300 RUM for long range rifle.

[glbhunter]

I have a 300 RUM Rem SPS. It has had the action bedded, and barrel but still free floating so a $ bill will slide down snuggly. Rifle will be used mostly for hunting once I get to comfortable spot.
Have worked up a load that works well in it: Retumbo 99.5 gr, Berger 168 VLD, Fed mag primers, Rem brass, can usually shoot a .75 moa group.
My scope is a Leupold 6.5x20x50, 30mm tube, target model cost about $900
I shot last summer 100-700 with pretty good success. about 6" group 4" left because of cross wind at 700.
I have 25 rounds still loaded from that group. and 75 once fired ready to go.
Ok, I'll stop right here because I feel that I am passing up my knowledge on the long range shooting. At this point I feel I need to get a lot of advise from the knowledgeable group out there. I know there is a lot of info out there that I am trying to sort thru. some left me a little confused.
1- neck or full length re-sizing. 2- brass prep and cleaning. 3- rifle cleaning process. 4- do I go to yardage cams, I feel that would be good for me as the moa takes more time than you have sometimes. 5- and a lot of things I probably haven't even thought of. I am thinking of getting a ultra-sonic cleaner.

 

[J E Custom]

The first thing I would do is get rid of the Tupperware stock if that's what you have.

This will improve the rifles ability and give you a good start on accuracy and load development.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[glbhunter]

The first thing I would do is get rid of the Tupperware stock if that's what you have.

This will improve the rifles ability and give you a good start on accuracy and load development.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

Your point is well taken, you are right. I realize its not the latest greatest stock, however, a lot of work has gone into making this one shoot. What stock would you suggest.
I'm thinking, considering the groups I'm getting and the work I have gone into stiffing up the stock and developing loads, it will work good for my larger game go to.

I may start a 6.5 cal. for lighter game and a true long range rifle after this one is done. If you can bare with me, In the mean time, I want to finish these loads and do the best I can to get this one ready for this falls elk hunt. Fine line brass prep. is what I would like to put my energy into next.

 

[J E Custom]

Your point is well taken, you are right. I realize its not the latest greatest stock, however, a lot of work has gone into making this one shoot. What stock would you suggest.
I'm thinking, considering the groups I'm getting and the work I have gone into stiffing up the stock and developing loads, it will work good for my larger game go to.

I may start a 6.5 cal. for lighter game and a true long range rifle after this one is done. If you can bare with me, In the mean time, I want to finish these loads and do the best I can to get this one ready for this falls elk hunt. Fine line brass prep. is what I would like to put my energy into next.

No matter how much work you put In a Tupperware stock it will never be stable . you may get it to shoot, but when the temperatures change drastically the POI may/will shift. I understand why the inexpensive rifles have them, because it takes only a few minutes to mold them and just pennies in cost. It goes back to the old saying that "You get what you pay for".

I have tried stiffening rods, bedding and even pillar bedding and the results were inconsistent with temperature changes and grouped were never 1/2 MOA.

In my opinion they are just handles to hold the action. (I guess you can tell that I hate those stocks)Ha Ha. as to what I would replace it with, I prefer "Good" laminates, (I like the feel and the balance of them) but the high quality composites are also very good.

I can appreciate your work to get it to shoot and understand spending money on a new stock at this time because I have been there. I will not guaranty 1/2 MOA on a custom rifle with this type of stock because the end results are that the Tupperware stock in the week point in an accurate firearm and cannot be expected to be consistent.

When building a precision rifle you must start with all good and true parts, Substitute one quality part and the entire system is destined for trouble. If everything is of top quality and quality gun smithing is done
they are trouble free and easy to find great loads for.

Sorry for being frank, but as one of the old sages on this site says,
"You cant make a silk purse out of a sows ear". the reason it is shooting as well as it is, is because of all your hard work and the drive for excellence in your loading.

This is probably not what you want to hear, but it is my opinion.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Joefrazell]

.75 moa isn't a bad place to start. How far are you wanting to shoot? I personally feel the 300 rum is better suited for a minimum of 190gr bullets but prefer 210-215 range. Past 6-700 the lighter bullets aren't going to slip through air and buck wind very well which in reaction they won't have near the energy.

 

[Canhunter35]

You've got good advice already.
A buddy of mine has a 22-250 sps, laid fibreglass in the fore end to stiffen if, pillar/glass bedded it. Never could achieve consistent poi. I sold him my hs precision stock and without bedding it lays down consistent 3/4" groups day in day out.
Boyds laminate stocks are reasonable, attractive looking and with a pillar/glass bedding job work great.
I agree with joe, use the 200+ pills in that rum

 

[T.Rep]

Im no expert by any means but I would also suggest shooting much heavier bullets. Shooting 168's out of a RUM is leaving alot of horsepower on the table. But to each his own.

 

[glbhunter]

.75 moa isn't a bad place to start. How far are you wanting to shoot? I personally feel the 300 rum is better suited for a minimum of 190gr bullets but prefer 210-215 range. Past 6-700 the lighter bullets aren't going to slip through air and buck wind very well which in reaction they won't have near the energy.

at first I shot 168s because the recoil was pretty bad with anything above that.. However, I ordered a muzzle break from muzzle breaks and more in Idaho. My RUM's recoil is about like a 270 now. I would like to develop a 190-210 load for it. maybe I will do that with this next batch of brass.

 

[Elkeater]

Swap out the stock with a bell and carlson if you don't want to spend a fortune then load some 200+ pills and go to it. Buddy of mine has a 300 rum in a rem 700 with a bell and carlson that he uses with 215 berger hybrids to good effect regularly beyond 500 yards.

 

[glbhunter]

Im no expert by any means but I would also suggest shooting much heavier bullets. Shooting 168's out of a RUM is leaving alot of horsepower on the table. But to each his own.

.75 moa isn't a bad place to start. How far are you wanting to shoot? I personally feel the 300 rum is better suited for a minimum of 190gr bullets but prefer 210-215 range. Past 6-700 the lighter bullets aren't going to slip through air and buck wind very well which in reaction they won't have near the energy.

 

[glbhunter]

you guys have me convinced to try the heavier bullets been looking at some Berger 200-210 I am going to get some and load them up

 

[ProfessorM]

I would suggest 215 Bergers and either H1000 or Retumbo, with H1000 being my first choice. Start around 87 grains and work up and I will be shocked if you don't find a great load fairly fast.

 

[jjmp]

change your stock your choice ,Q1neck size or fl-resize. fl resize always with the case headspacing off the front shoulder.Q2brass prep & cleaning, refer to Excellent write ups on this in most reloading manuals. are you new to reloading, how many manuals for reloading do you own? Q3 RIFLE cleaning,buy a one piece cleaning rod a bore guide, watch this stuff on you tube pick one useage you like. Q4 yardage cam's vs moa dialups pick what you like. Q5 ultra sonic cleaner, your choice your money,i use a vibrating cicular polisher type withcrushed walnut shell media. your reloads are good but they'll get better with more practice no pun intended . read read read , compare different bullet weights to each other at all the yardages you want to shoot, and you'll see their speed, drops, and foot pounds.

 

[glbhunter]

change your stock your choice ,Q1neck size or fl-resize. fl resize always with the case headspacing off the front shoulder.Q2brass prep & cleaning, refer to Excellent write ups on this in most reloading manuals. are you new to reloading, how many manuals for reloading do you own? Q3 RIFLE cleaning,buy a one piece cleaning rod a bore guide, watch this stuff on you tube pick one useage you like. Q4 yardage cam's vs moa dialups pick what you like. Q5 ultra sonic cleaner, your choice your money,i use a vibrating cicular polisher type withcrushed walnut shell media. your reloads are good but they'll get better with more practice no pun intended . read read read , compare different bullet weights to each other at all the yardages you want to shoot, and you'll see their speed, drops, and foot pounds.

Thank you for answering my questions. This helps me channel my efforts. No I'm not new to reloading. But I am new to the long range business. And the technology strides in rifles stocks and case prep tools and the fine line to great accuracy. In the past around 1 MOA was acceptable to me and most shots were under 400 yds. I'd like to expand my confidence and capability out to 800.