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300 win mag and 215 hybrid load issues

stomp442

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
328
Location
Safford Arizona
Savage 111 action
heavy duty lug
trued barrel nut
26" McGowen #5 contour stainless match 10 twist barrel with brake
pillar and glass bedding
tuned acutrigger at a crisp 2 pounds.

New barrel and new build. Been working on this for a couple weeks now using H1000 and H4831 powders as that is what i have and Federal magnum primers. Bullets are seated to mag length as this will be a carry around hunting rifle. The barrel is free floated as well as the tang, scope is a Leupold mark IV and checked for proper function and is secured with burris signature zee rings on weaver bases. All screws are torqued to spec and remain tight. The issue i am having is the thing just wont shoot. Best i have been able to get is about a 2" group at 200 yards and 10" at 600. I have worked up in half grain increments from about 2 grains under max loads in the berger manual trying to find a good node. I start seeing flattened primers at 73 grains with both powders. H1000 gives me a top velocity at 2815fps with 73 grains and H4831 gives me 2940fps with 73 grains and is actually my best load so far with a standard deviation of only 7.2. I have tried moving up another grain but thigs get really erratic and i start to get a little heavy bolt lift. I am calling max load for this rifle at 73 grains.

So far i have 150 rounds thru the barrel and i have tried and checked everything i can think of to get this thing to shoot good. I have another box of the 215s and i would really like to stick with this bullet to maximize the potential of this cartridge. I know there are quite a few of you here on this site that have experience with this combination and i am hoping to gain a little insight into what may be wrong. My last resort will be to back it off and see if i can find a low node or switch to a different bullet. I can get my hands on some 168 amaxs, 208 Amaxs and 190 Bergers here local but i really dont want to switch bullets and powder well thats near impossible to find around here. The only other powders that i have on the shelf that may be suitable is reloader 17 and H430 but those will be better suited for the 168s if i am forced to go that way. Thanks in advance.
 
I'm working up loads for a couple of 300s right now. Kind of surprised you are maxed out at 73 grains of H1000 but I guess those long Bergers have to be seated pretty deep. I'm seeing some good groups between 75 and 77 grains H1000 with the 208 Amax's. 76.0 is deadly in one of the guns. It has a sporter barrel and I'm seeing groups under 3/8 moa. My velocity is a bit slower, around 2750-2800. You might try backing off a smidgin and see if you hit a sweet spot before losing too much velocity. I think the next steps would be different primer, powder or bullet.
 
I think one of the biggest problems you're having is the seating depth. I started load development on a sav 110 loaded to mag length and stopped mostly b/c my ogive tool dang near touched the brass.
 
X2 on the seating depth. I have a custom that really tightened up when I went from .010 to .040 off the lands using 73 grains of H4831sc with the 215s. This week I am going to try .060 off the lands and see what that yields.

I have also shot the 185 hybrids out of two other rifles and noticed they also shot better when seated further off the lands.

As a reference, I am getting about 11/16 three shot groups at 200 with the 215s and the the H4831sc.
 
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