I’d have to gain 200 fps to go from a 9mph gun to a 10mph gun, and I don’t think I’m gaining 200 fps when I’m already at 88.0gr. Better to just leave it
Is berger’s recent data super hot or something? I know their original data was ridiculous. I was inspecting my brass last night in greater detail and noticed this ejector mark. This would have been the 88.0 gr load. Couldn’t see it at the range, only saw the ejector mark under absurdly bright task light and then the brass angled.
I was getting flatter primers at 8% below max, so my assumption is the primers (federal 215m) are just softer.
I will be dropping my charge, but just curious about berger’s data. This is 2.2 gr below their max for the 215 berger, 1 gr above hornady 212 bullet max. However, lapua has a higher case capacity than Hornady and I’m seated longer.
Berger listed a book max with lapua brass and N570 of 90.2gr. Originally several years ago, I know their book max was like 92+ or something wild. Since it was revised downwards, I figured it was more in the ballpark, but maybe it’s still super hot?
I was getting flatter primers at 8% below max, so my assumption is the primers (federal 215m) are just softer.
I will be dropping my charge, but just curious about berger’s data. This is 2.2 gr below their max for the 215 berger, 1 gr above hornady 212 bullet max. However, lapua has a higher case capacity than Hornady and I’m seated longer.
Berger listed a book max with lapua brass and N570 of 90.2gr. Originally several years ago, I know their book max was like 92+ or something wild. Since it was revised downwards, I figured it was more in the ballpark, but maybe it’s still super hot?
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Virgin brass, first shots through this barrel. Haven’t run through sizing yet. I’ve never sized lapua brass first firing.
Virgin brass, very common to see ejector shadows from the case expanding to the chamber for first firing. Get everything formed, and that'll not happen anymore. Lapua brass is quite short to the Norma go gauge.
Are you getting any bolt lift or any other traditional psi sign? How much is the shoulder moving forward from virgin to once fired? If the shoulder is moving a lot, that'll cause the ejector mark and flat-ish primers. Size 5 cases 002 bump(if it's needed) maybe less. And go shoot them same charge weight. If it has pressure, back it off. Let the rifle tell you. Lapua 300 norma brass is tough shit, reading the case head is prob a bit too late and pressures are already very high by that point.
All the book loads for the NM seem very low. My NM with the 245gr Bergers is 89gr n570 going at 3006 FPS through a recut freebore 26" Proof.
Actually, most calibers I start at book max. No sense in wasting components in trying out slow ass load you will never shoot.
Yes,I have to remove the donuts by turning the shoulder/neck area after 4 to 7 reloading .
I've got a 300NM with a 31" barrel. My first load was 83.5 gr. of H1000 and 225 gr Hornady ELD in Lapua brass. This load definitely had some pressure signs with difficulty lifting the bolt handle after firing. I backed off to 78.3 gr. and noticed the primer is still cratering. The 78.3 gr. of H1000 is generally middle of road according to the Hornady manual and I've always heard that Hornady manuals are somewhat conservative anyway. I didn't have a chrono so I don't know the fps on these loads unfortunately. I've been reading through people's load data on this thread (and other long-range forums) and 78.3 gr. of H1000 seems well below what some people are using with 225-230 gr bullets. Anyone else have any issues with this type of problem?
Well fire forming with this ai barrel rechamberd to 300nm imp 35aw looks promising. 85gr retumbo not even breaking a sweat with 230s
My Proof prefit was running into pressures with really light loads. I luckily had a smith recut the throat on the barrel so I could run a longer OAL. Solved all the pressure issues.
I used H1000 today with 245 grain Berger at 77.86 grains I averaged 2770 FPS with a SD of .850. I’m not sure how people are getting 3000 fps without issues. I got max fps from quick load as 2746 for 245 grain.
H1000 is good for 215s in the NM and NMimp, however once you start getting to the 230-250gr bullets, several powders will outperform velocity wise.
H1000 burn rate is too fast to be optimal for the 245 in 300NM. I'm getting 2900fps from 81.0gr of Retumbo and Fed 215M primers (27 in. factory AI barrel), with very good ES/SD. I expect N568 would be very similar. N570 will do even better, but it is notorious for burning out barrels prematurely, and 300NM is already a barrel burner to begin with, so I'm not willing to go there. I'd try Retumbo or N568 and you should be much happier. Or, go with N570 and live large if you're OK with the short barrel life.
Question for my Norma peeps…
I bought some factory ammo, shot it no issues. Now I want to reload it. It’s Lapua brass. So I bought Wilson full length sizing die. No matter what I do, I can’t get the shoulder to bump back enough to chamber the casing. I tried measuring the bump, seems like it only bumps like .005 at full maxed position. I measured a factory new piece of Lapua set the micrometer to 0 and measured a fired piece. It’s .0085 so looks like it moved a lot. I messaged Wilson, no reply yet.
Any ideas?
I bought some factory ammo, shot it no issues. Now I want to reload it. It’s Lapua brass. So I bought Wilson full length sizing die. No matter what I do, I can’t get the shoulder to bump back enough to chamber the casing. I tried measuring the bump, seems like it only bumps like .005 at full maxed position. I measured a factory new piece of Lapua set the micrometer to 0 and measured a fired piece. It’s .0085 so looks like it moved a lot. I messaged Wilson, no reply yet.
Any ideas?
I have some dies from RCBS for my Grendel that require 2 turns past it hitting the shell holder.
Keep screwing it in til you can get your shoulder bump. I've also have had to grind a shell holder down to get the proper shoulder bump.
Thankyou guys.
Turns out I didn’t have the die screwed into the press enough. My ram makes contact with the die, but another 1/8 turn or so and presto! The .002 bump I wanted.
That's one hell of a caliber to start to learn reloading on.
It will make a really big boom of things go horribly wrong. But using a very slow burning powder like n570 I've found my 300nm to be the most forgiving round to load.
I've never had high pressure signs because I think it might take seriously compressed loads to exceed pressure limits. Also if you do screw up and throw an extra grain of powder I'd rather throw an extra 2 on top of an 87gr load instead of 2gr on top of a BR load of 30-something grains.
Now if something goes wrong and you pack 90gr of a completely wrong powder in a case then you're going to blow your face off. However if it's your first and only round your starting off with you shouldn't also have those fast powders lying around. As with all things reloading, go slow and double check what your doing.
Picked up an MRAD in 300 NM (26" 1-8") and have been put just under 100 rounds through it so far.
245 Berger LRHT
76gr H1000
Fed210M
Lapua Brass
2700 fps and 5-6 fps SD
.6-.9 MOA 10 shot groups.
Super mild load just to limit recoil and learn to shoot the gun (used to a 23 lb 6 dasher!) but going to bump it up to 78 grains and play with seating depth a bit to see if I cant tighten it up a little bit.
245 Berger LRHT
76gr H1000
Fed210M
Lapua Brass
2700 fps and 5-6 fps SD
.6-.9 MOA 10 shot groups.
Super mild load just to limit recoil and learn to shoot the gun (used to a 23 lb 6 dasher!) but going to bump it up to 78 grains and play with seating depth a bit to see if I cant tighten it up a little bit.
Anyone on here shoot any 300 Norma factory ammo? I just got the same MRAD and got this for MV on the first range outing with 230 grain Norma Golden Target factory ammo. Seems slow to me, I know the barrel is new but still
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That's about what I've seen in my rifles (not an MRAD). Between 2850 to 2900 fps.
I shot Berger Factory 300 NM 230 Hybrids, first 10-15 rounds were about the same speed. By the end of the 100 rounds, they stabilized around 2915fps. But I was also getting a little EJS. The first 40 rounds, had a total SD of 18.5 and an ES of 85. Once I had a few hundreds down the barrel, the next 50 of the factory Bergers had an Avg of 2915, SD 8.7 and an ES of 38.5.
I bought 200, shot 100, then handloaded them, then needed another 100 cases for this years NF ELR, so shot the other 100. The last 50 I reseated to a more consistent seating depth, and recharged the powder (1.22gr ES of powder weight). Those 50 rounds were 2899 AVG, SD 4.6, ES of 18.6.
I tried building up a load to get a little more speed and couldn't get my handholds SD any better than the Norma stuff so I ended up shooting the Norma factory load in competition. It's great stuff! A little slow but very consistent... Another rifle wouldn't shoot it worth a darn though.
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