Loads and powders for .300 Weatherby

[Marine sniper]

I am getting back into the long range game after a little time off. I have a .300 Weatherby built on a MK V action, 25.5 in. Pac-Nor (1.1 at muzzle) 3 land and groove barrell, turn neck chamber. With Berger 190 VLD's and 82.0 gr.s of IMR 4831 it will shoot 3 shot groups into the .33 range. Velocities are right around 3100 fps with approx 35 fps SD.

I am looking to try a few other powders and looking for tips.....would like to whittle the SD down a little.

Any thoughts ?

Thanks,
John

 

[gamedog]

My rifle (300 Wby ULW) likes 83 gr of 4831sc behind 180 gr TSX's. It is just under max load for this rifle.

 

[Hired Gun]

We have tried them all and just keep coming back to IMR-7828 regular or short cut. We all use 26" barrels and with 180 grain bullets at 3300 fps the ES goes under 10 fps. We also use CCI-250 primers. I'm hooked on 200 grain Accubonds going 3100 with the BC of .588 which in real life seems a bit better. My Accumark has no trouble keeping them inside a 1.5" group at 300 yards. Best so far was 3" at 885 yards.

 

[Marine sniper]

We have tried them all and just keep coming back to IMR-7828 regular or short cut. We all use 26" barrels and with 180 grain bullets at 3300 fps the ES goes under 10 fps. We also use CCI-250 primers. I'm hooked on 200 grain Accubonds going 3100 with the BC of .588 which in real life seems a bit better. My Accumark has no trouble keeping them inside a 1.5" group at 300 yards. Best so far was 3" at 885 yards.

Interesting, 250 primers. I have always used the Fed 215. I have been under the assumption the 250 was not hot enough, maybe it works well with 7828. What powder charge are you using to get 3300 fps in the 180's (I will of course start well below your max load) I am just looking for a starting place.

 

[Hired Gun]

This load is for factory Mark 5 rifles with the factory freebore in real Weatherby brass load with 180 Partitions seated at 3.7" The load is 88.5 grains of IMR-7828. I would start at 82 and work up. I found the Fed 215's added nothing and are a pain to come by. The 257Wby really likes IMR-7828 and CCI-250's as well. My 200 grain Accubond load is 83 grains to get 3100. The SSC version of the powder measures easier but have found it to be a bit hotter. Back down 2 grains when going to the SSC.

 

[Chopaka81]

I use Sierra 180gr SPBT, 84.0 of H4831, Wby Brass, Primer CCI250. Rifle is Rem M700, Barrel Douglas Premium 27.5", MV 3265 fps. I have found that I like the hardness of CCI-250's, I have also found that the Fed's are softer but they do seem to burn slightly hotter.
I am looking into switching to 180gr Accubonds.
Intereting report about the 200gr Accubonds, that sounds very intrigueing.
Good luck,

 

[Delta Hunter]

IMR7828 always gave me the best results with 180's in my .300 Wby Sako. With 84 grs. I got about 3240 fps (26" barrel) using Fed215Ms and Norma brass.

I've since rebarreled that rifle. It's a .300 Win mag. now.

 

[Marine sniper]

IMR7828 always gave me the best results with 180's in my .300 Wby Sako. With 84 grs. I got about 3240 fps (26" barrel) using Fed215Ms and Norma brass.

I've since rebarreled that rifle. It's a .300 Win mag. now.

Why did you rebarrel it to a Win ?

 

[Hired Gun]

Not everyone needs the superior round. May be he wants to just shoot cheap ammo. I load for mine so I can shoot 200 grain Accubonds for...........
.30 per bullet
.21 for powder
.03 for primer
---------------
.54 a shot at current component prices.

1.24 per brass last at least 20 shots= .06 per use. I have a few brass at 30x's now. If I used non-Weatherby brass I could get it for less than half the genuine stuff.

Might be he needs to shoot over something to reach is target and needs a higher midrange trajectory to clear it.

It will be interesting to see.

 

[Delta Hunter]

Why did you rebarrel it to a Win ?

No good reason really. The rifle was still shooting pretty well after about 1000 rounds. I guess I got bored with it and felt that I had done all I could do with it, experimenting with various loads and so forth, that is. So I just wanted to try something new and instead of buying a new rifle I decided to have this one rebarreled. Plus, at that time I had never owned a rifle with a truly premium barrel (I ended up going with Lilja) and wanted to try one.

The .300 win appealed to me for a few reasons, such as: velocity wise it doesn't give up much to the Wby, a better selection of brass is available for it, and seating bullets next to or into the lands is possible since it doesn't have the long freebore the Wby does.

So, there you go.