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Hello All,

After lurking on this site for some time I finally decided to join up. I have lived all my life in the mountains of Central PA, near the famous Horseshoe Curve. Last fall, I decided to enroll at Penn State
as a full time college student in my mid 30's no less. It proved to be a good decision as notification was given by my employer 2 days after Christmas that the place would be closing its doors. Anyway, that's probably enough of an introduction for now.

As for the .270, a year ago I picked up a new Model 70 Featherweight with a high gloss stock. I typically shoot a South Carolina Super Grade model 70 in 30-06 but that gun weighs over 10 pounds scoped and becomes not much fun to carry. High gloss is not my first choice, but this particular Portugal made .270 had an exceptional piece of wood on it for a run of the mill featherweight and I could not resist. I mounted a Leupold VX3i 3.5-10x40 on it in Leupold DD's using low rings, lapped. I also installed a Timney trigger to replace the MOA. I've done the Ernie spring on other rifles, and the lighter spring provides a very nice hunting trigger, but I wanted to see what the Timney was all about.

Initial handloads for the rifle consisted of H4831SC and 130gr SGK's and Nosler Accubond's. Accuracy was certainly good enough for hunting, but not good enough to satisfy my expectations. So I played with the charge weight and the best I could do was around 1 1/2 to 2 MOA with the AB using 59grs of the H4831. I then put the rifle away as I was to busy to fool with it until this past summer rolled around. Around the same time, I picked up a book that is no longer in print consisting of hunting stories written by none other than JOC. Woven within the text of one story was mention of one of his old loads, and that was 49.5grs of IMR 4064. I keep plenty of that stuff around to feed my 06's with 150s, and decided to try it in the .270.

Consultation with my Lyman 50th Edition manual lists 49.5grs of IMR 4064 as max load producing a bit over 3000fps with the 130SGK. Working up to that load in my rifle using Winchester cases, with a COAL of 3.270 produced fine accuracy, MOA or better easily for 3 shots and more importantly, consistently. Shooting over a chronograph verified the velocity was near identical to data in the manual, at around 3015fps. Interestingly, the H4831 load clocked even slower than that in the 22 inch barrel. I then tried the 130AB over the same charge of 4064 seated at 3.340 OAL in Norma cases. Accuracy remained, although maybe not quite as good as the Sierra's. I did try some 150gr Hornady IL's too with IMR 4350, but the rifle showed a strong dislike for that bullet with that powder.

In today's world of chasing the latest and greatest, it sometimes it pays to step back and see what worked in a bygone era, provided the data is still relevant and can be verified. I look forward to harvesting a deer in the PA woods using this rifle in a few weeks, and I have no doubt that it will work just fine. A few threads below, I believe another campfire member arrived at about the same place I did with his .270 and harvested an elk, something I've never hunted. Anyone else find satisfactory results with 4064 in their rifle?

Jim

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Jim - I don't want to take this off track, but I was thinking that you might like that great Featherweight even more if you stripped the shiny finish and rubbed in several coats of Tung oil. That excellent wood would certainly look just as fine, and the oil finish would not be as reflective.

What do you think?


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Originally Posted by czech1022
Jim - I don't want to take this off track, but I was thinking that you might like that great Featherweight even more if you stripped the shiny finish and rubbed in several coats of Tung oil. That excellent wood would certainly look just as fine, and the oil finish would not be as reflective.

What do you think?


Tongue oil is good stuff, but a rather high percentage of folks are allergic to it. Verify your tolerance for it before you go and pickle a stick with it!

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Czech,

I've stripped a gloss model 70 stock on a 308 that got dropped and needed refinished, and that gloss finish Browning uses is pretty tough stuff. I've no desire to get into a refinishing project at this time. I've got enough other rifles in various flavors, and a little variety never hurts. And there's no real need, other than aesthetics/personal preference. I never had any critters complain because they were shot with a gloss gun.

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49 grs of 4064 with 130 HSP was my first recipe for a 270 Win. WAY back in
1976. I also got it from JOC & Sierra load manual.

I used it and killed a few deer until I read about 4831 —(surplus).
I could get +/- 1” loads and +/- 2900 FPS.

Yes, it works very well, at least it has for me. SINCE you’re getting 3000 FPS
you won’t gain much performance diff by using powders that will produce 3100.

Good Luck & Killing with it.

Jerry


jwall- *** 3100 guy***

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Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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I knew a local fellow who reloaded primarily for the 30-06, 280, 270, and 22-250. He always claimed that he only used one powder.....IMR 4064.

It must have worked, because he and his son killed the snot out of whitetails.

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H4831 has never produced top velocity in the few 270’s I’ve loaded for. My current 270 really likes RL26 for both 130 and 150’s. H414 ain’t bad with 130’s either. I tried a few pounds of IMR4064 in the 30-06, was never that impressed. Generally speaking, I have much better luck with IMR4895 and RL15 in that burn rate. I keep hearing about this 130/4064 combo though, believe there was a recent mag article about it where the author did go up to O’Connor’s load. Maybe someone has a link.

BTW- Welcome to the fire. Grew up about an hour east of State College. Go Lions! Hope to be up fist weekend in Dec to see how the deer are doing.


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I loaded for my brothers M-70 featherweight in .270 using IMR-4064 with the Hornady 130 gr interlock. Accuracy was excellent as I recall.

The favorite load for the .270's we had was using the Hornady 150 gr spire point with Hodgdons H-380 powder. Velocity was a chrono'd 2.650 which was just fine for a whitetail "Woods" load out to most distance deer are shot.

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I picked up a SC M70 FWT in 270 a few years ago and it has proven very accurate (shot it to 1000 yards this fall) and has become my primary BG rifle. Disliked the reddish Winchester finish so used some Jasco paint remover and applied some polyurethane finish.
Descent piece of wood.
[Linked Image from imgur.com]

Last edited by Blacktailer; 11/17/19.

I am continually astounded at how quickly people make up their minds on little evidence or none at all.
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I have a Remington BDL with that high glossy bowling ball finish that worked like a signal mirror and probably spooked more deer than I would liked to have known about. So one day, I got a wild hair up and got the wild idea why not give it a rub down with so 0000 (4O) steel wool. About 10, maybe 15 minutes of gentle rubbing with the steel wool and the rifle now looks much better with a subdued finish that doesn't flash in the sun.
I've done one Browning and don't like what they use. My B78 shows cracks in the finish that run with the grain. The T-bolt .22 I had had the same problem leading to the refinish. I'm sorry I ever sold that one.
On loads for the .270, I happened upon Winchester's WMR shortly before they discontinued it and lucked out on four 8 pound cans before it disappeared. I don't shoot 130 gr. bullets in the .270 but have good loads with the 150 gr. Sierra Game King and 150 gr. Nosler Partition, both running close to 2900 FPS. It also works great in the .280 Remington and .300 Win. Mag. I did have a good load, again with the 150 gr. GK and milsurp 4831 that chronographed at 2999 FPS for three shots. Groups ran around .80" average.
Paul B.


Our forefathers did not politely protest the British.They did not vote them out of office, nor did they impeach the king,march on the capitol or ask permission for their rights. ----------------They just shot them.
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Here are a couple pics. Hopefully this works, trying to figure out how to post pics.



[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/8gXM3WyWeZYsfLmX9[/img]

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The older vintage 4831 powder that JOC used was slower burning than current mfg, at least that's what I've read. I have some of that old vintage powder that still shoots good. I bought it as surplus from Hogdgon in the '60's. I've even shot tighter groups with it, compared to modern 4831.

I've heard good things about RL-26, but know it's hard to find. I was fortunate to get a big jug back when it could be had. I also have a big jug of MRP, which is close to RL-22. That one works pretty well. Sometimes you have to use what you can find. A burn rate chart can help. RL-23, Pwr Pro 4000 MR, 7828, those with similar burn rates can sometimes be found. There are alternatives that will work in the .270.

Another point, just because a vintage reloading book listed certain powders doesn't make them the best choice today. We have a much greater section of powders, higher performing powders, than they did. They used what they had. It doesn't mean those won't work, they did and they will. We have better options, IMO.

Welcome to the Fire.

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Mountain Buck,

Welcome to the Campfire!

A couple months ago a gun writer named Terry Wieland published an article in HANDLOADER magazine about that very .270 load. He tried it in 5 different .270's, and it shot well in all of them--so no, it isn't weird!


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Dirtfarmer,

The mil-surp H4831 varied some in burn-rate, probably because unlike commercial powders, it wasn't blended with previous lots to make burn-rate similar from batch to batch.

A couple years ago I opened my last can of the military powder, and tried the same charge with both it and my present in my O'Connor Commemorative Model 70, 61.0 grains, with H4831SC and the 130-grain Hornady Spire Point. The old powder got almost 100 fps more muzzle velocity, indicating it's faster-burning.

In general, I've found the latest H4831 (whether SC or standard) to produce pretty slow velocities and mediocre accuracy when using Hodgdon's data in the .270. Hornady, however, lists 62.0 grains as maximum with 130's, and with their data velocities and accuracy are pretty good.


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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
Mountain Buck,

Welcome to the Campfire!

A couple months ago a gun writer named Terry Wieland published an article in HANDLOADER magazine about that very .270 load. He tried it in 5 different .270's, and it shot well in all of them--so no, it isn't weird!


JB,

Thanks for the welcome! I was not aware of the article in HANDLOADER, but knew that I did not discover something revolutionary. I was simply posting up my personal experience with the load. Mr. Wieland's findings certainly reinforce that fact. Also, my experience with the H4831 mirror yours. If I remember correctly, I was getting about 2850fps over the chronograph with the 59gr charge and 130gr AB's. Definitely slower than I had expected, or would have guessed. As for being weird, you're right its not. It just goes against the grain of the use of slower powders that are typically considered the gold standard in the .270 Win. My brother has a New Haven Mod. 70 classic stainless with the bolt on the wrong side in .270. That rifle thrives on IMR 4831 and the 150gr Hornady. IL. He will not allow me experiment, nor will he try another load in that rifle. On the flip side, his load shot patterns in my rifle, instead of groups.

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Originally Posted by Mountain_Buck
Here are a couple pics. Hopefully this works, trying to figure out how to post pics.



[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/8gXM3WyWeZYsfLmX9[/img]



Can someone let me know if this link works? I wanted to embedd the images but haven't figured it out yet. Can I do that with google?

Also, thanks for the all of the replies and welcome messages.

If the link works, the knife in the picture is an old Browning made sometime around 1968. Gil Hibben designed knives for Browning at the time, before the Rambo movies. An old friend in his late 70's gave me that knife. It's brand new other than being tarnished by time. He's also a .270 fan, and shoots a mild load of H4831 in a Bergara B-14 with 130gr Ballistic Tips. I told him I think his load is in the 2600-2700 fps range. His answer, "The deer don't know that." And at woods ranges here in the East, he's right.

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The link works for me.
There is a thread at teh top of this section that explains the campfire's image posting or you can upload pics to a site like Imgur.com and copy the BBC link to your post and it will imbed your image. Someone with a better knowledge of computers can chime in and help more.'
Welcome to the forum!

Last edited by Blacktailer; 11/17/19.

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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
Dirtfarmer,

The mil-surp H4831 varied some in burn-rate, probably because unlike commercial powders, it wasn't blended with previous lots to make burn-rate similar from batch to batch.

A couple years ago I opened my last can of the military powder, and tried the same charge with both it and my present in my O'Connor Commemorative Model 70, 61.0 grains, with H4831SC and the 130-grain Hornady Spire Point. The old powder got almost 100 fps more muzzle velocity, indicating it's faster-burning.

In general, I've found the latest H4831 (whether SC or standard) to produce pretty slow velocities and mediocre accuracy when using Hodgdon's data in the .270. Hornady, however, lists 62.0 grains as maximum with 130's, and with their data velocities and accuracy are pretty good.


You are 100% correct, with 55.7 of h4831 and 150's horrible accuracy. I ended up at 58.0gr behind a 150 Sierra 4 bullets all touching 5 bullet out by 1/4 inch or so. Shot out of a model 70 featherweight classic. I'm sure some will be by and say I'm going to blow myself up.


Originally Posted by Bricktop
Then STFU. The rest of your statement is superflous bullshit with no real bearing on this discussion other than to massage your own ego.

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IMR-4064 the forgotten powder still works in many calibers.

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Jim,

Welcome to the campfire.

From a neighbor in Bedford.


Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
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