300 RUM - Berger 210 VLD

[Varmint Hunter]

My 300 RUM has just been returnd from the smith. It now wears a 27" Boughton 5.5 contour bbl. I will be starting load developement with the Berger 210 VLD bullet.

What powder would you suggest for accuracy (velocity is secondary for me), H1000, Retumbo, RE25, H869, other??

Would you suggest starting with the VLD's loaded into the rifling, or have some of you guys produced small groups with the VLD's loaded off the rifling?

 

[geargrinder]

I read that my buddy Eaglet is using 97g of Retumbo with the Berger 210's in his 300 RUM. As usual, start lower and work your way up.

I've also had very good luck with Retumbo in my 338 RUM. I'm just starting to play with H1000. I'll let you know how it works.

As for seating, you'll have to find what your rifle likes. I will say that the vld's seem to prefer to be at or just into the lands. My 300win likes them right at the lands.

 

[400classelk]

Berger vld 210 grs

89 grs Hodgdon Retumbo 3025 fps 0.25 (inches by 3 shot at 100 yds)
Very accurate load!

 

[bailey1474]

92 gr Retumbo and the 208 Amax got me 3200 fps out of a 30" bbl RUM.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Are you guys loading those 210 VLD's into the rifling or off?

 

[daveosok]

The following data was for the 300 Tomahawk with around 115.5 grains of water capacity.

With the 210 we used H50BMG 100 grains in a 34 inch barrel, 3300 fps but accuracy wasnt as good as the 190 Berger's at 3600 fps.

I dont think the H50BMG was at max load either but it was very close to max capacity for the case Hodgdon says 105 is a compressed load. The barrel was a 1:10 Lilja 34 inches long. The 190's were exceptionally accurate at 3600 fps.

Hodgdon site says 96 grains for max in a 300 ultra with the 190 gr Hornady SPBT at 3200 fps. I'd say the Retumbo would have been a better choice but it wasnt available back then and it was a gun I built for a buddy and I no longer have access to it.

Cartridge Loads - Hodgdon Reloading Data Center - data.hodgdon.com