More 270 reloading questions

R&R Rancher

R&R Rancher

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Location
Manitoba's Interlake
I was in Winnipeg today and bought some more "stuff". I got a Lee ram prime, 100 Winchester large rifle primers and 100 Hornady 130 gr SSTs. They were out of H4831 and 270 brass. I've got a buddy who is coming through Alberta for Christmas who will hopefully get brass and powder for me. I guess worst case I could "manufacture" some empty brass the old fashioned way:D.

Looking in my Lyman's 49th manual, for a jacketed 130 gr bullet, it shows a starting charge of 50.5 gr and a max of 56 gr of H4831. The list of jacketed bullets does not include the SSTs. Can I use this data for the SSTs or do I need to buy a Hornady manual to get the data?

In addition to my Lee challenger press I have a Lee hand press. I'm thinking of making this my poor man's priming tool with the ram prime and a dedicated shell holder. Anyone ever tried this?

I think the only "tool" I need now is a case trimmer. Any "inexpensive" ideas to start or should I break down and buy one?

On a side note I missed out on a deal Tuesday. Came across a guy on Kijiji selling his late father's reloading stuff. An old MEC single stage, a supersizer, lots of components for lead hunting loads, a RCBS Rockchucker, a RCBS 1010 scale and RCBS dial calipers. All for $250. It was first guy there with the money wins. I got there 10 minutes after another guy. He wanted the metallic stuff and I had no use for the hunting load components. I did get some 209 primers cheap, but I would have loved the Rockchucker!

John
 
The cheapest case trimmer and also one of the easiest to use is the Lee case trimmer.
5.99 for the cutter and lock stud and 6.49 for the pilot and shell holder at Cabelas.
Extra calibers just need the pilot and shell holder. Use a cordless or corded drill and it takes seconds per piece of brass.
 
H4831 (the powder!) came about after WW2, when Bruce Hodgdon got a ship load or so, of military surplus powder. They had no loading information for it to start with, so they called it, "4350 data powder." This was because they knew it was slower than 4350, so one could just use 4350 data and have safe loads with very cheap powder.
Jack O'Connor was gaining fame and respect, from being shooting editor of Outdoor Life Magazine, with a circulation in the millions. He wrote that he had discovered a great load for the 270 Winchester with 130 grain bullets. Jack wrote that 60 grains made a safe load with the 130 grain bullets that was accurate and up to velocity standards. This load became an instant success. When Hodgdon's got around to forming lab tested loads for their powders, this 270 load was so popular, they just included it in their data!
There may not be any other load in any calibre that is so universal and widely used in as many rifles, as this classic load of 60 grains of H4831 in a 270, with 130 grain bullets.
I guess all this is to say that your "maximum" load of 56 grains is a very light load, most likely not as accurate as would 60 grains be.
 
Surplus H4831 was the propellant for the 20mm Oerlikon cannon used in a variety of shipboard, aircraft, and ground mounts during WW2.

I've used 60gr H4831 with ex accuracy and no pressure signs with a 130gr bullet in one .270 and 59gr in another rifle. As always, you need to work up a load for YOUR rifle starting below max and going up in either .5 or 1 gr increments. The other classic propellant for the .270 130gr is IMR4350. Both H4831 and IMR4350 are worth a try.
 
R&R Rancher said:
Can I use this data for the SSTs or do I need to buy a Hornady manual to get the data?
John
Click to expand...

As mentioned that's very light.

data is available online via hodgdon's website, I think there is a sticky.

The starting load on the website is 56gr. the max is 60gr........which often turns out as Bruce mentioned the most accurate for that combination.
 
Now this is starting to get confusing. Hodgdon does indeed list starting loads of 56 gr of H4831 (40,200 CUP) with a max of 60 gr (51,000 CUP). The Lyman book lists 58 gr as a max load (50,200CUP). Why the difference. Is it the bullet, or simply different ballistic labs getting different results?
 
R&R Rancher said:
Now this is starting to get confusing. Hodgdon does indeed list starting loads of 56 gr of H4831 (40,200 CUP) with a max of 60 gr (51,000 CUP). The Lyman book lists 58 gr as a max load (50,200CUP). Why the difference. Is it the bullet, or simply different ballistic labs getting different results?
Click to expand...

Different bullet = different jacket thickness and different shape which means different amount of jump to the lands and a different amount of bearing surface contacting the barrel. Add to that a different rifle, brass, primer etc. and you begin to see how many variables there are. That is why it is important to work up from a starting load with YOUR rifle, and why a load that works for someone else is more or less irrelevant.
WLR primers are known to be a little on the hot side compared to say a Federal 210. The pressure difference could be as much as 10,000psi.

If I were to work up a load for your rifle with the components you mentioned I would load:

52.5 gr H4831SC, one round
53.5 gr, one round
54.5 gr, one round
55.5 gr, one round
56.0 gr, one round
56.5 gr, one round
57.0 gr, one round
57.5 gr, one round
58.0 gr, four rounds
58.5 gr, four rounds
59.0 gr, four rounds
COAL 3.210

The first eight are just to check for pressure signs. At 58.0 you are getting decent velocity and can start looking for the best group. If you haven't found an accurate load with that and you aren't running into pressure, work your way up in .3 gr increments until you find something that shoots or you hit pressure signs.
Like H4831 said above your most accurate load will likely be in the 58.5-60.0 range.
I've had great success with the 130 gr SST, 60.1 gr H4831sc lit with a Federal 210M primer. Five shot groups are around 5/8" at 100yd in my Tikka T3 lite.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom