Gents,

I have a PG hunt coming up next year. I would like to take my M70 in .375H&H. My pet load for this rifle is 78gr of IMR4350 behind a 300gr A-Frame. I guess I could still use this bullet but am thinking about working up a load for a 270gr projectile not so much because of it being a flatter shooter but more so for the higher downrange velocity and therefore better expansion.

RL15 seems to be one of the more popular powders for this bullet weight. But I'm seeing some large discrepancies with respect to max loads when I search here on AR and even looking at the reloading manuals.

My Swift manual says max loading of RL15 is 71.5 grains, but I saw at least one post here on AR where the person went up to 75 grains. For giggles I looked at my Barnes manual and for a 270gr TSX, it lists 77 grains as max for RL15. This really throws me as normally the TSX/TTSX loads call for lower max loads than lead bullets of the same weight.

For those of you who have worked up loads in the 270gr A-Frame in RL15, can you tell me what your experience has been as far as max loading?

I don't plan on jumping right to that load, I'll definitely start below the 71.5 max that the Swift manual says and work up. I'd just like a reference point for where the "danger" zone is.

Thanks for your replies!

Without getting into all the dangerous and problematic parts of the loading aspects of your post, I'll ask three questions:

1) How long a shot do you plan on taking?

2) Is your PH okay with your taking shots that long?

3) Have you plugged into a ballistics calculator the data for the 270 and 300 grain loads to see the difference? www.biggameinfo.com is the one I use.

You should answer these questions and especially number 3 before expending too much energy on this quest.

LWD

I know it's not an A Frame, but I use 76 Grs. of Rl-15 behind a 270 Gr. TSX in my 375 H&H. No pressure signs and accuracy is good. Chronographed velocity is 2744 fps. Be careful with the A Frames. Start low and work up your loads slowly. I only tried A Frames once (in a .338 Win Mag.) and they developed high pressure signs with a load that showed no such pressure signs with other bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by LWD:
Without getting into all the dangerous and problematic parts of the loading aspects of your post, I'll ask three questions:

1) How long a shot do you plan on taking?

2) Is your PH okay with your taking shots that long?

3) Have you plugged into a ballistics calculator the data for the 270 and 300 grain loads to see the difference? www.biggameinfo.com is the one I use.

You should answer these questions and especially number 3 before expending too much energy on this quest.

LWD

Answers to your questions:

1) Hopefully no longer than 200 yards. This hunt will be near Kimberly, RSA where shots can and may be longer than your typical 100 yards or closer like you get in the Limpopo.

2) A tentative yes, but like most PH's he wants to get as close as possible and his goal is inside 150 yards if not closer.

3) No I haven't, ballistics is NOT what I'm after. Per the Swift loading manual to zero at 200 yards with my 300gr load, I'd sight in at 2.5" high at 100 yards. The 270gr load would be roughly 1.8" high at 100. A difference that I'm not concerned about. What I'm after is the higher velocity at 200 yards and with it better expansion. The 300gr load is very accurate and no doubt I can hit anything at 200 yards of any reasonable size. But the velocity will be around 2000fps versus the 270gr load being about 2200fps.

I'm not at all trying to push for maximum velocity and get dangerous with the loading. Been there and done that a number of years ago and locked up a bolt in so doing. I have no intention of repeating that mistake. Once I pick a bullet, I go for best accuracy. What I found with the 300gr A-Frames is loading 78gr of IMR4350 gives great accuracy. That's 1.5gr above max listed in the manual and I don't have any pressure signs.

So I'm not averse to going above max if the groups are tightening up, but will do so slowly and with caution. I just wanted to get a gut feel for what others have seen as far as max loading goes with RL15. It may very well be that the most accurate loading in my rifle will be below max and if it is that's where I'd stop.

quote:

Originally posted by Labman:
I know it's not an A Frame, but I use 76 Grs. of Rl-15 behind a 270 Gr. TSX in my 375 H&H. No pressure signs and accuracy is good. Chronographed velocity is 2744 fps. Be careful with the A Frames. Start low and work up your loads slowly. I only tried A Frames once (in a .338 Win Mag.) and they developed high pressure signs with a load that showed no such pressure signs with other bullets.

Now that's interesting. What I've found up until now is that the TSX/TTSX typically have lighter max loads than lead bullets of the same weight. Intuitively this makes sense since the all copper bullets are longer and thus take up more case space at a given COAL. I will keep this info in mind however, thanks.

I have worked to 72 grains of RL:15 with a 270 grain bullet and was getting close to 2,700 FPS.....that was good enough for the kind of kudus I shoot...LOL

I just checked Alliant's website and 71 is max there.....I'd be very hasitant to go beyond that.....75 grains may be achievable but why go there?.....I doubt that Alliant is that conservative.....they have to sell their product too!

I never loaded a 270 A Frame in my 375H&H. I did load the 260 Part. I ended up at 71grs and just a touch over 2700fps. I went to 73 if I remember correctly(memory before morning coffee)but there was little velocity gain and my accuracy was going away.

actually i'd use a different bullet than an a-frame. reason is that the area you're going to is a plains game area and you just don't want or need such a tough bullet. If it were me i'd use a nosler part. or accubond type of bullet that would expand faster

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
actually i'd use a different bullet than an a-frame. reason is that the area you're going to is a plains game area and you just don't want or need such a tough bullet. If it were me i'd use a nosler part. or accubond type of bullet that would expand faster

Exactly.....and further there's very little reason for a .375 H&H on a plains game hunt as well.....but if you have it shoot it....I'd be looking to the Nosler 260 Partition

I used the 260Part in my 375H&H. I have switched to the 260 Accubond in my 380PDK. I get better accuracy and I feel better performance on game. Good expansion, great pentration and a larger exit.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
I used the 260Part in my 375H&H. I have switched to the 260 Accubond in my 380PDK. I get better accuracy and I feel better performance on game. Good expansion, great pentration and a larger exit.

Certainly good considerations. Reasons for taking the .375 versus my .300WM. My son will be going with me and we will hunt together. He'll be carrying a .308 shooting either 165gr AB's or North Fork softs. If a lighter gun is called for, it will be at my disposal.

Eland will also be on the menu and while I would be confident shooting an Eland with the .300WM, I'd prefer the .375.

Okay, I see where you're going. But I agree with the other posters: either use a softer bullet or don't worry about it. I haven't been in safari, but the .375H&H is most definitely enough gun for whitetail deer. I was just taken aback by the idea of trying 4.5 grains over max just to get velocity.

Good luck on your safari!

LWD

quote:

Originally posted by LWD:
I was just taken aback by the idea of trying 4.5 grains over max just to get velocity.

Good luck on your safari!

LWD

Me too. Still can't get over the TSX being loaded to 77gr, 5.5gr over the max A-Frame loading.

I have no guns that the tsx shoots less powder at max than lead bullets. All guns are different but 76 grains rl-15 with 270 tsx is a hammer. The north fork also tend to take more powder than nosler, aframe etc but that may just be in my guns. I like a-frames but find they hit max before the tsx and north fork don't know why and it does not really matter as long as the velocity is close.

Just thought I'd follow up on this thread to let you know of my preliminary results. I worked up some loads to the max loading of 71.5gr of RL15. Groups tightened as the load increased with the max giving the best grouping.

2 shots were virtually in one hole and the 3rd was directly below that by bout 1/2". This was first time this load was shot, so it needs to be repeated but it's encouraging.

Rifle : Win M70 Safari Express from new plant
Brass : Remington
Primer : Fed 215
Powder : RL15 - 71.5gr
Bullet : 270gr Swift A-Frame

What was the velocity?

quote:

Originally posted by impala#03:
What was the velocity?

I don't own a chrono, but I do have one on the way this week. When I find out, I'll post it here.

quote:

Originally posted by impala#03:
What was the velocity?

Three more shots, all within a 1" square. The shots average 2620fps.