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Has anyone ever figured out what kind of powder they use in it yet? Just curious... The stuff groups better than almost anything I can load in 2 of my 270's. Best ammo for the price in existence.

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I cannot answer your question but certainly agree about the quality of Federal blue box ammo.


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Long, long ago, Jack O'Connor wrote that factory ammo was loaded to a pressure and velocity, but not with any particular powder. I think that still applies. They may have a particular one they use, but odds are very high it comes in barrels, not cans, and each lot gets tested when it arrives and the loads worked up. It may not even be a powder you can buy. You can always pull one down and compare it to stuff you have on hand. If it looks like something you have, and IF the charge weight falls in the range of published data for the powder you're guessing it is, it might be worth working on, but I'd be inclined to just shoot what they make since it's cheap and accurate. Never tried it myself, but that blue box stuff has a lot of fans here.


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My 7MM RM loves the 150 grain loading. The bullet is too soft to suit me generally but accuracy is up there.


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I've had the same experience with Federal blue-box loads in several calibers. My only beef is that it tends to run a little slow.


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Originally Posted by Brad
If Montana had a standing army, a 270 Win with Federal Blue Box 130's would be the standard issue.
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Originally Posted by okie john
I've had the same experience with Federal blue-box loads in several calibers. My only beef is that it tends to run a little slow.


Okie John

By slow, I take it you mean it is only 110 fps FASTER than the Remington Core Lokt 130 gr loads? At least it was in my 22" barrel Marlin XL7 .270 Win. Much better accuracy, too.

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I have shot hundreds of rounds of 270-130 blue box. Always gives around 3060 in 22” barrels. My best handloads beats that velocity by maybe 50 FPS. Accuracy is within about .25” of my very best handloads. Bullets work pretty well on waterbuck, kudu, and warthogs.

Usually can find it for under $20 a box.

Have torn down cartridges at various times and powder is ball, maybe 760.

I use it to test new 270’s. If a rifle won’t shoot it there is a problem with the rifle. No experience with other cartridges.

Last edited by RinB; 07/17/18.


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No idea on powder, but .308 blue box is some good stuff too.

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Originally Posted by okie john
I've had the same experience with Federal blue-box loads in several calibers. My only beef is that it tends to run a little slow.


Okie John


If by "slow" you mean still faster than Remington or Winchester. Then yes, I agree.

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All the Federal Blue Box ammo I've shot, in every caliber I've tried it in, has shot very well and it has proven good on game.


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I've shot in my .243, .270, .280 and 7-08 and have no complaints except if I were to miss it's not the gun or ammo fault.


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Federal Blue Box is the reason I don't reload.
It's accurate and deadly on game but best of all it's cheap.


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The 243 is good stuff too. All the fusion chamberings I’ve shot have been damn accurate as well


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I've whacked some hogs with the Fed Non Typical 140gr 6.5Creed ammo (same as Fed Blue Box). Good stuff, very accurate. The blue box 30-06 I've used is the same way.


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Originally Posted by DoeDumper
Has anyone ever figured out what kind of powder they use in it yet? Just curious... The stuff groups better than almost anything I can load in 2 of my 270's. Best ammo for the price in existence.

Hey I apologize for my reply as it does not answer you question on what powder they use. But dang I like that ammo so much I just couldn’t help myself.


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The last 270 I owned shot the Blue Box better than anything else I had on hand. In the 90s I asked a guy I knew in Federal's ballistic lab what powder was used in several of their loads and something similar to Win 760 was the answer for most of the loads in question. I have gotten similar accuracy in my attempts to copy the factory loads but velocity was a little low when I hit book max. The difference was not enough for me to care as accuracy was there. I'd guess one could look at Western Powder's offerings and come up with something closer if one wanted to stick with a spherical powder.

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Shot my best group ever in .300Win mag with it (3/8") with two overlapping

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I can confirm the accuracy of the 150g 7mmRM Blue Box.

I had 5 rounds left over one range session and shot them from my Model 70 and they were one of the tightest off hand groups the rifle has produced.

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100's are damn good in my 243 RAR. They could put baby powder in there for all I care.....

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Another vote for the .243 version. I had plans this summer to work up a .243 load, I have some 100NP from Shooters on hand. I went to the bench a couple of times, looked at the 2 blue boxes sitting on the shelf and walked away. No reason to try and better it.


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