300 win mag in Browning rifle

[eric2381]

Hello everybody. I'm new here, but hope someone is willing to help. Recently I bought a rifle scope combo that I'd like to use for long ranges. I do alot of shooting in the summer and don't take it lightly. I don't expect to have someone tell me a load and I can run out and start shooting game from a long ways off. Sorry for the rant, I can continue with my question now.

The rifle I got is a Browning BBR in 300 win mag. I'm kind of cursed, cuz I like the Browning rifles, including their short magazine. The short magazine isn't that big of a deal in my 25-06 BBR or my 7mm RM A-bolt, but the 300 is longer than either of those. I did grind the rivet off of the magazine, pull the spacer out in front and grind as much as I could off. I then contoured it back to a good shape to fit the magazine box well again, and reinstalled it in the mag box. I gained 1/8" or so in OAL. But, I still can't reach the lands with bullets such as an Accubond. I'm gonna try some Speer Mag tips and some Nosler protected point Partitions. But, I'd still like a bullet with a high BC. I was gonna try the higher BC bullets, but seated as long as I can go. I was gonna size my cases with the Lee Collet neck sizer, and use the Lee Factory crimp die.

The scope I have on top is a Leupold LPS 3.5-14x50 AO. It's a solid scope, and seems to track well. It's sitting in Leupold rings, with a one piece scope mount rail. Everything seems solid in the mounting of the scope.

I have a Leupold RXIII range finder. I don't really trust it that much as the last time I was trying to range things it wouldn't range anything, even a truck from greater than 200 yds. But, I'm also thinking the batteries are low on it. I'll try putting new batteries in it and seeing what happens.

I have a few trial shells loaded up with the Speer mag tips, RL 25, Winchester brass, and Fed. 215. I haven't had a chance to shoot the rifle yet, except for half a box of factory rounds I got with it when I bought it. I don't know what weights of powder I have loaded up right now, as I loaded them two months ago, and haven't been home since then due to work. I have it all written down at home, on the shells and in my book.

The rifle I have has had close to 200 rounds through it, and has lots of life left in it. I would like to use this rifle on elk out to 600 yds. I plan on shooting off of a short bipod, in the prone position. I haven't had the time to o it yet, but I'm gonna do a trigger job on it and drop the trigger down to 1.5-2 lbs. That's where I keep the triggers on my other rifles at as well, so I'm used to the light trigger pull.

I think I'm on the right track, but I don't know how to use what I have. I know I'll have to shoot to the actual range I plan on shooting so I can figure out what my actual MOA drops are. Is there a way to get close, to save shells while target shooting, to save ammo a bit? I'd make a range card and tape it to the side of my stock once I have the field recorded info.

Sorry to ramble on, and I hope I didn't sound arrogant. I don't wish to be that way, I was just trying to get all my info out there.

Does anybody use a setup like this? Are high BC bullets necessary for 600yds shots? I hope to get my groups down to 3/4", is this a tight enough group for the shots I mention? I understand that a bullet will do funny things once it's getting out there and speeds start dropping. Does anybody have a favorite load they shoot out of their Browning A-bolt or BBR?

Anyways, thanks in advance for any help. Eric

 

[eric2381]

Maybe I have this in the wrong area? If I do, feel free to move it to the right spot. Thanks, Eric

 

[woods]

Hey eric, welcome to the forum.

Not being able to load to the lands does not mean that your rifle won't shoot well, it may just take a little extra work. I reload for 8 or 9 of the 300 win mags and 3 of them are Brownings. The mags are all about 3.375" max or so and that puts most bullets between .175" to .125" off the lands (not as bad as Weatherby's).

IMO, since you will not be able to seat anywhere close to the lands unless you load a round nose or very very low ballistic coefficient bullet, then you might as well pick a very good bullet and see how well it does. My favorite for the 300 win mag is the 200 gr Accubond with a BC of .588 and it does shoot lights out in all the 300 win mags I load for, even the Brownings

This is not a super hot load but work up anyway. You will probably get less velocity since you are so far off the lands.

As far as shooting long distance there are several things that will help. A good trigger job is one. An anti-cant device like the ScopeLevel is another.

Then it is just practice practice practice.

 

[eric2381]

Thanks Woods, nice to see you here. I've been looking for a scope level for a while. Do you know of a good one that fits a 30mm tube? I'll look around a bit more. I'll try the loads I already have loaded, then try some of the 180 and 200 ABs. I have a few hundred Fed. 215s left, but they are hard to find right now. I found a few thousand WLRM primers but haven't bought them yet. What do guys think of them? I've always used either Federal primers or Remington. Eric

 

[woods]

Sinclair has the ScopeLevel for 30mm

Welcome to Sinclair International's Online Store

I have tried the regular ACD's and don't like raising my head to see the bubble. If you want to make sure that your rifle is also uncanted when you install the bubble then this EXD devices works well to align your bore and rifle and get it level in a vise while you aim at a distant level object

EXD ENGINEERING VERTICAL RETICLE INSTRUMENT at Brownells

There are probably other bullets like the A-Max and Sierra Match Kings that will shoot well at long range but if you are like me then a hunting bullet is what I like to use. The Accubonds are not that expensive and you can practice with the Nosler Ballistic Tips and then switch to the Accubonds without much change in ballistics.

IME, the 200 gr Accubond is in a class by itself and it will catch up to and surpass the 180 Accubonds at the longer ranges.

 

[eric2381]

Thanks Woods. I ordered two of them. I've got another rifle at home that needs one as well. I wish Hornady made a 200 gr. SST. I love the Nosler AB, but I hate paying for them. But, I guess you play the game, you pay the price. Does anybody have any experience with this scope? Has anybody used the free ballistics calculator at handloads.com?

 

[chain]

75.5 gr RL 22 and 180 Accubonds- 70.5 gr RL 22 and 200 gr Accubonds. Also you don't need to load the magazine. Until I got mine lengthened, I just put one in the tube and reloaded as needed. Since I have started reloading, I didn't have to hurry to reload. There is alot of good info here, on this site. Good Luck

 

[eric2381]

I've been experimenting with the 200gr. AB, RL25, Fed. 215, Norma brass. The results have have been pretty good, but not spectacular. I made up test loads ranging from 74gr. to 78gr. . 75gr. shot the best at 3/4" and the rest were right around 1 1/4". Velocity went from 2600 for 74gr. and 2770 for 78gr.

No pressure signs were evident, even at the very top with 78 gr. I'm gonna try a few more with higher powder charges. I almost wonder if RL25 is a little on the slow side for the 300 Win Mag. The rifle shoots consistently with it, but I feel I could get a bit more velocity with RL22. But, I'm not going to cry over 100 fps. Hopefully I can get it to group tighter yet with heavier charges.


I need to go out to my garage now to finish building the steel gongs I've been working on so I can practice farther than 300 yds. Eric

 

[woods]

Hey eric

The low velocity is a function of the short mag and not being able to load close to the lands. IME the 200 gr Accubond shoots well at close to 2900 fps but that could vary with each gun.

Going to a faster powder like RL22 may be actually going the wrong way if you are looking for velocity. The more of a slow powder you can stuff in the case the more velocity you will get. H1000 or IMR7828 are a little faster than RL25 but a lot slower than RL22 so you may find something your gun likes there.

Also since you have a big jump you might try the 180 gr TTSX since it likes a large jump to the lands and you will get better velocity than the 200 gr. TTSX's or the regular TSX can be very accurate bullets.

 

[eric2381]

Hey eric

The low velocity is a function of the short mag and not being able to load close to the lands. IME the 200 gr Accubond shoots well at close to 2900 fps but that could vary with each gun.

Going to a faster powder like RL22 may be actually going the wrong way if you are looking for velocity. The more of a slow powder you can stuff in the case the more velocity you will get. H1000 or IMR7828 are a little faster than RL25 but a lot slower than RL22 so you may find something your gun likes there.

I understand all of this. I have alot of freebore, lowering pressure, and velocity.
I loaded up some more just now. They went from 78.5 to 80.5gr of RL25. The 80.5 is getting compressed, but not too bad yet. I've already been to 78gr. so I'll start at 78.5 and go up. How high have you loaded the 200gr. AB with RL25. I'm gonna go up in charge weight until the case is too full to properly seat a bullet, or I see any sort of high pressure signs. So far the Norma brass I'm using is doing well. I would really like to get up to 2900 or so. I do know that every rifle is different, I'm just curious how high you've loaded it to. Thanks for your help Woods.

 

[woods]

The most I have loaded with RL25 and the 200 gr Accubond is 77 gr. That is loading close to the lands.

Please be careful and look for pressure signs cause you are over book max.

 

[eric2381]

I will be cautious. I'll keep my OAL the same and watch carefully for trouble. I'll report back when I make it to the range. Eric

 

[Team Roper]

In my Browning a-Bolt I had the same issue with the magazine as well. I also modified the box magazine as you did. Using a 190gr Berger VLD I am able to get to a COAL of 3.530. The load I am using is Win Brass H 4831sc 74.5gr Fed GM 215M primers. 2970 fps MV. My average group size is .5" at 100 yds.

 

[eric2381]

Well, I shot the new batch of test loads today. 79gr. gave me a group of 0.8" and 2800fps. I'm pretty happy with that, but would still like to get up to 2900. 79.5gr. had a group of 1.2" and a speed of 2810fps. 80.5gr had groups of 3.25" and a velocity of 2840fps. They really opened up. I would say that 79gr. of RL25 is the sweet spot with this combo. I may just stick with it. I see no need to go higher in charge weight than what I already have, as groups are opening up and velocity is jumping quicker than before. I noticed no signs of pressure on my brass, but I see this as a max.

I may try a few with IMR 7828 to see what the results are.