300 Win Mag Load Development Help

[BBean70]

You asked for advice on reloading. I assume you want quality handloads when you are done.
Have to start with quality brass, that means consistency.

You wouldn't go race NASCAR with 4 different brands and sizes of tires would you?

Sorry, I guess that came across wrong. yes I did ask for advice and I do appreciate your response. I didn't realize that brass played that big a role if it was sized, trimmed etc. I wish I would have asked the question before I purchased the once fired and would have found new. Lesson learned

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Separate your brass into the different categories you have:
-Fired from your rifle
-Different head stamp/brand fired from your rifle.
-Fired from a different rifle
-Different head stamp/brand from different rifle.

It will be easiest to do any development with the ones fired from your rifle initially because it is already fireformed to your chamber.

You may be able to use the brass from a different rifle, but if it was picked up from the range, you don't know the condition, number of times fired, lot #, etc. You would have to full length size and try to chamber. If it fits, you would be able to fireform it to your chamber and then begin load dev. As mentioned, weight sorting, brand sorting, number times fired sorting...blah, blah. If 100 yards/minute of deer is your goal, you can probably get by with what you have. You will ONLY WANT TO USE THE SAME PILE for load development. Each pile will have different results because all brands of brass are different.

I have full length sized once fired brass from different rifles and shot them through others with no problem, but some would not chamber. Just have to see.

It is almost like doing load dev using virgin cases...Almost.

 

[xsn10s]

You could do what either Lance or Shane suggested. But since you are new to reloading IMHO you would be better off saving the mixed brass for latter emergency use and get some once fired or new brass. The reason being like you said components are scarce. So if you load with mixed brass you probably won't have good consistency and could end up spending more chasing consistent accuracy, velocity, or both. So all that powder, primers, and bullets could get wasted and it could be very frustrating. Troubleshooting will be difficult because of all the different variables. For a new reloader I just feel it's best to keep it simple and decrease the variable such as mixed brass. Once you gain some experience on reloading and how your rifle reacts to your loads then maybe go back to the mixed brass if components get even more scarce.

 

[BBean70]

Separate your brass into the different categories you have:
-Fired from your rifle
-Different head stamp/brand fired from your rifle.
-Fired from a different rifle
-Different head stamp/brand from different rifle.

It will be easiest to do any development with the ones fired from your rifle initially because it is already fireformed to your chamber.

You may be able to use the brass from a different rifle, but if it was picked up from the range, you don't know the condition, number of times fired, lot #, etc. You would have to full length size and try to chamber. If it fits, you would be able to fireform it to your chamber and then begin load dev. As mentioned, weight sorting, brand sorting, number times fired sorting...blah, blah. If 100 yards/minute of deer is your goal, you can probably get by with what you have. You will ONLY WANT TO USE THE SAME PILE for load development. Each pile will have different results because all brands of brass are different.

I have full length sized once fired brass from different rifles and shot them through others with no problem, but some would not chamber. Just have to see.

It is almost like doing load dev using virgin cases...Almost.

Thanks

 

[BBean70]

You could do what either Lance or Shane suggested. But since you are new to reloading IMHO you would be better off saving the mixed brass for latter emergency use and get some once fired or new brass. The reason being like you said components are scarce. So if you load with mixed brass you probably won't have good consistency and could end up spending more chasing consistent accuracy, velocity, or both. So all that powder, primers, and bullets could get wasted and it could be very frustrating. Troubleshooting will be difficult because of all the different variables. For a new reloader I just feel it's best to keep it simple and decrease the variable such as mixed brass. Once you gain some experience on reloading and how your rifle reacts to your loads then maybe go back to the mixed brass if components get even more scarce.

Thanks

 

[Wolf76]

This can be a big undertaking. A few simple things do go a long way though.
*same brand brass. Why? Primarily because they have different internal capacities. This clearly will change pressure > thus velocity.
*known distance to the lands. Why? Seating depth is crucial to pressure and accuracy.
*accurate powder measure - doesn't require an explanation.

Inconsistencies in the controllables will lead to wasted time, money, and sub par results.

One thing I would have done differently starting out, is to have spent money on quality tools. It's easy to get sucked into "that's good enough". IMO spend the time and money to do it right or buy factory ammo.

BTW H1000 is generally a very good powder for bullets 180grs+.
Good luck

 

[mpayne]

BBean I've Killed Many elk with a 300WM with a

mix of brass If I were to go look I bet I have different stamp in my clip. I use good bullets good powder, primers and dies I'm more than happy with my loads for hunting, paper and steel. I think right now you are lucky to have the stuff to reload. Like you said your not shooting F- Class

 

[smokey3]

I understand that using the best possible components will yield best results. I am not looking to shoot out to 1000 yards. I am trying to develop a hunting load that I can use to reach out to about 600 yards (practice) with good accuracy that I feel confident If I have to take a shot at 400 yards or hopefully less on an elk as I will be going on my first elk hunt later this year. My new rifle shoots well with factory ammo but like everything right now its hard to find. I've been wanting to start reloading for a while so I figured I would start now. I can seat powder, bullet seat depth, etc play a big role just wasn't aware brass played that big a role or I would not have bought the once fired and bought new premium brass. Not trying to cut corners just save where I can as getting into this hobby the purchases can be endless and the rabbit holes are deep

Buying once fired brass is an acceptable practice if that's all you can find or someone gives it to you but it needs to be all the same brand and better still the same lot #. Another consideration is whether it is actually just once fired? Brass shot from your chamber originally upon first firing will probably yield the best results. If you cannot find brass for sell I can help you with once fired Winchester brass for the 300 WM. PM me if interested.

 

[xsn10s]

Nosler AB's can foul badly with other jacket material so I generally get all copper fouling out of the barrel before shooting AccuBonds. Luckily Nosler's load data shows their accuracy load with 180 AB and H1000 as their mid range load. Of course in your barrel it could be low pressure, or it could be a max load. So this is why using all brass of one manufacturer comes into play. You could certainly mix your brass. But brass is probably one of the cheapest components of an elk hunt. So it's your choice. Good luck and have fun!

 

[JMW67]

I understand that using the best possible components will yield best results. I am not looking to shoot out to 1000 yards. I am trying to develop a hunting load that I can use to reach out to about 600 yards (practice) with good accuracy that I feel confident If I have to take a shot at 400 yards or hopefully less on an elk as I will be going on my first elk hunt later this year. My new rifle shoots well with factory ammo but like everything right now its hard to find. I've been wanting to start reloading for a while so I figured I would start now. I can seat powder, bullet seat depth, etc play a big role just wasn't aware brass played that big a role or I would not have bought the once fired and bought new premium brass. Not trying to cut corners just save where I can as getting into this hobby the purchases can be endless and the rabbit holes are deep

Look at it this way your brass is the base of your load development like a foundation is the base of building a house you build a house on a crappy foundation no matter how pretty it may look its still going to be crappy. Listen to Lance as he is spot on and only trying to help you build the best ammo you can. Good luck with it and I hope your hunt turns out well

 

[Shane Lindsey]

As you can see it's all voodoo...

Light a candle, toss some salt, kick a cat...voodoo man!

 

[Huntsman66]

Sorry, I guess that came across wrong. yes I did ask for advice and I do appreciate your response. I didn't realize that brass played that big a role if it was sized, trimmed etc. I wish I would have asked the question before I purchased the once fired and would have found new. Lesson learned

I think the once fired brass is fine for what you are doing. Just separate like head stamped pieces, take the longest one and sized it back to fit your chamber and then run them all. If you have already sized them, just treat them as if you are fire forming. shoot them in your rifle and then from that point forward they are matched to your chamber. Just don't be surprised if a piece from time to time might not fit in your gun, when they are fired in another rifle. That all depends on that rifles chamber

 

[Ol' Red]

As you can see it's all voodoo...

Light a candle, toss some salt, kick a cat...voodoo man!

Forgetting the eye of a newt?

 

[xsn10s]

Forgetting the eye of a newt?

Probably more of that around than RL26.