help needed: copper bullets in 300 wsm

[JAYgs8163]

Congrats on your Oryx tag. Give the Hammer Hunters a go if these Barnes don't work out for you. Easiest bullet I've ever loaded for.

 

[Betarider]

I have great luck with the Hammer Hunters 166 and 181 with H4350 In my 300 WSM. Give Steve a call and let him know what twist you have in your rifle. He can then recommend a grain weight and a starting load. Good luck.

I was going to say that solid copper bullets have to be longer than lead bullets and that requires a different twist rate he should follow your friends advice on Hammer bullets

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I was going to say that solid copper bullets have to be longer than lead bullets and that requires a different twist rate he should follow your friends advice on Hammer bullets

Twist / stability is very important for terminal performance with all bullets. It becomes more noticeable with cooper bullets because they are generally longer for weight than lead by 20%. This also becomes more critical for bullets that are long for caliber. Marginally stable bullets can shoot very well but will likely under perform on game.

 

[Hespco]

I shoot the Badlands Precision Bulldozer 6.5 125gr , BC .530 in my Savage 260 with a 1/8 twist, accurately. This is a long bullet. When you consider the Nosler 6.5 140gr AB has a BC of .509 you can get a feeling of the bullet length of the Badlands bullet. Seat the Badlands bullet .050 off & it shoots. Did not have the slighest problem getting it to shoot.
Nosler 6.5 140AB on the left, Badlands 6.5 125gr on the right.
There are more & more of the mono's coming out. They just keep getting better in my opinion.

 

[wildcat westerner]

Hello, and thank you all for your insights.
A simple change of OAL was more dramatic than any other time in load testing, 2-3" groups at 200 yards off my concrete bench got reduced to less than 5/8" with a single change of .020 OAL. Never have I seen such a dramatic reduction. As to fit for a magazine- there is none. This is a Savage single shot SS rifle. Originally meant to compete in lead bullet competition in .308, when we checked the barrel, those hundreds of rounds of lead bullets had power lapped it to incredible smoothness. So since it was a Savage it was converted to .300WSM with a rechambering and a new boltface. The accuracy with 178 gr. ELDX bullets. Accuracy with these bullets was 3 in .266 at 100 yards. So copper bullets are virtually all new to me. I have other single shots and loading from the sleeve on the buttstock is something I am practiced at. So, from now on, no more benchrest practice since zeroes were located to 600 this morning.
. Shooting with sticks has been humiliating for me who has won competitions with up to 307 other shooters and also set two Worlds records at 600 yards. Today an Oryx is safe from me at 300 yards. U tube has been handy with a lot of practical tips on shooting with sticks. I shall start to incorporate them Monday!

WW

 

[Gcan]

Hello, Having drawn a once in a lifetime Oryx here in NM, I have been informed that with the heart/lungs being located exactly between the shoulders, a 300 magnum is suggested with heavy duty bullets needed for deep penetration.
I have a Savage SS barrelled action, converted to 300 WSM, which is incredibly accurate. A true sub 1/2 minute rifle with 178 gr. Hornady ELDX bullets. I have purchased 200 Barnes 165 gr. Barnes TSX bullets to use on this hunt. I have reloaded , and written about reloading for decades and what is unfolding now makes no sense to me, and I would appreciate sincere, experienced advice from my fellow reloaders.
Not being familiar with reloading copper bullets I accessed The Barnes site. I read that to begin with these bullets must be seated .050 off the lands and adjustment should be in .025 increments. According to the reloading data Accurate 2700 ball powder could be used for this 165 grain bullet, which surprised me since I use that powder in my .244 varmint rifle with light bullets. I've got a bunch of it in these scarce times.
I set about finding the depth these bullets would just let the bolt close in this rifle. That overall length proved to be 3.100. -.050 should be 3.051 correct?
I started with the lowest load 61.4 grains in the manual and loading in increasing amounts by 1.5 grains to the listed max of 66 grains.

I went to the range, fired the 61.4 grains loads and the cases and extraction seemed to indicate to me that loading was pretty strong for a starting load. Next I tried a 63 grain load and the bolt "froze" and primer disappeared. I brought the rifle home and now everything is okay. The groups fired with the minimum load ran about 3 inches at 200 yards, which is a total disappointment. Long ago I tried some copper bullets in a .280 Remington and the results were not satisfactory. Why these loads suggested in the Barnes book are so hot with minimum loading I have absolutely no idea. I'd hate to think what that max loading of 66 grains would do to my rifle!

WW

Ive killed a few Oryx, several with handguns. Since ive killed many, I probably have more insight than someone who may have shot one in their lifetime. Not one of mine needed more than one shot or traveled more than a few yards. Their heart and lungs are higher than our animals. Many ppl wound African animals because they shoot below the heart and lungs, not behind them. The heat/lung area is tucked tight to the back of the front leg in the upper half of the body. Keep you shot in the crease and you have dead meat. You don't need to shoot thru a shoulder to get at them. If you get that in your head you are going to shoot too far forward on any angling away shot. Just shoot just above middle of body in the crease. They are not cape buffalo. Unless you are shooting 500yrds plus, any good 30 cal from 308 up is plenty for Oryx. I'm not a 6.5 fan. 180 partition or Barnes Copper is plenty. If it will kill an Elk, moose or large bear it will be more than enough for any Oryx. Placement. Placement!

 

[BPollard]

Hello, Having drawn a once in a lifetime Oryx here in NM, I have been informed that with the heart/lungs being located exactly between the shoulders, a 300 magnum is suggested with heavy duty bullets needed for deep penetration.
I have a Savage SS barrelled action, converted to 300 WSM, which is incredibly accurate. A true sub 1/2 minute rifle with 178 gr. Hornady ELDX bullets. I have purchased 200 Barnes 165 gr. Barnes TSX bullets to use on this hunt. I have reloaded , and written about reloading for decades and what is unfolding now makes no sense to me, and I would appreciate sincere, experienced advice from my fellow reloaders.
Not being familiar with reloading copper bullets I accessed The Barnes site. I read that to begin with these bullets must be seated .050 off the lands and adjustment should be in .025 increments. According to the reloading data Accurate 2700 ball powder could be used for this 165 grain bullet, which surprised me since I use that powder in my .244 varmint rifle with light bullets. I've got a bunch of it in these scarce times.
I set about finding the depth these bullets would just let the bolt close in this rifle. That overall length proved to be 3.100. -.050 should be 3.051 correct?
I started with the lowest load 61.4 grains in the manual and loading in increasing amounts by 1.5 grains to the listed max of 66 grains.

I went to the range, fired the 61.4 grains loads and the cases and extraction seemed to indicate to me that loading was pretty strong for a starting load. Next I tried a 63 grain load and the bolt "froze" and primer disappeared. I brought the rifle home and now everything is okay. The groups fired with the minimum load ran about 3 inches at 200 yards, which is a total disappointment. Long ago I tried some copper bullets in a .280 Remington and the results were not satisfactory. Why these loads suggested in the Barnes book are so hot with minimum loading I have absolutely no idea. I'd hate to think what that max loading of 66 grains would do to my rifle!

WW

I just recently did a ladder test with H 4350 from 67 to 69 g for Barnes 165 tip triple shocks out of a 300 WSM. My overall was 2.81 inches and got a nice cluster with with 68.2, 68.3, 68.4 gr H4350. Final findings 68.3 gr. Have nice 1/2" group at 100 yds.
now I want to play with the seating I'm close real close I hope this get you close.

 

[orifdoc]

Interesting thoughts re gemsbok anatomy. Some of the difference, compared to our NA critters is the lack of shaggy hair. I suppose this accounts partly for the perceived difference in vital height. As for placement, I'd say broadside is through the shoulder (verrrry slightly behind if you must), quartering away is well behind the shoulder, quartering on is forward in the shoulder - just like anything else. A mono-metal bullet will have no problem going through both shoulders if necessary.