Confused with 300 WSM loads

[speeders]

I have been trying various powders and seating depths with 168 grain nosler ballistic tips. I've tried IMR 4350, H4381 RL 19,22, H 4350, H4381 sc and H380. I loaded these powders and COAL was to max mag length at 2.858. I started out 4 grains lower than max load for each powder and worked up. Every powder shot better as I approached max load. The powder that shot the best was H4350. My problem is that it shoots the best 1 grain over max listed load at 66.5 grains. I've tried from 60.5 grains and worked up thinking I might hit another node at a lower charge. No luck. At 65.5 grains I get an average group of 1.1 inch. At 66.5 grains I get 0.55 inch. Over the chrony I got a 5 shot average of 3198 with ES of 11.

I am getting weird signs of pressure. For the most part the bolt does not stick, No marks on back of case, primers look good. I shot 45 rounds at 66.5 grains. The first 3 rounds the bolt was slightly sticky but the rest were fine?? I had 1 case have a hole blow out around the primer. Cases are winchester, trimmed to 2.090. Primers are win mag primers. As I drop 0.10 grain in powder the accuracy drops off.

I have attached a pic of the blown primer pocket. Over pressure or bad case? Why would only 3 shots produce a sticky bolt. Rifle was just cleaned prior to shooting.

I have also tried loading 5 to 20 thou back from lands. Pretty much same results.

I just picked up some 180 grain accubonds and 155 grain bergers to try something

Anyone with any pointers? I'm at a loss?

 

[Bob L.]

No offense, but was the action completely dry after you cleaned it. an oily or lubricated action may raise pressure? I had good luck with rl17 with the 300wsm. I have had sst and bt's shoot well 30 thousands off the lands. Do you have a tight chamber? I have noticed the redding dies were not squeezing the body of the case as well as standard RCBS dies.
Bob

 

[speeders]

Well bob, no offense at all. I'm sure I cleaned all oil etc and dry out... I may not have though as I tried to sneak a few hours in between kids soccer and birthdays..I just picked up some RL 17. It is super scarce in my neck of the woods. I'm gonna load some this week and give it try. I will make sure chamber is free of oil etc..

Chamber is not tight. I'm left with the ring after resizing, and yes with Redding dies.
Thanks.

 

[lloydsmale]

Id say if you have any sticky bolt extraction at all you are running to high of pressure and your blown out primer is proff of some real excessive pressures. Oil on the action isnt going to make pressures jump so much that you blow a primer. My wsm too is kind of an odd gun. It goes from no pressure signs to severe pressures signs with just a grain more powder. Probably due to the fact that you dealing with a small case realitive to the rest of the 300 mags and that loading data for the wsm is allready borderline hot. Its why the 300wsm runs with the 300 win. Its just loaded to higher pressures. Most mag rounds are underloaded, some to an extream. Guys get used to the idea that its ok to jump 3 or 4 grains over listed loads in them but you arent going to do that with a short mag.

 

[TOM H]

I have been trying various powders and seating depths with 168 grain nosler ballistic tips. I've tried IMR 4350, H4381 RL 19,22, H 4350, H4381 sc and H380. I loaded these powders and COAL was to max mag length at 2.858. I started out 4 grains lower than max load for each powder and worked up. Every powder shot better as I approached max load. The powder that shot the best was H4350. My problem is that it shoots the best 1 grain over max listed load at 66.5 grains. I've tried from 60.5 grains and worked up thinking I might hit another node at a lower charge. No luck. At 65.5 grains I get an average group of 1.1 inch. At 66.5 grains I get 0.55 inch. Over the chrony I got a 5 shot average of 3198 with ES of 11.

I am getting weird signs of pressure. For the most part the bolt does not stick, No marks on back of case, primers look good. I shot 45 rounds at 66.5 grains. The first 3 rounds the bolt was slightly sticky but the rest were fine?? I had 1 case have a hole blow out around the primer. Cases are winchester, trimmed to 2.090. Primers are win mag primers. As I drop 0.10 grain in powder the accuracy drops off.

I have attached a pic of the blown primer pocket. Over pressure or bad case? Why would only 3 shots produce a sticky bolt. Rifle was just cleaned prior to shooting.

I have also tried loading 5 to 20 thou back from lands. Pretty much same results.

I just picked up some 180 grain accubonds and 155 grain bergers to try something

Anyone with any pointers? I'm at a loss?

The case in the picture is Remington also you posted this couple months ago.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/300-wsm-issue-110962/#post782404


What was the temp when you were getting blown primers?

 

[speeders]

The case in the picture is Remington also you posted this couple months ago.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/300-wsm-issue-110962/#post782404


What was the temp when you were getting blown primers?

Tom,

You are correct , the case is Remington. That thread from a while back was in regards to the case bulge which i have chalked up to a poorly cut chamber. I am just looking for some info or direction as my most accurate load is what seems to be over pressure. As soon as i drop down 0.5 gr's i get close to 1 MOA or greater.

The temp was 10 degrees Canadian or 50 degrees American.

Thanks.

 

[TOM H]

Tom,

You are correct , the case is Remington. That thread from a while back was in regards to the case bulge which i have chalked up to a poorly cut chamber. I am just looking for some info or direction as my most accurate load is what seems to be over pressure. As soon as i drop down 0.5 gr's i get close to 1 MOA or greater.

The temp was 10 degrees Canadian or 50 degrees American.

Thanks.

You shooting same loads and what's change since March? Think you changed primers

 

[speeders]

You shooting same loads and what's change since March? Think you changed primers

Yeah march is about right...i only have about 1 free day a month. Not much time to develop a load. I did change primers. I have tried every type of primer and a bunch of different powders. I am just stuck with an accurate load that is over pressure. I intend on putting in for my elk draw in an area in southern Alberta for early september. The temp can get up to 30 degrees canadian. If i see pressure signs now what am i going to see with weather that is 20 degrees hotter.

 

[deertroy1]

You mentioned your rifle shoots 1.1" with no signs of pressure and .55" but obvious pressure signs. I'd would not want to be shooting loads that showed that kind of pressure; especially on an Alberta elk hunt. I'd feel pretty confident in hunting with a 1" to 1.5" rifle. We all want more accuracy but not at the expense of reliability and safety.

Just my two cents!

 

[PowellSixO]

Just gonna throw a hail mary here, but that first picture you posted looks awful. The rim looks tweaked. It looks like what I was doing to my 7mm brass when I first started reloading. I wasn't lubricating the case right when I was resizing and it took a little too much force to pull the case back out of the resizing die. The shell holder would bend the rim up ever so slightly. It gave me the tight bolt feeling, and the cases looked exactly like that first picture you posted. Maybe I'm seeing things though.

 

[speeders]

Powell, you may be correct. I do lube the neck case prior to resizing. It feels like the case removes from the die fairly easy. Maybe im not using enough lube. I took a look at the cases and I think that pic is a little out of proportion from what see.

Just gonna throw a hail mary here, but that first picture you posted looks awful. The rim looks tweaked. It looks like what I was doing to my 7mm brass when I first started reloading. I wasn't lubricating the case right when I was resizing and it took a little too much force to pull the case back out of the resizing die. The shell holder would bend the rim up ever so slightly. It gave me the tight bolt feeling, and the cases looked exactly like that first picture you posted. Maybe I'm seeing things though.

 

[Southwind]

as reference my 300wsm load is win brass, 168 tsx, 65 grain rl17, federal gold medal match lg rifle mag primers, 2.92 coal, 3100 fps. this is a sub moa in my win mod 70 stainless and while load development I started getting slightly stiff at 65.5 grains and stiffer yet at 66 grains and only a 50 fps gain so I backed off to the 65 with no pressure signs and very good accuracy. My rifle is bedded, free floated and has a full length alum bedding block as well.

I consider it more of a mid range rifle out to 600 yards and have only taken game out to 400 with it but have taken elk, bear, mule deer, whitetail, and pronghorn with it.

those blown primers are definitely high pressure signs especially combined with stiff bolt. Some times you just have to keep searching and maybe even consider a different weight bullet. If you have a friend with quickload have him run that load for you.

 

[speeders]

Thanks south wind, I actually grabbed some Barnes ttsx, accubonds and some bergers in a few different grains from 150 to 185 grains. I'm gonna pick one at a time and start fresh. See where that leads me.

as reference my 300wsm load is win brass, 168 tsx, 65 grain rl17, federal gold medal match lg rifle mag primers, 2.92 coal, 3100 fps. this is a sub moa in my win mod 70 stainless and while load development I started getting slightly stiff at 65.5 grains and stiffer yet at 66 grains and only a 50 fps gain so I backed off to the 65 with no pressure signs and very good accuracy. My rifle is bedded, free floated and has a full length alum bedding block as well.

I consider it more of a mid range rifle out to 600 yards and have only taken game out to 400 with it but have taken elk, bear, mule deer, whitetail, and pronghorn with it.

those blown primers are definitely high pressure signs especially combined with stiff bolt. Some times you just have to keep searching and maybe even consider a different weight bullet. If you have a friend with quickload have him run that load for you.

 

[PowellSixO]

Powell, you may be correct. I do lube the neck case prior to resizing. It feels like the case removes from the die fairly easy. Maybe im not using enough lube. I took a look at the cases and I think that pic is a little out of proportion from what see.

Do you lube the inside of the neck? I take some of the spray lube and hit my neck brush a bit and run it inside the case to get a little lube on the inside. I also spray up inside of my resizing die a little too.