the core of the bullet was bulged under the hide on the far side...

Drop me a PM is you are interested in the load data I have worked up, and let me know which one of those powders you are interested in... I am working on a similar situation for someone here locally in Oregon, with a 270 for elk and deer hunting... but can't take recoil...So your timing couldn't be better...

cheers and good luck.
seafire

Have you considered trying the Barnes 110 or one of the new bullets offered for the 6.8 Remington? I believe Hornady has a 115gr out although I`m not sure if it is rated for varmite or large game. One at 2600-2700 fps would be very low on recoil and might be a better answr then the 130gr.

Here are a couple of loads to consider:

"accuracy load" for the 270 Winchester using a 130 grain bullet to be 43.5 grains of IMR4064 powder which yields 2724 fps with 39,000 C.U.P."

"The 4064 load suggested sounds good, but I have also had good luck with around 42 grains of IMR4895 and a 130-grain Hornady Spire Point. It not only takes deer neatly, but recoils gently and leaves lots of wild turkey left over if there happens to be a rifle season open in the fall"


I found the 4064 load on an internet forum a while back. It is very accurate in my 270 with 130gr Speer BT's.

The IMR4895 load was recommend by John Barsness.

I got erratic ignition with Hodgdon youth loads, and H4895 in my .30-06 (magnum primers might hel). Using the regular data start loads for H4895 worked much better and was still well under max velocity.

Alliant gives data for 2400 in 30-06 and I have had good luck with it. I'm not sure how to figure 270 loads for it, though.

If you're not adverse to buying ammo Remington makes a managed recoil load in 270.

Here are some of my results for reduced 270 Win loads using H-4198 and H-4895. These all used Remington brass and CCI 200 primers. I used the Hornady 130 Spire seated to 3.210" and chronographed these from my dad's 22" Ruger M77.

Powder/Grs./Velocity
H-4198/26.0/2102
H-4198/28.0/2220
H-4198/30.0/2341
H-4198/32.0/2455 Good Accuracy
H-4198/34.0/2576

H-4895/39.0/2483
H-4895/41.0/2611 Good Accuracy
H-4895/43.0/2704 Good Accuracy
H-4895/45.0/2879

Hope this helps,
Mark in GA

Thanks everyone for your advice. Mark, thanks especially for the velocity data you've provided.

Seafire, expect a PM from me. I'd really like to see what you've come up with using other powders. I'm a little skeptical about one thing, though. Everybody KNOWS you can't kill an elk with any load that generates less than 3200 fps muzzle velocity!



RXM

I had very good accuracy using 42 grains of 3031 and various 110-150 grain bullets.

You might try playing with some AA8700. I used it to download a 300 Wby Mag for a very slightly-built friend a few years back, and was amazed at the accuracy of the loads. He wanted to shoot 125-grain Remingtons out of the Mk. V (which had been given him by his late father-in-law), and the Accurate powder worked out extremely well.

I agree pick up some 115grn core lockts, same used in the managed recoil factory loads

Ditto, what rick300 says "3031", especially with the 110 grain Sierra.

Ok, I have a couple pounds of 3031 around (it's my powder of choice for my .30-30), so I'll give that a whirl.

Are the 115-gr core-lokts available as a component bullet? Midway just lists the fmj, and even they aren't available yet.

RXM

If your goal is minimum recoil, then using a powder that allows you to use the lightest possible charge with good accuracy will aid you in reaching that goal. The weight of the powder is a factor in the recoil because the mass of the powder, along with the mass of the bullet, is part of the ejecta from the cartridge when it is fired.