Best powder for .270 Win?

USP

USP

BANNED
BANNED
BANNED
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
17   0   0
Can anybody recommend the best average powder for a .270 win. Will be used from warm temperatures to cold temps in winter.

I am thinking I want an extruded type as I think these feed better in automatic powder measuring equipment?

Not interested in maximum power. Just want easy to measure with, reproducible results, low recoil/ flash if possible.

I have a few factory load manuals now. Is there a one type of real basic general purpose powder I should look at here?

Initially until I get abit more use to loading I want to stick with one powder.

Thoughts on what is easiest to work with? Thanks

Lastly availability is also a concern, price can be ranged abit.
 
Is there any truth to extruded powders being easier to measure and feed on automatic powder dispensers?

What do you like best about the H4831?
 
The weight variation resulting from thrown charges is irrelevant for most applications so don't worry too much about it or over analyze things. There are more important variables in rifle handloading IMO that will have much more pronounced effects on accuracy.

I have owned and loaded for many .270's over the years and have not yet owned one that H4831 has not worked well in. Fans of the late JO will probably tell you all about it ;)

There are many other powders that have worked well for me in the .270 but I have found 4831 is usually a great place to start, you will probably not have to look any further...
 
Last edited:
H4350, IMR 4350, IMR 4831, H4831, RL19 and RL22 are all excelent powders for the 270. With any of this powder, a 130 grains bullets and a good load development, it's should be easy to match the rifle's accuracy potential.

I you ask me to pick one from this lot, I would go with H4831.
 
The Win 760 works good for many applications, feeds and measures better than any extruded, I can go 100/100 without any over/under throws on the scale.

H414 is also the same powder, may want to use hotter primers since it is a ball powder, I do not myself and haven't had any consistency or accuracy issues.

The IMR, Winchester,Hodgdon site has lots of load info.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp
 
I use IMR 4064 because at the time 14 years ago, thats what I had available. I still use IMR 4064 because it performs very well in my Browning Bar Safari. 45 grains under a 130 grain Nosler balistic tip spitzer and I'm good to go. I have never tried H 4831.
Recipe taken from lee modern reloading.
 
W760 works good in mine. Seems to be very accurate at about 3000fps. It's a ball powder add works awesome in my rcbs powder measurer. Measurer? Is that a word? I use this powder with lots of lighter caps and it's real nice to work with.
 
The .270Win, with a 140gr Nosler Accubond is my preferred deer load. I was using IMR4831 with good results and then I tried some H4350. In my rifle, the H4350 boosted velocity by 50fps with 2 grains less powder in my loads utilizing the same cases and primers. The H4831 and 130gr Partition is a classic in the .270WCF and I'll give it a go one day when I'm working with 130gr bullets.
 
Yes, in my earlier shooting I was well aware of all of JO's writings, so 60 grains of H4831 with a 130 grain bullet was my first loading.
Then Norma 205 came along, which was much denser than H4831. While 60 grains of H filled the case, 60 grains of 205 went only to the shoulder.
No chronograph then, but I loaded the same loads, 130 bullet, but half with 60.5 of H4831 and the others with 60.5 of Norma 205.
When sighted to hit 2.5 inches high at 100 yards, the loads with H were 34 inches low at 500, while the Norma were 32 inches low. I guess we could call that negligable difference, but the Norma was nicer to load, being so dense.
However, the H4831 was the old wartime surplus.
When Hodgdon brought out new H4831 in canisters, I compared it with the old. Five rounds of each, 130 grain bullet, 60 grains of powder, only five with War surplus powder and five with new H out of a can.
The five old surplus, over a Oehler, average 3078, es of 33.
The five new Hodgdon's, average 2960, es of 45.
Thus, with the powder samples I had, the new H4831 was down a fair bit and was not really spectacular in the 270.
Judging by the drop tests I did at 500 yards, the Norma 205 loads were probably on the order of 3125 to 3140, when comparing the later chrono tests, which would be substantially better than 60 grains of the new H4831.
So there, JO!
 
Right now in my newest .270 acquisition I am loading 130g TSX over 61 grains of H4831 with an average speed of 3105fps. That is with a 23” barrel. I have more data using other rifles, but not with me right now...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom