Working up a 270 load for my dad...

[Magoo541]

So my dad lives in North Central Montana, aka BFE, and hunts everything from "goats" (antelope) to Elk (between him, mom and my brother they have 23 tags to fill this fall  ).  So he asks me if I could reload some rounds for him to hunt with, mostly 140-150 grain bullets maybe more for specific applications.  We discussed bullet manufacturers and being from Oregon I gravitated toward Nosler, he mentioned Barnes but is really open to whatever I feel like doing or can get my hands on and powder, primer, OAL, case prep etc is up to me.  He is more concerned with accuracy that velocity and tends to shoot out to 200 yards and not much more (because he doesn't have to I would guess) but I would like to stretch it out to see what it'll do  .  I'll have the rifle & dies, maybe his 30-06 and/or his .308 too, so I can actually take it out to the range and shoot it at known distances over a chronograph and work up loads there too.

Any suggestions?  How do you work up your loads?  Any particular sequence you follow religiously?  I have read a few and have my ideas but I figured I'd ask the wise ones how they do it, but they were busy so I figured I'd post here 

Thanks in advance.

Bryan

[Solus]

I've not reloaded for hunting, but for accuracy, so maybe I can help.

For each application, pick as many different bullet design/weights as you want to mess with....and as many powders as you want to mess with also.

I will take the range of power charges for each bullet weight/design and divide it into 5 loads (more or less, depending upon the spread from minimum to maximum.....and staying clear of both minimum and maximum to start.

I would then load at least 5 rounds at each point in the spread..so might get 25 rounds at each bullet weight/powder combination...then head to the range with the chrono...and a note book.

I would shoot at 100 yds  and shoot each group of loads from lowest charge to highest, watching for any signs of over pressurre along the way. 

Shoot for accuracy, but also with the chrono, look for the smallest spread in velocity....the most consistent velocity.

Examine the results for each set and you should be able to see if any range in the spread is most promising.  When you find it, zero in and make some rounds at various charges within that narrowed range...maybe 5 or 10 of these again...and back to the range to test for accuracy and consistency.  Repeat until you have the results you want....and you aren't having fun improving it any more.

Decide what accuracy you wish to achieve.  Under 1" at 100 yds might be possible, but you will spend a lot of time finding it and, no doubt, less accuracy will do for hunting....If you want 10" at 200yds, a minimum accuracy of 5" at 100 might be a goal...and that should be easy to improve upon with very little effort.

I tend to get into more exactness than is needed, so someone with more experience should be able to let you know what is actually needed.

Good Luck.

[MikeBjerum]

I hope this went well for you!  I didn't catch it until today, so I can't help you in advance.  However, I will add a my basic thought:

You are reloading for a generic gun - A gun not in your hands.  My first choice would be for bullets that match the game and distance being hunted.  Next I would stay close to factory specs.  OAL and bullet speed affects on accuracy are very gun specific.

Hope you had a good time and your folks are having good hunts!

[Magoo541]

I hope this went well for you!  I didn't catch it until today, so I can't help you in advance.  However, I will add a my basic thought:

You are reloading for a generic gun - A gun not in your hands.  My first choice would be for bullets that match the game and distance being hunted.  Next I would stay close to factory specs.  OAL and bullet speed affects on accuracy are very gun specific.

Hope you had a good time and your folks are having good hunts!

Just got the press mounted on 1/2" stainless plate and had to load some 45 for USPSA match next weekend, then my back went wonkers so I haven't got back to the bench-yet.  I am going to load up 500 rounds for my son for Christmas, who lives up by my parents and may just send some "generic" loads up with his stuff OR I may wait to see if my son comes down for Christmas and have my dad send his rifle with him.
I think my dad is good on ammo for this year but I think it would be cool to wring ever once of accuracy out of his rifle with a couple of differrent loads since this is his go to gun for most of his hunting.