Badlands BD-2 load data

[RH300UM]

What type of speed do you get from the 375RBH with a 300 gr bullet?

299 Sledge hammer 2750fps
331 Sledge hammer 2660 fps
329 Hammer Hunter 2720 fps
Currently running the 270 shock hammer at 3000fps in it
I've been eyeing those 300 BD-2 300 grainers to try out.
This rig is my Alaskan guide rifle
22 inch 12 twist proof barrel
RBROS custom build

 

[nralifer]

That's great! I've been working on a couple of similar cartridges. See the photos. Simply necking up a 338 LM and a 338NM to .375. I have an expander that will do it in one step. The idea is to send these dummy rounds to Dave Kiff for reamers then use them to chamber the barrels. The key is is to make the neck diameter large enough to shoot the expanded cartridge right away. That will straighten the neck relative to the cartridge body, then use the IDOD lathe to just take off 0.0005" from the inside of the neck. Forster can make the sizing and seating dies. The BC on the 300gr bullet is 0.620G1 and 0.317G7.

It looks like I'm having trouble downloading photos to the post. I'll send them to you when our internet connection is better.

 

[RH300UM]

That's great! I've been working on a couple of similar cartridges. See the photos. Simply necking up a 338 LM and a 338NM to .375. I have an expander that will do it in one step. The idea is to send these dummy rounds to Dave Kiff for reamers then use them to chamber the barrels. The key is is to make the neck diameter large enough to shoot the expanded cartridge right away. That will straighten the neck relative to the cartridge body, then use the IDOD lathe to just take off 0.0005" from the inside of the neck. Forster can make the sizing and seating dies. The BC on the 300gr bullet is 0.620G1 and 0.317G7.

It looks like I'm having trouble downloading photos to the post. I'll send them to you when our internet connection is better.

I could just size up also but I have 4 cartridges to keep track of
The 7rbh uses the 300 NM Lapua brass necked down
The 300 rbh uses 300 NM Peterson
The 338 rbh uses 338 NM peterson
The 375 rbh uses 423 Dakota Lapua brass
It's how I keep it all straight
Plus early on before good brass was available for these wildcats I started to use the 423 Dakota brass for testing

 

[nralifer]

Somewhere the fireforming has to start. With reduced neck chamber there isn't much you can do but cut the thickness of the neck at the start. The case won't chamber otherwise.
In this 6mm/280AI chambering there is a lot of work just to get the case just to use. After cutting the neck thickness. It takes me 4 steps to reduce the neck for 6mm. I crushed a couple of case in achieving the down sizing the necks to accept a 6mm bullet. There some debates on what comes first the chicken or the egg.
It seem like when starting this wildcat build, there been a lot of interferences in getting it done. One thing or another. Lost my reloading area at my sons place do to his wife want if for and offices. That find by me, so now the shed. One thing at least, I am not being taken behind the wood shed.
So now I am having to build a reload shed to do the work in. I kinds of shake my head and wonder what did I start?
The one thing fore sure I am on a hell of learning curb.

One strategy you might consider is to get a cheap 7mm barrel chambered in the 280AI fire form the brass to straighten the necks, turn the inside to a thickness to that of the 6mm neck, then form the neck to 6mm. Your neck forming will be much easier. You probably have a good idea how much thicker the neck brass gets with the forming you currently do, which gives you some idea of how thin to make the neck walls before forming them to 6mm. Also flame anneal the thinned out necks to make the forming process easier and lube them with graphite.

 

[Copper Basin]

Spent some range time both days this weekend with 125g BD-2's in my 6.5 SST and 205g SBD-2's in my 30 Sherman. Was getting 3238 with 125's with N565. Easy, smooth load and very accurate. The BC verified out to 1047 @ 5500 ft. the 205's were pretty impressive too. Ran 2955 with H1000 and the BC verified out to 1047 as well. Took the 205's out for a charge ladder today. Tested at 544 with all charges on 10 inch steel. Before I shot I noticed my pick rail was loose. Oh great I thought but I shot for the speed anyway. Was using N568 today with 205's went from 2850 to 2920. They were very accurate even with my pic rail issue. Very surprised. Had about a 5 inch group on the last two 3 shot strings. I should have taken pictures but now I have my load set. Looking at JBM I have 1988 fps at 1000 yards with 1800 ft lbs of energy. I am thinking that this will work just fine. I will take pictures next time out. I was working on other rifles today as well. Range elevation today was 4473 @ 57 degrees. I am running a 9t Bartlein in the 30 and an 8T Wilson in the 6.5.

 

[Calvin45]

I have emailed Badlands and asked for load data and they responded pretty quickly. The attached is for 175 grain BD2 for 300 Win MagView attachment 362710

That's an exact copy and paste of Barnes load data for 175-180s (see attached picture) I thought it looked familiar haha. Does badlands acknowledge this as such? And more interestingly, do they claim that data for their bullets is entirely interchangeable with data for Barnes bullets of a given weight in a given caliber?

 

[nralifer]

That's an exact copy and paste of Barnes load data for 175-180s (see attached picture) I thought it looked familiar haha. Does badlands acknowledge this as such? And more interestingly, do they claim that data for their bullets is entirely interchangeable with data for Barnes bullets of a given weight in a given caliber?

That data can be used for starting loads for the 175 gr BD-2 .308 bullets only. Would not say they are fully interchangeable. One can pick an intermediate powder charge as a starting point and shoot one shot to check brass for pressure signs then increase in 1 gr increments until primer flattening is evident then back off 0.5-1 gr to avoid excessive pressure. Use virgin or once fired brass only for this process on belted magnums.

 

[nralifer]

299 Sledge hammer 2750fps
331 Sledge hammer 2660 fps
329 Hammer Hunter 2720 fps
Currently running the 270 shock hammer at 3000fps in it
I've been eyeing those 300 BD-2 300 grainers to try out.
This rig is my Alaskan guide rifle
22 inch 12 twist proof barrel
RBROS custom build

Interesting. Thank you for the data. What powder and charge do you use to get those speeds?

 

[RH300UM]

Interesting. Thank you for the data. What powder and charge do you use to get those speeds?

329 86g RL16
331 81.5 RL16
299 82g RL16
270 94g N555

 

[Mike Matteson]

I am using a 280AI case to start with. The cases are all different lengths. So I cut a standard length that I arrived at. The cut the necks for thickness. At that point in time I start the reducation of the neck to 6mm. The smiths only put 2 round through the rifle. Determine that the neck thickness was still to thick. So I am having to cut my necks to .00125" instead of .0013". The reamer ended up a little on the small side. So that will give me another thousand for clearance. If that doesn't cover the problem. Them I will have to send the reamer back to the place it was made at and have them rework it.

 

[nralifer]

I am using a 280AI case to start with. The cases are all different lengths. So I cut a standard length that I arrived at. The cut the necks for thickness. At that point in time I start the reducation of the neck to 6mm. The smiths only put 2 round through the rifle. Determine that the neck thickness was still to thick. So I am having to cut my necks to .00125" instead of .0013". The reamer ended up a little on the small side. So that will give me another thousand for clearance. If that doesn't cover the problem. Them I will have to send the reamer back to the place it was made at and have them rework it.

Dis you say you had trouble with too much force needed to bring the necks down to 6 mm? Is that still the case after starting with 280AI cases and turning them down first? How thick is the 280 AI wall to start with? How much runout are you seeing in the intact 280AI neck?

 

[Mike Matteson]

You could say that, but it was to much at one time to reduce the neck to 6mm. Even with that and starting to reduce the neck. I didn't just go to 6mm. I had to add larger bushing to achieve the down sizing of the neck. I took me couple of times to figure out which bushing to use. I have the steps now to get to 6mm without crushing the cases. I knew it would be a trail and error to figure out just what was needed in steps. At a dollar per case I kind of hate to wast any case. I have almost a 1000 280AI's presently.
Case neck can't be any thicker that .00125. Not sure as to what the new cases are to start with.
The reduction is to quick from .284 to .243 in one step.

 

[nralifer]

I am using a 280AI case to start with. The cases are all different lengths. So I cut a standard length that I arrived at. The cut the necks for thickness. At that point in time I start the reducation of the neck to 6mm. The smiths only put 2 round through the rifle. Determine that the neck thickness was still to thick. So I am having to cut my necks to .00125" instead of .0013". The reamer ended up a little on the small side. So that will give me another thousand for clearance. If that doesn't cover the problem. Them I will have to send the reamer back to the place it was made at and have them rework it.

You can thin out the walls of the 280AI to 0.011"thickness. I have done that with 338LM cartridges many times. Be sure to turn beyond the doughnut (inner surface of the neck shoulder junction)

 

[Copper Basin]

Shot some 195 SBD2's out of my 30 sherman yesterday. Use N568 starting at 81g (mv 2926) and ending at 84g (mv 3030). Shots 5,6 and 7 should be the load. This was just at 100 yards. My barrel is a 9T Bartlein @ 26". No pressure signs at all. Don't think I will try for anymore speed. Maybe settle on 83.25g or so.