casting .270 winchester

[jason]

Looks like I just struck a deal for a Lyman 280473 and I will shortly begin casting for my .270. To date my experience has been casting for handguns and, more recently, a 38-55 model 94. I guess what got me started on this experiment was reading about Ken Waters carrying "small game" cb loads with him on big game hunts. Plus it would be a cheap way to practice with my primary rifle and get my kids started on reduced loads.

Looking at the LYMAN #46 manual it appears that IMR SR 4759 or 3031 would be a good place to start. I just read an article about matching pressures to the bhn of the alloy used that makes me think the harder the boolit the better.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience loading cast boolits for .270. Mainly I am looking for 1.) recommendations on lube for the higher velocities and 2.) alloys. I have a fair amount of linotype on hand and was considering trying straight lino first.

Also, should I really slug the barrel on my model 70 winchester or can I assume that sizing to .278 would be sufficient?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Jason

[runfiverun]

i just waterdrop ww's and a soft lead mix usually 3-1 and maybe some tin for my rifle stuff.
powders from 2400 through the mediums 4895 or so do pretty well.
with the medium rifle powders i use a filler and keep velocities in the 1900 range or so.
with the pistol powders like 2400 i use a pistol primer.
good luck finding gas checks.
i'd see if 279 was an option [as poured from the mold] before buying a sizer.
most lubes will do okay the one you are using now should be fine.
b.a.c. has held up well up to 2200 or so for me.

[BCB]

The following with the Lyman 280642 (150 grainer gas check design sized to 0.278”))

11.5 grains Trail Boss @ 1219 fps
12.0 grains Trail Boss @ 1234 fps

20.0 grains XMP 5744 @ 1667 fps

The following with the Lyman 287346 (135 grainer…A 7mm boolit sized to 0.278”)

12.5 grains of Trail Boss @ 1338 fps
20.0 grains XMP 5744 @ 1810 fps

The 287346 with 20.0 grains of XMP-5744 is the most accurate with 10-shot groups at 100 yards often staying very close to 1.0 inch, but 1.25 is the norm as there is always a “pull” or a flyer—who knows which!...

I don’t know what the mold is that you have but some of the listed data may help get you started. Safe in mine—don’t know about yours…

Gas checks for the 270 calibers are beginning to get difficult to find, or at least I don’t see them listed in catalogs. That is one advantage to taking the 287346 and sizing it down. I use a 7mm check and they seem to be more available…

I shoot just plain ol’ wheel weights. Sometimes I do add a bit of tin/antimony solder to help it flow better…

I use White Label Lube—Carnauba Red. I use it for everything I size in the Lube-O-Matic as it just makes things easier and it seems to work at low velocity as well as high velocities…

Be careful with Trail Boss as it seems to be a bit controversial as to reloading data. SR-4759 is another good choice—you can probably find data for that powder. And, over 2000 fps seemed to be the end of accuracy. 1810 fps worked the best for me…

I wouldn't worry about slugging the barrel. Just load them up and let them fly! If accuracy is not acceptable, well then you will need to decide what to do next...

Good-luck…BCB

[jason]

Thanks for the feedback. I have plenty of loading data for that specific boolit from an older Lyman manual (#46). Depending upon the alloy I think I can expect a 125-130 grain boolit. I'll try using my current soft lube first.

[jason]

On the matter of gas checks I was able to find them online - if all else fails you can still can get them from Hornady direct.

[ktw]

I have done some work with 280468 and Red Dot. 10-10.5 grains gives me 1500-1600 fps.

The following is a list of published load data I compiled from a variety of sources.

Source Bullet Powder Charge Muz Vel Pressure
115 Gr
Ly #45 Ly280468 Red Dot 12.0 1716 33500
Ly #45 Ly280468 Red Dot 14.0 1890 40700 (max)
Ly #42 Ly280468 Unique 9.0 1500
Ly #45 Ly280468 Unique 13.0 1836 31000
OConnor Ly280468 Unique 15.0 1826
OConnor Ly280468 Unique 15.5 1986
Ly #45 Ly280468 Unique 15.7 2057 39900 (max)
Ly #42 Ly280468 2400 13.0 1500
OConnor Ly280468 2400 13.0 1428
OConnor Ly280468 2400 14.0 1630
Ly #42 Ly280468 4227 15.0 1600
OConnor Ly280468 4227 15.0 1612
OConnor Ly280468 4227 16.0 1720
Ly #42 Ly280468 4198 19.0 1750
OConnor Ly280468 4895 22.0 1885
OConnor Ly280468 4895 24.0 2128
Ly #42 Ly280468 4895 24.0 2085
Ly #42 Ly280468 3031 24.0 2085
Ly CBH3 Ly280468 I-3031 35.2 2162 20200
Ly CBH3 Ly280468 I-3031 44.0 2892 43000 (max)

130 Gr
Ly #45 Ly280473 Red Dot 11.0 1587 29400 (accuracy load)
Ly #45 Ly280473 Red Dot 13.5 1780 39400 (max)
Ly #42 Ly280473 Unique 8.0 1375
Ly #45 Ly280473 Unique 12.0 1698 28200
OConnor Ly280473 Unique 13.0 1712
OConnor Ly280473 Unique 13.5 1770
Crmchl Lee125R Unique 15.0 1841
Ly #45 Le280473 Unique 15.5 1894 39400 (max)
OConnor Ly280473 2400 16.0 1532
OConnor Ly280473 2400 16.5 1597
Hndldr NEI 130 2400 16.5-20.0
Hndldr NEI 130 I-4227 22.0-24.5
Ly #42 Ly280473 4198 18.0 1545
Hndldr NEI 130 I-4198 26.0 2212
Hndldr NEI 130 I-4198 27.5 2367
OConnor Ly280473 4895 24.0 1685
OConnor Ly280473 4895 25.0 1735
Ly #42 Ly280473 4895 25.0 1850
Ly #42 Ly280473 I-3031 24.0 1814
Hndldr NEI 130 I-3031 30.0 2150
Ly CBH3 Ly280473 I-3031 31.0 2185 19900
Hndldr NEI 130 I-3031 33.0 2345
Ly CBH3 Ly280473 I-3031 42.8 2914 48900 (max)
Hndldr NEI 130 I-4064 40.0 2567
Hndldr NEI 130 I-4064 43.0 2698
Hndldr NEI 130 I-4350 51.0 2860
Hndldr NEI 130 I-4350 52.0 2922

140 Gr
OConnor Ly280412 Unique 12.0 1581
OConnor Ly280412 Unique 13.0 1654
OConnor Ly280412 2400 16.0 1495
OConnor Ly280412 2400 17.0 1620
OConnor Ly280412 4895 25.0 1712
OConnor Ly280412 4895 26.0 1765

150 Gr
Ly CBH3 Ly287405 Red Dot 10.5 1405 (280 Rem data)
Ly CBH3 Ly287405 Red Dot 15.0 1710 (280 Rem data)
Ly CBH3 Ly287405 Unique 11.5 1440 (280 Rem data)
Ly CBH3 Ly280642 Unique 12.0 1519 26300
Crmchl 27-150SP Unique 12.0 1477
Crmchl 27-150SP Unique 14.0 1589
Ly CBH3 Ly287405 Unique 16.5 1785 (280 Rem data)
Ly CBH3 Ly280642 Unique 19.0 2025 48200 (max)
Ly CBH3 Ly280642 XMP-5744 18.0 1685 22300
Ly CBH3 Ly280642 XMP-5744 24.5 2059 33900 (max)
Crmchl 27-150SP H414 45.0 2416


-ktw

[Calamity Jake]

My load my Rem 700 270------

[jason]

ktw - thanks for the comprehensive responses
Calamity Jake - hopefully mine will shoot like yours

[ktw]

1.) recommendations on lube for the higher velocities and 2.) alloys. I have a fair amount of linotype on hand and was considering trying straight lino first.

I have played a little bit with 280468 and RCBS 27-150-SP. I have molds for 280473, 287405 and RCBS 27-130-FN but haven't gotten around to doing much with them to date. It's been a low priority project and I'm not retired yet.

I only cast in straight wheelweight alloys, with maybe a little tin on rare occasions. If I don't plan to exceed 1600 fps I shoot them that way (air cooled). If I'm looking for higher velocities I oven-heat treat for a BHN in the mid 20's. I find that's been hard enough for rifle work in the 2000-2500 fps range without going to the expense of using Linotype.

I only use three lubes:
1) NRA 50-50 (LARS/Whitelable version of it) for handgun cartridges, and a few rifle like 38-55.
2) Bullshop Speed Green for most rifle cartridges and
3) Lee Liquid Alox for some bulk handgun/rifle plinkers and when smokeless paper patching

One of the higher velocity Whitelable lubes should also serve you well

Also, should I really slug the barrel on my model 70 winchester or can I assume that sizing to .278 would be sufficient?

Any advice would be appreciated.

The barrels in this cartridge should be be fairly uniform. Throats, however, may vary. I have a newer Ruger 1B that prefers them sized at .278. I have an older Ruger M77 with a longer throat that will chamber them at .280.

In my experience, many of the old lyman 270 molds throw large, some as large as .284. I don't get much more than .278 out of my RCBS molds.

-ktw

[HORNET]

jason, you might want to try casting a few boolits out of that mold and measuring them before you run a bunch of them. As ktw mentioned, some of those molds will cast very large, which might affect what you want to do. The 280473 is basically the .270's version of the 311413 Squibb boolit and tends to get whimsical if you try to push it much harder than 1600 fps or so. I run mine out of WW+2% tin which gives a cast diameter of .282. I seat gas checks and do an initial sizing without lubing in a .281 die. I then do a final size and lube at .277 for my old Ruger #1B. This lets me set the overall length out to get a good rifling impression on the nose to help center it. If I try just sizing to .277 and seating the GC in one pass, it deforms the nose. It seems to like WLP primers with 15.0 grains of SR-4759 and a tuft of Dacron about the size of a .357 case. Not fast, but pretty accurate.

[jason]

Some great ideas here. Speed isn't a big concern but accuracy is for the intended purpose. I appreciate all the replies. Having access to all of this knowledge certainly shortens the learning curve.

Now if only I can hoard enough lead to get me through a few years before it's outlawed altogether or I have to pay through the nose to get it. I'd hate to be an addict on the street panhandling for illegal wheelweights.