I don't post much here, for two reasons. First, I need to be careful about how I represent Unknown Munitions. Second, my preferences--1K BR, African dangerous game, big bore rifles, and short range hunting--aren't really a thing here....................though I do geek out on helping someone build and load dev a long range hunting rifle.
As a consequence of my recent Africa hunting trip, I am again enthused about hunting overall. To that end I had to get a rifle ready. The only rifle in my safe I had ready was my M-70 in 416 Rem. While that rifle has proven itself exceptional on animals from the size of small deer through cape buffalo and eland, it's not really optimum for N. Idaho. While I have several that would work, I decided on my 300 WSM.
This rifle has a McMillan Hunter's Edge stock and a 24" Benchmark barrel in factory contour in either 10 or 11 twist. Heavy for caliber bullets weren't a thing 15 years ago when I put together that rifle. The chamber was also too tight, as the brass available 15 years ago was about .004" smaller at the .200 line than what we have now. I went to the shop on a Saturday and hand reamed the chamber with our current SAAMI 300 WSM reamer, then +P'ed the throat. I could have also throated it a tad longer since the M-70 short magazine is 3.050", but I didn't.
After all that I loaded up one round each with 185 Juggs, ADG brass, and H4350 at 65, 65.5, 66, 66.5, and 67. It was starting to show pressure at 67 grains with a velocity of 3080 fps. Be VERY careful with even that minimum load since this is a +P throat, and a +P throat reduces pressure. Start lower and work up.
The next day, I bedded the action to the stock and cleaned the barrel. It had 114 rounds through it. I also mounted a Sightron 6-24x50 scope. This scope will eventually be replaced, but my hunting budget this year was shot with the Africa trip so it will have to do. The rifle w/scope weighed 8.5 lbs.
The next week I went to the range. I took 50 prepped and primed cases, powder, bullets, my calipers with a bullet ogive insert, my hydro arbor press, and my arbor die. I had to FL size the new brass. I used a Whidden sizer die with the custom diameter expander mandrels that are available for those dies. I set the neck tension at about .003". I don't normally do it that way. I prefer to use a 21st Century mandrel in a mandrel body in a seperate step after sizing to set neck tension, but I didn't have the proper 30 cal 21st Century expander.
I bore sighted the scope at 100 yds. I loaded up three rounds of H4350 at 65.5. Again, start lower if you have a non +P throat. I fired the first shot, expecting it to be out because of the clean bore. Then I shot the second shot and it cut paper with the first. The third shot made it probably a 3/4" group. I adjusted the scope. I then loaded up 66 grains. Those three went into a 1/2", maybe better--I didn't measure either group because I do not care about 100 yd groups.
I then loaded up five for 650 yds on a painted gong. The first two were supposed to be sighters, then three for the group. My ballistic app said I needed 12.25 minutes for 650, and the first shot was just about centered in the bull. So I shot another and it dropped down about 2.5". The third was another inch lower, making it a 3.5" group. Windage was spot on.
I let the barrel cool, because it is a rather light profile and doesn't really like three shot groups. I added a half minute of elevation, the shot the last two at a different bull. They were at the top of the 3" ish bull, 2.5" apart.
So I loaded up three at 66.5 and shot those at 650. The first two printed right at the top of the bull about an inch apart, and the third went left 4". This rifle has always shot two shots very well, and then the third walks just a little.
Anyway, that was 8 shots that would cleanly take any deer or elk at 650 yds. I settled on the 66 grain load and 12.5 minutes at 650. MV is 2962 fps, and if the season wasn't next week I know I could play around and find another 75 -100 fps and tighten up the group from 3.5" at 650 to under 3". But 650 is far enough for a guy that prefers short range hunting and the accuracy is fine. The Jugg is maintaining 2000 fps to about 650 yds. Also, no brake on this rifle.
Realize that for a customer load dev, I would make @Nbowlin show me two 650 yd groups under 1/2 MOA. Repeatable 1/2 MOA three-round groups at 650 yds are a very reliable way to find a load.
Anyway, that was my 20 round load development and range validation to 650 yds. I hope I don't have to shoot past 100 yds, but I am set up to do so if needed.
As a consequence of my recent Africa hunting trip, I am again enthused about hunting overall. To that end I had to get a rifle ready. The only rifle in my safe I had ready was my M-70 in 416 Rem. While that rifle has proven itself exceptional on animals from the size of small deer through cape buffalo and eland, it's not really optimum for N. Idaho. While I have several that would work, I decided on my 300 WSM.
This rifle has a McMillan Hunter's Edge stock and a 24" Benchmark barrel in factory contour in either 10 or 11 twist. Heavy for caliber bullets weren't a thing 15 years ago when I put together that rifle. The chamber was also too tight, as the brass available 15 years ago was about .004" smaller at the .200 line than what we have now. I went to the shop on a Saturday and hand reamed the chamber with our current SAAMI 300 WSM reamer, then +P'ed the throat. I could have also throated it a tad longer since the M-70 short magazine is 3.050", but I didn't.
After all that I loaded up one round each with 185 Juggs, ADG brass, and H4350 at 65, 65.5, 66, 66.5, and 67. It was starting to show pressure at 67 grains with a velocity of 3080 fps. Be VERY careful with even that minimum load since this is a +P throat, and a +P throat reduces pressure. Start lower and work up.
The next day, I bedded the action to the stock and cleaned the barrel. It had 114 rounds through it. I also mounted a Sightron 6-24x50 scope. This scope will eventually be replaced, but my hunting budget this year was shot with the Africa trip so it will have to do. The rifle w/scope weighed 8.5 lbs.
The next week I went to the range. I took 50 prepped and primed cases, powder, bullets, my calipers with a bullet ogive insert, my hydro arbor press, and my arbor die. I had to FL size the new brass. I used a Whidden sizer die with the custom diameter expander mandrels that are available for those dies. I set the neck tension at about .003". I don't normally do it that way. I prefer to use a 21st Century mandrel in a mandrel body in a seperate step after sizing to set neck tension, but I didn't have the proper 30 cal 21st Century expander.
I bore sighted the scope at 100 yds. I loaded up three rounds of H4350 at 65.5. Again, start lower if you have a non +P throat. I fired the first shot, expecting it to be out because of the clean bore. Then I shot the second shot and it cut paper with the first. The third shot made it probably a 3/4" group. I adjusted the scope. I then loaded up 66 grains. Those three went into a 1/2", maybe better--I didn't measure either group because I do not care about 100 yd groups.
I then loaded up five for 650 yds on a painted gong. The first two were supposed to be sighters, then three for the group. My ballistic app said I needed 12.25 minutes for 650, and the first shot was just about centered in the bull. So I shot another and it dropped down about 2.5". The third was another inch lower, making it a 3.5" group. Windage was spot on.
I let the barrel cool, because it is a rather light profile and doesn't really like three shot groups. I added a half minute of elevation, the shot the last two at a different bull. They were at the top of the 3" ish bull, 2.5" apart.
So I loaded up three at 66.5 and shot those at 650. The first two printed right at the top of the bull about an inch apart, and the third went left 4". This rifle has always shot two shots very well, and then the third walks just a little.
Anyway, that was 8 shots that would cleanly take any deer or elk at 650 yds. I settled on the 66 grain load and 12.5 minutes at 650. MV is 2962 fps, and if the season wasn't next week I know I could play around and find another 75 -100 fps and tighten up the group from 3.5" at 650 to under 3". But 650 is far enough for a guy that prefers short range hunting and the accuracy is fine. The Jugg is maintaining 2000 fps to about 650 yds. Also, no brake on this rifle.
Realize that for a customer load dev, I would make @Nbowlin show me two 650 yd groups under 1/2 MOA. Repeatable 1/2 MOA three-round groups at 650 yds are a very reliable way to find a load.
Anyway, that was my 20 round load development and range validation to 650 yds. I hope I don't have to shoot past 100 yds, but I am set up to do so if needed.
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