180 PT's in 300WSM

[tddeangelo]

Suggestions?

I've run H4350, H4831sc, and RL22 in my 300WSM with 180AB's and 1.5" is about as good as it seems to get.

Figured I'd try seat depth changes with the AB's, but I also picked up a box of 180gr PT's today to try.

I have IMR4350, H4350, IMR4064, IMR3031, RL22, and (I think) IMR4895 on hand.

Any suggestions?

 

[Elkman]

Tom
I have been through the same exercise with my STW for the better part of the year. I wanted to change from the TSX to Noslers and gain some performance and accuracy.
Last week I tried some RL-19, group size on the 175 Pt and the 160 AB were reduced significantly. My first 5 shot group with 175 grain Hornadys was under 1/2 inch. The next day I put 3 160 AB's, and 3 175 PT's into a 1" group.
Whether or not it will work for you I do not know,but I made a huge difference for me, and I wish I would have tried it earlier. !!!!!!

 

[SJB358]

Suggestions?

I've run H4350, H4831sc, and RL22 in my 300WSM with 180AB's and 1.5" is about as good as it seems to get.

Figured I'd try seat depth changes with the AB's, but I also picked up a box of 180gr PT's today to try.

I have IMR4350, H4350, IMR4064, IMR3031, RL22, and (I think) IMR4895 on hand.

Any suggestions?

Tom, I would give it a go with the RL22 and IMR4350.. Seems out of those two you should get something. I am very interested in seeing what happens.

This 5 shot group was shot out of Joels 300WSM. This was RL19/180gr AB's at work in it.

Again, I would almost bet you would you will find something. When your rifle is shooting so many groups right around the same size, something is not clicking. To me, I would guess it is the bullet. I hope the PT's shoot well for you. I really think switching to the Flat based PT's might give you a break. Scotty

 

[R Flowers]

For starters, I just have not been impressed with the Accubonds in general. They are a real hit and miss proposition. When they first came out I tried them in five different .338 caliber rifles, four of them shot like a shotgun while one shot groups well under an half inch.

In my two 300 WSM rifles, I have had really good groups using either the 180 grain Nosler Partition or the 180 grain Sierra Pro Hunter when loaded over IMR 4831 or H 4350. My loads all used Winchester brass and Fed 215M primers.

I have pretty much settled on H 4350 powder for this caliber. A little less powder compression and great performance. I am currently shooting H 4350 behind the 168 TSX and am very pleased with the combination in both rifles.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I used 67.0 grains of IMR 4350 and Fed 215 Mag primers for the 180 Partition in the .300 WSM with very good resultant accuracy out to 300 yards. This is close to a maximum load and I would work up to it. I have never shot AB's in the .300 WSM.

 

[SJB358]

For starters, I just have not been impressed with the Accubonds in general. They are a real hit and miss proposition. When they first came out I tried them in five different .338 caliber rifles, four of them shot like a shotgun while one shot groups well under an half inch.

In my two 300 WSM rifles, I have had really good groups using either the 180 grain Nosler Partition or the 180 grain Sierra Pro Hunter when loaded over IMR 4831 or H 4350. My loads all used Winchester brass and Fed 215M primers.

I have pretty much settled on H 4350 powder for this caliber. A little less powder compression and great performance. I am currently shooting H 4350 behind the 168 TSX and am very pleased with the combination in both rifles.

Have you tried RL17 with your rifle. Seems like it is tailor made for the 300WSM being 4350 like in burn rate with more velocity. I have a lb just waiting for a 300 to try. Scotty

 

[tddeangelo]

For starters, I just have not been impressed with the Accubonds in general. They are a real hit and miss proposition. When they first came out I tried them in five different .338 caliber rifles, four of them shot like a shotgun while one shot groups well under an half inch.

In my two 300 WSM rifles, I have had really good groups using either the 180 grain Nosler Partition or the 180 grain Sierra Pro Hunter when loaded over IMR 4831 or H 4350. My loads all used Winchester brass and Fed 215M primers.

I have pretty much settled on H 4350 powder for this caliber. A little less powder compression and great performance. I am currently shooting H 4350 behind the 168 TSX and am very pleased with the combination in both rifles.

Have you tried RL17 with your rifle. Seems like it is tailor made for the 300WSM being 4350 like in burn rate with more velocity. I have a lb just waiting for a 300 to try. Scotty

RL19 is supposedly made for the 300WSM. I remember reading somewhere that it is somewhat temp sensitive, which made me hesitate on buying it.

I really think I'm going back to H4350 which showed the best results with the AB's and feed it some Partitions. I can't imagine a Partition wouldn't work for about anything I want to hunt, and they look like they'll eat less case capacity than the AB does.

 

[SJB358]

I know I will look at the 180 or 200gr PT once a 300 finds me. Plenty of speed available for both loads and I know they will both be excellent for hunting. I like ABs but PTs consistenly turn in better groups for me across the board, with less load work. Bill has killed alot of elk with the PT so I can't think of anything that would do any better. Scotty

 

[jimbires]

Tom , RL17 is supposedly for the short mags . from what I see it is not temp sensitive . this is what I've been using all year in my 7-08 . it is fast , easy to work with ,and very clean too . if you buy a can of RL17 and it doesn't work for you I'll buy it when we go to NC . sometimes all it takes is a flat base bullet to make a rifle wake up . . a boat tail doesn't mean much inside of 300 yards , and sometimes it doesn't group as well at 100 as a flat base bullet . I'd never feel second rate using a Partition , these are fantastic bullets capable of anything your 300wsm is capable of . I have a couple questions . how far are you jumping the accubonds ? have you been using a chrony ? what was your extreme spreads ? did you have any E.S.'s that were say under 30 FPS ? I'm assuming you are doing 3 shot groups @ 100 yards ? Jim

 

[FOTIS]

RL 22 :mrgreen:

 

[tddeangelo]

Tom , RL17 is supposedly for the short mags . from what I see it is not temp sensitive . this is what I've been using all year in my 7-08 . it is fast , easy to work with ,and very clean too . if you buy a can of RL17 and it doesn't work for you I'll buy it when we go to NC . sometimes all it takes is a flat base bullet to make a rifle wake up . . a boat tail doesn't mean much inside of 300 yards , and sometimes it doesn't group as well at 100 as a flat base bullet . I'd never feel second rate using a Partition , these are fantastic bullets capable of anything your 300wsm is capable of . I have a couple questions . how far are you jumping the accubonds ? have you been using a chrony ? what was your extreme spreads ? did you have any E.S.'s that were say under 30 FPS ? I'm assuming you are doing 3 shot groups @ 100 yards ? Jim

Jim,

I have chrono'ed a few loads. I know I had a few, I think with H4350, that stayed well under a 30fps ES. Some went under 20. Didn't shoot like I thought they would, though.

I've set the AB's to mag length, which is a fair bit under the distance to the lands. I used to know the difference between the two, but I since forget. I'm seating them somewhere around 2.940 (off the top of my head). I believe book COAL is 2.860" (also off the top of my head).

I did get two loads with H4350 that shot around 0.6", but they would not repeat (neither of them).

It's so consistent, though.... except for the RL22 groups, they are well distributed groups (triangular, not strung), just go between 1.2 and 1.8, give or take, almost no matter what I do. I had some stinkers with RL 22, though, lol.

I'm thinking back to H4350 which showed the most promise...then push the AB's in 0.005 and 0.010 and see what they do. Worth a try, anyway. Then try some PT's with H4350 and see what they do.

I'm really hoping the RL22 load I put in the Roberts repeats. If it does, we're in business with that one. Grouped less than 0.7" and the chrono (when I get to it) should read around 2700-ish for a 110gr AB.

 

[wildgene]

...I'd go w/ the RL-17 in the .300 WSM, meself. I'm getting much better velocities in real time than my buddy's QL predictions, but he had to load RL-17 in. I've shot 12# of it in the last year, from high80's to the teens w/ no problems, my velocities have been significantly better, accuracy has been very good in the .25 WSSM, .300 & .325 WSM...

http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/p ... der17.aspx

 

[DrMike]

Tom,

Neither of the 300 WSMs I've owned liked ABs. Interestingly, each shot PTs quite well, but they simply wouldn't work well with ABs. IMR4350, H4350, H4831sc and RL22 have worked well in a variety of 300 WSMs for which I've loaded.

 

[tddeangelo]

Tom,

Neither of the 300 WSMs I've owned liked ABs. Interestingly, each shot PTs quite well, but they simply wouldn't work well with ABs. IMR4350, H4350, H4831sc and RL22 have worked well in a variety of 300 WSMs for which I've loaded.

Sweet...figured I'd go away from the hard poly-tipped boattail and into something more traditional.

I have all 4 of those powders, so I should be set.

Yesterday was the first I shot the 300 with the VX7 on it. Dang is that a sweet scope!

 

[DrMike]

Oh, yeah, I do love the VX7. You know, I still don't have that VX6! I'm wondering if they forgot me?

 

[R Flowers]

No, I have not tried Rl 17 in anything. Its like, how many powders can a guy try?

I have had very good success in the short mags with the powders I had on hand so I just could not justify trying new stuff.

In my 300 WSM rifles IMR 4831 or H 4350 seems to work great. In my 270 WSM I have had great success with either RL 22 or IMR 4350 (based on bullet weight). So why try something else?

There are so many components out there today a guy just cannot try them all, though I try.

 

[tddeangelo]

Oh, yeah, I do love the VX7. You know, I still don't have that VX6! I'm wondering if they forgot me?

I gave up on it, Mike. I'm thinking I might get one next year or so for another rifle, but who knows when it'll actually come out. Far as I know, they still haven't hit the market.

 

[jimbires]

Tom , I've been thinking and quickloading and ............ . here is what I'm thinking .
these are max loads.
IMR3031 is to fast case fill 90% and 2898 FPS low velocity
IMR4064 low velocity 91.8% ..............2913FPS
IMR4895 is a good choice 90.5% ......2960FPS
IMR4350 is a good choice 103.1% ....3003 FPS
H4350 is a good choice 100.5% ......3017FPS
RL17 is a good choice 92.9% ........3006FPS
RL22 is to slow 108.8% ................3067 FPS

I like a full case , but I try not to compress . compressing can cause other issues . I use a drop tube when I'm getting close to 100% case fill . I've had compressed load push the bullet back out a little, I'd reseat them the next day . I'd guess crunching powder could alter burn rate a little too . RL17 is supposed to be close to the 4350 burn rate . you said 4350 was about as good as you have tested so far . RL17 could be whats needed . my advice is to try RL17 . use a mag primer . start low and work up . nothings for sure here , anything can look good on paper but the proof is on the target . just something for you to think about . I wish you had a longer range and could shoot a ladder at 300 yards . this maybe could, sort of , kind of , short cut the process a little . Jim

 

[DrMike]

Waiting, waiting, waiting. In the interim, I bought another Swarovski Z6.

 

[Oldtrader3]

DrMike, I do not believe that buying a Sawrovski Z6 can ever be a wrong move. I really would like to buy a Z3 while they are still on sale for less than $1000. Good move on your part and nice scope!