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Bullet Deformation

VAspeedgoat

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I'm sure this will seem dumb to some of you but bear with me. In my .270 I shoot a load pushing a 130 gr. Gameking at 3100 or a little more. Not exactly a rocket but if I shoot twice in a row the tips of the bullets in the magazine will get flatened a little. Its significant enough that it will change point of aim by over 6 inches. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? The spring in the mag seems fine. Would some sort of polymer tip help? I would rather not switch bullets as well as the gun shoots. Thanks for any help.
 
Over 6 inches??? At what range?

I'm thinking there's something going on past a little flattening. You could try some 130 BTs to get more to the bottom of this, but it sounds to me like something else is at play.

What's your rig? scope, mounts/rings, etc. etc..
 
I don't think I explained myself very well. The bullets are deforming in the magazine from recoil. If I could get my phone to cooperate I would post a picture of them. If you would see them you would be surprised it was not worse than that. The gun is a great shooter. It is more accurate than I am. I'm just tired of ruining a half dozen shells every year. The set up is a remington 700bdl that I have free floated and refinished years ago. I'm using leupold mounts and a vx2 3-9. The load is 56 gr of IMR4350 with a cci primer. I never had issues with this before I started shooting these loads. Also I am assuming that the bullets are being pushed deeper which combined with a blunt tip ruins the shell for me.
 
I think I am reading you right. The bullets still in the rifle are being distorted. Sounds dangerous. No help; I have never even heard of this. They are lot more wiser shooters on here than I. I am always amazed how much they show that I do not know. Humbling.
 
I'm reading you right.. What range are you getting 6" off of POA?

Are you using windage mounts? Have you tested/changed the scope? Are you checking for bullet set back?

Personally, I would start with some fresh loads with new brass, maybe even factory federal blue box, single loaded off the bench and see what happens. Then go from there..
 
I kind of wonder if your seating depth might not be too long. I think you must have a pressure issue. The 270 is not exactly a hot round, and to have that much deformation just from recoil in the magazine seems really extreme to me.
 
Are they shooting high or low or all over the place? Seems if they were being pounded flat the would just fly like a round nose bullet. Maybe a little low.
Pictures would be very helpful.
 
C.O.A.L. is 3.285, sierra says 3.3 in their manual. I am 1 gr. Above their reccomended max load but I know several guys using the same load and have gotten it out of other reload data like barnes. Others have me at .5 over. I have no other high pressure signs that I am aware of. I don't have any issues with factory ammo just these reloads, which with undamaged bullets shoots groups at about .65 inches. I can't beleive its a scope or mount issue. Its only the blunted bullets from the bottom of the magazine that shoot off. But like my Dad says it should only take one shell if done right the first time.

I had the same issue with a 6mm that I was using hornady light magnums in. I ended up trading the gun but never got the problem resolved in it either.
 
Are they shooting high or low or all over the place? Seems if they were being pounded flat the would just fly like a round nose bullet. Maybe a little low.
Pictures would be very helpful.

You are right when I have shot a couple of them to check they go all over the place. The range is 100yds. I'm sorry the way I wrote it made it seem like they were grouping. Sorry
 
I kind of wonder if your seating depth might not be too long. I think you must have a pressure issue. The 270 is not exactly a hot round, and to have that much deformation just from recoil in the magazine seems really extreme to me.

You may be right about the pressure. I don't have any flattened primers, or any gas leeking around the primer. Extraction is not hard either. I have not measure case head expansion and don't have enough experience to know what is too much.
 
C.O.A.L. is 3.285, sierra says 3.3 in their manual. I am 1 gr. Above their reccomended max load but I know several guys using the same load and have gotten it out of other reload data like barnes. Others have me at .5 over. I have no other high pressure signs that I am aware of. I don't have any issues with factory ammo just these reloads, which with undamaged bullets shoots groups at about .65 inches. I can't beleive its a scope or mount issue. Its only the blunted bullets from the bottom of the magazine that shoot off. But like my Dad says it should only take one shell if done right the first time.

I had the same issue with a 6mm that I was using hornady light magnums in. I ended up trading the gun but never got the problem resolved in it either.

I bet they're getting set back. I would still check scope and mounts, action screws, everything to eliminate possible issues. Don't discount more than one problem. 6" is alot at 100 yds.

How many reloads do you have on the brass? Your necks could be getting stiff, which would affect tension, which if getting beat back by recoil, will shorten OAL.
 
I bet they're getting set back. I would still check scope and mounts, action screws, everything to eliminate possible issues. Don't discount more than one problem. 6" is alot at 100 yds.

How many reloads do you have on the brass? Your necks could be getting stiff, which would affect tension, which if getting beat back by recoil, will shorten OAL.

This is only round three with this brass. It is winchester brass. Also they are not crimped, just seated with a standard rcbs die. I agree its too much. Will deffinitely recheck screws, I generally do before shooting prior to fall.
 
That is weird stuff. I have never had an issue with that and I have put thousands of rounds through magazines. I have read that it can be a problem, but never during my tests. I shoot 7 mags with Hornady Interlocks and Nosler Partitions and have never had one deform due to recoil..

Can you post a pic of the flattened bullets? I have never had a deformed bullet that was so bad that it affected accuracy that badly.
 
Soft lead tips deform in the magazine. Nothing new here folks. Even poly tips get a little goobered.
 
Soft lead tips deform in the magazine. Nothing new here folks. Even poly tips get a little goobered.

Honestly I thought it was not exactly rare, I was just hoping that someone had a solution or something I could try to prevent it. I am going to recheck a bunch of stuff though.
 
You need to shorten your OAL the recoil of your rifle is slamming them forward enough to hit the magazine assuming you have a detachable mag. if not look at an extended mag box. My buddys 338 does the same thing
 
Rancho, I think I screwed up when I said it changes point of aim. Completely wrote wrong thing. When I put one of the deformed shells in it throws it around 6 inches off randomly. Sorry, showing my ignorance. The rifles point of aim stays the same, its the deformed bullets that shoot differently.
 

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