300 WM - Bullet & Powder Selection

[bookworm]

I would like some advice on which (and how many) types of bullets and powder you would recommend to help determine my rifles accuracy.

I started with a factory Remington SPS Stainless and have done the "easy" stuff to accurize it (new stock w/glass bed, float barrel, trigger adjust, fire lap). I have shot some factory loads with 190gr SMK and have hand loaded various combinations of 190gr Berger VLD's with H1000 powder (I've mostly played with seating depth and powder charge).

The rifle shoots a pretty consistent 1" at 100 yds.

Before I do anything more costly (new barrel, squared action, etc.), I'd like to know that I gave my factory barrel a fair shake with at least a couple other combinations of hand loads. So that leads to my two main questions...

1) Can you recommend any bullets (with decent BC's) and/or powders that you've had good success with in a 300wm?

2) Do you have any other "angles" that I have not considered in trying to get my rifle to shoot tighter groups?

PS - the ultimate use of this rifle is western Elk hunting, but also a lot of practice/fun.

 

[Johnboy]

from what I can tell most will say R22,H1000,7828,H4831/Imr4831,and 190g -220g bullets.but with that said they will shoot a 165g bullet.the thing to ask is just what are you going to use it for.for me I wanted a lite bullet for hunt'n.so I went with a 168g vld.but while I was testing I was able to get a 200g smk to shoot just as good.even had alot of guys saying to go with a 208g A-max with H1000.and Ramshot magnum powder did OK with the 168g vld.but if you really want it to shoot a great group and take it out to a long distance you will need to go with a 190g or better.but hey this is my opinion.and there are more guys out there that have more time invested with a 300wm.but hope this is something that can help you out. John

 

[locotrician]

70.0 grains of imr4350, work your way up of course

 

[FEENIX]

100 yards 3 - shot group of SAKO M995 .300 WM 23 1/2" factory barrel, 1:11 twist.

200 NAB (.588 BC)
71.5g 4831SC
CCI 250
Federal once fired brass
OAL 3.62" (base to tip, not ogive)

Still have room for refinement and no signs of pressure.

Good luck!

Ed

 

[woods]

 

[ATH]

I use 200 SMK 74gr re22 (3000 fps) for practice, 200AB 73.2gr re22 (2950 fps) for elk.

 

[bookworm]

Thanks fellas!

The Accubond was near the top of my list to try due to reputation, BC, and price. Thanks for confirming that this is a good option to give a try.

I notice you guys are using the 200gr AB. Is that strictly to get the higher BC, or are there other advantages (like grouping accuracy)? I'm leaning toward the 180gr because I'll be using this round for deer as well as elk (primarily elk, though). I know I give up a bit of BC with the 180gr...but anything else?

One question on the powder...how are the Alliant powders on temp sensitivity?

I've been considering only the Hodgdon Extreme powders because I'll be shooting in a pretty wide range of temps through the year.

Since H1000 is a fairly slow powder, maybe trying a bit faster powder like 4350 or 4381 might be a good next step to see if my rifle likes the faster powders more. Does that sound reasonable?

Thanks again for the insight.

 

[AtownBcat]

Hey Bookworm,
I use both H1000 and H4831 and 180g accubonds. The H1000 seems to shoot a little faster and seems to like magnum primers better than large rifle primers. The 4831 shoots a little tighter group but is a little slower, and seems to like large rifle primers instead of the magnums. This is my latest trip to the range...

 

[johnnyk]

I'm shooting the 180gn Nosler Ballistic Tip with 75.5gn of RL22 and BR2 primers. Velocity during late summer, when this load was developed, was averaging 3160fps and accuracy is sub-1/2". My OAL is 2.9250".
I also tried the 180gn SMK with the same load (75.5gn of RL22) but with the Rem 9.5M primer and accuracy was again sub-1/2" (.346"). OAL was 2.8950". I was getting 3133fps from this load.
Both of these loads were developed when the temps were running 75-85 deg. I just recently (Nov22) chrono'd the 180 NBT again and velocity dropped to 3093fps, so keep this in mind if/when using RL22. I adjust my ballistic cards to reflect the drop in velocity. JohnnyK.

 

[bookworm]

Thanks for the load and velocity info johnnyk. Can you share some info on your rifle? I'm interested to know if you are running a factory set-up or something custom...barrel length, etc. Also, have you done anything special to get it to shoot sub 1/2 moa?

 

[mikebob]

I have a savage 300wm that I am still wearing the bbl out on. I shoot 210 vld, win brass, cci 250, and retumbo powder. I would start at 72 grains and work up.

It shoots around 1/2 moa if I do my job. It will touch 3 holes at 100 yrds.

 

[johnnyk]

Hey Bookworm,
My rifle is stock except for the Rifle Basix trigger I installed. It is a Savage 112BVSS with 26" stainless barrel, laminated stock with pillar bedding. I bought it used from Hammer's Outdoor World in Union Gap, Washington 01 August2008. One of the guys that worked there had it for sale, and I was able to talk to him about how much and what he had shot and how it had been cleaned.
It had seen very little use and has been a shooter from the get-go. I first tried the 165gn Ballistic Tip with H4350 and 9.5M primers. The specs on those loads are 71.0gn: 3244fps @ .585", 72.0gn: 3269fps @ .4175", 73.0gn: 3296fps @ .6340. This wasn't the bullet weight I wanted to shoot in it just some I had left over.
August 11th I took it out for a spin with 180gn Ballistic Tips and H4350/9.5M. 69.0gn produced 3094fps @ .370", 70.0gn went 3117fps @ .636". 71.0gn opened up a little more with a velocity of 3154fps and a group of .7675".
I loaded a few at 69.0gn and made a ballistic card for it using JBM and it was dead on out to 650yds. That's all the range I had where I was at but it hit with boring consistency. I let my 18yr old son and nephew shoot it and neither had problems hitting the metal target (I think it's about 20" long and 8" wide) at that distance. Neither boy had shot a .300WinMag before and my nephew had never shot that far before. You should have seen their faces.
For right now I have pretty much settled on RL22 for the 180gn bullets. I have some 190gn SMK to try in it and some RL25 and IMR4831. I may try some H1000 and the 200gn bullets but that will be later. JohnnyK.

Including scope and trigger I have less that a grand in this setup.

 

[bookworm]

Thanks for all the additional info. Looks like you have a nice set-up there. You should feel great to have that nice looking and shooting rifle for under $1K...the fact that it includes the scope is almost ridiculous!

I have a standard Remington 700 and before I bought it I debated between Remington and Savage. Seems like you have a better chance of getting a great shooter (like yours) out of the box with Savage. My dilema was the fact that if you do need to get some work done there are a lot options and custom work with Remington. I don't know enough people with Savages to have confidence that I'd get a 1/2" shooter from the get-go...but I could buy two by the time I get my remington shooting