Would You Hunt Red Stag w/ this Load?

[Magsrgod]

Hi Everyone - This is my first post and I think this 100% the right spot to ask this question!

I've been working up a new load to take on a Red Stag hunt I have coming up in mid October. I wanted to get some opinions on the load as its not a hot charge.

Rifle - 1983 Remington 700 - 270. Grandfather passed away recently and this was one of his rifles, I'm going to use it for this hunt in his memory as he would have LOVED to do a stag hunt.

I've got excellent results with 130gr BT with 59gr of H4831sc, this produces around 3000 fps of velocity and I get 1" groups. This is a similar load I use in my other 270's for whitetail but with Red Stag I was looking to get something with some more punch.

I have a box of 160gr Partitions that have been collecting dust for years, I picked them up when a shop went out of business because I got them for pennies. I've never had a reason to reload them but this upcoming hunt seems like a proper use case. So I built a ladder of them and the best results I got was out of a 52.5gr load but has low velocities.

#1
52.5gr H4831sc
WLR Primers
Hornady Brass
.83" Group
2500fps

#2
53.5gr H4831sc
WLR Primers
Hornady Brass
2.65" Group
2600fps

#3
54.5gr H4831sc
WLR Primers
Hornady Brass
Need to regroup, 2 shots hit paper at 1.5" but 3rd shot was errant.
2700fps

I'm going to press some more of the #3 load and try them again to validate the grouping, but I'm assuming its not good as I rarely pull shots. My question is would you go the 160gr Partition w/ 52.5gr or would you take something like an 130gr AccuBond with 59gr charge and higher velocities? Typical shooting distance seems to be 100 - 175 yards.

I also have some H4350 that might be worth testing out. I have a Tikka T3 in 270 that loves H4350 with Hornady Interlock SP bullets.

 

[JD338]

Welcome to the forum.
The easy fix would be to go with the 130 gr AB or PT. Either one would work good for red stag.

JD338

 

[Magsrgod]

Ill try to pick up some of those and get some shots down range before heading out. I'm kind of hoping the 54.5gr end up working out but need to shoot another round of them.

 

[xphunter]

Welcome to the forum.
The easy fix would be to go with the 130 gr AB or PT. Either one would work good for red stag.

JD338

Ditto

 

[PJGunner]

" 54.5gr H4831sc
WLR Primers
Hornady Brass
Need to regroup, 2 shots hit paper at 1.5" but 3rd shot was errant.
2700fps"
Your comment leads to a little of confusion. Not sure if you had two close or two at 1.5" and shot three out in left field. Also, only one box of that bullet weight is IIRC only 50 bullets. That doesn't leave a lot for work ups and sighting plus enough for a box of ammo for the hunt. Finding some of the other bullets mentioned might not be all that easy these days. So what I suggest is if you can't find those mentioned, try either the 150 gr. Sierra Game King or the Speer Hot Core and maybe the Speer Grand Slam. I know the Sierra Game King will take down elk as that's what my hunting Partner used on several elk and I run the 160 gr.Grand Slam in a .280 Rem. I wouldn't hesitate you use any one on elk and I'll include the 150 gr. Nosler Partition in .270 as well.
Good luck on which ever bullet you choose and have good hunt.
Paul B.

 

[Magsrgod]

" 54.5gr H4831sc
WLR Primers
Hornady Brass
Need to regroup, 2 shots hit paper at 1.5" but 3rd shot was errant.
2700fps"
Your comment leads to a little of confusion. Not sure if you had two close or two at 1.5" and shot three out in left field. Also, only one box of that bullet weight is IIRC only 50 bullets. That doesn't leave a lot for work ups and sighting plus enough for a box of ammo for the hunt. Finding some of the other bullets mentioned might not be all that easy these days. So what I suggest is if you can't find those mentioned, try either the 150 gr. Sierra Game King or the Speer Hot Core and maybe the Speer Grand Slam. I know the Sierra Game King will take down elk as that's what my hunting Partner used on several elk and I run the 160 gr.Grand Slam in a .280 Rem. I wouldn't hesitate you use any one on elk and I'll include the 150 gr. Nosler Partition in .270 as well.
Good luck on which ever bullet you choose and have good hunt.
Paul B.

Sorry let me clarify. Two shots were 1.5" apart the 3rd didn't hit the paper. I reloaded 5 of them today and will run through another test.

If push comes to shove I have lots of other rounds that will work well I can reload. Ive got good grouping with this rifle from 130gr Sierra SBT GK's, and absolute worst case is Core-lokts shoot well through this R700 as well.

 

[xphunter]

A 270 Win with a good elk and or mature buck mule deer bullet will kill Stag easily with good shot placement

 

[Blkram]

Honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to use your 130 gr BT load for red stag at the distances you stated.

While I have only taken one red stag to date, I did it with the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 130 gr Terminal Ascent bullet at 2855 fps at the muzzle, and it produced a one-shot kill on the red stag at 296 yards.

I have taken mule deer, mountain goat, caribou and moose with the 270 Win, at ranges of 95 to 150 yards, with one shot kills, over the years. The caribou is similar in body size and weight to the red stag. And mountain goat are stockier, with a more tenacious reputation for being tough to kill cleanly with one shot. (But as with any animal, bullet placement is key.) All but the moose were with the 140 gr BT at 2950 fps, and produced one-shot kills. The moose was taken with the 140 gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw at 116 yards.

Should you decide to try the AccuBond (or Partition) instead of the BT, it will provide better weight retention and penetration than the BT, and would also be a great choice.
Best of luck on your quest!

 

[salmonchaser]

The 270 had a well deserved reputation with 130s long before your Grandfathers rifle was built. I just did my bullet inventory and have 1500 ballistic tips in five calibers on hand. Love the bullet but I’m odd man out and limit their use to game up to mule deer, as originally designed. I do recognize the construction of the bullet has changed but would still recommend an AccuBond for anything bigger.
Regardless, I was struck by the set of facts you presented.
You know your way around a rifle and have achieved very good dope with your 130 load. We can trust the operators results.
A slow but accurate load with the 160s
A marginal increase in velocity and accuracy suffers
An additional increase in velocity but not critical and accuracy suffers and either you lost a round or it went through the same hole.
If you have not I would suggest going through your equipment making sure all your rings and bases, action screws are torqued to spec. My experience with Remington 700s of that vintage is they were probably the most accurate off the shelf rifle available in the 80s. Adding 200 feet of velocity could generate an open group but shouldn’t launch a round off the paper.
Have a great hunt, you will be well served by G-Pa’s rifle. We here all look forward to your report from the field when you return.

 

[Magsrgod]

Thank you all for the replies. I have a few weeks to work this load and see if I can make it work, if not I’ll be highly confident with one of the 130gr loads I’ve had great results with in this rifle!

I have more of a technical question that I would like some opinions on.

This R700 measures 3.470” COAL with a 160gr Partition jammed into the lands. The original rounds I built were measured to 3.370” so ~.1 off the lands. The new batch of 5 I just built I pulled back a little more and built them at 3.325” which is much closer to the Nosler tested COAL in the load data for the 160 Partition.

I should also mention for this set of reloads I went with some Winchester Brass and I trimmed it a little longer, 2.380” vs my normal trim of 2.320”. My thoughts were to leave some more neck for the stability and crimp of the longer 270 bullet. Not that this is a compressed charge but also more room in the case for expansion.

Anyone have any thoughts or feedback around this? I know some bullets like closer / further from the lands. The majority of the reloads I’ve built for this rifle have been to manufacturers spec in the loading manuals.

I’ll be very honest, I really want to make these 160’s work if possible!

 

[SJB358]

If your magazine permits it, .020 off the lands aint a bad way to fly with a bullet like the PT or the BT in my opinion. I think you'll find some great results with getting the bullet situated where it wants to be and doing some powder charge work. Good luck, either the 130 BT or the heavy PT will do it all.

 

[Magsrgod]

So I went back and looked at my paper from the range session. It actually looks like I didn’t have an errant shot but I double tapped a hole.

Group #2 was the 52.5gr / 160gr Partition load.
Group #6 was the 54.5gr / 160 Partition load.

Was telling a close friend about it tonight and realized thats 2 shots there. I’ll put 5 on paper this weekend and if all looks good I’ll run a batch of 20 for the hunt!

 

[RL338]

The calibers I’ve tried Partitions in never liked to be pushed hard. Shot best at a mid range pressure level.

 

[SJB358]

The calibers I’ve tried Partitions in never liked to be pushed hard. Shot best at a mid range pressure level.

Im actually just the opposite experience. They are kinda lack luster till you put the boots to them and get that rear end to bump up. Sometimes dropping to a slightly faster powder has helped in some instances.

 

[SJB358]

So I went back and looked at my paper from the range session. It actually looks like I didn’t have an errant shot but I double tapped a hole.

Group #2 was the 52.5gr / 160gr Partition load.
Group #6 was the 54.5gr / 160 Partition load.

Was telling a close friend about it tonight and realized thats 2 shots there. I’ll put 5 on paper this weekend and if all looks good I’ll run a batch of 20 for the hunt!

It would be interesting to see what 5 shots of group 6 looks like.

 

[Magsrgod]

It would be interesting to see what 5 shots of group 6 looks like.

I’ll post the outcome of that range session. If I’m within a 2” group I’ll be happy enough to take it into the field.

 

[JD338]

The calibers I’ve tried Partitions in never liked to be pushed hard. Shot best at a mid range pressure level.

I pushed PT's with max loads and gotten excellent accuracy.

JD338

 

[xphunter]

I would not HUNT with a cartridge, where the bullet is engaged or jammed into the land...It is a recipe for a problem IMO