Day at the range with 300 H&H mag (pic heavy)

[shoots_5]

Ok, so long story short I've been wanting to turn this Rem 721 into a nice long range shooter for awhile now. Bought a Leupold scope months ago, had the M1 turrets and TMR reticle installed....waited for rings and bases for awhile and finally got it mounted. Went out to sight it in and shortly after getting it on paper had a case separate in the chamber! Needless to say I wasn't happy, but it was headed to the smith anyway for a muzzle brake and to fix the bolt release tab. So off it goes....

I got it back yesterday with it's newly intalled Vias muzzle brake and the other stuff taken care of. Well, the weather forecast was showing no rain in the morning and I didn't have to be at work until 1:30 so I ran down to the farm to test things out.

After having the case separate I ordered some new brass and spent the evening before putting together some loads to test. This would be the first time I've ever shot Berger bullets and loaded up some of the 185 grain VLD's.

I loaded up 5 each using RL 22 starting at 68 grains and working up .5 grains to 69.5. CCI 250 primers and the above mentioned remington brass and Berger 185 VLD's. COAL was 3.702 and this just put them into the lands.

I also tried a couple with IMR 4831 at 63 & 64 grains.

The two best groups I got were as follows.

I also got about a 3/4" group with 64 grains of 4831 but the velocity was 2648 which is a bit slow for my idea of a long range round.

My hope was to be able to get around 2900 fps out of this load but it was a bit under that. The best I was able to do was an average of 2835 fps with the 69.5 grains of RL 22. Good enough I suppose.

Next I think I'll load up some with this powder charge and work on varying the seating depth as Berger recommends and see what happens.

This is my first rifle with a muzzle brake and I absolutely love it! Last time I shot it, I think I fired 7 rounds and my shoulder was bruised for 3 days. Today I shot 40 rounds and I loved every minute of it!!!! I am very happy with it and wish I would have done it a long time ago!

It's going to be cerakoted in sniper grey in the next week or so and I have a bell and carlson thumbhole stock on order to finish it off. I can't wait to get the whole package put together.

Anyway, it was an enjoyable way to spend the morning and I was pleased with the results so far!

Almost forgot some pics of my private range!

And my work in progress.....

 

[DrMike]

Always fun to pop some caps, and gratifying when the groups are tight. Great opportunity to shoot on your property. Congratulations.

 

[SJB358]

That looks like an awesome range day. I really like your rifle also. It looks like a very good shooter, and that is a very good scope on there. I am with you on muzzle brakes. Good ones are very good, and ear protection is easy to put on! I think you still have some room for growth outta that rifle. Might wanna try some H4831 also. It could get those 185's up a little in speed. Great shooting. It looks like your rifle is going to be an excellent LR rig. I like your range, it is devoid of snow! Good shooting. Scotty

 

[JD338]

shoots_5

Nice looking rifle and she is a shooter too, congratulations.
Nice to see all the green, we will pass the 75"snow fall mark so far this season later today.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Nice. Envious of the green ground.

 

[nodak7mm]

You do know that posting pictures of green ranges devoid of snow at this time of year is a serious infraction of the rules. Its just not acceptable for me to be looking at such conditions while I am sitting in my office, where I have to stand up to look over the snowbank outside my window.

Nice rig for sure. Keep us posted.

Rod

 

[shoots_5]

Trust me the snow isn't all that bad.....it may be green here, but we pay for it with grey, gloom and more rain than you can believe. I probably get about as sick of rain as you do with the snow! My least favorite conditions are when it's in the mid 30's and raining....the worst of both worlds in my opinion!

Anyway, thanks for the comments. I was pleased with the initial load development using the VLD's. I think some adjustment of seating depth might be able to tighten it up a bit more. I have a hard time believing I am lucky enough to get the perfect seating depth on a guess the first time!

Also I think the new stock may help me shoot better. The current stock is glass bedded and the barrel free floated but it isn't the most comfortable stock to shoot off a bench or prone.

As for the range....the land goes back quite a ways behind where the bench is at. I don't have a good enough range finder to find out right now, but I'm thinking I should be able to get out to at least 800 yards going back into that field that cuts into the trees you see looking down range. I'm hoping for a 1000 but we'll see. I would like to get some metal gongs set up up out there at various distances to practice some longer range work. It would be nice to build a little enclosed shooting house, but I think it would be in the way for farming activities. I'm just happy I have a place to shoot, even if it is an hour away.

 

[SJB358]

Man, that is an awesome range, and an hour really isn't too bad. As long as you bring enough ammo with you to keep ya busy. It seems as though you have a great shooting rifle, a good stock is only going to help it out some more. Keep us updated. That H&H is a very cool round. Scotty

 

[shoots_5]

Got some more rounds loaded up with varying COAL. Headed out to the range tomorrow to see how they shoot. Have to stop at my brother in law's farm first though and help him out with a goose problem.....

I followed the directions from Berger and loaded up some that are touching the lands at 3.673 and then came down to 3.633, 3.593 and 3.553. All loaded with 69.5 grains of RL 22. This was the load that gave me that .6" group at 2835 fps seated at 3.673. We'll see if any of those tighten things up or not. Should be interesting anyway. I'll post a report when I get back.

 

[Powerstroke]

Shoots_5

Looking pretty darn good !
Just one thing I'm going to throw out while you're playing with the Bergers......If this is a *hunting* rifle measure COAL on every one when you finished if you settle on them touching the lands.
Would hate to stick a bullet in the barrel while in the field.........

 

[shoots_5]

Thanks Powerstroke. I measure every round already just because I'm anal. And there is so much of the bullet in the case I would be impressed if one got pulled out, but they are just barely kissing the lands with no problems to date but it is something I am well aware of. I usually carry a 3 piece rod and a very simplified cleaning kit in my pack anyway. I've taken a fall before and ended up with my barrel full of mud and had to end my hunt that day due to not being able to clean it all out so now I prepare for most anything.

Off to the range I go! I'll try and get a report up tonight when I get back.

 

[SJB358]

Good luck today. Hope find the load you are looking for! Scotty

 

[shoots_5]

Holy smokes....I think I've struck gold! 3.633" is the winner and it really likes it!

The only unfortunate thing is that I've got very few of these bullets left and I can't seem to find anyone locally that has them. The one big outdoor sports store that I bought them from to begin with had lots of other calibers in stock but no .308 caliber berger's at all and didn't know when they would get anymore in. Looks like I might be mail ordering some. Ballistically I was running some numbers and I think the 168 bergers are actually a flatter shooting round for this gun. Might have to give them a try as well. On a positive note though I did find a box of the lead free Nosler BT's in stock for the 22-250. Those should be fun to load and up and see what they do!

I must say though that I'm just floored with that group! I never thought that old gun could shoot that well. And to think I had actually thought about re-barreling it....

 

[SJB358]

Wow, awesome shooting. That is a flat out great group. Looks like there is alot of life left in that barrel! I am sure you can find some more Bergers, you just may have to pay a little shipping for them. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

Great load and some super shooting. Congratulations.