What classic powder should I buy for starting .270 and .30-30 reloading

TheCoachZed

TheCoachZed

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I've got two Lee Loaders, one for .30-30 and one for .270. I plan to reload each this winter, never done it before, but I want to learn. I am fairly confident I understand enough to use them, and I do have Lee's latest reloading manual, as well as the meager instructions that came with the loaders, and I've also watched the YouTube demos for the loaders.

I know that down the road I'll want a scale or at least a wider range of powder dippers and a proper press and dies and tumbler and trimmers and blah blah blah, but I also know that I can reload plenty of shells with What I Have Right Now, and that's what I want to do.

But I don't want to have a truckload of stuff laying around the house, so I'd like a recommendation for a single powder (preferably not stick type?) that would work well for .270 and .30-30 (maybe .223 down the road), and it should be old enough that it's likely to be listed in the Lee Loader recipes.
 
Are you referring to the Lee classic loaders that can be used in the field? Honestly, I found mine to be more of a hassle and started using a single stage press instead. As for the dippers, my advice is get a good powder scale and avoid the dippers, it's too hard to get consistent powder weights.

North
 
For best performance, .270 wants powders a good bit slower than does .30-30. You can probably come up with something workable in the 4895-4064 burn rate range, but it will be a bit fast for the one and a bit slow for the other.
 
Your Lee Loader kits came with an instruction card showing what powders that you can use with the dipper that came in that kit, and which weight of bullets to use with that combo. You can not experiment with what you have - you have to go with what that kit shows you. I don't have one on hand, but, for example, if you load 130 grain bullets in your 270, with that kit, the list will tell you what powder or powders you must use with that dipper. Then change to 150 grain bullets, and I am sure the powder listed will also change, because you only received that one dipper.

Once you get a scale, etc., then you can experiment. For example, the Nosler 7 Reloading Manual lists H4831SC as the accuracy powder for 270 Win 130 grain; IMR 4831 as the accuracy powder for 270 140 grain, and H4350 as the accuracy powder for 270 Win 150 grain. Your rifle may or may not agree.
 
One of the 4831 powders should be good for the 270, second choice, a little faster....say a 4350.

Been awhile since i have owned or loaded for 30-30.

Guaranteed, your not going to find one powder.that does both...well. This is the rabbit hole, last chance to run before you start.down.
 
Nosler lists H414 (ball) loads for 170gr 30-30 and 130gr-140gr for the 270.
It won't be ideal for either but will work, use mag primers.
 
Without a scale, the OP is restricted to using the scoops that came with his kits, and the charts that came with the kits - for better or worse. There may be one powder that he could use, but not with the gear that he has to work with, unless he got very lucky and can find the same powder listed on both the 270 and 30/30 charts, and then uses the bullet weights that the charts list for each.
 
Potashminer said:
Your Lee Loader kits came with an instruction card showing what powders that you can use with the dipper that came in that kit, and which weight of bullets to use with that combo. You can not experiment with what you have - you have to go with what that kit shows you. I don't have one on hand, but, for example, if you load 130 grain bullets in your 270, with that kit, the list will tell you what powder or powders you must use with that dipper. Then change to 150 grain bullets, and I am sure the powder listed will also change, because you only received that one dipper.

Once you get a scale, etc., then you can experiment. For example, the Nosler 7 Reloading Manual lists H4831SC as the accuracy powder for 270 Win 130 grain; IMR 4831 as the accuracy powder for 270 140 grain, and H4350 as the accuracy powder for 270 Win 150 grain. Your rifle may or may not agree.
Click to expand...

Very true.
 
For 30- 30 & 223 powders of similar burn rates work well for both, some good ones are H335, Win748, blc2. For 270 slower powders are optimal, Win760 would work well if you are opposed to stick powders. IMR4350 (stick powder)can work for both, works well for 270 but won't give top velocitys in 30-30, I've used it in a pinch when I was loading with Lee loaders and only had 1 can of 4350. 30-30 loaded to 100% density with 4350 gave really good accuracy but is inefficient (more powder burned & lower velocity than more suitable powders).

You can use spent casings as dippers preferably strait walled, or cut a 30-30/270 case off at the volume you need (you would need a scale to verify the weight), or buy a set of powder dippers for different volumes, technique is important for consistent charges with the dippers & they can give pretty accurate charge weights when used properly.
 
300_savage said:
For 30- 30 & 223 powders of similar burn rates work well for both, some good ones are H335, Win748, blc2. For 270 slower powders are optimal, Win760 would work well if you are opposed to stick powders. IMR4350 (stick powder)can work for both, works well for 270 but won't give top velocitys in 30-30, I've used it in a pinch when I was loading with Lee loaders and only had 1 can of 4350. 30-30 loaded to 100% density with 4350 gave really good accuracy but is inefficient (more powder burned & lower velocity than more suitable powders).

You can use spent casings as dippers preferably strait walled, or cut a 30-30/270 case off at the volume you need (you would need a scale to verify the weight), or buy a set of powder dippers for different volumes, technique is important for consistent charges with the dippers & they can give pretty accurate charge weights when used properly.
Click to expand...

I think IMR4350 is one I remember as seen in the Lee manual as working for both. I'll check tomorrow if I remember.
 
760 may be your best option. The Lee Modern Reloading book will have the grain conversion for the scoops.
 
From one amature reloader to the next! Please get yourself a scale and you can use the web to figure out the grains of your preferred powder, I’m an amateur reloader myself and you may not take what I say for much but a scale and measuring out your powder load is perhaps your most important step In the reloading process, if not for the best in possible accuracy of your load then for your own safty. They can be not that expensive but a little time consuming or vise versa depending on what you get but well worth it in the end!
 
Yes on further investigation Win 760 works well in both the 270 and 30-30. Magnum primers with this powder and no reduced loads less than the available data .
 
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