Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 270 WSM Winchester factory powder ?

Bought some WRA 270 WSM 150 BST ammo to try (not too impressed).
They claim 3100+ fps. Broke down a round for grins. (you don't want to see what happens when a teflon coated bullet is put into an unchamfered case by some machine)

We've been playing around with some different powders and bullets in the Benelli R-1 and the results have been underwhelming.
(why the rifle was not made in the "old" 270 is a mystery as it's a "long" action).

Moving along to the powder. The word is that W 780 is the factory WSM powder and the powder dumped from the factory load looks exactly like W 780. (really, exactly, even under a 10X loupe) But the case held 73.4 grains whereas the maximum 150 gr Hodgdon data load for W780 with a 150 is 66.6 grains.

We have tried that load (not very accurate) with several 150s.
What is interesting is the perceived recoil and jump with the factory load is quite a bit more than the W780 handload although the velocity difference is less than 100 fps.

So is Winchester keeping a secret or what ?

This R-1 wears a Nightforce so it's hard to believe it's a scope issue. Our other R-1 (300 Winmag with a 2.5-8 Leupold) is a solid 1.5" grouper (@100) with almost any 150-180 gr factory load as well as many handloads. This 270 WSM is lucky to put 5 in 6" @200.

Thought ? Thanks !

I have always heard that even though they may look the same, factory powder is almost always a canister powder that we cannot get. Most are custom blends for that ammo manufacturer put together from their own testing. Probably best to stick with known data from reputable sources. YMMV

Yes he/she is indeed!

With poor taste in rifles and spouses as well.

dude needs to get a life! though i do understand screwing with people on the internet for fun but this guy don't even make it fun!!!

jmp300wsm, thanks for your considered, intelligent response.
Interesting to note that ammo makers get powder we handloaders cannot. (not that we need any more powder varieties or new cartridges that do nothing the old ones will not.)

I guess one gentleman out of three men isn't bad considering that any fool can get a computer and conduct themselves as they wish with no manners or repercussions.

One was already on ignore so I missed his "manly" words, the other who thinks attacking mentally handicapped people is funny, well .... that says it all doesn't it ? I will now get to miss his hate speech too.

They really have 73.4 grains of powder in there? I don't know that I believe either that the Supreme 780 is the factory blend for the WSM.

I have some and can contest that my 270 WSM gets 3100 FPS with 66 grains of powder capped with a 150 grain Hornady Interbond...custom bolt action rifle with a 24 inch Lilja barrel.

I will also add that the powder hasn't given the best accuracy and that it doesn't provide the best velocities.

Well, that's what came out of the case when I pulled the 150 WRA combined technology bullet. I'm getting fine results with 56 gr A4350 and 150s.

I've tried a box or two of Winchester 150 Powerpoint factory ammo. It was hot as heck in my rifle. Some rounds of the 4 or 5 I shot were doing 3300 fps, the others in the mid to high 3200 range. Never looked at the powder, but I still have the remainder of the box. They have noticably stiffer recoil, sticky bolt lift, flattened primers, ect.., and group about 2"+ for the few I shot.

Killed a nice 4x4 Mulie at 258 yards on the 15th at first light with 270 WSM, 56 A4350, 150 Sierra Game King, CCI std LR and new Norma cases from the R1. Broke a rib going in and shoulder going out, 3" exit hole. 60 degree uphill slope used the 200 yd hash mark on the HVR Nightforce (glad it lights up) and POI was spot on. Fell down dead but did not roll down hill (Durn). Then the work started!