300 RUM Brains Trust

[Aussie Wanderer]

Hi all,

I am about to embark on the 300RUM journey, once I have a set of dies. Is there anything unique about this cartridge that I need to be aware of? I was planning on using 200 grain Accubonds or 200 grain Barnes LRX. Retumbo looks like a pretty handy powder.

I am really looking forward to seeing what this cartridge is capable of.

Any thoughts, stories or starting loads would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Aussie Hunter]

Hi mate. Another Aussie here and have just start got my 300 rum loaded up. Using 200 grain Accubonds and retumbo (adi 2225) powder. Shots great and looking forward to trying it on our Sambar deer.

 

[SJB358]

Man, it took me awhile to come around to the RUM but man what an animal! I’ve shot 165’s through 220’s in mine and it seems like everything from H1000 up through VV570 work great. Currently shooting the 189 Hammers at an easy 3300 in mine. Very accurate cartridge in the couple rifles I’ve been around.

 

[Yoteklr]

N570 and 230gr otm at 3150 fps 1/2 moa in a 26" barrel for me. Speed freak!

 

[Guy Miner]

200 gr Accubonds and a healthy charge of Retumbo works great! It was one of the early "great" combo loads when the 300 RUM was released. Shot very well from mine. Excellent velocity and accuracy.

Recoil can certainly become an issue in a sporter-weight rifle...

Guy

 

[IdahoCTD]

I use to shoot R25 and 180 Ballistic Tips. I shot a buck at 813yds with that combo running 3450fps.

 

[RL338]

Since you didn’t mention any distance of shots , I would go Barnes under 300yds and the Noslers over 300yds. Big 30s can stress a bullet at closer range. I tried many bullets in my 30-378 before settling on Berger 230gr Hybrids for deer.

 

[badaxeriverman]

If you go with a pencil barrel version like the factory 700s just be aware it’s pretty common to print two in the same hole and then the third one is normally a flyer most of the time because the barrel heats so quickly. I’ve even thrown mine in an HS precision stock and had it cryogenically treated. They’re finicky to get to shoot like a target gun but it can be done. I’ve got the Partition golds shooting decent groups and the 125 grain Nosler ballistic tips that will touch each other at a 100 yards with a 4,000 fps load. It’s fun to shoot it, but I cry every time I burn up 100 grains of powder or more in each casing. It doesn’t take more about 40 to 60 rounds to burn up a pound of powder real quick. Try and find a load as quickly as possible so I don’t have to burn up powder.Lol

 

[JD338]

The 300 RUM is a good one. Not much it can't accomplish when matched up with the right bullet.
Myself, I went with the 338 RUM. It covers anything the 300 RUM can do plus.

JD338

 

[badaxeriverman]

Wish I would’ve grabbed the 338 at the time. It would fit between the 300 and the 375 in my cabinet…lol

 

[diverdown]

The 300 RUM is a good one. Not much it can't accomplish when matched up with the right bullet.
Myself, I went with the 338 RUM. It covers anything the 300 RUM can do plus.

JD338

Agree 100 percent. I've had mine since it's inception and I was continually amazed at how fast it dropped animals. Great long range caliber. The recoil is something you adjust to but in cooler weather with a jacket or heavy sweatshirt not a problem.

 

[JD338]

In all honesty, unless you are hunting the biggest and/or most dangerous game the 338 RUM overlaps the 300 RUM and 375 RUM.
Of course it's more fun having all three.
And then there's the 7 RUM. It's a laser beam. The 160 gr AB's get down range fast and hit hard.

JD338

 

[JD338]

Agree 100 percent. I've had mine since it's inception and I was continually amazed at how fast it dropped animals. Great long range caliber. The recoil is something you adjust to but in cooler weather with a jacket or heavy sweatshirt not a problem.

Absolutely buddy.
I'm used the 338 RUM on elk, moose, bear and a ton of deer. Seeing the impact of a 338 RUM on game is a sight to behold!

JD338

 

[badaxeriverman]

I remember the first time I got drawn for black bear. Out of 16 black bear trees that year and shot I only saw two drop stone cold dead… and that’s both with 300 rum. One with a 180 grain ballistic tip and mine with a 180 Scirrocco. They are wicked calibers with the right projectile. I remember back around 99 when that 300 rum was introduced. There was a video out from Remington shooting a grizzly bear or two and some moose and elk, and they all dropped at the shot. That sold me!!! I had a KDF brake put on mine right off the bat. It blew my eardrums and made them bleed, but it kicked like a 243. I have since removed it and don’t mind the recoil. My 375 will always live with a KDF brake on it. I’m not recoil shy, but that thing is brutal on your shoulder. I remember around 2000 2001 when I got it it was on blowout from CDN investments for $489 in the BDL 700 wood. I reloaded 28, 260 grain Nosler ballistic tips for it. Went out and shot it with a T-shirt on and I had tears in my eyes when I was done. I had broken blood vessels all the way down to my belly button and all the way down to my elbow from shooting it. I couldn’t shoot a gun for about two weeks after that.Lol I sent it in for a brake right away after that deal. I had a Vias quiet brake put on it. It recoiled worse than it did without a break with that goofy brake. My buddy is a gunsmith and said he would put a KDF on for me. Put one on for me and I don’t think I’ve shot it since. Actually I think I tried it with trail boss and 235 Seirra bullets and starting loads of regular powder around 2750 fps. It doesn’t stabilize them at slower speeds. Couldn’t hit what the paper with trail boss. It’s just not a fun gun to shoot unfortunately.


The 300 RUM my buddy bought one about a month before I did in 1999’. He bought the Tupperware stock version and I bought the LSS. We both dialed our triggers down to about 2 1/2 pounds to help out with groups. His shot tighter groups with factory and hand loads than mine. He sold it off years ago and hunts with a 243 now. He gave me his brass a few years back. I tried to load the brass and it had zero neck tension. I thought there was something wrong with my die. The brass necks were so thin but not cracked. The bullets would fall into the case after seated. Couldn’t figure out the issues till I bought new brass. New brass did wonders for neck tension.

I save those pieces of brass and put them aside. Figure I’ll make something out of them someday maybe dummy rounds if I glue the bullets in place… or who knows. I was tumbling some brass yesterday and I found them set aside. It was kind of weird. There’s one or two crack necks now and they peeled back like a banana all by themselves just from sitting. They weren’t like that when I put them away. The rest of them don’t have crack necks. They’re just so thin they won’t hold a bullet anymore. I was debating on running them through my sizer and jumping them up to 375 but I would assume they’re gonna be even thinner with those if I try it might give it a try anyways no harm no foul.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I remember the first time I got drawn for black bear. Out of 16 black bear trees that year and shot I only saw two drop stone cold dead… and that’s both with 300 rum. One with a 180 grain ballistic tip and mine with a 180 Scirrocco. They are wicked calibers with the right projectile. I remember back around 99 when that 300 rum was introduced. There was a video out from Remington shooting a grizzly bear or two and some moose and elk, and they all dropped at the shot. That sold me!!! I had a KDF brake put on mine right off the bat. It blew my eardrums and made them bleed, but it kicked like a 243. I have since removed it and don’t mind the recoil. My 375 will always live with a KDF brake on it. I’m not recoil shy, but that thing is brutal on your shoulder. I remember around 2000 2001 when I got it it was on blowout from CDN investments for $489 in the BDL 700 wood. I reloaded 28, 260 grain Nosler ballistic tips for it. Went out and shot it with a T-shirt on and I had tears in my eyes when I was done. I had broken blood vessels all the way down to my belly button and all the way down to my elbow from shooting it. I couldn’t shoot a gun for about two weeks after that.Lol I sent it in for a brake right away after that deal. I had a Vias quiet brake put on it. It recoiled worse than it did without a break with that goofy brake. My buddy is a gunsmith and said he would put a KDF on for me. Put one on for me and I don’t think I’ve shot it since. Actually I think I tried it with trail boss and 235 Seirra bullets and starting loads of regular powder around 2750 fps. It doesn’t stabilize them at slower speeds. Couldn’t hit what the paper with trail boss. It’s just not a fun gun to shoot unfortunately.


The 300 RUM my buddy bought one about a month before I did in 1999’. He bought the Tupperware stock version and I bought the LSS. We both dialed our triggers down to about 2 1/2 pounds to help out with groups. His shot tighter groups with factory and hand loads than mine. He sold it off years ago and hunts with a 243 now. He gave me his brass a few years back. I tried to load the brass and it had zero neck tension. I thought there was something wrong with my die. The brass necks were so thin but not cracked. The bullets would fall into the case after seated. Couldn’t figure out the issues till I bought new brass. New brass did wonders for neck tension.

I save those pieces of brass and put them aside. Figure I’ll make something out of them someday maybe dummy rounds if I glue the bullets in place… or who knows. I was tumbling some brass yesterday and I found them set aside. It was kind of weird. There’s one or two crack necks now and they peeled back like a banana all by themselves just from sitting. They weren’t like that when I put them away. The rest of them don’t have crack necks. They’re just so thin they won’t hold a bullet anymore. I was debating on running them through my sizer and jumping them up to 375 but I would assume they’re gonna be even thinner with those if I try it might give it a try anyways no harm no foul.

Scrap the brass.

 

[RL338]

He gave me his brass a few years back. I tried to load the brass and it had zero neck tension. I thought there was something wrong with my die. The brass necks were so thin but not cracked. The bullets would fall into the case after seated. Couldn’t figure out the issues till I bought new brass. New brass did wonders for neck tension.

Annealing after each firing will reduce the work hardening of the necks.

 

[badaxeriverman]

Yeah back in the day I never annealed when this brass was purchased. Now I normally every 4 to 5 firings. I probably should’ve annealed my 35 Whelen brass this time around, but it’s loaded and ready to go. That stuff said least cheap even though it’s original Remington 35 Whelen brass I can always grab some 30-06 casings and neck them up, which are a dime a dozen.

 

[JD338]

At least grab some 30 odd six casings and neck them up, which are a dime a dozen.

That's a good price!

JD338

 

[badaxeriverman]

lol… I wish they were that cheap in reality but you get my point. Most people don’t even keep their 30-06 , or parent cases anymore. I find it at the range all the time. I was there last week and I had a guy give me all his military 30-06 brass when he got done shooting. I figured that’ll be some tough stuff! Might have to save it for my Winchester 1917 though.

 

[Aussie Wanderer]

I had a bloke give me 3 boxes of once fired 300wm brass the other week because he doesn’t reload. When I look at the cost of a box of factory ammo, hard to justify not reloading.