I found the sweet round!!

[MaddBaggins]

I reload my own rifle cartridges and have been for a number of years. I recently picked up something new for my .270win. Sierra 135gr hollow point boattail matchking. Sierra doesn't recommend this round for hunting because match bullets have a thin copper jacket and will basically disintegrate at close ranges (100-200yds) and may not bring down the game. These bullets are designed for the utmost accuracy. At long ranges (300-500) they will mushroom good enough to take out a whitetail.

I loaded these with 57.5gr of RL22 powder, Federal small rifle primers and used Remington brass. I fired them for the first time today.
2950fps average muzzle velocity
6 rounds out of 8 were inside a 2" square at 100yds
at 350yds I was blowing up 5" diameter targets on the second shot.

This was with an off the shelf Ruger M77 MK II ultralight that I've had for about 10yrs.

I'm quite impressed with this round and plan to reload a bunch more of these. They are quite accurate and consistent.

 

[silvergrand]

That combo makes your 270 big game rifle a great long range coyote rifle. You may have to do some stitching on shots under 200 yards. Good luck!

 

[MaddBaggins]

That combo makes your 270 big game rifle a great long range coyote rifle. You may have to do some stitching on shots under 200 yards. Good luck!

Yeah, I only plan on using this round for long range shots, which is actually quite common out here for whitetail. It's kinda rare out here to get whitetail under 200yds. Very wary little buggers and easy to spook.

I know that.270 is a big game rifle, but I kinda chuckled at your statement. My .270 is my little rifle. My other is a .338 win mag. I'm using Sierra 215gr spire point boattail for it. I'm getting OK groups. I loaded some more today and backed off the powder a little. I was at the upper limit. I want to see if a reduced charge will give a better group.

 

[silvergrand]

Here in Indiana, a 200 yard shot if very rare! Funny deer firearms rules here: Can not use centerfire rifles for deer...only handgun calibers in a rifle or shotgun with a slug (includes a .410), handguns larger than 357 with no uppoer limit (a .375 in a handgun is o.k.)m muzzler loaders larger than .45 and muzzleloading handgun larger than .45 with at least a 18" barrel.
On the other hand i can use anything to take a coyote or varmit...50BMG or maybe a flameflower!! Mmmmmmm

 

[MaddBaggins]

I get the feeling you reload as well. Do you ever moly-coat and have you ever used Tubbs bore finish kit? I've been moly-coating mine for years. It's a friction reducer. It helps reduce copper fouling of the barrel and has a small increase in muzzle velocity.
I haven't used Tubbs kit and I don't know anyone who has, but it sounds like a good system. Tubbs kit link

 

[silvergrand]

No I don't reload but many of my friends do reload. I have been shooting moly-coated rounds for years out of my 220 Swift. If I have time to reload I have time to shoot, be it a gun, a bow, time, etc... Ha Ha

 

[MaddBaggins]

Out here, big game is by lottery. Deer is centerfire, muzzleloader or archery. Elk is the same and Javelina are by centerfire or H.A.M. (handgun, archery, muzzleloader). I've got an Elk tag for this winter :wings:


Anyone else here reload?

 

[Ridgewalker]

Reloader here.

Yes I reload and for some 40+ years (shotgun, rifle, pistol). Things have changed quite a bit in those years. Manuals have backed off; bullets have improved substantially; powders have somewhat improved; some of the best writers are no longer with us; etc.

I currently reload for .223, 30-06, .243, .38/.357, .45, 20 ga and 12 ga. In the past I have loaded 16 ga, .222, 25-06, 22-250, 9mm, .300 Win Mag, 30-30 and I think I have forgotten some.

Never reloaded moly coated bullets. I am suppose to help a friend do this with his target 300 Win Mag some time though. I have heard you need to really clean the bores well after using the moly coat...something about corrosion? Maybe you can enlighten me on this.

 

[silvergrand]

I'm a bit of cleaning nut when it comes to my equipment so I may not be the best one to ask. I've had no build up in my 220 with 50 grain loads to date.

I did submit for the KY Elk Hunt this fall. Didn't get one! KY has the largest free roaming herd east of the Mississippi with over 6500 in the state. In Indiana we have so many deer that in some counties with all the extra tags you can purchase, a hunter could take over 8 whitetails. We also have so many geese that a hunter could litterally be buried under all the geese they could take with the early season (5 per day), regular season (2) per day and the bonus late season (5 per day).:REOutShootinghunter

 

[MaddBaggins]

Yes I reload and for some 40+ years (shotgun, rifle, pistol). Things have changed quite a bit in those years. Manuals have backed off; bullets have improved substantially; powders have somewhat improved; some of the best writers are no longer with us; etc.

I currently reload for .223, 30-06, .243, .38/.357, .45, 20 ga and 12 ga. In the past I have loaded 16 ga, .222, 25-06, 22-250, 9mm, .300 Win Mag, 30-30 and I think I have forgotten some.

Never reloaded moly coated bullets. I am suppose to help a friend do this with his target 300 Win Mag some time though. I have heard you need to really clean the bores well after using the moly coat...something about corrosion? Maybe you can enlighten me on this.

Moly is not a corrosive compound. It is an excellent friction reducer in sliding applications. When I was in the Navy, moly was spec in all the greases we used on radars. Moly fortified grease is the spec grease for birfield joints in 80 series cruisers and is the best grease for the slip yoke of the driveshaft. All of those are sliding applications. Moly sticks to the surface and thats where it provides it's benefit.
In reloading, if you are trying to get your cleaning patches to show clean, then yes moly is a ***** to clean out. When I use moly bullets, I don't try to get the bore shiny clean. I run a couple patches thru with cleaning solution, then 2-3 dry patches then a final patch with a light gun oil. Some moly is left behind and thats fine. If I shoot a bunch of uncoated bullets next time, the moly will get worn out. Then of course I will have to take extra care to clean out all of the copper fouling. I had been using it for a while, when I did some research on a couple "sniper" and competition type forums. Many of those guys swear by it, and they take their reloading and shooting VERY seriously.

I reload .270, .338 and .38/.357. I've never loaded shotgun.

edit: BTW, what I learned on the shooting forums. You don't have to find a moly kit. You can buy molybenum disulfide compound from Dow Corning and use small plastic peanut butter jars, taped shut, in your tumbler. First, clean the bullets in a solution ( I use isopropyl alcohol), dry them, then put them in the jars and tumble for appx 2 hours. Pat them between paper towels, save the left over moly and put the bullets back into their container until you are ready to load. Careful trying to coat ballistic tip bullets. The tip may be damaged during tumbling. Try to fill the jar with bullets so they cant beat each other up in the tumbling process. AND moly powder is messy. Careful.

Oh and you're right about manuals having backed off. I compared a friends 20 yr old manuals to the ones I have today. Big difference. They have all gotten a lot more conservative in todays litigious society.

 

[MaddBaggins]

check out sites like Jarheadtop and Snipers Paradise and Midway for some good info from experts.

 

[ECVMatt]

Nothing like finding a good load for your rifle...

I enjoy that as much as I enjoy shooting.

Take care,

Matt