Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Slow 270 win Factory loads

Chronographed some remington 130 gr PSP corlokts yesterday. temp was 15 degrees.

2695
2728
2689

I was really suprised that they were this slow. Also when I opened the box, three of the rounds had different colored primers. 17 had copper colored, 3 had chrome colored. I didnt realize Remingtons quality control had slipped that far.
I also chronied some Federal Blue box 130 loads and they averaged slightly over 3000 fps, all shot from a Tikka T-3 with a 22" barrel.
I wonder if Remington has dropped the velocity on the 270 win, or did I get a bad lot.
Im putting this out there to let you know if you are shooting the remington 270 factory loads you may only be getting 257 roberts ballistics !

In the early 1980's I chronographed some 130 CL factories that were just about that speed. I never chronographed any after that, so dunno if they've been that slow ever since!

In the mid-90s I chronied some 130 CL loads and they were about 2800 fps. Just recently I chronied some 130 CLs and 130 Federal Hi-Shok (the old red box) in a 700 TI .270 (with long throat) and the CL ran somewhere over 2900 fps and the red box federal right at 3000 fps. Thought they were getting better, but looks liked hit or miss.

Lou

Usually they are that slow, but sometimes I have seen them faster....

Whenever I buy a rifle, I usually buy a box of factory ammo as a "control". Federal Premium 270W in 130's and 150's in both Sierra's and Partitions have varied 100+ fps over 3 decades.

I'm actually surprised aceman saw 3000fps with the bluebox federals. I would have expected lower velocity.

Being the excellent hunting caliber that it is.

The 270 WCF is first and foremost a handloaders cartridge, especially if maximum performance is the goal.

Gunner

Chronied a box of my neighbors 150cl in 270. 2650fps. My 260 with 140 hornys were 2750. I will say the 150s didn't kick much.

Hmmm, not sure Im following you. The 270 win was never chambered in a weak action firearm, no need for the factories to download 300fps slower than a standard 270 load. Now if we were talkin 30/06 or 7/57 mauser I would see your point.

Now I see why I thought the 130gr CL's had no recoil.

My old hunting partner has a FW Winchester 270 and always used factory ammo and I think he used Remington. I loaded him some 130 Hornadys going 3000 FPS and he complained about the recoil. I didn't chrono the factory ammo but figured it had to be slower.

Hi
Did a couple last weekend..Including some Rem CoreLokt. Shot at 200 yards, and the temp was 45�F
Savage Axis 22" barrel.



Really liked those Federal loads..

Don't know what to tell ya about the different primers.. Weird.

Back in the '70's I got a box of Rem 7mm Mag and some of the brass were stamped .264 Win Mag..
Stuff happens at the Rem plant I guess..

I've read the Federal lead is a bit brittle, and breaks up sometimes. True?

Not weak actions. To get all the performance a 270W offers, handloads are the way to go. If a guy was to limit himself to factory ammo, I'd probably choose a different cartridge.

I bought 5 boxes of Rem. 300 H&H 220 grain bullets at a store closing I had no use for the 220's but wanted the brass. When I pulled the bullets some where loaded with ball powder some with stick powder in the same box all five were the same lot # and all five boxes were mixed in regards to the powder.

alpincrick, that is correct, to the OP, for some reason any number of ammunition co's under-load the 270 WCF,

It was around 1985, i was at a local range watching an old guy set up a chronograph, i had never seen one before, it looked like an adding machine to me

Anyway, the old gent ask if i would like to know the velocity of my deer rifle, i said i believe there running close to 3100, the old guy said "I wouldnt bet on it"

I fired thru his machine and I'll never forget the reading of 2640 fps, i was floored, those were 130 factory loaded bullets, thought i had bad ammo, and kindly asked the old gent when he planned to return to the range, i went and bought several boxes of ammo, the three major brands and some PMC's, ammo was 130's 140's and 150's, met the old gent back at the range and started testing.
IIRC the Federal premiun 150 NP's were the highest vels. of the bunch, [around 2825] I couldnt believe it.

It was at that time I called and ordered a RCBS master reloading kit and got busy rolling my own, and have never looked back, 22LR's [of course] and 12 gauge are the only ammo shot by me from a factory box.

Gunner

edit: spelling

I haven't heard that about Federal bullets in particular. But I have seen what happens when a bullet, any bullet, traveling at 2900fps or faster hits an animal at close range.. Quite a mess sometimes.

One example..

Last year, the guy across the street from me came home with a smallish blacktail buck. He called me over to ask me what the &^%% happened with this deer...
He's an avid hunter, but not so savvy about ballistics or rifles. He's always been a bow hunter until recently.

He wound up with a Rem 700 in 7mm Rem Mag a few years ago, and shot the 150gr factory load because the 175's kick too hard.. whatever.. And he never shoots anything over 75 yards away.

I told him a few years back he ought to shoot the 175s because they are going slower, a tougher bullet and they wont destroy so much tissue.

So.. back to last year..
I look at this deer, and can't believe what I'm seeing.
A large entrance wound on the left rib cage and each ham had what appeared to be a bullet hole in each.
That 150gr Rem CoreLokt broke up and part of it when out one ham and another part went out the other, pretty much ruining all that round steak.

I asked him if he was still going to use those 150s.. He didn't say anything.

Only if you're REAL lucky......


Seriously though.....I've had nothing but good results from Federal Blue box ammo.

I had to think where I read that, but found it. Here was the quote, and where I read it.

"Construction of the Hi-Shok is near identical to the Remington Core-Lokt however the Federal projectiles are somewhat more brittle and prone to lose vast amounts of weight when striking bone."

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledge+Base/.270+Winchester.html

I had a Federal 150 Hi-Shok out of a 30-06 blow up on the shoulder blade of a little buck at short range 20 years ago. The impact half knocked the buck down and I put another one in him before he recovered. The shoulder and neck were full of lead pellets and the empty jacket was in the neck. I had another one apparently pencil through between the ribs of a doe. She ran a long way! I wouldn't have found her if there hadn't been snow. She was blowing a fine mist of blood on the snow with every breath.

As I said, that was 20 years ago and no telling if the bullets are still the same.

Other than rimfires, I don't buy factory ammo, so I only shoot factory stuff when it's given to me.

Awhile back, I shot some Remington 180gr Core-lokts out of my 30-06 and my Chrony showed 2,550fps. The box was marked '2700fps'.