Powder Recommendations? .243 and .270

otisrush · Dec 7, 2016

I've been loading .223 and some pistol calibers for a few years. Now I'm venturing into .270 and .243.

The .270 will be shot from an (old) Rem 700 ADL. Not totally sure on barrel length....24" I would assume?

The .243 will be shot from a new Rem 700 BDL. It's a varmint config - 26" bull barrel.

Neither of these will be for actual hunting. I'll be doing gong shooting at 200-500 yds. I prefer ball powders - as they work so well in my Uniflow.

I picked up a pound of H380 because my LGS had some. I loaded up a small handful of .270 rounds with it and they went bang, but I haven't done any real load development. I'm just curious to hear if people have favorite powders they use for either of these calibers.

Thanks.

OR

Charlie Foxtrott · Dec 7, 2016

I am not sure if you can run it with light bullets.

But I have an Accuracy International rifle chambered in .243 Win. I have it set up with a fast twist to run 115 grain Sierra DTACS out of it. I am using H-1000 powder as it runs really well for this round and it is not a barrel burner. Apparently it runs a little cooler than some of the other powders that have been used for this round traditionally, plenty accurate as well.

patrickd · Dec 7, 2016

I've never loaded the 243W, but for the 270 Win you cannot go wrong with IMR 4064 it is great for the 270 and 3006 it's not ball powder but will give a near full case and very accurate in the 270.

GavinLee · Dec 7, 2016

.243 - .270 powder

Alliant RL-19 is a great powder in the .270 Winchester, meters very good and should work fine in the .243 unless the bullets are really light. It seems to be fairly available at this time.
GavinLee

STORMINORMAN · Dec 7, 2016

Hodgdons has an IMR 4064 load published for almost every bullet weight for both 243 & 270 Winchester & with a dozen more for 223...

This might be a good place to start?

Cheers!

p.s. That's IMR 4064: SORRY FOR THE ERROR

Jdavis · Dec 7, 2016

I don't load for the 243 but have loaded a great deal for the .270 Win. I have not used a ball powder that could measure up to H4831 or IMR4831 (they are not the same powder) in my .270 rifles. I also like IMR 4064 in this caliber. For me, not using a volume type power measure isn't an issue for .270 due to the lower volume loaded compared to handgun cartridges.

Amp · Dec 7, 2016

4064 works in .243 across the weights of bullets

Ole Joe Clark · Dec 7, 2016

4895 or 4350 works good for me.

growr · Dec 7, 2016

Any of the medium burn rate powders would be a good choice. My favorite in MY .243 and several .308's/30-06's is IMR-4895, as far as a ball powder I have used many lbs. of AA2520, H335 and WW748.

Randy

arjay · Dec 7, 2016

I found IMR 4350 very useful in 243 and 30-06,but you need to use a trickler along with a powder measure.

Eddie Southgate · Dec 7, 2016

Not a ball powder but I been shooting Imr 4320 in .243 for 46 years and never felt the need to use any other. I shoot 34.5 grains with a 100 grain bullet . It will kill anything you need to kill including gongs at the range you mentioned and is easy on your barrel. It will run around 2694 fps at 43,700 CUP. A max load of the same would be 39 grains at a hair over 3000 fps but pressure goes up to 52,800 CUP. Never shot the hot load because I never have needed it . The 34.5 has been extremely accurate in every gun I have ever shot it in and I have never needed a second shot to drop my deer with it. Both of my sons use the same load with the same results. It is from Lyman manual #45 from 1970 . I like the old flat base Nosler bullet in 100 grain . I bought 2000 of them years ago and just loaded the last 100 last october. I have killed 2 deer and 5 Coyote since and still have 93 loaded rounds.

Eddie

ArchAngelCD · Dec 7, 2016

While there is a wide range of powders that "will" work the slower powders seem to work best. The go to powder is usually 4831 and will work well in both. Since yo want a ball powder you might give W760/H414 a try. While not quite as slow and more like 4350 it will still work well and is a Ball powder.

If you want to try one of the 4 new IMR Enduron powders IMR4955 is probably the one to try first but I have not used any of the new Enduron powders yet.

Are you sure you want to users Ball powder? There are many better choices with Extruded powders, many are short cut now and meter well. H4831SC is one of them and Ramshot Hunter is another.

gregintenn · Dec 7, 2016

If you're stuck on ball powder, and I don't know why you would be, Winchester 760 would work in both.

Cdog · Dec 7, 2016

I'm also a fan of Reloader 19.

It meters very well, provides good load densities and for me has delivered exceptional accuracy with both calibers.

Nevada Ed · Dec 7, 2016

Only Ball powder my 270 liked was the slower w760 and H414
which are the same.
I could not get a good target or factory loading, from either.

However a 130gr shot very well with a light load of IMR 4831
with a cci 250 primer, doing 2700 fps.

I will also give IMR 4064 a nod for target and full loads with a 130gr bullet, for top accuracy.

Good luck.

LittleCooner · Dec 7, 2016

I have shot a lot of H414 over the years, because of the ball powder and very uniform throw in a powder measure. Mostly hunting load and accuracy ok. For the long range stuff, I have had great results with the H4831SC in some of the guns I play with for long range. One big hint - no matter what power you use, get a beam scale or super accurate digital and a trickler. Shooting steel at 500 yards, exact amounts of power in each case is a requirement for extreme accuracy. I have an old ohaus 10-10 scale that i have used for 30+ years. I can actually see one single grain of the 4831sc on the scale beam. You need powders that provide the smallest standard deviation in speed and that exact power weight to keep out the vertical at long range. Depending on your bullet weight and twist but the VV powders in the VV 150 and VV 160 are head and shoulders above a lot of them for small SD results. My SD on the H4831SC is there in some of my loads for a 250 Savage AI and a 284 Winchester that I play with at long range.

Rpg · Dec 7, 2016

I've used 4831 in the 270 for over 50 years.

Never found a reason to try anything else.

LittleCooner · Dec 7, 2016

Its, kind of off topic, but though I would put in a recommendation for the 243. That is one super accurate long range round. If you are going to shoot steel at long range, I would make a recommendation to go ahead and spend the money to buy a 100 pieces of Lapua 243 brass and try two different bullets in you gun, which should be a 1:9.125 barrel. Pick up some Berger 90 grain match and some Sierra 95 grain Tipped Matchkings. Load both bullets, just touching the lands and start you play with powders. I think you will be surprised at the long range groups This long range stuff is addicting, but a lot of fun. Do not be surprised at 2 to 3 inch groups at 500 yards from the bench if everything else is working

Skeet 028 · Dec 7, 2016

Not a Ball powder but I have used over 200 lbs of H 4831(mostly surplus) in the 243, 25-06 257 AI and 270 Win. 90-100 gr bullets in both the 243 and 25-06..130s in the 270. Usually very accurate and most of the useable velocity you can get with the 243 and 270. approx 60 gr was J O'Connors load with the 130. 760 works well but not as accurate usually

Rogeronimo · Dec 7, 2016

Norma 204 & MRP will do the job. These are extruded, thus, can be compressed ... a big no-no with ball powders.

Powder Recommendations? .243 and .270

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