Beware the budget rifle that can smoke you on the range

[statjunk]

How do I sign up to become your friend? LOL. I need a friend that completely smiths my rifles! Actually I'll take a couple.

I was told that 1/4" groups with a non-benchrest rifle was a fallacy. Though I do it every once in a while with a Ruger in 300WM. 1/2" is the norm. With a Ruger no less.

Shade,

Hats off to your kid. That was a heck of a story. Inspiring.

Tom

 

[shade mt]

Well i don't want to doubt anyone on this post, but my experience is that although the factory jobs will shoot the occasional tight group, if you take twelve 3 shot groups , and average them out , most factory jobs will not shoot much under an inch, i am talking average here. adjusting the trigger elimanating trigger creep and a good bedding job often tightens things up considerably. i realize there are alway's exceptions and if ya got one that's great.

 

[dariuszczyszczon]

I have got one of those rifles a savage 116 7rem mag with some help from a friend that reloads he helped me get down to 3/8 to 1/2 groups at a 100yds and a fast load without causing pressure. This was a new gun i bought 1 month ago. Thanks tony6.5x284tony

Bronze Member

 

[purpledragon]

Great post!!!!!!!! BRAVO!!!

 

[liltank]

For what its worth, I just shot another group that measures .25" or less with a factory Savage rifle in 300 wsm. Two clover leaves consecutively at 100 yards. My cousin hit a 10" plate at 1100yards with the same rifle on the second shot. Goes to show the ability of a factory rifle.

Tank

 

[BIG MO]

Tank,

You got yourself a real keeper there. I myself think alot of the 300WSM. I've owned one for several years now and it is my favorite hunting rifle. It has accounted for 4 elk and 5 deer. Counting my rifle, I've worked with four rifles chambered in this cartridge and all of them were real shooters. What flavor bullet and powder are you running in yours?

 

[BIG MO]

Almost forgot, they were all sporter weight off the shelf hunting rifles. None of them required anything more than decent scope and mount, trigger adjustment, and a good handload.

 

[liltank]

What flavor bullet and powder are you running in yours?

I use 70.0 H1000 running a 200grn SMK at 2806fps using a F215 primer. If I go much higher I get pressure signs. 71.5 grns is my limit with this powder and it does not group well. I went to this powder because my rifle is throated very long. The H1000 helps to fill the space between the bullet and the powder.

It started life as a Mod 12 Low Profile in a .308. I had it throated long for the 208 A-Max, but could not get them to fly right. I built another .308 and made this one into a 300WSM. Still factory barrel, trigger, and action. The only real upgrade is a muzzle break so I can chase the shot and bench it for as long as I like with out pain. I am a recoil sissy.

What I am finding is that this barrel must be a little tighter than most. I can never run the higher loads everybody else shoots with out getting a bunch of pressure signs. I have resigned myself to shooting slower speeds with this barrel. I would like to be in the 2950+ range, but can't seem to get there.

I have tried H4350 and 4831sc to get more velocity, but there is too much space between the bullet and the powder. My ES's where extreme and could not get them to settle down any. I really want to try the RL17, but don't think it will help. It is what it is.

 

[BIG MO]

It is what it is, but sounds like she is shooting plenty good and no need to fix something that isn't broken. However, if you are like me and can never leave good enough alone , and just have to try for some more velocity, I have had two good experiences with the David Tubbs Final Finish.

Used the system on a Savage 300RUM that was shootin great but would foul easily and start exhibiting overpressure. Cured both issues and the groups also shrank. The other rifle was a beautiful SAKO 7mmRM that just would not shoot better than 3/4" no matter what I tried. Gave it the full dose of the Tubbs final finish and WA-LA 1/4" group. Just a thought.

I had some good success at the range today with the old weatherby vangard 300WSM. I have been totally satisfied running hornady 180's and RL22. But I had half a box of Berger 190's gathering dust in the cabinet. They shot great in this rifle if they were seated into the lands, but I didn't like the whole single shot idea. After reading some success stories on folks getting good results backing further and further from the lands, I loaded up 4 rounds with a healthy dose of RL22, seated a good ways from the lands and hit the range.

And what do you know, the little weatherby stacked all 4 in a nice cluster three touching and the fourth just a scoush low. I'll have to take the chrono to it but I should be around 3050fps. And I can fit them in the magazine. I'm stoked!

 

[liltank]

I've thought about the Bergers, but can not afford the buggers. I like the concept and design. I went with the idea of using JLK's just for the fact their BC is higher than the Bergers. Heck JLK's 180 and 190 have BC's close to .600. So I may go lighter, but am concerned that I will have to jump them considerably so the bullet doesnt' fall out of the neck. We'll see, have to get some money around and place an order. Thanks Mo

Tank

 

[sdkidaho]

I know I'm late getting into your discussion but it was very helpful. I've been trying to decide on a new rifle and have narrowed it down to three:

Browning X-Bolt
Remington SPS
Weatherby Vanguard

I need to go and shoulder them all again but I'm getting closer to a choice anyway. I had been wanting to get back into hunting big game again so I have been looking at those rifles in a 30-06 caliber. I'm not noticing that caliber mentioned much on here - is that not a caliber that is preferred by the long range crowd?

The rifle would get used on anything from moose to coyotes and Dads Remington 700 BDL in 30-06 had taken pretty much everything in that range so that was why I was looking at that caliber.

Darby

 

[liltank]

I had been wanting to get back into hunting big game again so I have been looking at those rifles in a 30-06 caliber. I'm not noticing that caliber mentioned much on here - is that not a caliber that is preferred by the long range crowd?

The rifle would get used on anything from moose to coyotes and Dads Remington 700 BDL in 30-06 had taken pretty much everything in that range so that was why I was looking at that caliber.

Darby

In my opinion the 30-06 is one of the first long range calibers. The reason I make this statement is due to the fact that many lives were saved by this very caliber during WWI and WWII. It was used effectively at long range to eliminate oposition. However, its application was completely different. I still view the 30-06 as a very capable long range weapon, but there are other calibers that will provide a more effecient means of dispatching animals at long range. I suppose with the correct set up and bullet selection you would be very effective to ranges or 600-900 yards for felling deer, but limitied to about 400-600 yards for elk, bear and like animals at that type of distance.

I myself use a 300WSM which is about the most effecient cartridge in 30 cal range for my intended purposes. If you look at the load data between the two of them, it uses a little more powder, but offers better ballistics. There are lighter calibers that will do the same thing with less recoil, but you start to loose knockdown power as you move down.

For moose and deer, you would be able to load a 190 to 200 grain bullet and be very effective at about 500 to 600 yards on larger animals. Everybody has a preferance. My cousin is shooting a 338 Lapua, and I am thinking of droping to 7mm mag of some type. It is between the 7mm RUM or the Remington Magnum. That caliber offers the best bang for the buck and can run some pretty heavy bullets at high speed to dispatch elk to 1000+yards. So the choice is endless.

Here is another twist to your caliber dilema. In Europe they use a measly little 6.5X55 Sweed to take moose down to distances of 400+ yards. The reason being is the bullet selection is excellent for shooting extended ranges. You can achieve the same if not better with the 6.5X47 Lapua and the 260 Remington.

So now that I have thoroughly confused, not sure how far you are shooting, I think the 30-06 would be a good over all choice. You can load little bullets for lighter critters, and heavy bullets for bigger critters. Hope this helped, and sorry for the long explination.

Tank

 

[BIG MO]

Love the 30-06, but a 300wsm or 7mm rem mag gives you more reach with not much more recoil. I have had fantastic results with the weatherbys. Its a big advantage when you can shop around and find one with an itty bitty factory shot group. You know what you are starting out with and you can generally improve on that with handloads.

Given a choice between the two I would lean toward the 300wsm. It is the 30-06 of the 21st century. The 300wsm's that I have reloaded for all shot factory ammo very well and were not finiky at the reloading bench. To date, I haven't run into any WSM shooters at the range who are not very pleased with the performance of their rifle.

 

[sdkidaho]

Love the 30-06, but a 300wsm or 7mm rem mag gives you more reach with not much more recoil.

How much is not much more recoil? I know no one likes it, but man I hate recoil. The less the better (obviously). I've gotten better with age and shooting shotguns over the past few years has certainly helped but I would like to limit it as much as possible.

And why the 300WSM and not the 300 Win Mag or 300 Wby Mag?