Help! Need advice on headspace for .270 130 gr. Spitzers

[Goofycat]

I have not reloaded my .270 for a number of years and plan to hunt pigs in Texas with 130 grain spitzers in a Remington Mountain Rifle. I generally start with the bullets .010' off the lands with my varmint rifles, but since I have not shot the .270 for years, I would appreciate suggestions as to how far off the lands these spitzers should be set.

Second question: I have used IMR 4350 in the past, but recently was advised that 4891 might be the better powder for the .270 Winchester in the 130 gr. Spitzer. Which powder should I use and why?

Also, I have a supply of Sierra Gameking, Sierra Pro Hunter, Nosler Accubond and Nosler Ballistic tips from which to choose. Are these bullets all about the same in killing power for pigs,I have never hunted them before), or does one stand out over the others? I would hope that I can use the Noslers, since the Sierras feature a lead tip that tends to get easily damaged. I am totally unfamiliar with the Accubond, having bought my first box yesterday.

Lastly, I noticed that the Sierra reloading manual and the Hornady manual differ in the amounts of powder they advise for loads. Why the difference, and which manual should I follow?

I know exactly how to load for small varmints, but the pig thing has me stumped. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[2506]

Head space is the measurement from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face. You want Over All Length measurement.
Different rifles and different bullets like different amounts of jump or no jump into the lands at all. You will need to experiment to find out which bullet and seating depth your rifle likes.
I think you made a mistake in typing. For the 270 Win you want H-4831 powder not H-4891 which they don't make.
The standard 270 Win load with a 130 gr bullet that has shot for me and many others is 60 grs H-4831, CCI-BR2 primer, Remington case, and a good starting place for over all length is 10 thousands off the lands. WORK UP TO THIS LOAD IN YOUR RIFLE.

Different manuals do list different powder charges because different rifles were use to do the work up. Like the load above. Some of the loading manuals do not list this much powder and some like the Hornady 7th edition list 62 grs H-4831 as the max with 130's. I have a can of H-4831 powder that list 60 grs H-4831 with 130 gr bullets in the 270 right on the can. So start a little lower and work up checking for accuracy and pressure signs.

The 130 Nosler Accubond should make you a good all round bullet for anything up through elk.

For deer I prefer either of the Sierra 130's then the ballistic tip in that order. I have killed many deer with these bullets in a 270.

I have never used the Accubond but I just got some 130's to try in my 264 Win mag. Everything that I have read about them seems to say that they fly very accurate like the ballistic tip but their effect on game is like the Nosler partition. The best of both words. Good luck and good hunting.

 

[Goofycat]

Thanks, 2506. Yes, I goofed...it is 4831. At your suggestion, I will start with .010' off the lands for starters, such as I do for the bench rest rifles. Some BR shooters like the bullets to just touch the lands; some like to jam the bullets onto the lands, but I try to be aware of excess pressures and, as such, start with the .010' figure. Besides, we are not shooting ground squirrels at several hundred yards, and I don't require extreme one-hole accuracy here, nor do I expect it.

I don't use overall length, since I have found that ogives and bullet lengths for different bullet brands and types differ, and use a Stoney gauge instead. I also use the CCI-BR primers for just about everything just for consistency.

One last question: How many times can Remington cases be used before I should expect to toss them? I have a pile of .270 cases that have been shot once, and another pile that have been shot twice. There are no signs of splitting, etc., that would indicate that these cases would be unsafe, but that means little if a case were to give way unexpectedly. Do you follow a rule as to how many times you reload a case before you toss it and buy new ones?

 

[Goofycat]

Since I haven't reloaded my .270 in many years, I am now ready to full-length size some used once-fired cases I bought. I want to full-length size them because I have no idea in what .270 rifle or rifles they were used.

I need to know how to determine the proper headspace prior to setting the .270 Hornady die. Is there a SAAMI specification that is published somewhere that dictates the distance from the bottom of the case to the datum line, or do I merely start backing off the shoulders of these cases until the bolt closes with no difficulty, then get a reading with my Stoney gauge headspace inserts for the .270 and set the die to that reading?

It seems that if there is a SAAMI headspace spec, the headspace would change when compared to the SAMMI figure, provided that chamber erosion takes place to some degree in the shoulder area. If erosion were not a factor in the area of the shoulder, then headspace would stay the same, even after hundreds of rounds were fired, and that the only thing I would have to do would be to seat the bullets out due to erosion in the barrel itself, forward of the neck mouth.

So,,1) how do I determine the proper headspace, using the Stoney gauge and headspace inserts, and,2) where should I adjust the die? In other words, how tight do I want the shoulder to be in the chamber? Once I find this out, then I can measure the total case length and trim the neck to get the proper overall case length, then recheck to see that it still fits in the rifle with no interference when I close the bolt on the empty sized and trimmed case.

The cases are Remington and Winchester; I am using a Hornady single-stage press and Hornady dies.

 

[2506]

I have been out of town so just now getting to your questions. Man you are thinking this stuff out too much. You are shooting a Remington factory chambered hunting rifle not a bench gun. Just full length size your cases, screw your die down until it touches the shell holder. Trim your cases to 2.530 seat your CCI-BR2 primer put 60 grs H-4831 in the case and seat your 130 gr bullet 10 thousands off the lands and it should shoot about as good as the rifle is capable of if it is like every Remington 700 270 Win I have ever seen. As far as case life with the 270 it depends on the make of the case but you should easy get 10 or 15 loadings out of a case. To help with case life and get a little more accuracy some times just part size the case. I back the FL size die off the shell holder a little so as to just size the neck while just bumping the shoulder a touch. Be sure when you go to shoot this rifle that you take your time between shots because those mountain rifle barrels are light and they heat up quickly and will start throwing your shots around.

 

[Goofycat]

Thanks, 2506. I have figured it all out after having made the post. You are right on the barrel being light on the Mountain Rifle. Luckily, only a few shots at a time are fired at large animals at any given time, as a rule. Such is not the case with BR rifles when shooting at multiple targets. I am not concerned with hole-in-one accuracy with the Mtn Rifle. It sure is a lot nicer to carry this one instead of having to lug around the very heavy .22-250 for coyotes. I supposed it is force of habit that makes me want to be anal about accuracy and I am also analytical and want to know the 'whys' as well as the 'hows.' I don't like to take anyone's word without digging further. It has served me well for the most part.

Thanks for the advice; it was much appreciated.

 

[Goofycat]

Okay...headspace question has been answered. Now, for the kicker. I have reloaded a few cases to where the bullets are .020' off the lands. The loaded cartridges fit fine in the rifle and the bolt closes with no problems. Interestingly, I had an old un-shot box cartridge lying around. The bullet in the cartridge seemed to be seated a lot farther into the case than was the just-reloaded bullet,130 grain Nosler). I compared the two cartridges with a Stoney gauge and found that there was over a .200' leade with the factory round in the Remington Mountain Rifle. Can't be erosion, since the gun has had perhaps only 50 rounds shot through it.

So, is a leade of more than a fifth of an inch customary for Remington and/or other non-custom rifles in the larger calibers, or is mine just abnormally long-throated? I called Remington and they didn't give me a good answer, asking me to send them the rifle and the cartridges.

I am not seeing this situation in any of my .22 centerfire varmint rifles and was wondering what goes on with the .270.

 

[kelbro]

Any of the bullets except the Ballistic tips for Texas hogs, unless you shoot them in the ear.

 

[Goofycat]

Thanks, Kelbro. The only way I could shoot eardrums out would be to use one of my BR rifles, but I don't think the hogs would stand still long enough. I am loading Accubond 130 grainers, plus some Partitions in 150 grains for the .270. I keep getting different opinions on both these bullets, so to cover my bases, I am going for each kind. If the Accubonds are a poor choice for pigs, I will just use them for coyotes and deer. I like the Ballistic tips in my BR .22-250, but I sure hate toting that heavy rifle around. The .270 is overkill for coyotes, but I don't save pelts, and the .270 is a little over half the weight of the .22-250.