Christensen Arms Ridgeline Rifle

diverdown

Handloader
Apr 29, 2015
560
258
I posted on this a while back but couldn't relocate it so here goes. I'm picking up my rifle from the gunsmith on Monday. It took a while to get the throating reamers for the .300WM but with a little bit over a month to go till Colorado Elk season I've got time to work up a good load for the 180 grain Federal Trophy Bonded bullet. I picked up two Lbs. of RL26 before it disappeared from the shelves so that should be more than adequate. Unfortunately the throat on my rifle was so short that seating even short bullets was quite an intrusion on the powder space. Fortunately the magazine box was plenty long enough so I did have room to make adjustments. Went from an OAL of 3.225 to 3.640. Quite a difference! The Trophy Bonded is a long bullet so this should work out well. I did shoot this bullet before throating and it was accurate 3/4" at 100 yds. so this should be interesting. Will mention results as soon as available.
 
So, now you're loading 3.64" long 300 magnums? Cool. :grin:

I've had a few rifles over the years that permitted me to run a very long overall cartridge length. Most of them turned out to shoot well.

Looking forward to range and field reports!

Guy
 
I had to change the bottom metal in my CA Ridgeline to do just the opposite. The magazine would only allow about 3.640” and in order to get any of the sleeker bullets near the rifling I put in the PT&G bottom metal to let me get out to 3.775. Now I can at least load the 300 RUM out to normal lengths and darned near everything shoots well. Pretty good rifles, I’m planning on having mine when I head west in about a month.
 
It took a while to get back to shooting the Ridgeline. Hurricanes, general storms, rain, heat took a toll. Well anyway I loaded up twenty rounds of 180 grain Trophy Bonded Federal Bullets with 74.5 Grains of RL26 OAL 3.640 and just for the fun of it 10 Sierra 180 grain Pro hunters Same powder charge with an OAL of 3.590. Ogive was a little different for the Pro hunter. I was concerned that because I had taken the scope off for the throating work I would again have to start from scratch on sighting in. Well, I got a nice surprise, I bore sighted and it seemed that the POI had not changed very much. The first shot indicated an impact point about 5 inches to the right and down two inches. This is a 200 yard sight in. I quickly got it back in the bull and got a three shot 1 1/2 inch group with the Federal Ammo. Velocity was 3120 average. Now for the surprise. I shot three rounds of the Sierra Pro hunter and found POI to the right about one inch and level with the bull. Velocity was actually better at 3160. (26 inch barrel). Accuracy was actually a bit better with a 1 1/4 inch group. I've used the Pro hunter to take Elk in the past and it worked very well. Either bullet I'm sure would work very satisfactorily. Obviously the throating was a plus and now I've got room to move things around.
 
Great news, glad you got it fixed the way you like. I carried my Ridgeline over hill and dale this year but never took it off safe. Great rifle though. My only complaint is the stock is a bit short for me so I’ll send it off and get it lengthened but other that that, it’s a solid rifle. Plus, an 8 1/2 300 RUM is a pretty portable piece of gear that is a wicked option if shots may be on the long side.
 
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