.270 Question

ten ring

ten ring

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Just picked up a .270, a calibre I have never reloaded for. A friend gave me a box of Barnes 150gr. bullets, and I am wondering if anyone who has shot this calibre/bullet combo, could give me some powder advice for this based on real shooting/hunting experience?
Looking forward to all responses, thanks for reading!

Cheers!
Ten Ring
 
The reason he gave em to you is they probably won't stabilize in a standard twist rate barrel.
See those all copper heavy weights are far longer than similar weight lead core bullets, thus having possible stabilization issues.
Also the on game performance of the heavy weight Barnes pills is pretty un spectacular, as most game species hunted here in North America, don't have enough resistance to cause adequate bullet expansion.

Go buy some un flattering Hornady SP's and live happily ever after.
 
If that 270 has a 1-10" twist, it will stabilize the Barnes 150 TSX or TTSX just fine.

However, as LD pointed out, the heavyweight Monometal bullets may not perform as well as lighter versions in the standard 270.

I am shooting the 110 TTSX in my 270 for great performance. I can start them at 3300+ in my Vanguard. They shoot sub-moa as well.

FWIW, I have had bullet disintegration using the 270 with 130 and 140 grain Cup and core bullets, so I prefer a premium in those weights.

Never had a problem with 150 grain Cup and Cores.

Regards, Dave.
 
Eagleye said:
If that 270 has a 1-10" twist, it will stabilize the Barnes 150 TSX or TTSX just fine.

However, as LD pointed out, the heavyweight Monometal bullets may not perform as well as lighter versions in the standard 270.

I am shooting the 110 TTSX in my 270 for great performance. I can start them at 3300+ in my Vanguard. They shoot sub-moa as well.

FWIW, I have had bullet disintegration using the 270 with 130 and 140 grain Cup and core bullets, so I prefer a premium in those weights.

Never had a problem with 150 grain Cup and Cores.

Regards, Dave.
Click to expand...

That's odd, even on Barnes site they recommend 1 in9.5 or faster twist for 150 TSX's.
My first hand observations have shown that in 2, 1in10's the 150's did not stabilize well.
 
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I have never tried the Barnes in any of my 270's,but if you are looking for a powder my choice would be H4831SC or IMR4831 then RL22 or 4350. I have had good luck with these.
 
H4831, H4350, RL-19 and R-22 will probably give you good results with any of the heavier bullets. I use 58gr H4831 with the 130 TSX and get near 3000 fps with it. I would hesitate to go with a heavy for calibre tsx for hunting for the reasons mentioned above. The 130s do however shoot very well out of my Tikka. Load them up and pound some paper with them. If they shoot well and fast enough use them for bigger game (moose and elk).
 
Just to add a bit of fuel to the fire I use a 140 grain bonded bullet in my .270 winchester but have never had a problem with the heavier cup and core bullets in deer or moose. Save the 150 tsx's for the weatherby version of the .270 and if you want to run a mono metal pick a lighter one such as eagleye suggests.
 
Since you got them for free.
Back in the day I tried to get the original 150 gr X bullet to shoot in my Abolt ,didn't work.
I recall that those bullets have a lot of bearing surface so pressure can get pretty high.
I had excellent results using Reloader 22 with 150 and 140 grain bullets .
7828 sounds pretty good too.
 
Like others here I tried Barnes 150's in my .270-1/10 twist and found they were all over the place...I ended up with 150gr. Hornady load at 2850fps. and 130gr. Sierra game king load at 3150fps. Both loads will shoot into half inch.

I much prefer the 130's in the .270 as the load is flat shooting and devastating when it arrives...Found the 150's although doing the job were never as effective...But isn't that what Jack O'Connor told us over 50 years ago?

Like to add all my loads for the .270 Winchester are using IMR 4831 powder...59 grains of it under the 130gr. Sierra...Spluck!!
 
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Very odd that some have had problems with the 150 Barnes in their 270....possibly just not able to push them quite fast enough to
stabilize in the 1-10" twist

I have shot them out of 3 - 1in10" twist 270 Winchesters [2 Vanguards and one 700 CDL] All stabilized just fine at around 2850 fps.

They worked great in the 270WSM, also a 1-10" rifle, but at quite a bit more speed, so that is easy to understand.

But, obviously some have not been so fortunate.

Regards, Dave.
 
Eagleye said:
If that 270 has a 1-10" twist, it will stabilize the Barnes 150 TSX or TTSX just fine.

However, as LD pointed out, the heavyweight Monometal bullets may not perform as well as lighter versions in the standard 270.

I am shooting the 110 TTSX in my 270 for great performance. I can start them at 3300+ in my Vanguard. They shoot sub-moa as well.

FWIW, I have had bullet disintegration using the 270 with 130 and 140 grain Cup and core bullets, so I prefer a premium in those weights.

Never had a problem with 150 grain Cup and Cores.

Regards, Dave.
Click to expand...

Like Eagleye, I have had 130 grain cup-and-core bullets pushed at high velocity come apart inside animals, but I never considered it a problem, since they also delivered devastating kills, even on big moose. 150's tend to stay together well, regardless of manufacturer, IMO. I have not yet tried monometal in my .270, but I have some 130 grain TTSX's in the basement for the day that I do.

Have fun with your "little" .270; it's a better killer than many give it credit for...
 
Lastgun said:
Like others here I tried Barnes 150's in my .270-1/10 twist and found they were all over the place...I ended up with 150gr. Hornady load at 2850fps. and 130gr. Sierra game king load at 3150fps. Both loads will shoot into half inch.

I much prefer the 130's in the .270 as the load is flat shooting and devastating when it arrives...Found the 150's although doing the job were never as effective...But isn't that what Jack O'Connor told us over 50 years ago?

Like to add all my loads for the .270 Winchester are using IMR 4831 powder...59 grains of it under the 130gr. Sierra...Spluck!!
Click to expand...

Those velocities you're quoting, did they come from a loading manual?
Jack O'Connor's load was 60 grains of the old war surplus 4831. In a Sako with a 24 inch barrel I used to have, that load gave me 3078 fps.
But the same load, 60 grains of newly manufactured H4831, instead of the old war surplus, gave me only 2960, five shot average.
For me, cup and core bullets came apart completely in any animal I hit. A bull elk hit perfect with a 130 grain, blew up before it hit the ribs. A piece of the jacket penetrated to the heart and cut a small hole in an artery.
It was a cloudy day in the timber, no snow and almost no blood. I was proud of my tracking, over an hour later, when I came onto the dead bull.
A 150 grain Nosler partition, on the other hand, started behind the shoulder of an elk on a 40 degree angle and was caught by the hide on the far side. The animal collapsed in it's tracks.
 
Eagleye said:
Very odd that some have had problems with the 150 Barnes in their 270....possibly just not able to push them quite fast enough to
stabilize in the 1-10" twist

I have shot them out of 3 - 1in10" twist 270 Winchesters [2 Vanguards and one 700 CDL] All stabilized just fine at around 2850 fps.

They worked great in the 270WSM, also a 1-10" rifle, but at quite a bit more speed, so that is easy to understand.

But, obviously some have not been so fortunate.

Regards, Dave.
Click to expand...

There is nothing odd about it.
Not every rifle will perform the same.
Twist rates are not totally precise, a published twist of 1 in 10 could vary by a percent or two either way... Therefore you may have lucked into some true 1 in 9.8's while others have floundered into some 1 in 10.2's.

This is why throwing out broad blanket statements on loads and what will work's is pretty pointless.

The fact that even Barnes steps up and recommends 1 in 9.5 for the 150 TSX... Says there is something hinky going on with those bullets in standard twists.

At least we mostly agree that the need for a monometal 150 in a 270 is pretty much not a requirement in most of North America.

This illustrates perfectly why it is incumbent upon the end user to determine what optimal in their own rifle is.
 
The velocities I quote are read from my Pact chronograph shot from a 22 inch Mountain rifle and verified by ballistic preformance (drop)...The 59gr. IMR 4831 load is warm but completely safe in my rifle...Primer pockets start loosening up after around 6 reloads, suits me...Been loading it for over 25 years.

I find the same thing as you as far as the fragilitiy of the 130's and use them accordingly...Whitetail, caribou and smaller black bear are no problem for the 130's but when shooting moose, elk and larger bears I make sure of proper bullet placement and have never had a problem with swift kills...Infact I would rather slip a fast 130 into the lungs of a large big game animal then pound the slower well contructed 150...The difference being near instant devastating kills apposed to slower bleed out type of kill...In the end both animals are just as dead but I find the 130's out preform the 150's at velocities the .270 Wincheter can propell them at...I won't even mention the trajectory advantages of the 130's...Oooops.

And the .270 debate continues...Jack is smiling.
 
I have just referenced my Barnes #4 Manual and it clearly states for the 150gr Barnes +A 1:9.5 or faster twist is recommended for the 150-grain TSX. I have used the 110TSX and I find this bullet is deadly accurate in my Rem 700 22" barrel. I am so impressed with the 110 performance that I'm having a 26" match grade hunting barrel with timmey trigger put on the gun sort of an upgrade. With the 110TSX I will be approaching Ultra Mag velocities. Just looking for something different to explore. When I hunt with the .270 130gr projectile I always pick a premium hunting projectile. I find the regular cup and core will generally come apart and cause a lot of blood shot waste.
 
alox said:
I have just referenced my Barnes #4 Manual and it clearly states for the 150gr Barnes +A 1:9.5 or faster twist is recommended for the 150-grain TSX. I have used the 110TSX and I find this bullet is deadly accurate in my Rem 700 22" barrel. I am so impressed with the 110 performance that I'm having a 26" match grade hunting barrel with timmey trigger put on the gun sort of an upgrade. With the 110TSX I will be approaching Ultra Mag velocities. Just looking for something different to explore. When I hunt with the .270 130gr projectile I always pick a premium hunting projectile. I find the regular cup and core will generally come apart and cause a lot of blood shot waste.
Click to expand...

Going off on a tangent now...That idea for your .270 sounds very interesting and for sure a different angle to explore...At that velocity with a 110TSX bullet your new rifle will be akin to hunting with a laser beam...Great idea...Closest thing I have is a custom 25-06 that sends 100gr. Nosler partitions out at 3420fps...It sizzles the medium sized game...And a few big ones too...Sizzles the barrel as well, throat is torched after around 900 rounds on average.
 
Lefty #### said:
That's odd, even on Barnes site they recommend 1 in9.5 or faster twist for 150 TSX's.
My first hand observations have shown that in 2, 1in10's the 150's did not stabilize well.
Click to expand...

That also depends on altitude. The higher you are, the heavier bullet you can stabilize from a slower twist. Eagleeye is in north central BC.

OP, For powder, H or IMR 4831 seems to be among the best choices for that cartridge. For the heavier bullets, 150 gr +, IMR 7828 I hear is a good choice. I haven't tried it yet, But it's in Ken Water's book. Just got the powder the other day to try. According to my other reloading books, IMR 7828 with the heavier bullets produces the greatest speeds with the lowest pressures...
 
When bullets show marginal stability, the difference between one that stabilizes and one that doesn't can be the difference of a few degrees of temperature or a couple of thousand feet in elevation. All bullets yaw twice during their flight, first when the exit the bore, and again at impact with the target. Sometimes it takes some distance (time) for the bullet to fully recover from it's in initial yaw, and because the hunter is interested in his bullet's terminal performance, he needs that bullet to be flying true when it reaches the target and yaws for the second time. A bullet that is unable to recover from the yaw (precession) caused by the impact with a denser than air medium, will result in reduced penetration, possible damage to the shank and base of the bullet, and a reduced likelihood of straight line penetration.

You've got the bullets, load them up and see what happens; they'll either shoot or they won't, and if they shoot, they'll either perform or they won't. I've got a couple of boxes of long 180 gr Woodleighs that wouldn't stabilize in my son 's 1:10 .270.
 
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