Anyone casting for the .270 Winchester?

[kingstrider]

Up until this point I've mainly thought of casting for my lever actions and handguns but am thinking of doing this for my Ruger M77 chambered in .270. Does anyone have experience with any of the available 270 molds and can you give a noob some pointers?

[ktw]

I have two 270's, a Ruger M77 and a Ruger #1.

The M77 is an older one with a very long throat. I haven't shot cast in it to date but I did slug the chamber and it appears that I get the best fit in it with the Lyman 287405 (a 7mm 150 gr loverin sized to .280).

I have been doing some cast work lately with the #1. This is a later vintage rifle with a shorter throat. I have been using Lyman 280468 and the RCBS 270-150-SP with some success.

My 280468 casts large at around .283". By the time I size it down to .278 there isn't much left in the way of lube grooves. This is a ligher boolit at around 118 gr and I have been using these primarily for light plinking loads in the 1300-1400 fps range with RedDot.

The RCBS 270-150-SP casts right a .278 and the nose bore-rides well in my rifle. To date I have taken it up to 2000 fps with a series of loads using H4198. I am getting very good accuracy (1 to 1.5 MOA) in the 1900-2000 fps range. The plan is to continue to increase velocity to the point where accuracy falls apart with H4198, then start over with a slower powder.

My primary alloy for this has been straight wheelweights. I don't water drop while casting and I discovered early on that it pays to oven heat treat most everything for the 270. For the #1 I have been
- sizing at .278 and gas checking without lubing (Lee push through die)
- oven heat treating (to ~24bhn)
- run them back through a lyman .278 die for lube

I have also gotten more serious about visual inspections and weight sorting bullets while working with this rifle.

-ktw

[Calamity Jake]

Try this on for size

http://photos.gunloads.com/images/CalamityJake/castinthe270.jpg


The 9 ring is 1 inch in diamater. The load data is on the target.

[GabbyM]

I notice while catalog browsing that TC offers their single shot rifle in 6.8 SPC (.277" bore).

Never read anything on cast bullets in that caliber. I can see where one may run into overall length issues with the magazine fed AR-15's but in a single shot you could always throat it out to fit what ever bullet you'd like. Since the 6.8 will push a 115gr bullet 2500fps with 52,000psi I'd think a case full of slow IMR powder behind a 130gr cast would give velocity around 2,000fps with pressure below 40,000 psi. Seams that would be easier than trying to get a 223 to shoot cast bullets. Killing power would be greatly increased over the 22's also.

The load data for the 6.8 REM SPC shows fast powders like 4198 and H322. Since for the size of the case it's a big bore. So I'd think Ramshot TAC or IMR 3031 would be slow powders for it.

I've an RCBS 150 grain mold for my Weatherby Vanguard. Pre Wall Mart era walnut stocked. It's a long nose bore rider so it may chamber right up in a single shot. Saeco is still listing their 140gr 270 which may be a better fit for the case.

For someone that owned a 6.8mm AR-15 and reloading dies for it. It may look attractive. Even if the cast boolits were a single shot load. The high power rifle guys load those long 223 bullets single shot all day long.

[felix]

I would enjoy the 6.8 SPC, but only with a circa 14 twist barrel. 130 grainer projectile would be even too much for my tastes. Some weight that will obtain 2400 fps maximum at circa 40K cup. Well, I just checked out the BC for the 110 grainer pointed jacketed, and found that it would require a 12 twist. ... felix

[GabbyM]

I hear what your saying felix.

I don't see any Lyman 277 bullets in my catalogs. While looking for them on Lymans website I notice their add for the 49th edition reloading manual has the 6.8 REM as on of the new cartridges now covered.

The single boolit Lyman currently list as available is the #280642 in 150 grain weight. It must be a new one. It has the lube groves in the nose. Not sure I'm sold on hand lubing bullet noses. They must list data for this 150 gr bullet in their new book. I'm sure it won't fit in an AR magazine but so what. I've a plastic follower for single shot loading the AR. Here is the link to Lyman's bullet list. http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/index.htm

Looked online two places and they don't list a Lyman mold but list RCBS 130gr Saeco 140gr and RCBS 150gr. Lyman wants $80 for one of their moulds ordered direct.

Guess if we want gas checks we'll have to oder them from Gator. If he has them. Since Hornady isn't making them right now. I've one box to hold me over.

[BCB]

GabbyM,

Those boolits are the 280642 and I have been casting them for at least ½ dozen years. The group is at 100 yards and is 10 shots. The load is 20 grains of XMP-5744 (about 1700 fps) and the rifle is a Remington 700 that I won at a gun raffle and it is topped with a 4x-12x Burris ‘scope. I heat treat the boolits in the oven and ice water quench.

Another boolit that shoots almost equally as well is the 287346 (135 grains) sized down to 0.278”.

The 270 Winchester is not a popular cast boolit cartridge, I don’t think, but I am a 270 man for nearly 40 years so I was glad when I tried cast. Good-luck…BCB

[GabbyM]

That's inspiring.

Just figured it out. My new Lyman cast bullet handbooks first printing was in 1980. In it's eleventh printing now. I guess for up to date info I'd need the reloading handbook. I've one of those but it was printed in the seventies.

[BCB]

GabbyM,

Here is a picture of the 287346's. The top ones are as cast, and the bottom ones have the .278 check applied and the bullet sized to 0.278. They have a double coat of Lee Liquid Alox. As you can see, the lube grooves as well as the seating groove become smaller when the boolit is sized down. I get about 1900 fps with these and the same charge of XMP-5744. I really never got good accuracy when I increased the velocity of either boolit. Good-luck...BCB

[jameslovesjammie]

BCB,

Could you measure the length of the two different styles of bullets you used? Also, how difficult was it to mash the .285 bullets down to .278? Was there a lot of resistance in your sizer?

According to an online twist calculator, at a velocity of around 2,000 fps with a standard 1 in 10 twist of the .270 and 6.8, a bullet length of around 1.25 inches should be used.

I am curious how long the RCBS 27-130-FN is as well.

[BCB]

jameslovesjammie,

The 287346, after sizing to 0.278 and with the check in place, is 0.9645". And the 280642, after the check is in place, is 1.1025". I suspect you will need to get a bullet that weighs at least 170 grains to get the 1.25" that you are looking for. I am not sure how accurate the Greenhill formula is when it comes to cast bullets at reduced speeds. Also, the 287346 is cast from wheel weights and I apply the check during the sizing process (naturally!) and it is not difficult to size at all. A bit of Lee Liquid Alox applied to every 5-7 boolit helps greatly. Good-luck...BCB

[jameslovesjammie]

Thanks BCB!

Just the info I was looking for!

James

[ktw]

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g232/ktwna/270-cast.jpg

From Left

1a) Lyman 280468 as cast (.282")
1b) Lyman 280468 gas checked and sized .278
1c) Lyman 280468 sized .278 and lubed

2) RCBS 270-130-FN
- have mold, haven't worked with the bullet to date

3) Lyman 280412-HP
- nose too small to bore ride, haven't had much luck getting this one to shoot

4a) RCBS 270-150-SP as cast
4b) RCBS 270-150-SP checked, sized .278, heat treated and lubed

5a) Lyman 287405 as cast (.285")
5b) Lyman 287405 checked, sized .278, heat treated and lubed
- I have been opening up 270 gas checks with a round headed screw and fitting them to these without problem.

----
RCBS 270-150-SP is the only one of these still in production. RCBS 270-130-FN may still be available as a special order mold. None of them are hard to find in the used mold market. I would like to try a Lyman 280473 someday, but haven't found a mold for it yet. I am willing to pass on my SC Lyman 280412-HP in the event someone else want to try it.

-ktw

[Boomer Mikey]

This is good stuff,

I have 2 Merrill pistols in my collection; a Rex Merrill and a Merrill XL pistol with one barrel in 270Max (357 Maximum case necked down to 270).

I've wondered what other bullets to try besides the RCBS 270-150 and you guys have re-kindled my interest in the 270. My use is for silhouette production standing... I used to use 357 Maximum or 30 Herrett but that's too much for me nowadays.

Maybe I'll be able to find the RCBS 130 somewhere; I also have a single box of Hornaday gas checks that will have to do until I can find some more. I wonder if Gator is going to make a run of 270's?

Thanks guys,

Boomer :Fire: