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Howdy folks,
I,m making ready a rifle -I need some trusted data on the sierra gameking 130 gr.
I have imr and h 4831-h 1000, h 380 and imr 7828 and most all primers etc. and some other powders. Anybody have afavorite load for a 130 g? 270 rem cdl 24" brl.
Thanks,
RC
Personally, after 35 years experience working up loads for hundreds of different rifles, I think the whole concept of "pet loads" is a pile of fertilizer. Every rifle is different. Each barrel is different, the steels are different, the chambers are different, each lot of brass is different and each brand of it has slightly different dimensions/volumes, every lot of powder and of primers is slightly different, and each brand and kind of bullet is made from different alloys. What has worked in any of the dozen .270's I have loaded for (and ALL of them have different preferences) won't necessarily work in yours. I do, however, find Sierras bullets to be on average more accurate than others, but not every rifle agrees. The only opinion that matters is YOUR rifle's, and the only way to find out is to do the testing. There are no shortcuts, but sometimes you do get lucky with your choices and get a decent load without too much testing and cash outlay for components. I think you have a good bullet to start with and a good selection of powders to try. With a new-to-me rifle, I choose a slow, medium, and a fast powder from the table for initial testing and will also give other appropriate powders that I happen to have on hand a try, too, especially if the barrel shows a preference for a particular brand and weight of bullet. Don't overlook IMR 3031, 4064, and 4895 - 3031 in particular has been a favorite with those bullets in several rifles I have tested for.
The biggest problem I have with the whole concept of pet loads is that far too many new loaders are willing to take shortcuts without working up from starting loads. "Joe" uses this load in his rifle, so it must be accurate and safe in mine. The reality is that often neither is true. The whole concept of a MAX load is far too often assumed to be whatever is listed in the manual on hand, and nothing could be farther from the truth. Each rifle has its own MAX with any given combination of components, and quite often that MAX is far lower than what is listed. This is most easily illustrated if you have access to large quantities of range brass for rifles. Looking at fired factory cases in the brass bucket, one often finds flattened and sometimes cratered or even pierced primers, all signs that the load was overpressure, sometimes way overpressure in the rifle in which it was fired. How many times have you seen someone at the range struggling to open the bolt in his rifle saying something like, "I don't understand, I'm shooting FACTORY AMMO." And you better believe the factories are more than a little bit concerned with liability. So, if even supposedly "safe" factory ammo is problematic in many production rifles, what does that say about handloads put together with a much, much wider variety of components? There is no safe substitute for working up each load from start every time you change components.
On rare occasions, after testing, you do find that a certain pet load works really well in your rifle. Amazing when it happens. So, what use are pet loads? They can tell you what powders many shooters have had good luck with when firing the same weight bullet from the same twist barrel, and may save you some time and money when choosing which powders to start your testing with. But they are never safe shortcuts.
I will never get on anyone's case here for posting a pet load, but I will periodically post this warning because a lot of novice loaders come here looking for data to start with. When specifically asked my advice I will offer the powder(s) and bullet(s) that have worked well for me when loading that cartridge. I never post charge weights because they are ALWAYS different for each rifle and every load must be worked up from start for safety.
Thanks for the reality of loading-you are completly right to me-I,m not really looking for a big shortcut-I have just never loaded for this round-I,m a 7 mag guy-this is for my wife,I have reserched this old tried and true round, it seems {from much print} that the 270 isnt unusally
difficult to load for to an acceptable level. I load first for accuracy-always have-I hate ugly groupes-Spent the weekend on 4 boxes of brass as I have yet to recieve bullets.I have all but the new Sierra manual- Would you say to actually begin @ the lowest printed volumn of charge in the manuals? I welcome your opinion.
Thanks
always start low and work up..
i, like versifier, target a velocity and work at it with a couple of different powders.
but 4831 and rl-19 have proven to be two of my favorite powders in the x57 and 0-6 cases.
even if i have to weigh each and every load.
Yes, I always start with a minimum charge and work up from there, even if groups with other powders seem to tighten up at higher velocities. Quite aside from the very real safety considerations, with some rifles (not all, but I own more than one), the lowest charge is the most accurate. Others definitely like hotter loads best. How can you tell without actually testing? Someone else's rifle isn't going to tell you anything. Even if you just shoot three minimum charge shots at 100yds to measure the group and look at the fired primers, it will tell you what the rifle likes.... or doesn't like. I also load for accuracy and have yet to meet the dead deer that can tell the difference in 200fps mv. Even at a lower velocity, that tighter group gives me a lot more confidence, and if I miss, I know I can't blame the rifle.....
How did it do with factory rounds? What did the fired primers look like?
This rifle is still a virgin-not one shot has been fired-the range is 70 mi. from here,
I will start @ the beginning with handloads-I agree with your accuracy views,I love to shoot em right behind the ear and hope to instill this confidence in the wife- A friend gave me the brass-Now I will start @ min. load-Way back when I started the fella who taught me was a weatherby fanatic and they always loaded
right @ max and went up from there till bullets sprayed-Yes-I did{with his help}
ruin a good 7 mag-we printed letters into the boltface with an overly hot load-purly on accident-cracked the bolt handle tapping it open- So...Safty is first!
I only have the 130 gamekings coming for now-have dillengently prepped the brass-trimmed, polished, p-pks uniformed-miked out etc-I put win. wlr primers
in and am ready to load-your suggestions are very welcome.
The rifle is a rem. cdl -new ,m
RC
I always preferred the 140's to the 130's but for your wife the 130 may be better recoil wise and certainly just as effective in most situations. In my experience with anything between 130gr and 150 gr. if your rifle does not shoot well with H4350, H4831, Rl19 or Rl22 there is a problem somewhere.
Kevin