.300RUM & 240MK's/210 Bergers

[Tiff]

Hi it's my first post here so please be gentle......

My first .300RUM is ready for me to collect from my gunsmith next Tuesday. The problem is that as some of you may know, here in the UK we have very tight gun laws and as a result there are probably less than 20 .300 RUM's in the country!

This lack of local knowledge, combined with load manuals only listing to 200ish grains has caused me a problem with finding a safe starting load. Also powder is relatively hard to get within 100miles of me and is very expensive here in the UK.

So at over $70 per lbs I've manged to get H-1000, Retumbo & 4831/4831SC. Can you please recommend any safe starting loads with these powders and the 240grMK's and 210gr Bergers.

Any help greatly appreciated, Tiff.

[Stormrider]

I run 96g Retumbo and the Berger 210. You can start at about 90 and work up if you care to. I still have room to go up but it shoots nicely and I'm happy with it. I can't help with the 240.

[mattj]

Tiff -- if you email Walt Berger at BERGERLTD@aol.com, he can send you load data for the 210 Berger. I did so for the .300 RUM just the other day -- here are the loads he sent H1000 and Retumbo:

210 Berger VLD, velocity data is 26" barrel at 3.60" COAL:

Retumbo:
Min: 85.5gr, 2844fps
Max: 92.0gr, 3035fps

H1000
Min: 85.3gr, 2833fps
Max: 91.6gr, 3038fps


Normal disclaimers apply (work your way up, may be different in your gun, don't accidentally blow your gun/face up, etc).

Good luck man!

[Tiff]

Thanks for the info so far Anything on the 240 MK's would be a big help. Also can I use the H4831 with the 210's, since it might be a bit quick for the 240's?

[jmden]

Welcome!

The 240SMK is, I think, a bit heavy for the powders mentioned. Hodgdon US869 is probably a good choice for the 300RUM/240SMK. My load at the moment with the 300RUM/240SMK is 104.5g US869 at 3K from a 26" 10 twist barrel. OAL is such that the bullet ogive is touching the lands. I've got an OAL of 3.740 to get on the lands and a 4" magazine box lets me keep all of 'em that long. Good luck!

[jmden]

Originally Posted by Tiff

Thanks for the info so far Anything on the 240 MK's would be a big help. Also can I use the H4831 with the 210's, since it might be a bit quick for the 240's?

Just a follow up to above. I'm using Rem brass. Another member here, JonA, uses Nosler brass (slightly lower volume and some think it's softer than Rem including myself after trying it--very pretty though) and has a load of 101g ( I think, correct me here Jon) US869 with an MV of about 2970 out of a Lilja 1-9 twist that's a bit over 26" or maybe 27".

Other folks here have found that the 1-10 will stabilize the 240SMK out to about 1500 yds at 300RUM velocities. It's working for me beyond 1000 yds so far.

[Tiff]

Thanks very much. I've prepared 200 Remington cases ready for when my custom 30" pacnor 1-10" based RUM arrives next week....I also tried some Nosler and have to agree it was very soft when trimming/turning.

Unfortunately US869 is not available this side of the pond:(. So I've got to use H-1000 or Retumbo with the 240's....Any ideas on loads?