New to reloading - 300 Win mag/308 Load Development

[Recon$$]

I just purchased a lyman kit and will have the dies and rest of the stuff I need to get started in the mail next week. I'll be going on a mule deer hunt this fall in SD with my father. I shoot a .308 and my dad shoots a 300 win mag. I've been doing some reading and obviously my reloading manual has the load data I need. I was looking for some more detailed opinions on where I should start developing the loads. Im jumping right into it and will start working up our hunting loads while I learn to reload. Specifically i'm looking for advice on powder and what bullets and whatever other advice you guys have for hunting loads for shots out to 600 yards.

My 308 is a heavy 20" barrel savage 1:10 twist - I wanna shoot 168's I believe.

300 win mag 26 inch barrel - not sure on the twist, I know it likes 180's. My dad thinks he wants to shoot 168's but i'm thinking 180's would be better in a 300.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[trailrider121]

Welcome to LRH. Once you start reloading your own ammo, you won't stop. Well for the 308 win, I liked varget powder and 168's. RL-15 is good too.I used Nosler 168gr Ballistic tips which had a nice BC .490 good for 600-700 yards. Great on deer.

For the 300 win i would go with 180's (accubond work great in 300 win mags) and and use powders RL-22, H4831, and H1000. I've used all three and they all perform well. I prefer H1000 its was consistent in same POI.

 

[Daves762]

In 308 I have had luck with

AA2495 and H4895 powders

Hornady SST 150&165gr and A-max 178gr

Nosler 150&165gr Ballistic tips

I use Win brass and LC brass.

Good luck.

 

[Recon$$]

You guys both like the nosler ballistic tips. Is there anything I should watch out for when seating bullets with plastic tips?

 

[Daves762]

Not really. Only thing Ive noticed is that the tips are a few thousandths difference in length so the OAL will be different by +-.005 if your seating die presses on the tip of the bullet vice the ogive. I just drilled out the seater portion of my LEE die so that the tip goes into the hole and it pushes on the ogive, problem solved, took 4 minutes.

But most reloaders won't notice the difference of +-.005 anyways to there is really no changes you need to make at this point.

 

[roninflag]

You guys both like the nosler ballistic tips. Is there anything I should watch out for when seating bullets with plastic tips?

i hornady oal gauge is great for determining seating depth. the 168 baltip is great for deer in both. varget and I4064 and re-15 for the 308. l would add i4350 for the 300wm to the others listed.

 

[Recon$$]

Thanks for the help guys, anymore is welcome. I feel like I got a better starting point, especially for the .308.

 

[AllenJ]

+1 for IMR4350 in the 300 Win Mag.

 

[cfvickers]

My favorite powder in the 300 win mag is invariably Reloader 22 with any 180 grain bullet. Maybe it is just my rifle but it shoots amazing groups with it. For just putting rounds down range and punching paper I like the 180-190 Hornady Match or Interlock. If just shooting deer, I like the interlock still. No need to spend the extra money on the accubond when the heavier construction is unneeded. But I like Accubonds for heavy tough stuff. As far as the .308 goes, a 168 is good and RL15 is my favorite in my old Win Model 100. You would have to see it to believe me but that gun consistently shoots 1/2 inch groups with 44.7 grains of RL15 and a 168 Hornady Match bullet. Not fast by ANY means, but Unbelievably accurate for a gun known for inaccuracy. If it had not been my grandfathers rifle of choice I never would have even worked with it.

How far is your dad going to be shooting the 300??? if under 500 yards at deer sized game the 168 is likely completely sufficient. It may make purchasing bullets easier on the two of you if you can both find one that shoots well from both rifles and does what you need it to do.

 

[Recon$$]

My father will most likely be keeping it within 400 and that's stretching it for him. I know 168's will be completely fine for him, but I figure why not shoot a heavier bullet when you can? Within 400 yards the trajectory difference will be minimal and he will have a little bit more killing power.