180gr 300WSM loads? favorites?

[winmag]

300WSM loads with 180 gr Accubond?
What powder(s) are giving the best velocity, & accuracy?
I'm having my 300WSM built as we speak, so I'm looking into getting prepared for load development.

I did a search & pretty much every one of them turnned up loads for bigger bullets.

I'm only going 800yds max with mine, so I don't need "super high B.C. bullet" loads. I just want to get an idea of what everybody's using in thier 300 shortmags for 180's.

I've been to several powder manufacturers websites, & Noslers site, & looked in my load books, but I'd like to know what's working best for like minded "LR minded" shooters with a 180.

I love RL-19 & 140 Accubonds in my 270wsm. I have a couple pounds of that on hand.
Also have:
1#RL-22
1#IMR 4831
1#H 4350 EXTREME
1#Winchester Supreme 780,
But id like to stay away from 4831, & 4350 if I could, cause they're so coarse. I'd love to use the ball powder, but I can't ever find it, & when I do, its discontinued....
Looks like Aliant RL-? is my best bet??

Thanks in advance for your input guys

 

[sourdough44]

I load to mid levels with H-4350. I didn't try a bunch of powders but 4350 gets good reviews. I also use it in the 30-06 & 95-100 grn bullets in the 243.

 

[Browninglover1]

A lot of guys claim that RL 17 is very temperature sensitive, but I've had great luck pushing my 185 Bergers with 63.0 grains of RL17 at a little over 2800 FPS. I also tried RL 19 and 22; RL22 shot much better groups in my gun with both the 180 and 165 grain Interbonds.

I've thought about trying some new loads with H4350, but why fix it if it ain't broke?

 

[backwoods83]

Well you said you didn't want to hear this, but with 180s I've had the best luck with Imr4350 and CCI BR2 primers, I have run as much as 68.5grns under a 180 at 2.990" but usually that is a little warm, most find there max around 66grns, but with 68.5 in my rifle they are cruising!

 

[winmag]

Thanks Sourdough, Browninglover, & Backwoods.

I found it odd that Alliant had the same loads listed for RL-19, & RL-22.
Nosler recomends a very simmilar powder charge of RL-19, as Alliant, & my Hornady load book.

RL-17 looks like highest velocity, but I'd be concerned with pressure spikes. I Elk hunt in temps down to -26* & Bear hunt Hells Canyon at up to 118*, with Deer season ranging anywhere inbetween.
Hodgden Extreme 4831, & 4350 powders look tempting, but RL-19 looks just as tempting if it performs as well as it does in my 270WSM in these same conditions. I'm thinkin ill start with these three, & see wich one gives best results.
I'm really hoping to be somewhere around 3000 fps with my 26"pipe, & one of these powders, with Sub MOA being mandatory, & 1/2 MOA being the goal.

Any more load data you guys have, is love to see it. I still gotta wait 3-1/2+ more months till my rifle is done.
Incase its not obvious, I'm a LITTLE EXCITED.....!
How was your terminal bullet performance on deer, elk, bear etc. with these loads?
Keep em commin.

 

[brentc]

300WSM loads with 180 gr Accubond?
What powder(s) are giving the best velocity, & accuracy?
I'm having my 300WSM built as we speak, so I'm looking into getting prepared for load development.

I did a search & pretty much every one of them turnned up loads for bigger bullets.

I'm only going 800yds max with mine, so I don't need "super high B.C. bullet" loads. I just want to get an idea of what everybody's using in thier 300 shortmags for 180's.

I've been to several powder manufacturers websites, & Noslers site, & looked in my load books, but I'd like to know what's working best for like minded "LR minded" shooters with a 180.

I love RL-19 & 140 Accubonds in my 270wsm. I have a couple pounds of that on hand.
Also have:
1#RL-22
1#IMR 4831
1#H 4350 EXTREME
1#Winchester Supreme 780,
But id like to stay away from 4831, & 4350 if I could, cause they're so coarse. I'd love to use the ball powder, but I can't ever find it, & when I do, its discontinued....
Looks like Aliant RL-? is my best bet??

Thanks in advance for your input guys

I know you explained yourself wanting the 180, but the 200 Accubond with a slow burner like IMR 7828 is a fabulous load combo for the exact use you're describing.

 

[D.ID]

I have had great results using h4350 with 180 ballistic silvertips and even better with 190 bergers. However my particular rifle did not show very well in comparison when I tried the 180 accubonds.

 

[Browninglover1]

I know people complain about pressure spikes with RL17, but it says on the bottle that it's temperature stable and my limited experience shows that it's fine. I've shot it from 0 degrees to just under 100 and my drops were fine out to 500 yards. I've never tested it further out than that in both conditions.

I think the experience of some of the true long range shooters having problems with velocity spikes, might not be relevant at yardages under 500.

Terminal performance with the 185 Bergers has been great on two elk. The Accubond will be a "killer" bullet.

 

[6.5Express]

I've been thinking of working up a load for my 300wsm with a 180 accubond as well. It seems to be a good combination for the conditions you stated (around an 800 yard max). Some of the research I've done has suggested 7828 as a good powder to try with that bullet. That's where I'm going to start here as soon as I get my scope back from Leuopold (with it's new turrets).

I've had really good luck with H1000 in several cartridges that I load for and have tried to find load info for it with this same bullet combination and have come up scratching my head. Even the Hodgdon Manual leaves H1000 out for 180 grain bullets in the 300 wsm. I guess it must be too slow?

 

[bbutturff]

My Tikka T3 really likes the 180 Accubond. Here are some of my results using CCI 250 primers and loaded to a max magazine length of 2.90":

Most economical load - 64.0gr H4350 (max load), 2950 fps, 1.0" @ 100 yds
Most muzzle velocity - 67.5 gr RL17 (over pub. max), 3030 fps, 0.75" @ 100 yds
Most accurate load - 68.5 gr RL22 (max load), 2835 fps, 0.63" @ 100 yds

As you can see there's not a lot of difference. My Tikka has a lot of freebore and is most accurate at, or slightly above, max published loads. Be careful and work your loads up for your rifle.

I also tried the 200 Accubond with 62.0gr H4350 (max load), 2700 fps, 1.25" @ 100 yds. However, this load showed pressure signs and wasn't quite accurate enough for me. I'll probably try some RL22 but the length of the bullet will most likely prevent me from getting all the powder in.

In 2009 I shot a cow elk with the 180 NAB H4350 load. She was trotting and I misjudged the lead at 300 yards. The bullet struck her in the neck just ahead of the left front shoulder. She went went right down and by the time I paced off the 300 yards she was taking her last breath.

Good luck,
Bruce

 

[Shortmagman]

I am reloading for three different 300WSM rifles, two of them are Winchester Model 70 coyotes and the other one is a Ruger Mark II with a 22 inch barrel.

I have not found a load that my Winchester liked using the 180 Accubond, even though I did try using RL-19.I did find that both of the Winchesters liked 165 Accubonds and RL-19.

I have not been able to shoot an elk with my loads, since I was not successful in 2009 while hunting in Wy. The load I took on that hunt and if I am lucky enough to get a draw in 2012 with be this-168 Barnes TTSX bullets in WW cases, 215 primers, and 64.7 grains of RL-17 for just about 3000ft/sec. This load is very accurate in my Ruger since it is light and my carry gun. I would not take a shot longer than 500yards with this gun.

For long distance shooting I have worked up different loads for the Winchesters.

1) 185 Match Bergers- Norma cases, WLRM primers and N165 powder. I am able to get 2904 ft/sec using 69.0 grains and 2961 with 69.5 grains out of the 24 inch Coyote Barrel. This load was used by a friend to take a deer at 200 + yards. Good results.

2) 190 VLD Bergers, Norma cases, WLRM primers, IMR-7828. With 68 grains am able to get 2942 ft/sec. This should make a great long distance hunting load but I have not been able to take this gun hunting.

3) 190 VLD Berger, Norma cases, WLRM primers, 69.0 grains of N165. I just shot this load in my Model 70 at 100 yards and I was able to cut one hole with 4 of the 5 shots. I had a flyer and I don't know if it was me are something else that produced the flyer. However the 190 VLD's have shot great for me with either IMR-7828 or N165. I have also played with N560 but I have not found a great load as of yet.

 

[brentc]

For bullets above 180 grains the best velocity will come from the slow burners. H4350 is a bit fast for the heavier bullets. H4831 is a good choice along with IMR7828, and RL22.

H4350 works great for the 150-180 grain bullets.

 

[frequent misser]

For bullets above 180 grains the best velocity will come from the slow burners. H4350 is a bit fast for the heavier bullets. H4831 is a good choice along with IMR7828, and RL22.

H4350 works great for the 150-180 grain bullets.

I couldn't have worded it any better myself. That is what I have found and what I continue to use, the only exception being the rl22. I have just never been a rl fan.
My current load is h4831sc and a 208 amax. If you want to shoot a ball powder give H414 a try. 414 loads were a true 1/4 moa to 600 yds in my rifle. Burn rate is very similar to the 4350's. I also had better results with large rifle primers and not the magnums.
fed 210m are what i've been using.

 

[Dalebow]

Ive stuck with 180gt TTSX and be well satisfied