270wsm & 30-06

scottb

I am relatively new at reloading. I've been focused on perfecting 357mag and 223 rem loads and think I got them dialed in for my applications, but am going to start trying to perfect loads for my 270wsm and 30-06 springfield. Has anyone found powders that seemed to be well suited for these cartridges? Anyone have loads that worked well in model 70's? Or powders that didnt do as well as others?

Studebaker Hawk

I have not played with the WSMs as of yet, but with the venerable -06 you can't go wrong with IMR 4350. As you build experience and confidence in the -06 you will find that it will do a good job with about any bullet powder combination. That is one of the reasons it is better now than it was a century ago.
Since you already have a 270, I see no reason to use bullets of less than 180 grains in weight, and heavy bullets will turn in their best results with the various 4350s and 4831s.

nononsense

scottb,

If you've been busy perfecting your loads on the other two cartridges then you should have at least a couple of reloading manuals that you have been using. If not, you need to get two or three for your reloading bench. These books are the best place to start when we begin loading a new cartridge. Buy used ones if you can't afford new ones, just get the most current ones that you can locate. The WSM data will only be found in the most current manuals and on the internet.

A good place to start for the WSMs is www.shortmags.org website. There is an incredible amount of information for reloading the 30-06 and it can be gotten everywhere. All of the powder manufacturers and some of the bullet makers have reloading information on their websites.

I disagree with the idea of limiting the '06 to 180 gr. bullets and heavier. Part of the draw of the '06 is the great variety of bullet weights and therefore the types of shooting and hunting that you can pursue. Who cares if there's a little overlap in weights? Look at all of them and pick a couple to start with, then pick a couple more. You might find that your rifle will accommodate several different bullet weights with good accuracy.

Powders to use with the 30-06 should be:

Re-15
AA-4350
V V N-150
and maybe IMR-4350
Ramshot Hunter

Powders for the 270 WSM can be:

AA-4350 (light bullets only)
Re-19 (best in my opinion)
IMR / H-4831(sc)
V V N-165 (almost tied for best)

Best of luck.

roysclockgun

I have worked up loads for 30-06 using various propellants shown in the load data. All will work well if you begin with a moderate load and work up to what gives best MV, while maintaining best groups. Every time that I have gone too hot, the groups open up.
The load that I liked best in my Win. Mod. 70 std. weight with 24" barrel, was a Hornady 180grBTSP, 61gr of RL22, Win. std large rifle primers. This load provided consistant groups at 100 yds, off the bench, of under 1", with MV 10' from the muzzle of 2870fps.

Colonel Plink

I use RE19 in the 270WSM. Of the three or four powders I've tried, I get the best, most accuracy with it