Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Maximum velocity in 270 Winchester

AS: Thanks for posting that. Interesting data.

You're right it's not easy to get 65 gr RL25 in a 270 case...but I did it. There was a lot of crunching when I seated those Barnes blue bullets.

I have to admit to being a little apprehensive when I started shooting because the load was so heavily compressed. But my impression was that the heavier bullets would work better. Still I guess i have to say the stuff works with 130's.

My LGS had some RL26 last time I was there,but I didn't buy any because I still have 4-5 pounds of 25 to eat through first. It has been a good powder in both the 7 Rem mag with 150's.

Thinking back it must have been 8-10 years ago that I tried the RL25...that Barker article was October 2004.....I am pretty sure i followed Barker's lead on using that powder in the 270.

65gr of RL25 in a .270 case. I have to say I'm impressed.
It must of been an old school Winchester case. Like 'ol Elmer Kieth, I generally use Winchester cases for the .270 because they remain the thinnest and allow the most powder.

I don't think I will be needing any RL26 for awhile. I have a nice supply of ADI AR2213 from a reloading plant that went out of business of few years back. That will keep several of my rifles fueled for a long time. At some point it sure would be fun to play with some in Dad's 26" barrel.

They were Winchester cases.

I put 61.5g of H4831SC in a W-W case with a 150g SST. The bullet pushed out a little bit due to the compressed load.

With the 24 inch barrel I got around 3040fps and nought in the way of pressure signals.

My rifle has a slightly large chamber ie 69+ grains capacity from fired Win cases.

I thought the fastest load in a long barrel was also the fastest load in a short barrel???

Some people claim that, but they've never tested more the 3 or 4 powders at a time. Lets face it, not many folks have enough rifles with different barrel lengths to test. However if you run a simulation through quick load, which can test a couple hundred powders at all the barrel lengths you choose, it predicts that slower powders work better in longer barrels, and as you shorten the barrel marginally faster powders will take the top spot.

Yup.

For us the problem with testing different rifles with different barrel lengths, is that we assume the barrels are the "same" except for their length....and they almost never are. They can vary in small and minute ways that give different results.

Probably the best way at our disposal is to start with one barrel at, say 26" or whatever and cut it down as we go along. At least all we are changing is the length

Except that by the time you've tested enough powders you've changed the throat and chamber.

If I was to try to test this, I'd probably go to someone like Lijla and ask for multiple barrels with their best quality control for uniformity. Of course, that would cost more then using a single barrel, so hasn't been tried.

I'm satisfied enough with 2950-2975 out of a 22" barrel & a little more than 3000 out of a 24" barrel using a 150 Partition & RL-22 to forego any more time dicking with anything else. (The only exception might be '23 for the potentially better temp stability)

Or a 150 LRAB, or a 140 AB...............

All will provide sufficient velocity fueled by '22.

MM

I would say that setting up solely for testing velocity loss in different barrel lengths would be pretty much a waste of time for most of us....too much work

Working with a lot of rifles, you bump into stuff, even if you're not looking for it.

Maybe the point of all this gacking, is that increases in velocity have not come in quantum leaps,but in gradual increments as powders have gotten "better". The 30/06 started with 150's at 2700....today we load them routinely in the 3000 fps vicinity with newer powders. It only took 100 or so years

2950 with a 150 in the 270 has been around since JOC and H4831. I once "amazed" a pair of 7 Rem Mag owners with a Goens 270 that goosed a 150 across the screens at a shade over 3000.....I was surprised myself. I might have loaded too hot with H4831. Quien sabe?

So, finding another 100 fps for the 270 with modern slow burners can't be a bad thing....did we find a new velocity threshold with slower stuff like RL26 and Magpro? Maybe.

Les Bowman cured this issue decades ago with a IIRC, 30" barreled single shot .270 which reached closer to .270 Weatherby velocities.

Why stress the pressures with powder when a little more barrel will get you there?

Yes.

I like 26" barrels for a reason.

I've been reading this tread and others, and it's making me itch to get my 270 build complete. Two questions.

Is 2950fps realistic with a 23.5" barrel shooting a 150(federal fusion)?

What is the realistic speed to expect for this load launched with H4831? Couple places tell me that 2800 is about all I can expect. I have H4831 on hand from my prior 270, and it did great with the 140s I was shooting.

I'm not one that thinks that pushing the envelop to get another 50fps makes a difference...I'd rather do it safe. Just want to know what to realistically expect.

NTG I am sure 2950 with your bullet and powder is safely doable.

You might just not get there with some manuals' max charges however. I had to push several grains above the Hodgdon / ADI published max to even get 2850fps.

Bob,

I'm thinking I can with some of these newer powders (RL-26 and maybe 7797).

I don't know that I'll want to push H4831 loads that hard to get there.

I have some RL-17 on hand that may get me there as well.

The "old" JOC load was 58.5 H4831 with the 150 gr bullet. He was using the WW II stuff and the old Partition with the relief groove. He said it gave 2950 from the 22" barrel of a M70 FW.

I've seen that velocity from M70's, Ruger M77's,Douglas barrels, and some others.
Drop the charge a grain or so and you can end up a bit above or below 2900 fps.

The differences, on game or over the chronograph, can vary rifle to rifle,and are not enough to write home about, on the chronograph or on animals.

Been awhile since I loaded any 150's in the 270....I just shoot 130's,and vary construction to suit.

You're more of a gacker than I am, Bob...........

MM

I would be skeptical for factory ammo.

Please update us when your project is finished.

I have cracked 2900 fps in 22" w/ 58 grs Surplus 4831. The newer H 4831s have 'varied' from the surplus. I wasn't worried about the last 50fps.

Regardless, Good Luck!

MM; Yeah...on here. People like to talk about it....me included.

Out hunting I usually don't give a shiddt....gacks over.Kill stuff.

I used to break 2900 with 59gr of the Scottish H4831. That load is fine with Winchester brass, but if you try it with Remington brass you might be fishing primers out of your magazine....