Loading 300 Win Mag . . .

[Bama Steve]

I'm thinking about loading up the 300 and just wondered about powders and dies. (You cant even buy 1 box of shells for the price of dies now).

Looks like a belted cartridge - is there anything different about reloading this type of case from a 30-06 or .308?

I have lots of H-4350 and some H-450 powder, has anyone used these powders in the subject cartridge? What bullet/weight were you using with those powders?

Thanks again,

Bama . . . Over . . .

[Ron Walker]

I don't find H4350 or H450 in my books(for this cartridge), but IMR 4350 is and it works well for 300 WinMag from 150 gr. bullets up. Also H4831, IMR4831, IMR 4064, and Reloder 19. H380 and H414 are listed. I'm not a Hodgdon fan so really can't speak to their respective powders. Good shooting! Ron

[Bama Steve]

Thanks Ron,

H-4350 and IMR-4350 seem to be almost identical but not quite, so I thought I would ask here.

I do have some Re-19 so I might give it a go.

I was just looking for some experience with this cartridge as I have none myself.

[Andy the Aussie]

I used IMR4350 and 4831 depending on bullet weight. Now I use aussie made powders AR2213 for the most part. I ave had a 300 win since 1983 if you are loading i would suggest 165gn projectiles unless you have a real need for lighter/speedier 150s. I like Nosler Ballistic Tips but there are so many good projectiles on the market now the world really is your oyster.

Andy

[Bama Steve]

Andy,

Thanks for the insight on the 165 Gr bullets - I am trying to down-load a bit for recoil management and that sounds better than full powered 180 Gr pills.

Is there any difference in sizing these big cases than that of .308 or 30-06?

[Andy the Aussie]

Originally posted by Bama Steve
Andy,

Thanks for the insight on the 165 Gr bullets - I am trying to down-load a bit for recoil management and that sounds better than full powered 180 Gr pills.

Is there any difference in sizing these big cases than that of .308 or 30-06? ....no difference in the sizing process mate. Your FL die will accomodate the belt.

150s work well out of the 300 as well if you want lower recoil but I also have a 308 so if I want to use 150s I go with this. The 165s are the go for most things I suspect.

Andy

[lutefisk]

I'm doing this from memory, but the shoulder is at a steep angle so you want to minimize the lube and not use too much force. I've got a ton of loading and test data buried someplace, BUT, you should develop a load which works best in your weapon. For mine, it used to be 165-168 gr boat tails. Then the rifle and I went swimming and I stripped it. I never could get it dialed in with the same loads as previous. I ended up with 150 grain Spire points and they work great all the way up to bull elk. Someday, I might try to get back to the original loads, but, for me, it really doesn't matter.

Also, I seem to remember quite a variance in wall thickness/ case weight between the various commercial brass and would sort them carefully.

I always wanted to mess with some 130 grainers but never did. I wonder if the jackets would have stood up.

Good luck!

[Andy the Aussie]

Correct on the shoulder issue mate (you just jogged my memory). I have a number of different 130 and 125grn .308 projectiles here that I have thought of toying with in the .300. I think the 125gn Noslers would be like grenades on hogs....but they may also go vmtz....... errrrrr I mean *poof* ;) :rofl: at the end of the barrel....had that happening with my 22/250 and some 45gn pills I loaded when I was shooting foxes for skins years ago.

Andy:beer:

[Bama Steve]

Lutefisk,

Sounds to me that after that swim y'all took your bedding suffered a bunch.

Might try doing a glass or steel bedding job on your stock - that swim would not have effected the barrel interior, IMO. (Stock swelled, never settled back down).

I have an old Herter's rifle with a Yugoslavian Mauser Long Action - beautiful finish and smooth action - quite accurate with 180 gr bullets but I am out of ammo and have a few cases I could work up with.

I'm sitting on my body weight in 150 gr bullets from years past acquirements so I might start with those . . .

I'll heed your advice and keep the lube off of the shoulders . . .

I am assuming this is a 1 in 10 inch barrel as well.

[Gopher]

I have 2 loads using Sierra 200 gr Matchkings, Fed 215M primers and Fed cases
(1) 67.1 gr of IMR4350 about 2900 fps.
(2) 72.1 gr of RE22, never did a velocity reading on this one.
Out of a Remington 700 with a 30" Kreiger barrel, both are less than MOA at 100 and will put you in the 90's at 1000.
Usual cautions apply.

[Bama Steve]

Those loads sound like butt-kickers.
Thanks for the info.

[Clark]

I do 180 gr TSX 63 gr IMR4895 3.34" 3,000 fps in 300WM.

The other part of the equation is a Limbsaver recoil pad.