V • RIFLE RELOADING DATA
270 Winchester
Test Specifications/
Components
Firearm Used: Savage Model 116
Barrel Length: 26"
Twist: 1 x 10"
Case: Winchester
Trim-to Length: 2.530"
Primer: Win WLR
Remarks:
In any list of the all-time favorite
American hunting cartridges, the 270
Winchester is always a strong con-
tender. Developed in 1923, the car-
tridge wasn’t actually introduced until
1925, when Winchester chambered it
in their Model 54 bolt-action rifle. Since
that time, the 270 has been cham-
bered in almost every action type by every major arms maker worldwide.
Despite its age and competition from several newer cartridges, the 270 is
very much alive and is still the quintessential cartridge for mule deer, sheep
and other “western” big game species.
The 270 Winchester is actually little more than the standard 30/06
Springfield, necked down to accept a .277" diameter bullet. The case has
been lengthened slightly, and headspace dimensions were altered somewhat.
However, these changes are minor and do not materially affect the capacity of
the parent case. The 270 earned its reputation with the 130 grain bullet, and
this is still the best choice for most big game hunting situations. Sierra offers
.277" diameter bullets ranging from 90 to 150 grains, allowing the handloader
to tailor his loads to anything from prairie dogs to elk. Versatility like this is
what wins fans among shooters, and the 270 has always had its share.
One ardent proponent of the 270 was the late Jack O’Connor, one of our
most renowned American gun writers. O’Connor used the 270 to take a wide
variety of big game species around the world and is probably the one writer
most responsible for the 270’s popularity. Another well-known admirer was Col.
Townsend Whelen, who considered the 270 to be one of the finest cartridges
for big game hunting in the United States. He had good reason. The 270 com-
bines flat trajectory, accuracy and mild recoil in one attractive package and
remains one of our premier hunting cartridges for North American big game.
403
RELOADING MANUAL • 5TH EDITION
270 Winchester continued
#1800 .277" 90 gr. HP
C.O.A.L. 3.200"
Powder /Velocity 3100 3200 3300 3400 3500 3600
IMR-4895 46.0 47.5 49.0 50.4 51.9
Varget 45.9 47.7 49.5
IMR-4064 46.8 48.3 49.8 51.3 52.8
AA-4064 46.8 48.6 50.4 52.2 54.0
IMR-4320 48.2 49.7 51.1 52.6 54.0
Viht N140 46.3 47.9 49.6 51.2 52.8
AA-2700 51.2 53.0 54.8 56.6
RE-15 45.6 47.4 49.2 51.0
H380 47.4 49.6 51.8 54.0 56.2
760 51.6 53.4 55.3 57.1 58.9
Viht N150 45.9 48.1 50.2 52.4
AA-4350 53.5 55.1 56.7 58.3
IMR-4350 54.1 55.5 56.8 58.2 59.5 60.9
RE-19 56.1 57.6 59.2 60.7 62.3 63.8
IMR-4831 56.7 58.1 59.6 61.0
AA-3100 58.2 59.8
H4831 SC 57.9 59.4 60.8 62.3
Energy/ft.lbs. 1920 2046 2176 2310 2448 2589
Powder Grains Velocity Ft. lbs.
Accuracy Load RE-15 49.2 3300 2176
Hunting Load IMR-4320 54.0 3500 2448
Cody Schafer of Beulah,
ND, is shown with his
170 class mule deer
taken in 1999 with a
Sierra 270 caliber, 110
grain SPT in his 270
Remington 700 BDL.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
404
V • RIFLE RELOADING DATA
270 Winchester continued
#1810 .277" 110 gr. SPT
C.O.A.L. 3.275"
Powder /Velocity 2800 2900 3000 3100 3200 3300
IMR-4895 40.6 42.6 44.6 46.5 48.5
Varget 41.8 43.7 45.6 47.5 49.4
IMR-4064 41.5 43.5 45.5 47.5 49.5
AA-4064 42.3 44.4 46.5 48.6 50.7
IMR-4320 42.3 44.4 46.5 48.6 50.7
AA-2700 49.0 52.2
RE15 41.6 43.6 45.6 47.6 49.6
H380 42.8 45.2 47.6 49.9 52.3
760 45.3 47.5 49.8 52.0 54.3 56.5
Viht N150 39.2 41.8 44.4 46.9 49.5
AA-4350 49.9 51.4 52.9 54.4 55.9 57.4
IMR-4350 48.3 50.1 51.8 53.6 55.3
RE-19 51.6 53.2 54.8 56.4 58.0 59.6
IMR-4831 50.5 52.4 54.4 56.3
AA-3100 53.2 54.6 56.0 57.4
H4831 SC 52.4 54.2 56.0 57.9 59.7 61.5
Viht N165 54.4 56.1 57.8 59.5 61.2 62.9
H1000 57.3 58.9 60.5 62.1
Energy/ft.lbs. 1915 2054 2198 2347 2501 2659
Powder Grains Velocity Ft. lbs.
Accuracy Load AA-4064 48.6 3100 2347
Hunting Load RE-19 59.6 3300 2659
Cody Schafer of Beulah, ND, is
shown with his 140 class white-
tail taken in 2000 with a Sierra
270 caliber, 110 gr. SPT in his
270 Remington 700 BDL.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
405
RELOADING MANUAL • 5TH EDITION
270 Winchester continued
#1820 .277" 130 gr. SBT
C.O.A.L. 3.300"
#1830 .277" 130 gr. SPT
C.O.A.L. 3.300"
#1833 .277" 135 gr. HPBT MatchKing
C.O.A.L. 3.340"
Powder /Velocity 2700 2800 2900 3000 3100
IMR-4895 43.2 45.2 47.1
Varget 41.1 43.7 46.3
IMR-4064 42.9 44.7 46.5 48.3
AA-4064 42.5 45.1 47.7
IMR-4320 43.6 45.5 47.5 49.4
AA-2700 47.7 49.7 51.7
H380 44.7 46.8 48.9
760 47.2 49.1 50.9 52.8
Viht N550 46.3 48.0 49.7 51.4
AA-4350 48.3 50.1 51.9 53.7 55.5
IMR-4350 48.2 49.9 51.6 53.3 55.0
RE-19 49.5 51.5 53.5
IMR-4831 50.7 52.3 54.0 55.6 57.2
AA-3100 52.5 54.1 55.7
H4831 SC 52.1 53.9 55.7 57.4 59.2
Viht N165 53.4 55.4 57.4 59.4
RE-22 52.2 53.7 55.2 56.7 58.2
H1000 56.2 58.0 59.9 61.7
Energy/ft.lbs. 2104 2263 2427 2597 2774
Powder Grains Velocity Ft. lbs.
Accuracy Load RE-22 56.7 3000 2597
Hunting Load RE-22 58.2 3100 2774
Sierra does not recommend MatchKing bullets for hunting applications.
Kent Hodgeson of AZ took this ante-
lope with Sierra’s 130 grain SBT
GameKing in Raton, NM. The hunt
was a retirement hunt given to Kent
by J&G Sales, Inc. It was a one-shot
kill at 175 yards.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
406
V • RIFLE RELOADING DATA
270 Winchester continued
#1835 .277" 140 gr. HPBT
C.O.A.L. 3.265"
#1845 .277" 140 gr. SBT
C.O.A.L. 3.300"
Powder /Velocity 2600 2700 2800 2900 3000
IMR-4895 41.7 43.6 45.4
IMR-4064 41.8 43.7 45.6
IMR-4320 42.8 44.7 46.6
H380 42.6 45.1 47.7 50.2
760 45.5 47.3 49.2 51.0 52.8
Viht N550 43.9 45.9 48.0 50.0
AA-4350 46.3 48.1 49.9 51.7 53.5
IMR-4350 46.8 48.5 50.2 51.8 53.5
H4350 45.7 47.7 49.7 51.7
RE-19 47.6 49.4 51.2 53.0
Viht N160 45.6 47.8 50.0
Viht N560 49.3 51.0 52.7 54.4 56.1
IMR-4831 48.8 50.6 52.4 54.1 55.9
AA-3100 50.8 52.4 53.9 55.5 57.0
H4831 SC 50.0 52.0 54.0 55.9 57.9
Viht N165 55.6 57.5 59.4
RE-22 49.9 51.5 53.2 54.8 56.4
H1000 54.1 56.0 57.8 59.7
Energy/ft.lbs. 2101 2266 2437 2614 2797
Powder Grains Velocity Ft. lbs.
Accuracy Load H4350 49.7 2800 2437
Hunting Load RE-22 56.4 3000 2797
Jim Pritchett of Martin, TN, took this
Texas Whitetail from 175 yards with
a 130 grain SPT ProHunter. This
buck grossed 147 1/4 B&C.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
407
RELOADING MANUAL • 5TH EDITION
270 Winchester continued
#1840 .277" 150 gr. SBT
C.O.A.L. 3.315"
Powder /Velocity 2500 2600 2700 2800 2900
IMR-4895 40.7 42.8 44.9
IMR-4064 40.3 42.4 44.4 46.5
IMR-4320 41.3 43.3 45.4 47.4
H380 42.1 44.3 46.5
760 44.1 46.1 48.0
Viht N550 41.7 44.1 46.6 49.0
AA-4350 44.0 46.0 48.0 50.0 52.0
IMR-4350 45.2 47.0 48.8 50.6 52.4
H4350 42.8 45.1 47.4 49.7 52.0
RE-19 45.0 47.1 49.2 51.3
Viht N160 43.1 45.5 47.9 50.3
Viht N560 47.3 49.3 51.3 53.3 55.3
IMR-4831 47.0 48.9 50.9 52.8 54.7
AA-3100 49.4 51.3 53.2
H4831 SC 48.2 50.2 52.2 54.2 56.2
Viht N165 48.4 51.2 54.0
RE-22 49.2 50.7 52.2 53.7 55.2
H1000 53.4 54.9 56.3 57.8
Energy/ft.lbs. 2081 2251 2428 2611 2801
Powder Grains Velocity Ft. lbs.
Accuracy Load RE-22 53.7 2800 2611
Hunting Load RE-22 55.2 2900 2801
David Page of Dexter, ME,
got an 852 lb. moose with a
150 grain SBT GameKing.
INDICATES MAXIMUM LOAD – USE CAUTION
LOADS LESS THAN MINIMUM CHARGES SHOWN ARE NOT RECOMMENDED.
408
