130 vs 150gr bullets for 270wby?

[bweber]

I've been working with a 270wby for a while that I picked up last year. It's all decked out with a 28" Krieger target barrel and should be shooting great. But I've been having trouble getting good groups with it. I've been working with 150gr Sierra boattails and IMR 4831, IMR 7828 adn R22 powder (which are the ones I've heard most people reccomend). I've been having trouble getting groups better than about 2.5" at 100yds. Obviously not the kind of accuracy I was looking for when I bought that Krieger barrel.

So the other day on a whim I loaded up some Hornady 130gr Interlocks with (I think) 72.3gr R22. Right away they shot a little under 3/4 of an inch, which makes me think that I can improve that by fiddling with the charge.

So I'm tempted to think that this gun just doesn't like the 150gr bullets. So here's my question: I usually shoot bullets that are on the heavy side thinking that I will get better down range accuracy and hitting power. In my 300WM, for example, I always shot the 180gr bullets. But in the 270wby am I really giving that much up by going to 130gr bullets? That 28" barrel should give them plenty of velocity. I'm mostly going to use it for deer and possibly for elk. I just want to make sure I'm not undergunned too badly.

Thanks,

Ben

 

[davewilson]

any idea what the twist rate is in your barrel?

 

[bweber]

No, though I was thinking I should call Krieger and find that out. I didn't think to specify it. But I did read somewhere that it's not uncommon for 270wby barrels to not stabilize the heavier bullets well. That's what made me think to try the 130s.

Ben

 

[Buffalobob]

What throat did you get? Is it freebored?

To measure twist of the barrel get a really tight patch on your cleaning rod and mark the rod and push until it rotates one full turn and then mark it again. Measure the distance between marks in inches . You have to have an index mark to know when there is one full turn. Do this two of three times until you get consistent measurements.

I shot 150 gr Noslers partitions. They gave 1.0 inch 5 shot groups with 65.0 grains of IMR4350 and Fed 215 primers. Of course I was young back then so I added three more grains to that and got 100 fps more and the group size opened up a lot but they were good enough to whack an elk at 350 yds and go all they way through and exit but definitely not any groups size to brag about. Tihs was with a factory barrel Mark V.

Sometimes switching to Rem 91/2M primers will calm a Wby down.

Sometimes (I guess because of the freebore) a match type bullet will not group well at 100 yds but will deliver unbelievable good groups out a 300 yds and on. Look at your target holes carefully to see if there is still some dynamic yaw in the bullet. I only shot the 270 for that one elk hunt but I shoot the 7mm Wby a lot.

It may be just me, but I have always had the best group results with Hornady bullets in 7mm Wbys.

Finally, bullets do not like to jump down that long freebore and hit a big ole bunch of hard packed carbon. This really upsets them. Clean and clean and clean the barrel.

I would definitely keep working to find a 150 gr class bullet for elk.

 

[cbaker]

Try the 140gr accubond. I have had excellent accuracy with this bullet and imr 7828. Way less than an inch all the time.

 

[sewwhat89]

72 gr RL 22 and 130 gr Barnes X (3410 fps) gives 1/2 MOA
73 gr RL 22 and 130 gr TSX (3460 fps) rips one ragged hole

I have been trying with 150 gr Partition Golds, and all loads have shot like crap. I have tried AA8700 and RL 22. Will be trying MagPro and IMR 7828 in the near future. Good luck with yours.

 

[victor]

I use IMR7828-68.5gr with 140gr accubond for 1/2" groups at 100 yards.

I have experimented with IMR7828-75gr with 150gr Barnes TSX and got 3/8" goups but this load was too hot as it was stretching my primer pockets. Too bad the most accurate load is over max pressure.

130 grain bullets, on the other hand will not shoot consistently in my rifle.
This is with Lasermark with a 24" Wby barrel, 1 in 10 twist. I am having a Rock Creek 5R 26" barrel put on shortly. I sure hope it shoots better than your Krieger. Did Krieger Chamber it for you?

Please keep us posted with your progress.

Thanks,
Vic