Newebie picking powder for 270 & 30-06

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thepitchedlink

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Hello there, looking to try reloading and trying to pick my powder. Loading for a 270 winnie and 30-06. I want to try 130g for the 270 and 165 for the 06. Gonna use a Lee Loader and maybe a handpress and dies to start out with, so I want the powder to do double duty for both calibers. My one reloading manual, Lee, looks like Reloader 19 will zip both bullets along nicely, any other ideas or choices? I must pick up another manual and cross reference first, but just looking for some advice on where to start.
 
4350 either flavor, 4831 either flavor.
The RL series is nice, just it gets way to up and down in supply and demand cycle, and no one carries it in bulk.
I've since gone to IMR or Hodgdon powders, more reliable supply and Higginson cant be beat for bulk orders.
 
If you're a "newbie" try some of the newer powders such a "Ramshot", they are less sensetive to temperature swings and much cleaner burning or so it seems in my rifles.
I still use the old powders, mainly because I have a fair bit as I like to buy 8 lb kegs for consistancy of lots, and am just to cheap and lazy to change over, besides I'm used to what these powders will do.

You won't go wrong with the powders you suggest, but the newer technology is superior and is consistant from lot to lot.
Just my humble opinion. bearhunter
 
Thanks for the replys, I'll have to pick something up this weekend and start to play. The '06 is supposed to be my main gun, but that pre64 model 70 in 270 was just beggin' me to trade for her.....so now I have to figure both out.;)
 
The .30-06 loves 165 grain hunting bullets with IMR4064 and regular large rifle primers. IMR4064 gives more consistent accuracy than any other powder I've ever tried.
I don't shoot a .270, but my Lyman manual gives IMR4064 for the accuracy load using both 130 and 150 grain bullets. IMR4350 was used in the factory duplication load and the accuracy load for 170 grain bullets.
"...pick up another manual..." Go with a Lyman manual. It has more loads for more bullet weights than any bullet maker's book. Not that there's anything wrong with bullet maker's book. The Lyman is just more versatile. It's kind of pricey at $50 though.
"...Gonna use a Lee Loader..." Pitch the scoops and use a scale. The scoops can vary the charge plus or minus a full grain. And for who knows why, Lee sells them in CC's only. CC's are not used for reloading. Ever.
Then working on one calibre at a time:
Beginning with the starting load, load 5 rounds only. Go up by half a grain of powder, loading 5 of each, keeping them separate, until you get to the max load in your manual.
Then go shooting. Shoot at 100 yards, for group only, slowly and deliberately off a bench.
Change targets between strings of 5 and allow time for the barrel to cool.
When you find the best group, sight in 4" high at 100. That'll put you on target out to about 300 yards with no hold over for the .30-06. Out to about 250 for the .270. 130 grain bullets drop off fast past there with a 100 yard sight in.
 
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"...Mine hates it!..." Your rifle is broken. Snicker. I must admit that I don't load for any commercial hunting rifle other than a .243. My '06's are a 1903A4 Springfield and an M1 rifle.
The factory duplication load in my old Lyman book for 180 grain bullets uses IMR4350 and, oh look, IMR4064. 50.0 to 56.0(compressed) of IMR4350. 50.0 grains of it is one of the accuracy loads too. I think the latest Lyman book still gives accuracy loads. Fifty bucks is a bit steep for a loading manual though.
 
Played with both, with just about every (suitable) powder available over the years.

For the 270, H4831 is an all time favourite. For the 30-06, only the individual rifle can tell you, but for me, it's been either IMR 4350 or 4064.

Also settled on Federal GM210M Match primers.
 
Well thanks for the info. Got back from Calgary yesterday with my new load of goodies. Went with IMR4350 and Winchester primers, 165 Nosler patitions and 130's for the 270. Got the Lyman book, Lee scale, handpress, dies and case trimming gear. Got a Chrony too... the idea is to do some small group loading at the range, sounds like fun to me. So all in about 235$ for the gear and bullets, another 115$ for the Chrony, that's about as much as I want to spend right now until I know that I'll enjoy this. We'll see how I enjoy the Lee equipment when I start using it, but for the money I'm impressed so far, for loading a few hundred rounds I think it should be fine. The Rockchucker is much nicer and feels better built, but the hand press was 32.00$, the Chucker 165.00, I'll give Lee a fair try.
 
Well got back from launching my first reloads tonight. what a rush!! I just used 52 grains of IMR 4350 and that sent the 165g 30-06's off at about 2540fps. What I really liked was the lack of recoil...so much softer then my Winchester Super X's. 165's. So I ran a couple across my Chrony and their going 2950fps!!! That's freakin' fast isn't it? I thought 2800 was fast for the 30-06...so that explains the recoil that's been beating me up in the last week. I'll have to play more and see how accurate the hand loads are, the Winnies are right around MOA at 100yards, so that same accuracy with less kick is what I'm aiming for. Hey John-Brennan, thanks for the response, I bought that Leopould 3-9 from you a few weeks ago, looks good on my Winnie M70, thanks.
 
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