Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Max velocity with 130TTSX in a Win 270 w. RL 26

I was messing around with my Tikka last week. I have an accurate load with a 130 TTSX and 59.5 H4831sc, but it's a little slow at 2950 - 2970 fps.
On a whim I decided to try some RL 26. I tried this wonder powder with 150 partitions/Hornady's and got great speed, but the accuracy dropped off from H4831.
There's not many loads listed for 130's and RL 26 so I checked load data for 140 Bergers and 130 Speers. The listed max load for RL 26 with 150's is 60.8g, so I decided to load up 5 rounds with 60 grain of RL 26 with Fed 210's and the same seating depth as my other load to start.
Well, the results were pretty darn good; 1.5 inch 5 shot group at 200 yds and velocities around 3150-3170 fps. The couple shots chronied higher ( a little over 3200) but I realized the sun was just hitting the back 'eye' of the Pro Chrono and that always gives me wonky readings. I was pretty tickled as I'll take free velocity at no expense of accuracy. Question is if you gun writers think this load is pushing the pressure limit in a 22.5 inch barrel.

Here's the target. Top (L actually) is the RL 26 group, bottom is 3 rounds of my established hunting load just for comparison. No idea why the computer turned it sideways.

Wow, that's better than I expected, given that Alliant seems to think it's not a good choice for 130s (no data). Hodgdon data for the TSX shows a few powders giving over 3100, but not the slowest ones.

I'd say you're done, unless JB or someone else has a reason why not.

If my .270 shot that bullet at 3,150 into 200 yard groups like that.....and showed no signs of pressure, I'd go with it. The key here is there's no signs of pressure.

I got 3150 with 26 and the 130 Tipped TBBC in my 22" Featherweight as well. It was pretty accurate for me as well. I am completely happy with the load, no overt pressure signs on any of the cases or the gun. All I had for load work up was Quickload and the load seems to be on point at the 60K PSI mark.

Great shooting.

Yeah no pressure signs or heavy bolt lift, but I have always go by velocity as THE pressure sign. If you can go up to almost 61 with a 150 bullet I felt pretty safe starting at 60 with a 130. The velocity is up there for the traditional powders in this cartridge.

There's just so little data on this combo I wanted to check with the pros.

How much RL 26 are you using with your load?

Sounds like a great load.

I suspect the only reason Alliant doesn't list RL-26 data for 130's in the .270 is they only have so much time to pressure-test new powders, so use it to test certain loads, not everything possible. They'll probably get around to testing 26 with 130's (and 140's) eventually.

Thanks for the input Mule Deer.

In longer barreled 270's (or maybe even 22 inches) I image 3200+ could be easily achievable with 130's. That ought to make the old 270 really despised by some of the 'haters'. Sure would be nice to see some factory pressure-tests though.....

That Alliant hasn't published such a load is not at all unusual. The reason I only use Hodgdon powders is that they invest much more time in testing and publishing data for handloaders.

I emailed Hodgdon a month or so back asking for more data on the .300 H&H and they were kind enough to reply to me why they didn;t have more data available.....what it cost to do so....it's darn expensive to create all this data.

There's little doubt that Alliant powders are every bit as good as Hodgdon powders, but if the usage data isn't available then sales will necessarily be dismal as well.....it's a tough business to be it.

I like the ball powders from Ramshot too but they have the same problem.....the cost of developing useful and pressure tested data.

It's posts like this that go a long ways to inform the rest of us about the products available and how they can be used....thanks for that djb.

61.0gr will give over 3200fps in my new Sako A7 24" barrel. Quickload shows pressure goes to 62,000psi at 61.5gr
Superformance gave 3154fps at 57gr. no Qiuckload numbers.
RL17 gave 3200+ good accuracy. RL16 should be similar but did no try.

Forgot to mention that I tried 110gr Barnes TTSX in the Sako A7 270 Winchester.
56.5gr of RL17 gave 3401fps and 56.5gr of RL16 gave 3400fps using same 110gr Barnes TTSX.
The 130gr TTSX I talked about in last post, some of those loads showed about 100fps less in
a Vanguard S2 with about 3000 rd thru it.

I am using 61.6 for my load.



That's out of a 22" Model 70 FWT

I plan on getting back to this one pretty quick and finalize it. It shot right around an inch for 3 shots, but I haven't had enough time to really tweak it. Pretty happy with 3150 in a 22" barrel.

Thanks. My guess was that RL 26 will probably max out at about 62g in most rifles. I too was happy with 3150 in my Tikka especially with good accuracy. I was surprised to get to that speed with such a low charge weight (60g) and wanted to check here if I was pushing the envelope. That's why you have to try stuff, the outcome isn't always predictable.

The 130 TTSX in .308 and .277 has been a wicked elk killer for me at ~3000. Another 150 fps should make it even "more better".

Sounds like I should try in my Ruger #1, which has a 26" barrel. Previously it's done very well with Reloader 22. I've nudged 3200 with 130gr Accubonds, but that's close to max.

Reloader 26 also works very well in the .300 RUM

I shoot 130 ttsx's in a 22" barrel and get 3150-75 and good accuracy with Re17. I've had good quick kills on deer and elk with them too.

My max load of RL26 was 61.5g, with 130gr TTSX didn,t go above that, speed in Vanguard was 3209fps 5 shots.
RL23 gave 3170fps with heavily compressed load,
Superformance was very accurate as was RL17.
Currently I use RL23 in my 270 Winchester with 140gr Accubonds, shoots under 1" at hundred yards. At 3100fps.
That's what I take hunting. RL26 and Norma MRP will get you a little more speed but less accuracy in my rifle.
with 150gr Partitions I us Norma MRP at about 3070fps. Got my last Elk 2 years ago with that load.
Got go load more 270 Winchester shells for my brother in law. 130gr TTSX and 110gr TTSX.

TAG

Beretz what is the story on "primer fell out" ? Is that a starting load for R16?

I think R26 especially in the 270 is a lot like the old surplus 4831 or Data powder. Some used to run up to 62 grains with the old stuff and got away with it at about or close to 3200 fps. I am getting 3150 with 140s out of a 24" barrel with R26. If I ever get to it working with 130s I will stop at 3200 fps or 62 grains which ever comes first. Here is the Berger data I used. http://www.bergerbullets.com/pdf/270-Win-140gr.pdf I think the Berger has a long bearing surface so I should be OK with the Accu and Inter - Bonds. Possibly the tougher jackets increase pressure or I have one of those lucky fast barrels but almost identical velocity as Berger.

Forgot to add my $.002 Quickload the BA number for 26 is off, they have it slower than R25, and R26 just doesn't show any pressure signs until your nearly at proof loads. Is this because it is so progressive that peak pressure occurs farther down the barrel?

Interesting thread!

I am shooting 57.5g of R17 with a 110g tipped tripple shock, very, very accurate, I use a fed 215, bullet seated .050 off the lands...wicked accurate at 300 yards. Deer just flop.

57-58g of Win 760 with a 9 1/2 primer is also great!

Keith