Ball powder load for 300wsm w/Barnes 180gr TSX

[bweber]

Does anyone have a good load (or load data) using ball powder for a 300WSM load using the Barnes 180gr TSX bullet?

I've been loading the 200gr TSX with H380 with good results, but want a 180gr bullet load for a little more speed.

I'm shooting in a rifle that has an unusually short throat (or whatever the opposite of freebore is). I'm having to seat these bullets pretty deep to keep them off the rifling. I've found that the h380 works great as it doesn't require as much volume. I can get a good hot load for the 200gr bullet that has the bullet seated deeply enough without compressing the charge. I've tried working with stick powders with the 180gr bullet, but no way to do it without compressing it. I'd rather avoid compressed loads if I can.

Barnes lists H380 data for the 200gr TSX on their web page, but not for the 180gr. Is W760 a ball powder?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Gunpoor]

All Winchester powders are classified as "ball powder". I have never used W760 and haven't looked at data for it in a 300WSM but it probably will require more case space than you are wanting to give it due to its slower burn rate. This is just my ramblings and thoughts, so don't give up on it until you check it out for yourself.

 

[Gunpoor]

Just had another thought. It really doesn't matter how the powder granules are shaped, but what does matter is burn rate. A faster powder doesn't require as dense of load to produce the same amount of chamber pressure as a slower powder. With that in mind you might see if you can find data for the bullet you are wanting to shoot in your 300WSM for H4895. This is a good powder and has a somewhat faster burn rate even though it is stick powder. I have used it in 22/250, 243Win, and 204 Ruger, and have also known it to be used for some 45/70 loads. It has great versatility, but be sure to reduce 10% from max load and work up from there because even though it is a fairly predictable powder it can be more unforgiving than a lot of other stick powders on the high end.

 

[britz]

Hodgdon's website will have a 180 grain swift load hear is a cut and paste of H 380 and w760 from the site:


180 GR. SFT SCIR 180 H380 .308" 2.860" 57.0 2718 53,700 PSI 61.0 2884 63,400 PSI

180 GR. SFT SCIR 180 760 .308" 2.860" 59.0 2801 54,100 PSI 62.5 2959 63,000 PSI

 

[bweber]

Any thoughts on whether I could just start with about the same charge of h380 with the 180gr tsx that I use with the 200gr tsx and then work up, watching for pressure signs?

Am I asking for trouble if I do that?

Ben

 

[WAMBO]

Seeing that the 200 is heavier and has a longer bearing surface I wouldn't hesitate to use your 200 data for starting data for the 180 and then work up.
JMHO,
Wayne aka WAMBO

 

[bweber]

Yeah, I may do that. I tried firing the Federal premium ammo with the 180gr TSX in this rifle. It shot well, except that the bullets weren't seated deeply enough. You really had to crank on the bolt to get it closed -not something I want to fool with while hunting. And at $2 each time you pull the trigger getting familiar with it would be pricey.

But they shot around 3100fps according to my chrono. Seemed pretty good for a 180gr bullet in a 300wsm!

I'd love to find a similar load that I could handload. Anything over 3000fps would make me happy.

I just ordered a box of the 180s from Midway. I'll be curious to see how they do.

Ben

 

[BountyHunter]

If you rifle has an unusually short throat, call you local smiths. Dave Kiff from PTG sells a hand throater that works great and is easy to use and control depth. should not cost you too much to have it done

BH

 

[Rimfire]

If you can't fit factory SAAMI ammo in it without cramming the bolt that is short. I would send it to a good smith and have it throated to at least Min. SAAMI or what ever your mag lenth will handle.

 

[Frank in the Laurel Mts]

Too temperature sensitive...I steer clear of all ball powders for rifles...they all are extremely temperature sensitive..I had a competition .22 BR that loved WW748, the problem was that you could tell a temperature change of 5 degrees by the point of impact without changing the sights...it shot great groups, as good or better than anything else, it just drove me crazy so I now steer clear of all of them in competition or hunting rifles....try some H-4350 and you'll be fine...

 

[SamSpade]

The idea behind the short magnum is to have a case that fills completely with powder.

You didn't say what your seating depth is to the lands, mine is 2.823. I set mine bullets just below 2.82 so they will fit in the Remington magazine well. I have settled on using 180 gr SMKs using 70.2 grains of WXR (Winchester powder that is not a ball powder) which will compress the powder slightly. My average velocity is 3050 fps and shoots 1" groups at 200 yards off a bipod.

There is some loading data out there using H4895 that would be interesting to try,4831sc is another option, H380 and H414 wouldn't shoot in mine.

I have a couple of friends that also shoot the 300 WSM and none of them have been able to reach 3100 fps with 180 grainers.

 

[britz]

As far as starting to load for a 180 grain bullet with a 200 grain load, I think that would be OK, You always use more powder with a lighter bullet, so You should be safe, as long as you start with a lower amount. I have seen various companies using drastically different powder amounts for the same bullet. THink it has something to do with the way the test barrel is throated.

I see what you are doing using the ball powder. I run out of room with my 180 grain bullets and IMR 4350. I too am trying to work up a good 180 grain accubound load with h 380, IMR 4350, W 760, Or Win 760. Good luck.

 

[bweber]

Thanks guys. I measured the distance to the lands with the TSX bullets. It was 2.828" (roughly 2.83"). I didn't measure the factory load with the Barnes 180gr TSX's, but they seemed to hit the rifling as you had to push the bolt pretty hard to close it.

Those were the ones that I chronographed at 3100fps. I agree that's fast for that load and was kind of surprised myself. (Chrono was about five feet from the muzzle when it measure that.)

I went ahead and plunked down the $50 to get a Barnes subscription. That's given me access to data for their #4 manual and includes h380 info for the 180gr TSX. I'm hoping to get out to the range tomorrow to try some out.

Ben

 

[steve4102]

I have found Ramshot Hunter to be the powder for three 300WSMs that I load for. Fast and accurate. Like all Ramshot powders it is a ball type powder and it is NOT temp sensitive.



http://www.ramshot.com/powders/