300 rum 180 tsx bullet

[duner]

Hello
I am new to reloading and i have some questions.
as i stated in the subject line i have a 300 rum that i am loading 180 g tsx bullets.

i had already shot factory loads with this gun and dialed it in at 2 in above bull at 100 yards.

I used retumbo powder to build up my load. the powder said in the 94 to 100.5 rage barnes said 84 to 93. so to play it save i started at 85 and worked up . all the loads grouped well but their velocities were lower. i could tell because they were all lower on the target. so i worked up to 95 and i was still 1.5 inches below my stock loads with the same bullet. the bang was quieter the kick was less and no signs of presure. so i kept working my way up. I ended up having the best grouping at 100 g of retumbo . the velocities were still slightly less than the factory ammo. but the grouping was good. it just bugs me to be over the newest recomendation from barnes. now i called barnes and talked to tye a little and he told me they use to go by the retumbo recomendations ..... so my question is does this load sound to high? oh yes one other thing this is a remington sendero and as far as seating depth barnes recomends .050 but i had to seat to the magazeen so mine are more like .125 off the lands.

thanks for any input

 

[waha]

The bullet hitting below the bullseye with your load doesn't neccesary mean the velocity is lower than the factory loads. Do you have access to a chronograph? What type of factory ammo were you using? I can tell you that if you are shooting 100 grains of Retumbo with a 26 inch barrell you are probably approaching 3,300 FPS. If you don't have access to a chronograph do you know how to Mic the case head for expansion?

 

[duner]

The stock ammo is fedral 300rumd barnes triple shock.

I just got off the phone with barnes
the person i talked with had built up the same loads as i did with the same powder and remington barrel
what he said was he had gotten the same results that i did.
he had went to 100.5 with no presure signs
he said that the reason they were recomending lower poder amounts was because of tighter tolerences on the custom barrels

i dont have acess to a chrono.
i did measue for case expansion and it was less than the stock federal loads. at 100 g of retumbo it was only slightly less..
primers all looked good no problems ejecting ammo
no shiny spots from the ejector.


i am looking for a speed around 3300 with a nice tight group for those canyon shots. i really do love this gun . the groups are tight and consistant

 

[waha]

Need to get access to a chronograph to do this right. I shot a .185 shot yesterday morning whith 102 grains of Retumbo and the 180 Scirroco without any pressure. Early season elk opens in 7 days and the bulls are bugling behind my house which is seriously effecting my work concentration! You are right this is an incredible canyon rifle but it has to pefected to science and you want to do it right the first time. Tye at Barnes knows his stuff when he talked about the variations in barrells and chambers. I have 2 Ultra's and they are night and day with bullets and pressures. I have been doing ballistic testing for the 180 Federal Fusion here in Lewiston where they are made and it will be another good bullet when it becomes available to the handloader. Lots of choices but you need a C-mike that goes to .0000 and a good chronograph.

 

[duner]

yes tye is the gentleman i was talking with , nice guy.
i have been using my digital calipers to measure expansion.
i went to the tsx so i could still use it on deer without having to worry about the bullet exploding.

now i really need to shoot at a 300y range. I know where i want it to hit but is it really there. about 3 inches low at 300 should be a good spot.not to high durring the 100 to 150 y range. not to low at 400

the elk are calling

i started elk hunting thrree years ago
drew a cow tag the first year. shot it 30 min after opening at the bottom of a canyon all day to pack it out
dry the second year
the third year a picked up a 4 x 4 he was a little guy double eyeguards almost look like deer horns but he tastes great. the rifle was an 30-06 then now it has been rebarreled the -06 was hard to kill em . first shot to the spine. then itried to kill him with a neck shot bad idea. i finally shot him in the head.

 

[waha]

I'd go with the 180 TSX and 100 G. of Retumbo since you are getting good accuracy and no pressure signs. Good for elk.

 

[duner]

bad for the elk
good for me lol.

i have already loaded up three boxes to take hunting. i was just a little nervouse until talking with tye. next year i may try loading 165 grin bullets ????

then there is always my shotgun sabots that might be fun to try to load. "if posible"

Thanks again for your input.
and good luck hunting.

 

[Ben Steinsholt]

I have a custom Sako action 300 rum...I am shooting 100.0 grs of retumbo..I have a PACT PRO chronograph and I have a few ideosychrcies..I have a WELL broken in bbl and the first 2 shot chron @ 3350..as the barrel "dirties-up" it heads toward 3450 fp. where it stays after about 6 shots. I also get 3 shots under 0.5 inches CONSISTANTLY!. I also notice that after about 12 rounds >>fouling causes my groups to open substantially. Believe me I was T-Totally shocked at these velocities...however, I also notice I am getting only 4 shots per case>>>the pressures are not excessive but the cases can only stand so much...Bye the way...the bullet is a 180 gr TSX seated 90thousands off the lands

 

[waha]

Ben are you using the TSX bullet? I find that even with the TSX it is producing more pressure than a conventional gliding metal jacket. With the 3 rings and less bullet surface area you wouldn't think it would but thats copper for you.

 

[duner]

I have not saw the fouling problem but i wouldnt expect too. i have cleaned the barrel after each group working up my load. I also wait at least ten minuits between shots to make sure the barrel is cool. Mine is a hunting rifle and the first cold shot has to count. our loads sound the same exept for seating depth.

 

[waha]

Ben I failed to see that you were using the TSX in your post. Sorry about that, its Friday!

 

[Ben Steinsholt]

Yes I am using a 180 gr TSX... The pressures are not "over the top" but neither are they conducive to "long case life".. I found that after I broke my barrel in (it is V-E-R-Y slick) that the TSX groups fantastically but Retumbo powder is dirty like your Hogdons ball powders..At least it is in my rifle... I have a PacNor barrel. I get the same 3400+ with 101 grs of Retumbo and 180 gr Sierras.. I used them to break in my barrel.. I have figured out a way to break a barrel in while doing "some" load developement. That is how I discovered the unreal velocities.. I have backed down to 98 grs of retumbo w the TSX but 5 or so shots later it wil stil top 3400 once the barrel gets dirty... I get ZERO copper fouling...

 

[waha]

Guess that's the fun part of constantly tweaking for perfection. Have to keep on experimenting and eventually you'll have it dialed in and then you'll switch to another load and get to start all over again! I have loaded every imaginable bullet in most of my rifles and I never shoot them up. I then find another new bullet and experiment on that also. Never ending.

 

[flintlockshooter]

This is my first time on this net. Ihave been reloading for about 45 or so yrs, I just got a new custom .300 rum. 27 1/2 " tube.
With 101.5 gr of Retumbo I get 3,414 fps.
with this load I just shoot today a 1/2" group (5) shots using a 180 gr spbt.
I will be shooting at 600 yds in the AM if it dont rain.
I will let you know how I do

flintlockshooter