Tikka T3 .270 with 130gn interlocks

I recently started reloading and have settled on a combo of AR2209 (H4350) plus Remington large rifle primers (what I could get my hand on at the time) along with Hornady interlock 130gn SP. Running a relatively mild charge of 53.5 gn. Yesterday I got a couple of pretty consistent groups around the 1 inch mark and and slightly under. COL is the book value which seems to work will in my chamber for these. Should I he chasing anything more from this projectile in the form of accuracy or quit while I'm ahead with my current set up. Advice from you lot who are more experienced than me is greatly appreciated.

Attachment 260693

That's a healthy group. At 270 ranges of say 400 you'll be sweet. Happy hunting mate.

Crikey how could you be unhappy with that group. Wicked.

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Originally Posted by TeRei

Crikey how could you be unhappy with that group. Wicked.

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I'm Stoked with it mate, based on my shooting ability and reloading skills I think I should be haha. Just wondering if there is more that can be squeezed out of that pill. To be honest at this stage I'm leaning towards settling on that and being done

What distance was that target?

Greetings @Westie,
A good load but perhaps not that mild. Based on the Hodgden/ ADI data it should produce 2,900 to 2,950 fps assuming that the barrel length is 22 or 24 inches respectively. There have been some speed changes with AR2209/ H4350 so would be helpful if you can get it chronographed to see what speed you are getting and validate your pressure.
Regards Grandpamac.

@grandpamac, thanks for the heads up. I have been using the Hornady 10th edition for my data, it states that the max 55.3gn is the max load.

Chrono is next on the shopping list.

That's a pretty good group, I'd just go and shoot things. You'll spend a lot of time and money trying to get better and probably find yourself back at this load anyway.

I would just use it as is it will get you experience and trigger time at a reasonable cost.

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Originally Posted by Jhon

What distance was that target?

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@Jhon it was at the 100m

Greetings @Westie,
Looking through some of the data for the 130 grain and 55 to 55.5 grains of AR2209/ H4350 and IMR4350 for that matter seem to be the go to in the .270. The initial Hodgdon data of 54.3 grains of H4350 with the 130 grain Hornady seems to be an outlier perhaps from the earlier H4350 made by Nobels. Data from the intrepid years, prior to 1980, runs even hotter but we should leave that data to history when even the book data was dodgy.
Regards Grandpamac.

For example, Im running 54gr and getting around 3150fps with a 130gr projectile, 24 inch barrel and 2209

But if I was consistently getting groups like that and 2900fps I would have been happy too.

How are you using the rifle? If it was me Id be zeroing 75mm high at 100 and then working out my drop at 300 and 400 and then go hunting.

A wise man once said if you have a good a accurate group.DONT FUCK AROUND WITH IT..... Leave it alone.its good enough.if after year or two you want to tootoo with it.yeah ok.but leave it alone and just shoot stuff for now.

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Originally Posted by whanahuia

For example, Im running 54gr and getting around 3150fps with a 130gr projectile, 24 inch barrel and 2209

But if I was consistently getting groups like that and 2900fps I would have been happy too.

How are you using the rifle? If it was me Id be zeroing 75mm high at 100 and then working out my drop at 300 and 400 and then go hunting.

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@whanahuia at this stage it has just been on paper, I plan on using it basically for my all round hunting rig. I have yet to Chrono the load but I have an Zeiss ASV scope so once I get the velocity I can print out a dope card and I should be sorted out to about 3-400m, not that I would be comfortable shooting that distance yet in terms of ethics

I'm going to make that really easy for you...75mm/3" at hundy is going to be very close to spot on at 270 yards and will be 4" low at 350 give or take .... Try it and see. You will be surprised in a good way. And unless you using a rangefinder your going to be best guessing anyway,so hold on vitals to 270ish ,lift a little bit higher on shoulder if think 300 ish and backbone hold if think 350ish. It don't get much more simple than that... For simpleton like myself,simple is good.being able to do this is most of the reason the .270w was so popular before rangefinders were a common thing.

Without using a chrony or any special gear I did a drop test with my 20" 270 with DPT overbarrel suppressor shooting 130g federal powershok.
2.5" high at 100m, 1" high at 200m and 7" low at 300 was what I got.
Getting out and shooting some paper at these ranges really helps your confidence.
Once I knew these drops I shot a yearling tahr at 320m with a 3-9 vx1 scope, no dailing just judge correct height over and shoot.

Greetings @Westie and all,
One of the advantages of being an aging retiree (and those advantages are in short supply) is that you have time to follow things that interest you more. Today that was fossicking through some old .270 handloading data to see what had changed over the last 50 years. For this exercise I treated AR2209, H4350 and IMR4350 as the same powder as today they are pretty close. For IMR4350 and the 130 grain projectile in the .270 the answer was not much change. The vast majority of the data gave loads from 55 to 56 grains with most of the outliers way back in the past. Velocities were in the 3.050 fps to 3,150 fps in spite of varying barrel length (22" to 26"). Not bad for a cartridge that has been with us for about a century.
Regards Grandpamac.

@grandpamac thanks a million. I may try to work up some loads with a higher charge just to see the results as curiousity seems to get the better of me white often. If I Chrono the current load (53.5gn of AR2209) I will report back here with the findings