270 win reloading help - 150gr partitions

[Clem Bronkoski]

Actually Frog I side with Driver on this. I'm truly amazed at the accuracy he is getting with the Partitions. I could never get them to shoot as well as the Ballistic Tips or Accubonds. I tried them in 6mm, .270, 7mm and .30 cal and in some rifles they didn't shoot as well as even the old Hornady Interlock bullets. Now the Nosler BTs in the .270 were awesome in the 130 gr version. I would be if he were to grab a box of them and try them with IMR4350 his groups would tighten up even more. And now whitetail or mulie will ever know the difference.

 

[KurtB]

With all 3 groups pictured, they are more than adequate for 400 yards given the shooter can replicate the accuracy from a field position. I'd just spend the rest of the time shooting at 200-400 yards from field positions, way more fun as well.

Had my daughter shooting from field positions at 100 and 320 yards the other day. I do believe her odds of filling a bull elk tag look good if we can find one for her.

What scope system are you using?

 

[JTB]

You have had some great advice on focusing on your node and making some minor adjustments. Choose a charge/seating depth that has no fliers on 5-shot strings and you will be golden for 400 yards. I stopped using the 270 150gr partition years ago because it caused too much destruction. The 150gr partition is one of the most reliable pills I have ever taken large game with, bar none. Obviously not a ballistics champion but out to 400 yards I have found no equal for reliably taking large game from a 270 caliber rifle.

 

[crkckr]

I do love Partitions and they are the only bullet I will hunt big game with. I've sold rifles that wouldn't shoot them. My Win. .270 shoots both the 130 and 150 quite well. I use the 130 on whitetail & the 150 on mulies. While I did kill an elk with a 150, the performance was not what I want out of a dedicated elk gun. In this case I was hunting mulies but ended up backing up another hunter who had wounded an elk at 250 yds (actually he kneecapped the poor thing and it fell 50yds down a hill into a creek). The elk stood up, trying to figure out why he couldn't walk right and since the other hunter didn't shoot again, I put a round thru the his lungs, a bit behind the shoulder. Although the bullet hit a rib bone coming and going, the exit wound was relatively small, about quarter size. Fine for deer but a bit small for elk I think, to the point I would not recommend using a 270 on them at all. It's my opinion that at minimum a hot .30 (300 WM or 300 RUM) and a preference for the .338's, either the WM or RUM are needed for elk. Something even larger is certainly ok. Using Partitions, of course. Yes, a 270 or 30-06 will kill elk but I think way too many elk are wounded with those calibers. Elk are big and tenacious to the extreme and they need something big to break shoulders and penetrate deeply, preferably all the way through. I put a second round into an elks shoulder and even the 210gr. Partition stopped under the hide of the off shoulder... and this bullet is pushing 3000 fps! But he didn't even try to get up from that one! I could care less about ruined meat as long as the critter is well planted and dies quickly... and doesn't have even a little chance of getting away. When I was deciding what caliber to use for my elk gun, 3 of 4 CO guides I consulted said the .338 WM (one said he preferred the 375 H&H!). All four (and this should ruffle a few feathers!) said the worst was 7mm Mag, which they had seen wound more elk than any other single caliber! This was back in the '70's so hopefully things have changed. Personally, I know of a guy that wounded 3 elk before he finally managed to kill one (this on a guided hunt) - using a 270 Win. On the same hunt a guy using a 30-06 shot two before he managed to kill one. My guide told me this was fairly typical, which turned me off those calibers as elk guns. Yes, I know, they can kill elk, but then you could kill one with a big enough rock, too. Or a smaller rock if you can find a stupid one that will let you whack him on the head enough times. I'm just old school enough to believe you should use enough gun, something that will still probably work even when things don't go exactly perfectly, which I believe is most of the time!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[Racemike]

I do love Partitions and they are the only bullet I will hunt big game with. I've sold rifles that wouldn't shoot them. My Win. .270 shoots both the 130 and 150 quite well. I use the 130 on whitetail & the 150 on mulies. While I did kill an elk with a 150, the performance was not what I want out of a dedicated elk gun. In this case I was hunting mulies but ended up backing up another hunter who had wounded an elk at 250 yds (actually he kneecapped the poor thing and it fell 50yds down a hill into a creek). The elk stood up, trying to figure out why he couldn't walk right and since the other hunter didn't shoot again, I put a round thru the his lungs, a bit behind the shoulder. Although the bullet hit a rib bone coming and going, the exit wound was relatively small, about quarter size. Fine for deer but a bit small for elk I think, to the point I would not recommend using a 270 on them at all. It's my opinion that at minimum a hot .30 (300 WM or 300 RUM) and a preference for the .338's, either the WM or RUM are needed for elk. Something even larger is certainly ok. Using Partitions, of course. Yes, a 270 or 30-06 will kill elk but I think way too many elk are wounded with those calibers. Elk are big and tenacious to the extreme and they need something big to break shoulders and penetrate deeply, preferably all the way through. I put a second round into an elks shoulder and even the 210gr. Partition stopped under the hide of the off shoulder... and this bullet is pushing 3000 fps! But he didn't even try to get up from that one! I could care less about ruined meat as long as the critter is well planted and dies quickly... and doesn't have even a little chance of getting away. When I was deciding what caliber to use for my elk gun, 3 of 4 CO guides I consulted said the .338 WM (one said he preferred the 375 H&H!). All four (and this should ruffle a few feathers!) said the worst was 7mm Mag, which they had seen wound more elk than any other single caliber! This was back in the '70's so hopefully things have changed. Personally, I know of a guy that wounded 3 elk before he finally managed to kill one (this on a guided hunt) - using a 270 Win. On the same hunt a guy using a 30-06 shot two before he managed to kill one. My guide told me this was fairly typical, which turned me off those calibers as elk guns. Yes, I know, they can kill elk, but then you could kill one with a big enough rock, too. Or a smaller rock if you can find a stupid one that will let you whack him on the head enough times. I'm just old school enough to believe you should use enough gun, something that will still probably work even when things don't go exactly perfectly, which I believe is most of the time!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[crkckr]

None of the above rant goes to help out our OP with his reloading efforts... opps! CB, it looks to me as though you're right on with the 58.0 gr. area. I too use IMR 4831, it's a great powder. However, I caution you to be sure you only change one thing at a time! Like you, I want to get as much accuracy as possible out of any bullet. Partitions are not target bullets by any means but they can be accurate and consistent. Where you are now, I think I would first find the best seating depth, which should not change with different charges (however, watch out for reloaders voodoo, which means NONE of this is engraved in stone!). Generally speaking, I've done the best with the bullet jump as little as possible. Then I would play around with powder fine tuning. Then, maybe try changing primers. Once you think you've found the perfect combo, load a few up and try shooting from different positions and at different ranges. If you can confirm a specific load as best, you just ran out of excuses!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[Racemike]

I agree with the fellow that said he like partitions I also do for hunting will use the accubonds also but I find it funny that for last 40 years everybody has tried to pattern their bullets after them, my guess is because they work and I've never had problems getting them to shot well if fact every time I've tried some of these newer bullets I've been disappointed and always go back. Of course I just hunt and don't shot a lot of paper once I got loads made up. I do know what the 130 and 150 nosler will do on deer with the 270 and never have have had to do a follow up shot or should say my son it's his gun, but have been on elk hunt back in 1992 in montana up on the divide one of the fellows I was hunting with was using one and I watched him shot an elk 2 times and he never quit moving I hit it with my 300 wm and dropped him when we gutted him out I looked at the small holes from the 270 and my shot, wasn't hard to see the difference granted his shots were back farther and maybe would have stopped him by the time he reached idaho. For elk I bigger,heavier, hard hitting bone breaking knock down, don't like chasing. I don't use anything below 180g bullets and 190g. But those 150 noslers are death on deer, hogs.

 

[aushunter1]

cb, perhaps try different seating depths

Yep, 1st thing I would be doing!
Changing seating depth definitely changes group size for better & worse.

I always start @ 10thou off the lands then when I am in the ballpark with a charge/node I move the CBTO to 5thou, 15 & sometimes 20thou.

This is a second round of LD after my initial testing @ 10thou & just shows how the groups change with seating depth.

Each to their own but I fine tune loads mostly with seating depth, not so much powder charges although I do also make small incremental changes in a charge after changing my seating depth if I have been doing .5gr increments.
So I guess I should say changing seating depth in conjunction with changing charge but sometimes I don't need to play to much.

 

[cb4128]

Ok thanks guys, loaded up some at 58.3gr at 3 different COAL's. Will post up results after my next range trip.

Not sure how we got into an elk discussion, as this rifle is intended for whitetail, Mule deer and hogs.

*I stick with 30 cals for Elk

 

[Bucklowery]

With my factory 270 I found it loved 130gr and ok with the 150gr Bullets. It just got worse with the 180 gr partitions. I found my twist rate on barrels to be holding me back from the little groups I was use to

Thanks

Buck

 

[Frog4aday]

Actually Frog I side with Driver on this. I'm truly amazed at the accuracy he is getting with the Partitions. I could never get them to shoot as well as the Ballistic Tips or Accubonds. <SNIPPED STUFF>

Hi Clem,
Thank you for helping me make my point - the 150 grain Partitions are shooting great for the OP and he isn't even done with load development. Once he finds the COAL his rifle likes best, he's going to see even better groups than he posted already...which look fantastic to me. So...what is wrong with the bullet he is shooting?

And I think that's what rubbed me wrong with the post. The suggestion that the OP was using the wrong bullet. He's not. It's working fine. And the OP didn't come on to ask for 'new bullet options'. He wanted help with refining his reloads to shoot even better (if possible.)

 

[Frog4aday]

With my factory 270 I found it loved 130gr and ok with the 150gr Bullets. It just got worse with the 180 gr partitions. I found my twist rate on barrels to be holding me back from the little groups I was use to. Thanks
Buck

Where are you finding a 180 grain Partition in .277 diameter?

 

[73driver]

Wow, really? We are going to criticize his bullet choice for a 400 yard gun shooting great groups already, and he isn't even finished experimenting with COAL. That seems kind of rude. Nothing wrong with a 150 grain partition on deer. And if he pulls an elk tag...he's still good to go. Not sure I understand the nitpicking.

Chill Frog
Yes the partition is fine on deer and great for elk. Without wasting to many words I was just pointing out that if he is looking for better accuracy for deer out to 400 then maybe there are better choices than partition. Partitions are not known for accuracy. I agree with you, looks like he is all set for good results out to 400 yards but from the post sounds like he is looking for better. Not nitpicking just saying for tighter groups that will work on deer out to 400 then there are better bullets to work with to get sub .5 groups.

 

[Frog4aday]

Hey 73driver, this post ^^ I agree with. Thanks for clarifying your intent. This makes more sense to me.

OP is getting great results with his chosen hunting bullet and is looking to fine tune it even more. I respect that. Why not eek every bit of accuracy out of the thing when he is so close to wrapping up his load development? If he switches bullets now, he's starting over...when he doesn't need to.

Now if he posted a bunch of 2" groups and seemed 'lost' about what to do next, then I think it would be fair to pitch him some new projectile ideas. Or if he was looking to do some 750 yard deer shooting with a round-nosed Hornady, then load development wouldn't be his 'primary problem.' It would be logical for people to nudge him toward better bullet clarity.

CB4128 is looking to shoot whitetail, mule deer, and hogs. You load for the biggest, toughest animal you'll hunt. Mule deer are big, thick-bodied deer, half way between a whitetail and cow elk in size. The 150 grain Partition is a fine choice. Even hogs have a 'gristle plate' that can defeat some cup and core bullets, so (again) the Partition makes a lot of sense. Other bullets could work, too, I'm sure. But his current choice shoots well (and the OP seems to be a really good shot!) I'm excited to see what he ends up with after trying some different COALs.