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switching brass??
toad67
Member Posts: 13,009 ✭✭✭✭
Going to try and work up a load for my new 300 Win mag using RL23 (as per nononsense' recommendation) pushing some 180 grain Barnes TSX's with new Norma brass and Fed 215's. I have a box of Remington 180 core lokt's that I'm going to sight in with, but I also have 30 pieces of factory Remington brass, that if I don't use, I'll probably just give away. Thinking about burning the Remington brass to start with at reduced loads to see what works, then switching to the new Norma brass. I realize that I'm mixing basic components, but at reduced loads I'd like to save the good brass to get started..Thoughts? Thanks in advance...
Todd
Todd
Comments
I would suggest that you do some research on breaking in a barrel.
You might consider something like a JB Bore Paste treatment right from the start. Choice of solvent is a consideration, I still like Shooter's Choice. I would limit my stings to like 3 rounds at a time and never more than 5 (unless I was being shot at).
My experience has been that firearms are individuals and what works best in one may not be the hot ticket in the next one even if it's the same make, model and caliber. That Remington brass might be the hot item. Keep good notes.
Various brass makes have different capacities so I generally do a water weight to determine the capacity first. They will be different so you need to adjust accordingly.
All new, factory brass is under-size so fireforming is usually a good idea so the brass fits your chamber. This is not like fireforming a wildcat but is the simple process of working with a load while forming to your chamber at the same time.
Best.
But normally a 300 mag hunting gun is not as critical (finekey) and is inherently a accurate gun. It's usually the shooter that is under test when test firing a 300 Win mag, recoil flinch, jerking trigger, etc, due to recoil. On my own magnum guns I only test fire 3 shot groups instead of 5 shot groups due to barrel heat. If you have not downed a animal in 3 shots with a 300 magnum gun no need in further shooting because you will be closing your eyes or wiping blood out of your eyes when firing more rounds. (and you need to get a head start outrunning your hunting partner instead of standing your ground so as the bear will get him first)[;)]
Sorting and selecting for matched brass is not a fun part of reloading but I've found that knowing my brass is properly selected and matched helps remove one of the things that can cause a flyer.
I then keep the hulls labeled (marked with a permanent marker pen) as to once fired, neck sized, how many times they have been re-loaded and how many times they have REQUIRED TRIMMING.
I use the brass that has been trimmed more than 3 times for reduced loads. Them 300 mags shoot some real good reduced loads groups using 5744 powder and reloading at 308 or even 30/30 velocities for plinking and sometimes the scope does not even have to be readjusted at 100 yards to be on target if the 5744 load is selected for such by testing. (using 150, 180 or 220 gr bullets) Reduced loads allows recoil sensitive people to hunt with a 300 mag and not get kicked down and stomped and they can use their reduced load brass that normally has to be discarded.[;)]
AND Magnum Rifle brass is pricy now days. (make every shot count)
personally I believe that every gun fires differently so I load several loads differently until I find what the gun likes best and my goal is same hole hits and when it happens that is the permanent load for that gun, the rest is all you.
and H 1000 is also a good test powder for 300 win mag caliber and 180 gr bullet for best hunting rifle accuracy of around 1 inch groups or better at 100 yards.
and I would not fart around starting at reduced loads for a 300 win mag, I would load and test. You might be surprised how accurate your gun is straight out of the box if YOU can stand the recoil and do your part.
AND
keep in mind you can use your old HV brass for Low velocity loads and it will last forever at 30/30 velocities using 5744 powder.
Very accurate and good for deer hunting out to 150 yards or so at 30/30 velocities and low recoil for Youths, Nancy's and Pansies using a magnum caliber gun.
(and moving the 5744 powder charge up and down sometimes the scope does not even have to be re-adjusted at 100 yards to be on target for both the HV and LV load and sometimes the LV load will actually group just little bit higher than the HV load at 100 yards. You sometimes get a pleasant surprise about such group accuracy of two powders being the same at 100 yards with no scope adjust required.
Second, "working up a load with new brass" may be a troublesome undertaking. Are you going to continue using "new brass" for ALL your loads?
I used to load quite a bit of 7mm Rem mag ammo and really didn't see a disadvantage to using Remington brass. Seeing that NORMA on the case head is nice BUT unless you practice some careful loading techniques, it won't last much longer than Remington.
I'm busy trying to help take care of my mother but I wanted to offer a little more encouragement for your project:
If this is a new factory barrel, check the inside with a borescope to see the condition of the bore and grooves. This determines the process of breaking in rather than just trying to follow standardized rules. Reason? Bartlein barrels usually require about 10 - 15 shots to be completely broken in. Standardized break in procedures often call for many more but they are working with factory or lower level production barrels.
Your choices of brass and the fact that this is a hunting rifle do not require sorting. All you need to do is keep the Remington separate from the Norma and keep the number of times fired, recorded.
I suggest using the Core-Lokts for the break in but be advised that these bullets do perform quite well on game. I use Bore Tech Eliminator or Butch's Bore Shine for cleaning. The Barnes bullets, being solids will have a different load than the cup and core bullets. You do not necessarily need 'reduced loads' but simply some that are recommended by powder and bullet manufacturers. Use the 215 primers.
Remember that you do not have to stick with the first accuracy node you discover since performance other than accuracy will be mediocre. There are always other accuracy nodes above those first couple. These will yield greater velocity and energy with excellent accuracy. Strive to achieve the best then take the rifle hunting!
Best.
First, I wouldn't start off with the most expensive bullets on the market--leave those for later when the bore is smoothed out.
Second, "working up a load with new brass" may be a troublesome undertaking. Are you going to continue using "new brass" for ALL your loads?
I used to load quite a bit of 7mm Rem mag ammo and really didn't see a disadvantage to using Remington brass. Seeing that NORMA on the case head is nice BUT unless you practice some careful loading techniques, it won't last much longer than Remington.
Good info here to save you from shooting $'s at paper. (magnums rifles get's expensive when shooting at paper targets, especially if the rifle's accuracy is not up to par and you are shooing premium bullets.
I've suggested the same about not shooting high priced premium HUNTING bullets at paper targets when FIRST testing a hunting rifle for accuracy. I have found that high priced premium hunting bullets like Nosler, Hornady plus others usually do not shoot as good a group as flat based spritzer type bullets. (because they are not designed as
silhouette bullets, they are hunting bullets)
why reduced loads in a 300 Win Mag at all? just a thought
Several reasons and I probably missed a few. A 300 mag is a do it all caliber and most 300 mags are very inherently accurate with 150-220 grain bullets
I've been using Western Powders, Accurate 5744 in 300 mag reloads for years and several other hard kickin calibers and most generally can fine tune the 5744 powder weight so as the scope does not even have to be re-adjusted when going from a HV load to a LV load at 100 yards.
LV load reasons also termed REDUCED RECOIL LOAD
LV loads that I'm referring to are in the 30 30 velocity range.
1. Brass that has been reloaded too many times for HV reloads can be neck sized and used several times with low velocity loads and just keep on neck sizing the same fired brass for reloads. (No or minimum hull stretch)
2. Recoil sensitive people ( youths, kids, grandkids women, pansies, Nancy's) can deer hunt with a 300 mag and target practice without getting their eyebrows cut and face bloody using LV reduced loads.
3. The magnum caliber guns will average less in price in the GB auctions as compared to 308, 243, type calibers in the bolt action type rifles and I can take a 300 win magnum caliber bolt action for example and reload to 308 velocities and very accurate for deer hunting. I can take a 300 win mag caliber and by reloading vary the velocity and recoil from 30/30, to 308, 30:06 on up to 300 mag.
4. The same gun at 300 magnum velocities can also be used for long range big game if desired if the shooter so desires and can take the recoil.
300 mag is a very good caliber gun, but when someone asks me what is my favorite caliber gun I just say all guns are my favorite caliber.[;)]
Uh-Oh, I may have just increased the price of the magnum caliber rifles for sale on GB.[;)]