Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Reloads for Original Bitterroot Bullets?

I have booked a Utah mule deer hunt in October and have a 1955 Model 70 Featherweight, in 270 Win, to take along. I have also acquired a few dozen original 130 gr Bitterroot Bullets. I would love to be able to take a nice buck with this classic combination.

My question is; Does anybody have any pet loads for this rifle and bullet combo? I have searched the net, without success. I have tried some rather mild loads, but I may have only one shot to get it right.

Thanks. donsm70

Send a PM question to BobinNH.

Don: Just work up a load for the 130 Nosler Partition,and then substitute the 130 BBC.Mostly this has worked well in a few pre 64 M70 270's.

I have never had an issue doing this,but if you want to be cautious back off two gr and come up to the same charge..

I notice that the BBC tends to shoot best near Max charges, like the 130 NPT.

Seating depth differs between the two bullets,so I make a dummy round with the 130 BBC and keep it in the die box.

Presently my pre 64 270 FW barrel uses 61-H4831 with the 130 NPT and BBC. Both hit the same POI to 400 yards without touching the sights.

My other 270 FW with a 23" Krueger barrel uses the 130 NPT and BBC and 60 gr of RL22 with both bullets.

This has worked for me in other cartridges as well.


BTW I doubt you will find anything on line about this. Bill Steigers discussed this topic with many clients but there was no Internet and we did it all by phone. There are not many BBC users around today. The bullets have not been made in at least 10-15 years IIRC

Bob,

Thank you very much for the reply. I appreciate your input.

I will certainly try your suggestions. I have my mild loads shooting 1' to 1 1/2" but I would like to get some more velocity.

Thanks again. Don

Bob gave me the same gouge when I started shooting BBCs and it's worked spot on so far with Partitions for me.

Don you are using a pre 64 270 FW and IME these barrels were very good. But how much improvement you will see is hard to tell.

That said I have always gotten goo accuracy from the BBC bullets so long asthe rifle scope combo was "good" and charges ran close to max. The BBC has a very heavy base and it seems it takes max charges to obturate the bullet into the rifling.

I don't shoot many groups with Bitterroots because I am so familiar with them and "know" they shoot. I have been using them since the 1980's in many calibers. Point is I work up a load with the Partition, sight in,and then do a "single shot, cold bore test" at 300-400 yards.

Usually that shot lands right in the same group as the Partition from my rifles and I am done.

On most hunts I take 30 Partitions and 10 BBC's. I use them interchangeably as the mood strikes me.

Thing about the BBC to remember....the faster you drive them, the faster the rotational velocity,the better they work.

On lung/shoulder shots at 300+ yards you likely will not find one recovered on anything elk sized on down. On a big mule deer at 300 yards, hold on the shoulder. Lung shots will kill him but a shoulder shot should drop him right there.

On any closer shots the higher impact velocity will cause more dramatic expansion and large frontal area. You will likely find them n the off side hide.

They are more bullet than needed for any deer and that load will easily kill elk,moose, and grizzly. But I get a kick out of using the original bonded bullet and they put the smack on big deer.

Don't have pics of the recovered 130-270's but here are a couple of 140 7mm's recovered from game.

The bullet on the far right was fired into a Wyoming buck from a 7 Rem Mag at 3250 fps. Distance about 80 yards quartering on into the shoulder and bullet recovered back near the off side ham. DRT and never moved.

Retained weight is part of the bonded bullet mantra so we talk about it.... this one is 135 gr+.

The middle bullet was fired into a 300 # black bear at 70-80 yards from a 280 Remington at 3080. Just ribs and lungs to the off side hide. Bear collapsed at the shot,kicked and stiffened and that was all. It weighs a bit more at 138 grains or so.

You will get similar expansion/penetration from the 270-130.

Here's a group fired with the 160 BBC from the Mashburn. The low shot could easily have been me since the group was fired over my pack from prone at 300 yards.