wildcat westerner
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2009
- Messages
- 681
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 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