300 WM recipe for beginner

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FishfinderAK

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Sep 25, 2015
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We’ll for my first venture done the handloading rabbit hole, I can’t say I’m overly impressed w my groups, but dang it’s a frustrating fun.

Now to change it up a bit. Just to try to change a variable, because I’m outta bullets, and to try to save a little money on bullets, I wanna try the Hornady ELD X. Can’t decide between the 178’s or 200’s tho.
I like the idea of the 200’s but being limited by my Tikka mag length the shorter 178 May be better...
If I can find it in stock I’ll try H1000 or keep using the IMR4350 I already have.

Thanks all. Fun stuff!
 
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ELD-X have a reputation for giving very inconsistent results day to day, and my personal experiences back that up. If you're simply looking to save money over barnes, I've had great luck loading the sierra gameking SPBT bullets in the 300 WM. They're accurate and cheap for targets and learning to reload. The 200+ gr versions work great on game, the lighter ones are a bit weak for magnum velocity close range impacts.

the 215 gr berger is every bit as good as the hype, but is also not the cheapest bullet to shoot.

I recommend going to H4831SC or H1000 powder, both have worked well for me.
 

elkguide

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I wanted the ELDX to be my go to bullet but I have yet to find a .30 caliber rifle (I have 6 different ones) that I can get a 1MOA group with them consistently so they are a no go for me. With Bergers, Sierra GK's, or Hornady SST's, I can get 1/2 MOA quite easily with most any of those rifles.
 

TauPhi111

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Good to see another Barnes fan here. As I beginner I'd stick with Barnes load data. It's always been reliable for me. The best part is that it is free online on their website. For all other bullets I'd go to Hodgdon's website for good data.
 

Kindo

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Try this recipe:

74 grains Reloader 22
Nosler 180 grain Accubond
215 primers
3.417 OAL

You will obviously have to play around with the OAL but start there. This is a recipe that has worked for me and my gunsmith for almost every 300 win mag I’ve shot. My Christensen Arms Ridgeline is shooting .327” at 100. I can consistently get a .4-.5 group.

Found it interesting last night when I found this post after just whipping up 20 rds to test various seating depths for my Ridgeline 300 WM with 180 accubonds.

I ended up at 73.5 gr of RL22 and a OAL of 3.440. I tested 5 new OALs, but the 3.440 was significantly better than 3 others which were shorter/longer and just a bit better than the SAAMI max specs round that was my base. Made a real nice clover leaf at 100 yds with the most consistent speed spread throughout the test.
 

farmer14

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Found it interesting last night when I found this post after just whipping up 20 rds to test various seating depths for my Ridgeline 300 WM with 180 accubonds.

I ended up at 73.5 gr of RL22 and a OAL of 3.440. I tested 5 new OALs, but the 3.440 was significantly better than 3 others which were shorter/longer and just a bit better than the SAAMI max specs round that was my base. Made a real nice clover leaf at 100 yds with the most consistent speed spread throughout the test.

right on. Does your action happen to be a Remington 700? This recipe has constantly worked in Rem 700 actions well.sounds like you’re shooting straight!
 

Kindo

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right on. Does your action happen to be a Remington 700? This recipe has constantly worked in Rem 700 actions well.sounds like you’re shooting straight!

Its a Christensen Ridgeline which I’m told is based off the 700 action. I’m unsure to the extent of their similarities though.

It’s been a fickle gun through the first 150 rounds but now it tends to shoot most anything along the lines of their 1 moa guarantee. This is the first load I’ve found to stack them up though. Does so at about 3080 fps to boot!

Since it sounds like you know your way around remmys, any tips on a 80s era Model 7 FS in 7-08 with the 18” pencil barrel?!
 

JohnnyB

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Another Barnes fan here. I went through this process and ended up with:

Tikka T3x Light 300 WM
180 gn TTSX
Winchester Magnum Primer
73.2 gn RL22
3.323 COAL
AVG Vel 2999
SD 12.3
ES 25
 

JonS

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I wanted to reload for my .300. I had some 180 partitions and some 168 ttsx factory barnes rounds.
I bet I fired 40 rounds of the 180 with 4831sc and never got what I wanted. The 168 factory were all touching, I bought some and sighted it in and haven't looked back.
Got a new stainless coming and hope she likes them as much, maybe I'll try the 180's again, but that Tikka loves the 168 ttsx.
Tagging this post for recipes when she shows up and the range is back open.
 
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My ca 300 winmag shoots nearly hole in hole at 100(1.8 at 500) with 74.0g of h1000 with cci 200 215 Berger hybrids .015 of the lands
What speeds? I was shooting that exact load today but the fed primer and either my magneetospeed is off or my barrel is super hot
 

Jim Carr

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75 ish grains H1000 with cci 250s and 215 Berger's. Seems to be a good load in many rifles including factory rifles loaded to mag length .
 

MOwhitetail

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I’ve had great luck with the 212 gr ELD-X. 1/2” groups and good expansion on the few things I’ve shot with it. I’d stay away from H1000. It’s a solid powder but you could end up developing a great load with it and then never finding it again (like me).
 

Rokbar

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I load 72 g Of imr4350, 165 nosler ballistic tip, 3.40 oal Winchester brass. I just load large rifle Winchester primers. Shooting a browning a bolt ll. Getting 3030 fps. I have considered going to 180 accubonds but I am very comfortable and consistent out to 500yards with what I load.
 

Doc Holliday

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I am in the process of finding a load for 180gr Accubond, but these two were winners for me:

165 gr Accubond - 71gr Reloader 19 - 3.340 COAL - Winchester Magnum Primer

200 gr Accubond - 67gr IMR 4831 - 3.346 COAL - Winchester Magnum Primer
 
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