suggestions on working up a load

Warbirds

My little brother just picked up a Remington 700 chambered in 300 Rem. Short Action Ultra Mag. He's in the Army and lives in a barracks, so he doesn't have a reloading area. After buying the rifle he learned real quick he's pretty limited on factory ammo to buy for it. I volunteered to make up some test loads and send them to him. He wants to hunt pig and deer with this rifle. I have ordered the dies, brass, and everything I'll need to get started. I'm about to order three different bullets to use as test loads. My plan is to make three different basic loads with each bullet. I have 3 different bullets, two different powders and I'm going to load up 10 rounds of each combo a bullet with a light charge, and a bullet with a heavier charge, and once I have them all loaded up send them off his way with my chrono, and have him return the brass, and my results. Any suggestions on making this work smoothly or is there anything I'm forgetting? Of course I will use only published loads, and I won't exceed max recomendations.

R/

Dave

People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.

-- A. J. Liebling

FrancF

The only thing I can think of is, and I am sure you thought of it. You 2 have the same twist rate in your barrels and length IE 1-10, 1-12. mite change things at longer ranges. I know it's not match stuff, but that 24" Barrel Vs 28" can get funny at 300 yrds.


NRA Life Endowment Member

old single shots

If it were me,I would make my top load for each bullet 1 gr. below max for the given powder.Then drop back 1/2 gr for the next load,and 1/2 gr. lower for the final.To start off i would not get above 1 gr. below max.Tell your brother to start with the lowest load for each bullet watching for pressure signs.If there are any,do not go to the next higer load.Have him write down the results for each load.This should give you an idea where to go from there.

gskyhawk

wouldn't it be easier to have him send you the rifle ? you could work up the loads , do the shooting and see which ones work the best , and unless there is a state law agaisnt it he can send the rifle direct to you and you can return it to him without going thru a FFL

I think you could do it under this rule
B10) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity? [Back]


Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the state where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.

I guess the last part would make it a little stretch[:I] maybe

Warbirds

That's a really good suggestion. I could look into that a little more, and do it, but I really don't have time to make it to the range very often. (November was the last time I did any shooting!) It's easier to make time to reload and mail stuff off though. I work full time, I go to school full time, and I volunteer as an EMT a few days a month (on weekends) at the local ER trauma center. Then you throw a girlfriend and some drinking buddies into the mix and I just don't ever make it out to the range anymore. I haven't even shot the last gun I bought and I've ran maybe 60 rounds through the gun before that (RRA DCM National Match AR) which I bought in October. I had a bunch of custom work done to my Hi-power I use for IDPA shooting, and that was in December, I still haven't shot it either, also picked up a new holster for it, haven't even got to put that to use. Maybe I just need to manage my time a little better and I could get out to the range a little more often.

R/

Dave

People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.

-- A. J. Liebling

ContacFront

I would start lower than 1 grn below max load. I would go atleast 10 percent lower and work your way up till you see pressure signs. Just because your gun can handle a certain load doesnt mean your brothers gun will react the same. Specially if the the twist rates are different.

Does your brother know to look for pressure signs? Save yourself some time and materials and just load up like 4 rounds of each combo. Once you have an idea of what load you may end up with then fine tune from there. 10 of each combo + working up in powder charges will mean a lot of rounds.

n/a

You almost need the rifle to determine bullet seating depth ext...there are a lot of variables that cannot be addressed doing things through the mail...or that would take a long time to get right. Best of luck to ya!

Eric

All American Arms Company

www.galleryofguns.com
VIP Code: AAAC

Veteran Owned and Operated

JustC

Tell him to first take a micrometer and measure the magazine length so you can seat the bullets to feed from the magazine but be seated as long as possible. Then,..if you use the nosler manual you can take the accuracy load they give for each powder, and start within 1gr of that, and work a few recipes. Then send him that ammo.

He will be closer to the right load by using the nosler suggestions, and the bullets will be seated to feed from his box while eliminating a lot of the space between the ogive and the lands. Without the rifle, that would be the way I went about it.

why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?

FrancF

Sorry Dave, I misunderstood it was long day. Thought you had a 300 RUM.


NRA Life Endowment Member

Bittersweat

Wow Dave, you sure sound busy to me. Do you really have time to build custom loads and send to your brother to test ? (It takes me a while to buils a better than factory load) If it was me...I'd buy a couple of boxes of factory ammo and mail them off, and tell my brother to enjoy his hunting.