So I’m going to Wyoming a week from tomorrow to get after some Antelope. I developed this load to hopefully bag one.
I’m using a Ruger American Rifle with Vortex glass.


130 Nosler BT
54 gr of IMR 4831

They chrono’ed at an average of 2785 FPS.

I heard a couple of old timers say 4831 was too hot for .270, but I’ve had a good experience so far. Anyone else?

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That seems awfully slow to me. Are you getting pressure signs? I'd keep working up

Your gun does the talking!

If you followed established loading data doing your work up.....
And found the load to accurate for your standards
does not exhibit signs of pressure as outlined in any loading manual
then what is the problem?

Will there be a better powder in the eyes every reloader heck yeah. Is it better?

But, who can argue with what your gun does for you?

The problem with hunters is that they are worse than fisherman.  
The story goes
Oh Yeah I shot that antelope at 400yds off hand in 20 MPH crosswind in a quartering shot with the antelope in a full on sprint!  With my Whooperpooper Quarter of Minute 277 Long Range Express 11# rifle.

My 130 grain load is 55 grains of IMR 4350.  Nosler Partitions.

My 150 gr load is 54.8 gr of H4831 - also partitions.

No pressure signs at all. It’s about 100 FPS slower than the Factory 145 gr ELD-x Hordady that I was going to hunt with....

If it's accurate and you're happy, go for it. However, many of the loads on Nosler's page are getting 3100+ fps, from a 24" barrel. I don't know what barrel length you've got, but 300fps is a lot to give up IMO.

If I remember correctly I used a very similar load. Stalked the dang animal for the best part of the day, we took a step, it took a step. We never could get closer than 325 yards.

I shot, well placed. Dead animal. Not tracking. I never knew what hit him.

If it's accurate in you're rifle you're good to go. Besides, it's kind of too late to develop a new load.

I love 4831 in my 270 and 7 RM

That load will do just fine on Speed goats, good shot placement will drop them in their tracks, basically the same load I worked up for one of my .270's and it is a reliable killer  at over 300 yards.  Goats are not that hard to kill, they actually go down pretty easy if you hit them in the right spot, I have shot several of them over the years in eastern Montana and never really had to track one more than 100 yards.

Have fun.

Accuracy is nice no doubt but if you are hunting in a very "rangey" area which parts of Wyoming can be it seems a waist to be giving up almost 400 fps !!!!

That's a lot of wasted trajectory. This is like taking my 300 short mag and loading it to .308 Win level loads.  

I personally like IMR-4831 it's one of the great old slow burners without having data in front of me I'd guess it should be just fine in the .270 Win but is probably better with 140s or 150s but now I'm just speculating.

ETA: I checked some data both old and new. IMR-4831 is not the best powder for top velocity using 130gr bullets. Even my old "hot manual" that's what I call my Speer manual from 1985 has maximum velocity at 3000 fps when using IMR-4831

According to Hornady's 8th edition you should be around 2900 fps but maybe your rifle has a shorter barrel.  

So while it seems your velocity is low you are still at least 2 or slightly more grains under maximum and your not using the most efficient powder for the lighter 130gr bullets.

Everything considered your probably best off at this point to just go with what you have and if you want work on developing more for next time.

Motor

59gr IMR 4831 is what I load for my dad with a 130gr Partition. 3050FPS and shoots very well.

Before I rebarreled my .270 I was shooting 55.5gr RE-16 with a 130 Partition at 3180. My uncle is shooting the same load with Accubonds and he is getting 3150 - both 24" barrels. Both shot very well.

Another tried and true for me is 59gr H4831sc (IMR is fairly temp sensitive) with a 130gr Accubond. I may switch my dad over to that load, but as little as he shoots his .270 it'll be a while. 

The .270 is quite a cartridge. Your load will do you fine. I just like to push everything to the limit. However, RE-16 was a very good powder for me. It's not quite as compressed as the 4831 loads. Might be worth giving a shot next year. It's awesome how much a little speed can really flatten out a rifle. 

That's my 130gr load, except I prefer SSTs for whitetail and speed goats. 

What barrel length? I get about 3100 fps out of 135 SMKs in my 26" barrel. Pressure signs started to ramp up at 3150 or so. If you're using a 22"-24" barrel, you ought to be able to push those to 2900 fps pretty easily, but bear in mind that different barrels behave differently. H4831 is the perfect powder for that cartridge, assuming your barrel is over 20". You can push the lighter bullets faster with faster powders, but I load everything above 110 grain bullets with H4831 and call it done.

I will take accuracy over velocity every day of the week. If it groups tight in your rifle use it. Antelope can't tell the difference.

At elevation your bullet will drop a little less because of thinner air. 100 or 200 fps is irrelevant if you know your scope's dope and have an accurate distance measurement. Laser range finders can help you in that regard. Good luck.

BTW-I have never heard a single person tell me they liked eating Antelope. IF you get a recipe that works post it online. The world is waiting to here about it.

I can't imagine that you have talked to all that many that hunt speed goats then, just have to tone down the sage taste and cook it correctly, but it is a nice lean mean that has full body and can be smoked, BBQ or roasted, if you try to fry, it is not going to taste good.  Makes a great burger, just add a bit of beef suet and it makes it real good for many different occasions.

I love to use pronghorn sausage in my turkey dressing during the holidays.

Speed goat is fine - biggest problem is yahoos that chase them for miles on end and then shoot them when they've been run hard.

I'm told it's important to get the hide off asap.  They few I've shot we didn't do this.  They were fine to my pallet (& I don't particularly care for deer)

All of the ones I've taken were shot clean (no heavy skeletal hits) just one round through the boiler, DRT.  The animals were grazing and not running and had no idea I was there.

Better load hot if your lead is going to catch a Wyoming goat!