Another 300 win mag question

[jpfrog]

This spring I would like to work up a load for my new 300 win mag. Primary purpose will be range use, and maybe some 6-700 yard hog/coyote control at the ranch until I'm able to save enough $$ and find enough time for that elk trip I keep telling myself I'm going to take someday.

I will have 40 pieces once fired Winchester brass (after I use the factory Winchester ammo for barrel break in), and I will also have 200 new pieces of Nosler brass. I have plenty of Fed 215s, and I thought I had plenty of RL-22 and 180AB bullets, but I guess I got rid of them when I got rid of my last 300 win mag and forgot. I do have about 250 of the 180 Ballistic Tips, but I have no powder that's really suitable for the caliber in my cabinet.

So- I've some experience with RL-22 and 180gr ABs- shot very well in my last rifle using Winchester brass and I was getting 2985fps. I'm seeing everyone rave about H-1000 and Berger 215s, though, and it has me curious. I am worried about h-1000 powder though because it seems like even with 180 ABs, I may end up having to deal with compressed loads to get velocities over 2800fps with Nosler brass. Stepping up to a 215 Berger seems like it would compress that load even more. RL-22, on the other hand, doesn't seem to take up as much space to reach similar velocities, and with Nosler brass capacity lower in general (based on my very quick and limited research) I'm wondering if this will be the better option, or some of the newer Alliant powder options perhaps.

What say the experts? FYI- the reason I ordered 200 pieces of Nosler brass is not because I like to spend money, but because it was on sale online when I bought it, and it was available (unlike WW, Norma, etc.). I do also have 100 pieces of new WW brass on backorder just for the heck of it, but we'll see if that ever actually materializes.

Thanks for your help!

 

[el matador]

Nosler brass (made by Norma) does have a reputation for being fairly soft and lower in capacity than other brands. I've used their WSM brass and found that to be true. However, I've used a lot of their 300 win mag brass and its a different story. Remington 300 WM brass weighs around 242 grains and the Norma comes in at 221. Almost 10% lighter. It's good stuff.

H1000 has treated me really well in the 300 win mag but I'm shooting mostly 208 grain Amax bullets. The SAAMI length is 3.340" which is fairly short for a lot of rifles. I load most of my stuff around 3.600" and it works great for me. I think H1000 would be a good powder to try in your rifle with any bullet 180 grains and up. For 168s I'd go with H4831SC. RL22 has a reputation for being very accurate but it's temp sensitive. That's not a big deal if you take it into account and adjust for it.

 

[shooter7]

I run nosler in my 300wm. Out of my last batch I got 10 firings before I decided to retire it. I could have probably stretched it if I would have annealed it but I opted for new brass. That was with 79 gr of h1000 pushing a 190 Berger at 3025fps. Overall I'm very impressed with nosler.

 

[Greyfox]

I use Norma brass in my 300WM. I have found it to have 2-2.5 gr greater case capacity greater case capacity over the Winchester cases. Case life and primer pocket tightness is good for at least 10 firings.with annealing at 5 or 6 firings.

 

[BEEMAN]

I use Nosler brass, 215 Berger, FED GM 215 M, and H1000. 2995 fps out of a 26" Brux. You will have a hard time beating this combo that's why everyone recommends it. Start around 73-74 gr with the bullet 30 thou off the lands and work up to pressure. It's that simple.

 

[WildRose]

This spring I would like to work up a load for my new 300 win mag. Primary purpose will be range use, and maybe some 6-700 yard hog/coyote control at the ranch until I'm able to save enough $$ and find enough time for that elk trip I keep telling myself I'm going to take someday.

I will have 40 pieces once fired Winchester brass (after I use the factory Winchester ammo for barrel break in), and I will also have 200 new pieces of Nosler brass. I have plenty of Fed 215s, and I thought I had plenty of RL-22 and 180AB bullets, but I guess I got rid of them when I got rid of my last 300 win mag and forgot. I do have about 250 of the 180 Ballistic Tips, but I have no powder that's really suitable for the caliber in my cabinet.

So- I've some experience with RL-22 and 180gr ABs- shot very well in my last rifle using Winchester brass and I was getting 2985fps. I'm seeing everyone rave about H-1000 and Berger 215s, though, and it has me curious. I am worried about h-1000 powder though because it seems like even with 180 ABs, I may end up having to deal with compressed loads to get velocities over 2800fps with Nosler brass. Stepping up to a 215 Berger seems like it would compress that load even more. RL-22, on the other hand, doesn't seem to take up as much space to reach similar velocities, and with Nosler brass capacity lower in general (based on my very quick and limited research) I'm wondering if this will be the better option, or some of the newer Alliant powder options perhaps.

What say the experts? FYI- the reason I ordered 200 pieces of Nosler brass is not because I like to spend money, but because it was on sale online when I bought it, and it was available (unlike WW, Norma, etc.). I do also have 100 pieces of new WW brass on backorder just for the heck of it, but we'll see if that ever actually materializes.

Thanks for your help!

I've found Nosler brass in my 7mm STW and 300 Rum to be good brass with very little problems. Unless you're running a short throat and/or short barrel you should be fine with H1000 and the 180-200gr class bullets. Two of my .300wm's like both the Accubond and Accbond LR in 180/190gr. They both shot the new ELD-X quite well but I don't like bullets that separate so I gave up on them early.

On deer and hogs for the last month I've been shooting Peregrine VRG-4 "Rangemasters" through the .260 Rem and 300 Rum. The 6.5's were 125gr and the .30's are 180gr. I loaded up forty of the new Peregrine VLR4 183gr this evening for the .300's but didn't get a chance to shoot them. If they shoot as well as the VRG4's I'll finish up the season with them and hopefully take a few more big hogs with them as well.

I've never had a Hornady Interbond fail or disappoint me in any way and they are finally back in production starting to show up in factory ammo so hopefully we'll see the bullets on the shelf for components sooner rather than later.

Both the Accubond and Accubond LR"s have shot decently to great for me and always seem to perform as advertised when they connect.

I prefer a bonded bullet over anything else when it comes to lead core bullets and while I have rather limited experience with the Hornady GMX and now the Peregrines but they have opened my eyes to the fact that not only are they "green bullets" they are also capable of great accuracy and terminal performance as well.

I can't quite say yet that I'm ready to give up on Hornady Interbonds yet but until I see something different performance wise than what I've been getting out of the Peregrines they are probably going to become my "go to hunting bullet" for the future especially if the new VLRs prove out to be what they are intended to be which is a long range version of the VRG4 that will still open reliably even at slower downrange impact velocities.