Last fall I bought a Rem 700 SPS in 300 RUM. I bought dies (20+ years reloading), powder, and brass to start with. I haven't been able to get it to group inside of 3". I have loaded RL-22 with 180 gr B-tips from 92 - 98 grains with no good results. I switched to Retumbo and have loaded from 96-100.5 grains with the same results. I have some test loads ready to go with RL-25, 94,95 and 96 grains. I bedded the action and floated the barrel before the first shot. The only equipment issue I can think of is that it only weighs 7 lbs scoped and kicks like a freakin' mule. I have a nice bruise on my nose from this mornings range outing. Would a heavier stock help me here. I think I'm starting to flinch from the repeated knocks to the head.
Struggling with my 300 RUM
- Thread starter hwy40
- Start date
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streetglideok
Well-Known Member
From what Ive read over the years, this caliber can be fickle at times, with some guns liking way different loads then others. I had lousy results with my brass I acquired from factory loads. I finally bought new remington brass, trimmed to 2.840 after sizing. I loaded H1000 and 180 gr BT's, and got acceptable results, by far better then with the fired brass. I tried 200gr partitions, with retumbo, and went with 91, 93, and 94 grains. 94 shot by far the best, putting 3 into a ragged hole, and the fourth shot off a little(prolly me or the wind we had). Next outting Im going to go a little more, and see if groups open up or not. Some guys have had great luck with rx22, or 25, while others have had success with H1000, or retumbo. Im seating all the way out to 3.600" so it will still fit in the magazine. As you noted, these things kick like heck. If you are still sporting the stock recoil pad, you might consider throwing it away and getting a limbsaver or pachmayr for it, or the upgraded remington pad. It'll make a big difference. I pitched my plastic stock(model 70 classic stainless) with its hard rubber pad, and got a real nice wood stock from CDNN. The pad is alot better on it, added some weight, and now kicks only marginally more then my wife's Xbolt 300 win.
sinarms
Well-Known Member
Check your scope for tightness and to see if it is still good, since you stated that it kicked like a mule, are you getting recoil shy and flinching?
trebark
Well-Known Member
If you intend to keep the rifle in its current configuration, go over every single screw and make sure they are torqued appropriately (bases, rings, action screws).
Be sure you are shooting from a rock-solid rest.
7lbs!! holy-crap! My 300RUM started life at 9lbs and it recoiled so hard that I didn't want to shoot it after three rounds. I would suggest you upgrade your stock and find a way to add some weight.
Be sure you are shooting from a rock-solid rest.
7lbs!! holy-crap! My 300RUM started life at 9lbs and it recoiled so hard that I didn't want to shoot it after three rounds. I would suggest you upgrade your stock and find a way to add some weight.
MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
First off, the SPS is not designed to be a precision rifle by any stretch of the imagination. If you call Remington and tell them you're getting 3" groups with your SPS, they will not be real concerned about that, especially if you tell them you've been handloading. It could be your scope and it could be a little flinch, but if you have 20 years of handloading experience, I'm guessing you know how to mount a scope properly... maybe the scope itself is taking a beating? What scope do you have?
On the recoil.... I use a slip-on recoil pad with my Sendero 300 Rum (which is 1 1/2 lbs heavier than the SPS) and I can shoot my RUM all day, no problem.
Back to the basics... the SPS is NOT a precision rifle and Remington doesn't advertise as so. They do build some good shooters like the Senderos, but for the most part, they are not concerned with sub MOA performance. I have a Sako 300 WSM that shoots like crap, so I know how you feel. At least you paid less for your headache than I did.
If you want that Rem to shoot, get rid of the barrel and get rid of the stock, and maybe get rid of the bolt... and maybe get rid of the trigger - I got my Rem triggers breaking very nicely at About 1 1/12 - 2 lbs.
Probably not what you want to hear... but there it is...
On the recoil.... I use a slip-on recoil pad with my Sendero 300 Rum (which is 1 1/2 lbs heavier than the SPS) and I can shoot my RUM all day, no problem.
Back to the basics... the SPS is NOT a precision rifle and Remington doesn't advertise as so. They do build some good shooters like the Senderos, but for the most part, they are not concerned with sub MOA performance. I have a Sako 300 WSM that shoots like crap, so I know how you feel. At least you paid less for your headache than I did.
If you want that Rem to shoot, get rid of the barrel and get rid of the stock, and maybe get rid of the bolt... and maybe get rid of the trigger - I got my Rem triggers breaking very nicely at About 1 1/12 - 2 lbs.
Probably not what you want to hear... but there it is...
I have used 7828 with the 180 BT's with good success. How did the barrel break in go? Was it fouling a lot or getting a lot of copper? Does it feel consistant the entire length with a real tight patch? How is the run out on the fired cases compared to the new loaded rounds? Do you know anyone that has one of those lead sled setups? I don't really like them but I have a couple friends that use them for thier light mag rifles when working up loads.
freebird63
Well-Known Member
Here is my current hunting load,
Remington case
federal 215 primer
99gr Retumbo
180gr hornady SST
Seat at OAL of 3.600
Barnes 180gr TTSX shoot about the same for me.
Accubond 180gr with IMR4350 is a pretty good shooter
Accubond 200gr with Retumbo is another good shooter.
I am shooting a sendero, I installed a jewell trigger and a wyatt extended magazine box.
I have some hornady 225gr match bullets loaded up for a possible target load as well as some 240gr SMK's These two bullets will be nothing more then my 1000 yard target loads.
I am either going to stick with 180 SST's or might have some more work done to my gun and have it chambered for berger 210's or maybe 208gr hornady A-max bullets. A-maxes have a higher BC then the bergers.
Good luck, you will get some good intel here on this board.
Remington case
federal 215 primer
99gr Retumbo
180gr hornady SST
Seat at OAL of 3.600
Barnes 180gr TTSX shoot about the same for me.
Accubond 180gr with IMR4350 is a pretty good shooter
Accubond 200gr with Retumbo is another good shooter.
I am shooting a sendero, I installed a jewell trigger and a wyatt extended magazine box.
I have some hornady 225gr match bullets loaded up for a possible target load as well as some 240gr SMK's These two bullets will be nothing more then my 1000 yard target loads.
I am either going to stick with 180 SST's or might have some more work done to my gun and have it chambered for berger 210's or maybe 208gr hornady A-max bullets. A-maxes have a higher BC then the bergers.
Good luck, you will get some good intel here on this board.
Nape.270
Well-Known Member
I would have a smith look at the barrel crown.
I have the same rifle, and it will shoot moa. The rifle is stock out of the box except for the addition of a scope and sling. The whole package weighs 8lbs 5oz so it's nice to climb hills with, but not so nice at the bench.
Like others have suggested, check the scope and mounting. Then have someone else try it. You may have developed a flinch since you say you get hit with recoil.
Something else to keep in mind is Remington has really long throats. With bullets seated to maximum magazine length, my bullets are jumping .085" and they're 200gr bullets. Try different bullets in different weights. And clean all the fouling out of the bore.
Good luck. You'll get there.
Like others have suggested, check the scope and mounting. Then have someone else try it. You may have developed a flinch since you say you get hit with recoil.
Something else to keep in mind is Remington has really long throats. With bullets seated to maximum magazine length, my bullets are jumping .085" and they're 200gr bullets. Try different bullets in different weights. And clean all the fouling out of the bore.
Good luck. You'll get there.
Kalashnikov
Well-Known Member
93-93.8 gr RL25 and Fed 215M under 180 Accubonds has been very, very good in both my 300 RUM Sendero and SPS.
Camshaft
Well-Known Member
If it were me I would take it to a good Smith and have it recrowned and a good brake installed. Check out stockysstocks.com and find you a better stock with a little more heft. Pillar and glass bed it. Scrub the barrel and start fresh. This is exactly what I did with my LSS in 300rum and it is a different rifle now that weighs just over 11lbs and shoots sub 1/2moa with good handloads using 210matchkings over 94gr of retumbo with rem9 1/2m primers. It kicks like a 243. A factory rifle is a factory rifle. You gotta help it out a little.
Thesteeleboy
Active Member
I own a 7 RUM and a 300 Rum and cant imagine shooting them without a muzzle break. Any time someone brings me a rum, if it doesn't have a muzzle break, it will have before I work up a load for it. I can tell you they are not my favorite caliber to work a load up on, I have had a few that refused to shoot sub MOA. Could be a lack of knowledge on my part, but like I said, They are not my favorite.
my personal 300 RUM started as an SPS. Bbl shot out in 272 rounds. Now has PAC-NOR bbl and Accurate Innovations lam. stock. shoots bug holes. The original SPS did also (for a while) I would check the crown and adjust the trigger. I use BERGER 168 VLD (hunting)with H-1000 and fed. 215, bug holes.
