HELP!!! 120 grain Hornady SST in .270 winchester load data

[shekarchi]

1- I am very new to reloading and just trying different published loads to find one that my A-bolt hunter in .270 Win likes. I just purchased a box of 120 grain hornady SST's but neither hornady- nor anywhere else I could find has any data on this bullet for this caliber. Any help would be appreciated. I am using fire-formed Federal Brass, CCI RL primer, and have a supply of IMR 4064, Win 760 and Win 780 supreme. I can also get my hands on IMR4831 if needed...
Thanks All- by the way my first batch of hand-load which I tried yesterday [Hornady SST 130 grain in front of IMR4064]:yielded this

 

[jmr40]

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx

http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_7-2-13.pdf

Here are some sources I use. Not all will be for Hornady bullets, but as long as you select 120 gr data, start low and work up you won't have any problems.

 

[NCsmitty]

I should caution you that the 120gr SST is designed for use in the 6.8 Rem cartridge and it's lower velocities and can fragment when pushed at 270 Win velocities, especially if used on deer sized game. If you use it for target shooting or varmints, then no problem, use data for that weight or heavier and work up as mentioned
The 270 Win will benefit from using one of the bonded bullets from Nosler or Hornady, if you can find them at your lgs. They expand & hold together without fragmenting on larger game.


NCSmitty

 

[shekarchi]

Thank you Sir NCsmitty
No wonder there is no data for this in a 270. so this bullet will be strictly target... I was not sure if data for one 120 grain bullet can be applied to another bullet of same weight but from jmr's comment I gather it is reasonable to do so. in this case should I expect similar ballistics also...? By fragment do you mean upon impact or in flight [now that I will use it for target only]...?
Also tech support with Hornady said if I apply the 130 grain SST load data in their manual "you should be fine"
Appreciate your help!'

 

[sixgunner455]

I would start with the same data as the 130 grain bullet, but limit use to coyotes and targets. It is safe, in most cases, to use the heavier bullet weight charges with lighter bullets, but not vice-versa.

 

[shekarchi]

thank you for your help!
you mentioned "work your way up". I assume you mean to stay within the published maximum load parameters for each powder and look for differences in accuracy?
How about COAL? is that set in stone or can I vary the seating depth to see what works best in my rifle?
Sorry if these quastions are elementary but like I said I am very new to this sport.

 

[68wj]

Factory 120 SST for the 6.8 SPC is advertised at 2460 from a 16" barrel. http://www.hornady.com/store/6.8mm-SPC-120-GR-SST/

Cabelas also sells a Hornady exclusive that adds a couple hundred FPS from a 24" tube.

Loaded as such, it would make an effective low-recoil hunter. I agree that pushing them to the full potential for the long-action would be more of a varmint bullet.

 

[NCsmitty]

By fragment do you mean upon impact or in flight [now that I will use it for target only]...?

The 120gr SST designed for the 6.8 likely has a slightly thinner jacket to allow proper expansion at the lower velocities of that cartridge. The problem of fragmenting occurs when impacting dense muscle and bone at closer ranges where velocity is still high, and they can act like a varmint bullet with explosive results and massive destruction of edible meat. It may kill the animal eventually, but if vital organs are not damaged, they can run off only to die later.
As mentioned, they can be used for target training or varmint hunting. Trigger time is important for developing shooting and reloading skills.
Have fun and be safe.


NCsmitty

 

[shekarchi]

The 120gr SST designed for the 6.8 likely has a slightly thinner jacket to allow proper expansion at the lower velocities of that cartridge. The problem of fragmenting occurs when impacting dense muscle and bone at closer ranges where velocity is still high, and they can act like a varmint bullet with explosive results and massive destruction of edible meat. It may kill the animal eventually, but if vital organs are not damaged, they can run off only to die later.
As mentioned, they can be used for target training or varmint hunting. Trigger time is important for developing shooting and reloading skills.
Have fun and be safe.


NCsmitty

OK thanks- I will be shooting these at paper or varmints if they group well out of the rifle.

 

[tahunua001]

welcome to reloading. there is a handloading subforum here where you would likely get a stronger knowledge base than in the general rifle forum for future reference.

that is a very nice group. I am very partial to 4064 for heavier bullets in my military surplus guns and 3031 for lighter bullets. FWIW, hornady has two testimonials posted on their 120GR SSTs, one of which was a 14 year old girl that got her first buck with a 270 loaded with a 120gr. I do not believe for one minute that 270 speeds will cause the bullet to vaporize in mid flight. if we were talking about a bullet pushed over 1000FPS past it's intended velocity I would be more cautious but we are talking about two cartridges with about a 500 FPS separation of the median velocities. starting loads for 270 are less than 300 FPS faster than max loads for a 6.8.

to show how little that is, a 140 grain bullet fired from a 6.5 japanese Arisaka with a 31 inch barrel can travel up to 2800 FPS, now put that same load into a Arisaka carbine with a 20 inch barrel and the velocity drops to a measely 2200 FPS. that is 600 FPS in THE SAME LOAD!, that's not even considering a starting load in the carbine which would chrono well under 2000 FPS. your 270 with a 120 grain bullet will be fine.

 

[68wj]

Here is some discussion of the bullet itself: http://68forums.com/forums/showthread.php?26982-120gr-Hornady-SST-info

From these photos you can see it is a little stronger than a true varmint bullet, and Hornady's Interlock ring is supposed to hault expansion. Field reports on deer and hog show that it does well at SPC speeds, with some fragmentation starting to happen on the far side of the animal. This is not abnormal for cup/core bullets.

 

[shekarchi]

Thanks everyone
If anyone has loaded these with w760 or or w780 or Imr 4064... please share your recipe and as many details as you can