Sako A7 300 win mag load opinions

[Crider89]

so i got this rifle and started reloading for it. It shoots factory federal berger hybrid 185s sub MOA 5 shot groups. I am struggling to find the same results in a reload. Best group ive gotten is a .8" 3 shot group with RL 23, hornady sst 180, 3.34 OAL. Ive played with seating depth and berger classic hunter 185s and best i got is .95" group. Interested to see if anyone has a good load with one of these rifles that i could use as a starting point giving that all guns are a little different.

 

[Mosby]

I get sub Moa with 175 gr Barnes LR TSX and RL 22. I don't even try to find the lands. Extremely accurate for me.

 

[BeaverHunter]

I had this same gun a couple years ago. My load was using reloader 22 and 180 grain accubonds. It’s was well under moa.

 

[Marble]

I might go to a 200 grain bullet, even though I shoot a 180...

I use h4350 and nosler 180 ABs. It's lethal and very accurate. Better than I can hold.

I have found large changes, more than I ever thought, in seating depth had more impact on my accuracy than powder type or amount.

Took me a year to figure it out though....

 

[Crider89]

Thanks guys, the jump to the lands is rather surprising. I ended up dremeling out the magazine to be able to load a little longer rounds but nothing promising. Ive been reading a good many people are having luck with the barnes. I may have to pick some up.

 

[Crider89]

I had this same gun a couple years ago. My load was using reloader 22 and 180 grain accubonds. It’s was well under moa.

Whats your OAL?

 

[Crider89]

I get sub Moa with 175 gr Barnes LR TSX and RL 22. I don't even try to find the lands. Extremely accurate for me.

What was your OAL also?

 

[Mosby]

What was your OAL also?

3.340. I used to jam into the lands and then I hunted in extreme cold temps. The bullet got pulled out of the cartridge a couple of times in one of my rifles. Powder everywhere. Didn't cost me an animal but it could have. I stopped doing that. Now I start at standard AOL and my test loads were consistently accurate, so I left it alone.

Loading to AOL also makes it easier to load into the clip or magazine. You know the rounds are going to fit and chamber properly. The benchrest guys that came up with many of the loading techniques for accuracy are shooting in warm weather, with single shot rifles. They are proven techniques but I have learned they are not necessarily all practical for hunting rifles in hunting conditions.

I have shot all brands of bullets in several different hunting rifles. I normally hunt with Barnes, Nosler or Speer depending on what and where. In my rifles, Barnes have been consistently more accurate than the other two.

 

[Crider89]

3.340. I used to jam into the lands and then I hunted in extreme cold temps. The bullet got pulled out of the cartridge a couple of times in one of my rifles. Powder everywhere. Didn't cost me an animal but it could have. I stopped doing that. Now I start at standard AOL and my test loads were consistently accurate, so I left it alone.

Loading to AOL also makes it easier to load into the clip or magazine. You know the rounds are going to fit and chamber properly. The benchrest guys that came up with many of the loading techniques for accuracy are shooting in warm weather, with single shot rifles. They are proven techniques but I have learned they are not necessarily all practical for hunting rifles in hunting conditions.

I have shot all brands of bullets in several different hunting rifles. I normally hunt with Barnes, Nosler or Speer depending on what and where. In my rifles, Barnes have been consistently more accurate than the other two.

Good info. Thank you. I looked at the barnes ttsx and accubonds. The accubonds have higher bc so im on the fence right now.

 

[Mosby]

Good info. Thank you. I looked at the barnes ttsx and accubonds. The accubonds have higher bc so im on the fence right now.

The 175 gr Long Range Barnes(LRX) were more accurate in my WM than the 180 gr Accubond. Accubond is a very good bullet though.

I don't shoot much past 400 yds in the field, so I haven't found the bc that big of a deal. I have a 1000 yd rifle (that I never use because of weight) and I worry about the bc of the bullet when I start shooting past 600 yds.

 

[Crider89]

The 175 gr Long Range Barnes(LRX) were more accurate in my WM than the 180 gr Accubond. Accubond is a very good bullet though.

I don't shoot much past 400 yds in the field, so I haven't found the bc that big of a deal. I have a 1000 yd rifle (that I never use because of weight) and I worry about the bc of the bullet when I start shooting past 600 yds.

Yea i dont shoot much past 400 either but id like to be prepared with an upcoming idaho hunt. I just have to play around a bit i guess.

 

[Blackstorm]

I don't have the Sako but do have a Browning A bolt III in 300 wm, I worked up loads for both the Barnes TTSX and Berger hybrid hunter both at 180 gr, the Barnes is more accurate at 100 and 200 yards but at 300 and 400 yards they are almost equal. My gun likes them a little on the long side for both I'm at 3.345 for the Barnes and 3.350 for the Berger. I'm leaning towards the Berger after I did my gel filled water bottle test the Berger opened up better. That load was 69.9 of 4381 chronograph said 2970 fps at our elevation of around 500'. I'm going to fine tune a little more once the weather cools a bit

 

[Crider89]

I don't have the Sako but do have a Browning A bolt III in 300 wm, I worked up loads for both the Barnes TTSX and Berger hybrid hunter both at 180 gr, the Barnes is more accurate at 100 and 200 yards but at 300 and 400 yards they are almost equal. My gun likes them a little on the long side for both I'm at 3.345 for the Barnes and 3.350 for the Berger. I'm leaning towards the Berger after I did my gel filled water bottle test the Berger opened up better. That load was 69.9 of 4381 chronograph said 2970 fps at our elevation of around 500'. I'm going to fine tune a little more once the weather cools a bit

Thats actually good to know. Ive been concerned about the berger expansion. The hybrids blow apart and i dont like that. Thanks for the input.