Freebore

[Megalodon]

I’m getting dangerously close to shooting my 300 WSM. I probably made some weird or wrong decisions in putting this together, but here I am so I’ll make the best of it.

I’m interested in shooting the Berger 215 hybrids out of it, but now that I’m putting the numbers on paper I’m not sure they’ll work. With the OAL gauge and the bullets on the lands I’m seeing around 3.070” COAL. That puts the base of the bullet ~.200” below the shoulder to body junction.

Problems with that? I think from searching it should increase pressure by lowering case capacity, but I can work around that. Am I right in thinking that if I have the barrel freebore increased I could seat the bullet further out?

Its still a little shaky on if I can push these fast enough to stabilize. I’ve got a T3x with the 1:11 twist. Cut it down to 21” and will be running a TBAC Ultra 7, and shooting at +5,000’. So I think I’ll be right on the edge of them working if I can push velocity a little.

I don’t want to ream the barrel to run the 215’s at COAL of ~3.250” and have it not shoot if it will keep me from running the shorter projectiles as a back up.

 

[wind gypsy]

You should be able to tell if the barrel will stabilize them prior to lengthening your freebore.

Another option that could kill 2 birds with one stone - shoot the 200.20x bergers. They have roughly the same form factor, will get better velocity, should stabilize fine, and infringe less on case capacity.

 

[MOwhitetail]

I’m with Gypsy. I have found that oftentimes the differences in the performance of different bullets isn’t as much as I make it out to be. The 200 grain Bergers are still great bullets.

Alternatively, I wouldn’t worry too much about the length protruding into the case. I haven’t had issues with that in the past with rifles of mine with short throats.