H1000 - Wow!

[johnnyk]

I can't believe I have been reloading for 27 years and just tried H1000 today for the first time. I bought this can last March while living in Virginia with the intention to use it for either my 7mmRM or .300WinMag. I got side-tracked with moving the family to Georgia, a new job and breaking in and doing load development on my 6.5-284Norma.
The 7mmRM is out of commission at the moment with Leupold issues, so after prepping fifty .300WM Frontier cases (Hornady?) I annealed and primed them with CCI 250 primers. I decided to try the 190gn SMK again. I tried them last year using RL25 and nothing tried printed better than 1MOA. Not good enough.
I started at 79.0 gn and went to 80.5 in 1/2 gn increments. The first group from a clean barrel went .142" for 3-shots. Velocity averaged 3078fps, ES 7.83 SD 4.12! I was ready to stop right there!
79.5gn went .522", Velocity 3112fps ES 4.80 SD 2.64. I want to say I pulled the last shot but can't be sure until I try this load again.
80.0gn went .496", Velocity 3148fps ES 17.20 SD 8.54.
80.5gn went .4185", first shot registered 3204fps but didn't get any subsequent readings. A storm was rolling in quick and the chronograph didn't like the clouds.

My thoughts and questions are: great powder and somewhere in here I should be able to come up with another super LR target load. Hodgdon website called for 81.0gn (compressed) as max with a velocity of 2990fps! I've only got two more inches of barrel than that but I read somewhere even if you're not getting "normal" pressure signs that a velocity higher than what the books call for is a sign of pressure. This rifle's (Savage 112BVSS) velocities typicaly runs faster than most I've seen. Not sure if it's the chamber or barrel but it shoots **** good. What do you think? 190gn SMK's @ 3200fps too much to expect from a .300WinMag? Is this characteristic of H1000? JohnnyK.

 

[375fan]

Sounds like some pretty good groups. Curious about the barrel length on your 300, what is it? Reason I ask, is those velocities seem high for a 190 grain bullet if you have a 24 in barrel. I load for 2 300's ( 24" on one and 25" on the other) and once I get close to 3100 (180 gr bullet) the loads are getting well past what the manuals say are max. Have not used h1000 so that and barrel length made me curious.
Jeff

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Im using it in my 300 win mag getting 3030fps out of a 27" 1-10 twist

185g VLD
CCI BR2
81g H1000
Nosler brass

I have room in the case for more powder and no pressure signs but your speed does seam high to me as well.

 

[MSLRHunter]

H1000 is my favorite powder right now. I load for 7mmRM and 300 win mag and it does great in both. Good velocity , great accuracy

 

[johnnyk]

I'm shooting a stock (other than Rifle Basix trigger) Savage 112BVSS with a 26" stainless steel barrel.
Like I said, this rifle typically runs fast, as I shot the 165gn BT's at 3300fps (H4350), the 180's at 3150fps (H4350). Last time I shot the 190's with RL25 I only took them up to 77.5gn (3075fps), primers were starting to crater so I stopped there.
There may have been something going on with the chronograph with that last load. A thunderstorm was moving in and it became overcast quickly and the chrono started acting stupid. The first shot was 3204fps, the next was ERR1 and the third had no response from the chrono. No numbers but good accuracy. JohnnyK.

 

[yobuck]

id be taking what the gun gives me and be happy.
if the bolts not sticky in the georgia heat, id be seeing how far i could go 1 round at a time.
listen to the gun, not the books.
at 26" im surprised your getting that much also especially with a 190.
id be a little suspicious of your chronograph.

 

[johnnyk]

I'm thinking the chrono was losing light and that's what caused the jump to 3204fps. The previous group (80.0) averaged 3148fps. I have loaded 5 more at 80.5gn to try this week. Will let ya know what happens. JohnnyK.

 

[flashhole]

Sounds like you're on the right track. I tried H-1000 in my 300. It worked well but I really started whooping and hollering when I tried Retumbo.

 

[johnnyk]

I shot 5 more 190gn SMK's this evening with 80.5gn of H1000 and now I'm flabergasted. How critical is the sun's position on the skyscreens? I shoot underneath a bunch of big oaks and the sun filters through. Here's my 100 to 500yd range.

These photos were taken during Saturday's shooting session about 3:35PM.

Today's velocities ran 3136/3158/3141/3130/3161 (3145) ES 31.07 SD 13.63. Not the best but accuracy was OK at .5245". It was approx. 7PM today when I shot.

Anyone got any idea's?? JohnnyK.

 

[Derek M.]

No ideas about the chrono, but H1000 is and has been a true "best kept secret." That is one of THE best powders in the 7RemMag. You may want to try some Retumbo too.