Dedicated mile gun

[UKMan]

I am able to make it to Thunder Valley in Ohio a few times a year to take advantage of what a great facility it is. That being said it sure is fun to take my 6.5cm out to the 1,200 yard steel, have even made impact on low wind days at a mile but it does leave something to be desired. Would like to add another caliber to my collection.

If you were going to build out a dedicated mile gun would you go 300 win mag or 300 prc. Keeping in mind I do not reload nor have the time to (hence only being able to get there a few times a year) so want the most bang for my buck. Thanks

 

[Taylorbok]

of the two I'd do a 300 PRC. Better suited to long heavy bullets, If you get into reloading you can load 250 A-tips at mag length still, that will be a challenge with the WM

 

[UKMan]

of the two I'd do a 300 PRC. Better suited to long heavy bullets, If you get into reloading you can load 250 A-tips at mag length still, that will be a challenge with the WM

Thank you, any other factory loadings you recommend?

 

[DocRDS]

I am able to make it to Thunder Valley in Ohio a few times a year to take advantage of what a great facility it is. That being said it sure is fun to take my 6.5cm out to the 1,200 yard steel, have even made impact on low wind days at a mile but it does leave something to be desired. Would like to add another caliber to my collection.

If you were going to build out a dedicated mile gun would you go 300 win mag or 300 prc. Keeping in mind I do not reload nor have the time to (hence only being able to get there a few times a year) so want the most bang for my buck. Thanks

Magnums are where you get the most bang for you buck in reloading. Even a simple single stage press really starts to save you money. Just putting the thought in your head.

PRC over Win Mag, no belt. designed for longer (aka heavier bullets). Getting a heavy factory round can be tough---with 300 WM is was tough to find anything over 185gr factory.

 

[375fan]

As someone who has both, 300wm which I've put lots of rounds through over the years and have went through 3 barrels, it is very capable but it's pretty much maxed out over what it originally was designed for.
The PRC is the very modern updated version. Great round in many ways. Since you don't reload, the factory 225 load is a good one for you.
I haven't shot the 225 from Hornady but I have shot the 212ELD-X load and the accuracy was very good.

 

[UKMan]

Magnums are where you get the most bang for you buck in reloading. Even a simple single stage press really starts to save you money. Just putting the thought in your head.

PRC over Win Mag, no belt. designed for longer (aka heavier bullets). Getting a heavy factory round can be tough---with 300 WM is was tough to find anything over 185gr factory.

For sure would like to look more into it (reloading) in the future, life is just busy now and it’s hard enough to get to the range. For cost savings on Magnums what are you seeing CPR compared to factory loadings?

 

[TripleBull]

Thank you, any other factory loadings you recommend?

The Hornady 225 ELDM has been very consistent at a mile for me. Best on 18" target is 4 of 5, quite a few 2/5 and 3/5 groups. I have not gotten a chance to shoot the Berger 245s yet.

It's worth the hassle and cost to get into handloading for ELR. You're welcome.

 

[xpshooter]

I am able to make it to Thunder Valley in Ohio a few times a year to take advantage of what a great facility it is. That being said it sure is fun to take my 6.5cm out to the 1,200 yard steel, have even made impact on low wind days at a mile but it does leave something to be desired. Would like to add another caliber to my collection.

If you were going to build out a dedicated mile gun would you go 300 win mag or 300 prc. Keeping in mind I do not reload nor have the time to (hence only being able to get there a few times a year) so want the most bang for my buck. Thanks

That's a fantastic range for sure, as far as a dedicated mile gun you should really ask Tom next time you're there, he's full of knowledge and knows what calibers wins the matches at his range.

 

[UKMan]

That's a fantastic range for sure, as far as a dedicated mile gun you should really ask Tom next time you're there, he's full of knowledge and knows what calibers wins the matches at his range.

Now that’s a great idea!

 

[DocRDS]

For sure would like to look more into it (reloading) in the future, life is just busy now and it’s hard enough to get to the range. For cost savings on Magnums what are you seeing CPR compared to factory loadings?

Since I don't look for factory ammo I could be off, but sierra 220MK (for 300WM) are like 60-80C, Brass is $1 (and gets reused--just save your brass--I'm using my old wincester/federal), primers are 0.10.
Ammo IIRC is over $2-3 a round (just checked at Midway) and that was for 185 in 300 WM. The max was 200 Gr. You use about twice as much powder ($40-50 per 100+--very rough guess, I figure about 200 rounds of 308/6.5 per pound) I used Hornady 208 ELD-X (40 cents per round?) before as well. Beause we don't volume load for Magnums typically, its worth the effort once you find time. So its a savings of over a dollar a round and I get EXACTLY what I want. I don't imagine PRC is much different.--most of those loads commerically are hunting loads and you want match loads/bullets.

 

[MOUNTIC]

300 PRC and 225 ELDM is the easy button at a mile. $40 a box. Sell the brass and your into it for a buck a round.

I havent seen any advantage with heavier pills In PRC and even 300NM for that matter. The 215 bergers in 300 PRC are another great option. I quit reloading also for 300 PRC.

 

[j-moose32]

300 PRC and 225 ELDM is the easy button at a mile. $40 a box. Sell the brass and your into it for a buck a round.

I havent seen any advantage with heavier pills In PRC and even 300NM for that matter. The 215 bergers in 300 PRC are another great option. I quit reloading also for 300 PRC.

Were you snagging it from at 40$ a box? (If you don’t mind sharing)

 

[MOUNTIC]

Were you snagging it from at 40$ a box? (If you don’t mind sharing)

Mile High had it for $40. Looks like they are at $42.99 now. I'm sure others out there for less.

 

[Kickin45]

7PRC
But of the 2 the OP mentions, if your not handloading, 300PRC.
If you even have a thought about handloads, WM.

 

[ggmanning]

I shoot 300WM for my long gun. Pretty much because I am invested in it and have all the special sauce for it. I do get my chambers cut with more freebore to allow seating 215 Berger Hybrids longer and am able to run 2900ish with no issue. That said were I starting without the good 300WM brass in bulk and Larry Willis collet sizing die for the belt area I'd go straight for the 300 PRC or 300 Norma

 

[Ronin22]

I shoot the mile with a Savage Elite Precision 300WM. 208 ELDMs and 215 Bergers. I very much like outshooting others with very expensive rigs.

 

[UKMan]

I shoot the mile with a Savage Elite Precision 300WM. 208 ELDMs and 215 Bergers. I very much like outshooting others with very expensive rigs.

Love my savages as well!

 

[Asgard1]

I am able to make it to Thunder Valley in Ohio a few times a year to take advantage of what a great facility it is. That being said it sure is fun to take my 6.5cm out to the 1,200 yard steel, have even made impact on low wind days at a mile but it does leave something to be desired. Would like to add another caliber to my collection.

If you were going to build out a dedicated mile gun would you go 300 win mag or 300 prc. Keeping in mind I do not reload nor have the time to (hence only being able to get there a few times a year) so want the most bang for my buck. Thanks

Are you planning on building a custom rifle or just off the shelf to use off the shelf ammo.

 

[UKMan]

Are you planning on building a custom rifle or just off the shelf to use off the shelf ammo.

Looking at the factory route and right now, within my budget, looks like the RPR, Savage or I believe Bergara makes some 300PRC models as well. Purely a bench gun.

 

[vh20]

300 PRC and 225 ELDM is the easy button at a mile. $40 a box. Sell the brass and your into it for a buck a round.

I havent seen any advantage with heavier pills In PRC and even 300NM for that matter. The 215 bergers in 300 PRC are another great option. I quit reloading also for 300 PRC.

Eh….for the OP’s specific requirements, that would be my suggestion as well - 300PRC and Hornady 225 ELD Match ammo will hit the sweet spot between performance, cost, etc.
HOWEVER, the quality of factory ammo post-2021 is of no comparison to pre-Covid production. This has even been admitted by them on this site. It’s not their fault, it’s the state of the way things are. My pre-2021 225ELD ammo was “good” (not great, but good enough). But then I got into mid- or late-2021-to-present production ammo and it really went to crap. They can’t source the same powder (presumably it used to be RL26, but now it’s not even a stick powder. It’s a ball powder that I’m guessing might be StaBall HD). So, while it will still shoot nice groups at 100, the performance at 1 mile sucks due to the huge ES/SD in this ammo. I wasn’t planning on loading for the 300PRC (I have other ELR cartridges I shoot nothing but hand loads in), but the drop in quality has forced me to abandon the factory ammo, bite the “bullet” (pun intended!), and develop a decent load for the PRC, which is all I run through it now. There are a couple of cases of 225ELD ammo in my stash that may never get shot due to the disappointing drop in performance circa 2021. The new stuff will still hit occasionally at 1 mile, but it will also really piss you off when you get your wind hold perfect and continue to miss high or low because of MV variation.
All that said, back to the OP, the 300PRC/Hornady 225 ELD Match combination is still probably the best option for the OP’s specific desire.

 

[Taylorbok]

If only using factory I’d want to shoot the Berger factory ammo with 245’s if you can find it.

IMO it’s worth getting into hand loading.

 

[Hound Dog]

They can’t source the same powder (presumably it used to be RL26,

Didn't they discontinue RL26, or at least not in production anymore? I had some on the "notify me when in stock" feature from about everywhere. I got an email a while back that it was no longer in production

 

[vh20]

Didn't they discontinue RL26, or at least not in production anymore? I had some on the "notify me when in stock" feature from about everywhere. I got an email a while back that it was no longer in production

Yes, perhaps permanently. The Hornady engineer who is a member here said that since they don't manufacture their own powder, they used mainly Alliant and Hodgdon powders. He said prior to Covid, they were "swimming" in it, but now Alliant (who makes all the RL- powders) has discontinued all civilian sales and Hodgdon is much harder to get as well, so they have had to move to alternate sources that aren't as optimal for their specific loads. He didn't state that the pre-Covid 300PRC load used RL26 specifically. That is my (and many others here) assumption because if you dismantled a round, the powder looked like it, performed like it on a charge-weight basis, and RL26 is pretty much an optimal choice for 300PRC. I have not dismantled a recent-production Hornady 300PRC round, but several have and are finding ball powder in them now. The change seems to coincide with a much larger ES/SD being seen in that load now. Again, not blaming Hornady, they're just doing the best they can with what is available to them.