For what its worth my stock 300 ultra never shot any better than the groups you have shown. Thats why I put on a new barrel. I tried so many powders and bullets also. I showed pressure signs at 87.5 gr of rl 25. Ejector marks and cratered primers. H1000 shot better, Retumbo and 200 gr Accubonds is my go to round now. Believe it or not the gun shoots best with 4350 and 180 partitions. Just doesnt have the speed I was looking for. I might as well shoot a 300 win with that load. I know I will get bagged on for this but every person I know that uses a 300 ultra has said it doesnt seem to be an accurate caliber. Just sharing..
300 RUM Load development*group pics added*
- Thread starter Tikkamike
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Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
Well that doesnt make me feel any better haha! I am gonna keep on trucking a new barrel will be in the works if i dont find something that works
Hey Mike.. sorry you're having trouble w/ the LRX. I just got a 300 RUM last fall so been doing some load development for elk season. It's a stock rem 700 (XCR II); only upgrade is a B&C medalist stock. Anyways, I started with the 180 gr. TTSX; both velocity and accuracy looked promising from the start using Retumbo. Shortly after, Barnes came out w/ the 175 gr. LRX with better BC numbers, so I started development for that (I'm a Barnes guy). Long story short, the 175 gr. LRX's shoot 1/2" group @ 100 yds. Velocity was an honest 3400 fps w/ a 3 -shot E.S. of 4 fps (again, using Retumbo). Needless to say, I was blown away.
I dont have any data in front of me, but if you're interested in either of the two (180's or 175's) I'd be happy to share. The combination of RUM case capacity and Barnes bullets can make troubleshooting very $$$.
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
thats a generous offer, I have about 50 different possibilities in my head right now. I am not saying I wont use 175-180's cause that very well may be where I end up. But for now I am going to exhaust the 200 lrx untill i feel I can honestly say its not going to work. I think I will try a few other bullets in the mean time to see if ANYthing will group at all so I know its the load and not that the rifle is just incapable. So thanks for the offer but ill just stick to what i have on my bench for now
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
Makes sense to me Mike, let me offer you one of my past "oops" so you don't make the same mistake.
If you intend to shoot different style bullets i.e. conventional, take the extra time to scrub ALL of the Barnes out of the bore first, I can't even describe how badly it can foul when you mix the two different hardnesses of copper together.....your arm will fall off before you get all of it out!
If you intend to shoot different style bullets i.e. conventional, take the extra time to scrub ALL of the Barnes out of the bore first, I can't even describe how badly it can foul when you mix the two different hardnesses of copper together.....your arm will fall off before you get all of it out!
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
Noted
Camshaft
Well-Known Member
Have you looked at the cutting edge solids yet? I have never had to work very hard to get a bullet to shoot. If i couldn't get 1/2moa groups with 30bullets of less. I moved on to something else. I had the best luck with the.165gr gmx. They were giving me half moa 5 shot groups at crazy fast speeds with Imr 4350.
Tikkamike, call Ty at Barnes he might shed some light on reloading info. Not saying you do not know how to reload. He has helped me when I could not get some of there other bullets to shoot. He even replaced some bullets I shot. Bullet ojives varied to much. Plus he sold me some more bullets at reduced cost. Ty told me the LRX will be harder to get to shoot because of there ojive.
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Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
Finally a little relief! I loaded up some more 200 LRX with retumbo last night and set the bullets .040 off the lans since obviously further away wasnt getting me anywhere. Went out to shoot and first 2 shots got my hopes up the the third shot it started to open up (furthest hole away from group in pic) so I was letting it cool a little and it hit me. What do all my groups have in common? First 2 shots are always close! well why is that? luck? does the barrel like to be clean? its not very warm so it cant be too hot can it? all these questions running through my head, so I decide To let the barrel cool till I can no longer feel any heat in the barrel... shoot another one and BOOM right back with the first 2 making a tight little group. so I let the barrel cool again but not fully just to where its only slightly warm and its right in there, not with the cold bore shots but not as far away as the warm bore shot. It seems so obvious now, I just need to figure out what makes it tick. obviously it doesnt like a warm barrel but why? I am thinking either it just flat does NOT like a warm barrel or maybe even though its floated (even on a warm barrel) maybe its close enough that when it whips it still hits the stock as it heats up. So I am going to take it apart tonight float the barrel better and see what that does. Hopefully that does away with the finicky barrel if not I guess thats just what I will have to live with. Which isnt a huge deal because its not a gun your gonna sit down and shoot prairie dogs with its a hunting rifle so typically 1 shot is all it will (Hopefully) see usually. as long as I can count on a consistent zero I am good to go. Check out the picture and let me know what you guys think, dont be afraid to tell me if you think im way off.
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Camshaft
Well-Known Member
Looks like you have it figured out. These thin barrels really do not like heat. Nice groups btw. Also, try not to leave the round chambered long in a hot barrel. I have found that it seems to open my groups also.
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Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
I have too
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
Great news Mike, I'm glad to hear it. I think you're right on track with re-floating the bbl, worst case scenario, you have a little more elbow grease into it. It doesn't take much when those 'lil bbls get hot, they tend to swell pretty quick like, I'm really happy you were able to make the LRX shoot, I'm looking forward to a terminal ballistics report..... it's those little things
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
one of my type 2 buck antelope tags opens up the 15th of this month so ill see if i can get about a 500 yard shoulder shot.
