Here ya go fella's most probably my very last treatises or whatever re: the 270 Win.
This may come across a little harsh sounding, as that appears to be the way I sound, when talking via the keyboard. It just sounds that way. It isn't really so /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
In 1966 had a Dougles Premium 24" bbl installed on a Mauser surplus action. The gunsmith did a fine job. Plunked away w/0.75 MOA average groups for a lotta years with the Sierra 130 BT and Sierra 90 gr hollow point. Add up all the serious groups shot, divide by the number of them and it hung in there at 3/4 MOA. Sweet, I tho't.
The rifle accounted for 10s or Mule Deer, 100s or Rockchucks and 1000s of jackrabbits and a bunch of coyotes.
The Speer #7 Manual, new at the time said 60gr 4831 produced 3180 fps out of a 24" bbl, My rifle exactly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I jumped on that load like ugly on an ape.
Shot a few deer, yotes, jackrabbits and chucks. was doing pretty well. Was happier than a pig in poop.
Went with the ship to Newport News, VA after a bit of time in the Gulf of Tonkin. (Joined the Navy to see the world and spent 3 years in Idaho. Tho't I died and went to heaven.) Shooting buddy and I came up with chronographs. I bought the paper screen'd Oehler, Ken made his in an ammo box in the the shop on the ship, USS Enterprise by the way.
Calibrated his to mine and away we went. Hit the local range. Guess what? 60gr 4831 produced 2975 FPS average. What a let down /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif There I was, for a couple of years, making all of those kills with a rifle that wasn't shootin' like I tho't.
Couldn't get enough 4831 in there to do squat, long drop tube or not. Used the loooonnnng drop tube and filled 'em to the mouth. Crunched the bullet in and still no velocity.
Then discovered N205. Was in heaven. (angel, angel, angel, sorry no icon w/wings). 61gr N205 gave an even 3200 fps w/no pressure at all. All good things come to an end. No Mo N205. In fact no mo N anything.
Went to IMR 4350. 58 gr of 4350 gave 3194 fps, was as accurate as anything else but pressures were much higher. So what? Brass just lasted about a dozen rounds before I began checking for thinnning at the head. Had a special crowshay hook (you can spell that one a couple of different ways /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif) My young wife never did learn where that hook went. Also had an Echo case remover standing by, just in case.
Went back to harvesting stuff on a regular basis for the next 30 years. Twas the only rifle I had.
An important thing to note: A 270 Win was made to shot a 130gr bullet no faster than 3200 fps muzzle velocity. Why, you ask? Cause I said, that's why! If you want more velocity that than that get a WSM (haw haw haw). Or better a 270 Win AI. That's acceptable in the culture. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
In 2002, I rebarrelled w/a 27" Lilja. After breakin, I used the same loads as with the douglas bbl. Oops, too hot. The way I figure it , the chamber reamer was a schosie bit small at the base. Once case moved .001 or less the it fell out.
Longer story a bit shorter. The 140 Hornady Interlock and 58gr RL-22 = 3200 fps in the summer and 3010 in the cold of winter /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Groups as small as the 1s and as big as 6s @ 200 yds.
The Nosler 130 Ballistic tip can go 3350 but in accordance with cartridge design I load it back to 3200. Accuracy hasn't been tried @ 200 but at 335 out in the lava rock it runs less than 2 inches.
What have I learned during that 30+ year period?
1) Bag the book. Nice starting place but that's it.
2) Each chamber/barrel is different. Some times longer is slower and shorter is faster. Its gonna shoot what its gonna shot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
3) Velocity don't mean squat, as long as its uniform, unless you're shooting over, I dunno - say 500 yds.
4) If the target is well over 500 yds and you're shooting at varmints and predators single digit standard deviations is a MUST.
5) Number 3 & 4 may be disproven by some. But that's where I'm at at this point in my evolution.
6) Boattails don't make that much of a difference. But that's all I'll shoot. Even in the 375. So what, get over it! Heck, if I were shooting Muzzleloader sabots, they'd be boat tails...... Now, RBBTs there's the wave of the future. Even purtier that Boat tails.....
7) Damaging a magazine full of lead tipped bullets with the first shot is the worst thing that can ever be done. It just ain't right. The deer never seemed to notice. But after the first shot, I just know, that all subsequent shots are just pot luck. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif How do I know, well for sure and for certain if I didn't connect with the first shot I never connected with any of the others (one day there were 11 of the others. I hope there are some things ya just don't remember after you kick the bucket and that had better be one of 'em /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif)
8) If you're only gonna have one rifle the 277 would do ya well. But on the big stuff, remember to shot till they drop, regardless)
9) Some people are locked into their thinkin cause that's what they've been thinkin for so long they are used to it and think that that's the way it is. It's called stinkin thinkin, in my book (which I haven't written).
10) There are some people in the world who have the knack to be the leavening to lift and hold things together. There are some around here.
I've had that 270 for 3 more years than I've been married to my wife and, that's been 72 years. 36 for me and 36 for her. Both have been two of the finest, steadiest, you can count on 'em things in my life. Well, except for 7 grown kids, 8 grand kids, bunches of good dogs, some decent horses, a pet coon or two and enough cord wood to last the winter.
FWIW
