.300 WSM Twist Rate vs. Bullet Weight Question

[marktole]

So I've got a .300 WSM custom built rifle with a 1:10 twist rate 22" barrel. When I built it the plan was to shoot 190-210 grain Bergers out of it. Problem is I had to seat the bullet way off the lands (.129 I think?) to get it to feed through the magazine that way. Went out today and had two decent groups (.55 and .677) that plan on fine tuning to hopefully get tighter. However, I was curious to check out some other lighter bullets that aren't as long that I wouldn't have to seat as deep. Not sure quite how light I want to go with a 1:10. The new Hornady ELD-X bullets at 178 grains are what I'm thinking. Does anyone have any idea if those will shoot well through that twist rate or is it just something I'm going to have to shoot to find out?

Also, if you've got suggestions for other bullets to try out, I'm all ears!

 

[Tucker65]

My 300 WSM likes the 175gr hunting vld's with 67gr of Reloader 17. I have a Borden action with a Wyatt extended box. Overall length is 2.960 which puts them 035 off the lands. Velocity is 3225 with a 24" barrel. I'm getting 5/8" groups at 200 yards.

 

[marktole]

Are you also running a 1:10 twist?

 

[wind gypsy]

You'll be fine with 178s and lighter in a 10 twist. That's what most people run in them and 10 twist is pretty standard in factory 300wsm rifles.

I've found the 200 eldx to have a shorter nose than the bergers and can fit in mags at the lands. You are still seating them pretty deep.

 

[Shrek]

Do you have a Wyatts extended magazine installed ? What action is your rifle made on ?

 

[HuntHarder]

FWIW I run the Berger 185 VLDS in my 1-10 twist 300 wsm with great success. I have them loaded to max mag length and then just played with the charge weights and found the sweet spot.

 

[deadwolf]

I have been working up a 190ABLR load for my 1-10 twist, shot great today with 67gr of RL22 at 2905fps and was grouping just over .5"


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[Rucker61]

I have been working up a 190ABLR load for my 1-10 twist, shot great today with 67gr of RL22 at 2905fps and was grouping just over .5"


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I'm shooting 168 gr TTSX over 67 grains of RL-22 at 3200 FPS in a Tikka T3, 1:11" twist, and it groups nicely at 300 yards.

 

[deadwolf]

Yeah I used the RL22 while waiting to get some H4831sc, but it's shooting so good I think I'll stick with it


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[Steakngravy]

I'm currently shooting 190 Bergers in my sako a7 63 grains of imr 4831 shoots better than I'm capable , I've shot ragged hole groups with this Combo on days where I could hold it , at 300 maybe 1" or so .it's in a 1-11" twist barrel

 

[hunting1]

I am hooting in 1/10 180 NAB and IMR4350. Tried Hunter and a few others but the 4350 was easy and accurate so I quit chasing.

 

[marktole]

UPDATE: Found the sweet spot with the 190 Bergers even with them being seated way off the lands. Shot a 0.292" three shot group at 109 yards. Took the 0.55" group with 63 grains of H4831 and bumped the bullet back another 0.005". Everything works out great there, very accurate and rounds still feed out of the box mag! Kind of hard to believe an adjustment that minute produced such outstanding results. Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[kjv1959]

I shoot a mark II using varget and 150gr accubonds and get great groups at 300 yards. My gun personally loves accubonds.

 

[Ekrider]

Do you reaload? If so shoot the heavys with a slower burning powder like RL 33, or RL 26
And seat that 190 Berger bullet 1.00 of the lands.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

You can run much heavier than 178s in a 10 twist if you want. No problem...

 

[briscoetab]

You cannot overspin or over stabilize a bullet but you can spin it so fast that the bullets jacket is damaged and the blows up or comes apart. The only effect that spinning a bullet faster possibly has is it will have slightly more spin drift, which most people can’t tell anyways and if you can it’s something you can figure.

For 178gn bullet in 1:10 twist barrel going a guesstimated velocity of 3200 FPS the bullet rpms will be approximately 230,000rpms. Most centerfire bullets can withstand 290,000-300,000 rpms before they are damaged.

So down to 178 you should be plenty good,you would have to be getting 4,000 FPS before you reached the 290,000 rpm range.

The only time twist rate really has an impact on bullet accuracy that you can tell on paper is if the bullet is under stabilized or your spinning it so fast you damage the bullet.

It sounds like you have found a round that works but just put that info on their for future reference.

 

[elldeerant]

I run factory 180 barnes mrx witjno problem, 180 tsx over pressured. 180 max in that twist rate with non monlithic bullets in Rem 700.

 

[rootacres]

I ran 1:10 twist on mine. The 175 gr VLDs worked well. I ended up landing on the 180 gr accubonds, COAL 2.835". The accubonds aren't very jump sensitive. I too used RL17 for a bit and then tried moving to a more temp stable powder. With the Barnes TTSX being a mono I tried the 168s. They shot well but ultimately I wanted a heavier bullet.

 

[Morgan1776]

Great thread. I'm in the market for a new rifle and looking at .300WSM. Most of the factory rifles are 1:10 or 1:11 which will limit me to lighter copper bullets for hunting in California....

 

[msstate56]

Hornady has the 180 GMX in their Outfitter line. I haven’t used them yet, but bought some to try out specifically for CA.