300WSM w/180gr and H4350

[257 Ackley]

Those velocities look about right. The accuracy is about right, also. That is certainly looking good.

+1 - recheck the 63.5 and 64 loads to see what happens with the groups.

 

[tddeangelo]

Tom I loaded for a friend who's rifle did the same thing. It was a 270 Remington. One-half grain change in powder and the group would be not so good. One-half grain more and bingo it was there. It was like that the last few loadings until I hit the maximum. Went with the next lightest load that shot really well.

You should be very pleased with your results! Nice job.
David.

Indeed I am, David. I didn't expect that so quick, either.

I have cases prepped, and tonight I'll run 6 or 8 each of 63.5gr and 64.5gr so that I can take them to the range and shoot multiple groups with each. I figure two or three groups with each should give me an indicator of how they'll shoot, and if there's no difference in accuracy, then I guess I'll flip a coin, lol.

Truthfully, the velocity gain (a friend ran a QL for me on this bullet/powder combo) between 63.5 and 64.5 gr was pretty minimal (less than 50fps) and the recoil increase was noticeable. Not bad, but noticeable. I wouldn't be afraid of 64.5gr if that's what shot best, but I'd take 63.5 if all else was equal.

 

[SJB358]

Looking forward to seeing your results Tom. Hope it shoots as well it has. Looking forward to seeing your numbers. Scotty

 

[big rifle man]

tddeangelo, Your velocity other than the 3200+ looks as Doc said, right in the ball park. I shoot 180 grainers out of my .300WSM Kimber and with 64.5 grains of IMR4350 get 3030FPS with a spread of 9-12FPS. With the Florida summer temps in the 90's I start getting a slight shiny spot on the case head so this load is restricted to cooler temps. The rifle is a Montana and gets used in Colorado so temps are not a worry.

 

[FOTIS]

Let us know what the update is....

 

[big rifle man]

Tddangelo, error on that last info I gave you. The 64.5 grains relates to IMR4350. 67.5 grains of IM4831 is what I have found to work real well. My OAL is 2.850.

 

[tddeangelo]

Probably won't get to the range again till Friday or Saturday, although maaaaaybe Wed I can sneak out after work in time. Just depends on when I get home.

I actually wouldn't mind running 63.5 to stay a little below max, although I guess 64.5 wouldn't be the end of the world. The chrono seems to be somewhat on the money, so I guess I can believe the averages, although it showed a 100fps spread across three shots of the 63.5gr loads. I was surprised by that...I didn't think it'd be that high of a spread.

 

[SJB358]

I think as you get further into loading a good chrono will tell you a ton Tom. Or at least, send your Dad's away to get calibrated. Scotty

 

[tddeangelo]

I think as you get further into loading a good chrono will tell you a ton Tom. Or at least, send your Dad's away to get calibrated. Scotty

He was going to sell it, but it was reading his 7-08 loads right about where they should be, with one or two that were clearly wacky.

If he wants to keep it, that's fine by me. I was going to get my own, anyway.

 

[SJB358]

I think as you get further into loading a good chrono will tell you a ton Tom. Or at least, send your Dad's away to get calibrated. Scotty

He was going to sell it, but it was reading his 7-08 loads right about where they should be, with one or two that were clearly wacky.

If he wants to keep it, that's fine by me. I was going to get my own, anyway.

Ask Brian (Woodycreek) what model he has. I really like his set up more than mine. Mine works fine, but his was much easier to operate and seemed easier to grab data off of. Scotty

 

[tddeangelo]

Hit the range today....not what I'd hoped for, to say the least.

I had done a copper cleaning, so I had two rounds of 62.0gr charge weights. I sent one down the tube to foul it. Perfectly where I wanted it, to the point that if I'd shot a fly on the target, I would have hit it.

Then I changed over to the 63.5gr load. First shot was a bit low and right from where I wanted it, which didn't bode well. The next two touched, right where I wanted. Figured I'd send a 4th. that was same windge as the first (right) but about an inch higher. Crud.

Had the old man's chrono, readings were all north of 3200fps. Guess I'm getting myself one to get a more realistic reading. His seems to do well till velocities start cresting 3000 and then it seems to get wonky.

Let the barrel come back to ambient temp, and ran three rounds of the 64.5gr charged loads. Without measuring, I'd guess it produced a 2" group, centered on point of aim.

The 63.5gr charge produced probably 1.1-1.4 (haven't measured yet).

I'm going to guess it's the barrel not being quite "there" yet. I'm at around 60 on the round count (have to check my notes, but that's ball park).

I shot a 62.0gr round (2nd of 2 I had) on the same target I shot the fouler (which was perfect, ironically), and it hit about 2" from the first.

The only other thing I thought of was that I had the die adjusted a hair longer than previous batches, which averaged right at about 2.860 (book OAL max). These probably averaged more like 2.870, which I didn't think would make this much of a difference.

Two of the three 64.5gr loads showed small extractor marks, but no primer problems showed.

At this point, I packed it up with several rounds of each charge remaining. I figured it was just not my day.

I'll scrub the barrel and go back to work on it. Maybe when I hit Cabela's tonight I'll get some RL17 and try that.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

TD,
What primer are you using?

 

[tddeangelo]

TD,
What primer are you using?

Federal Large Rifle Magnum.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

In my experience, H4831 doesn't tend to like the Hot Fed215's. As an old school stick powder, it usually likes somthing coolers. Might want to consider some CCI200 or BR-4's. I would try that before I switched powders.

Save the Fed215's for your ball powder.

 

[tddeangelo]

In my experience, H4831 doesn't tend to like the Hot Fed215's. As an old school stick powder, it usually likes somthing coolers. Might want to consider some CCI200 or BR-4's. I would try that before I switched powders.

Save the Fed215's for your ball powder.

I use CCI200's on my 30-06 loads, so I have some on hand. I'll try that. Using H4350, not H4831, but I see what you're saying. Worth a try, for sure.

My father's fwt M70 did this for about 200 rounds, though, so I'm not overly worried. He would see great groups, then not so great groups. Over time, the ratio kept growing in favor of the great groups, and not the rifle is pretty much settled in. Took about 200 rounds to get there in his. I'm just over 60 on mine, so I figured I have some shooting to do until it gets there. It sure likes to hold on to copper yet, so I think there's some barrel break-in that has to happen yet.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Yeah my Dads 300 WSM shot terrible with Fed 215's and RL22; once i switched to Winchester Large Rifle Magnums (and have used Fed 210's and Win Large Rifle as well) the pressure and velocity evened out and he put 5 shots down the same hole @ 100 yards.

 

[tddeangelo]

Yeah my Dads 300 WSM shot terrible with Fed 215's and RL22; once i switched to Winchester Large Rifle Magnums (and have used Fed 210's and Win Large Rifle as well) the pressure and velocity evened out and he put 5 shots down the same hole @ 100 yards.

Cool, thanks for the info.

I'll try some CCI200's on my next batch. Been thinking about trying RL17 in the rifle, too. Possibly H4831sc, too.

Just measured.....63.5gr load gave 1.291" and 64.5gr load gave 1.945".

Those loads yielded 0.603" and 0.623" respectively the last time I shot them. I still have a few of each loaded up. I'll shoot them up and load the next batch with CCI200's and see what it does. I suppose I could pull them down and reload them with CCI's....

 

[SJB358]

I think you'll be in good shape Tom once you find an accurate chronograph. Really helps with building good loads I think. RL17 should be great as well as the 4831's. I would imagine by the time you hit the 100 round mark you will be driving tacks. Getting kind of excited to get this 7WSM out and see what it is made of. Scotty

 

[tddeangelo]

I think you'll be in good shape Tom once you find an accurate chronograph. Really helps with building good loads I think. RL17 should be great as well as the 4831's. I would imagine by the time you hit the 100 round mark you will be driving tacks. Getting kind of excited to get this 7WSM out and see what it is made of. Scotty

You got it? Cool!

Just looked in my inventory....no CCI200's, but I do have Fed210's and some Rem 9 1/2's. I was at Cabela's and had other stuff to buy, so I think I would have caught some crap for another box of bullets from the Accountant.

My last AB's are in remainders of the batches I was shooting today. I'll get a box of AB's for the 300 again soon. I did, however, slip in a box of 110gr AB's for the 257 Roberts. Time to play with that one, too.

 

[DrMike]

Try the F210s. I think you'll be pleased with them, Tom. I use a lot of them in my 300 WSM loads.