Reloading for 300 Win Mag

[Dynamic Response]

I'm relatively new to reloading. I have been reloading 308 with great results and now want to reload 300 win mag for my remmy 700 5R 24in

So is there any thing special I should know about reloading belted cases?

Any recommendations for dies? I was thinking about going FL size dies and just bump the shoulder .002. Unless you have better idea.

Any good loads for long range 1000yd +? I have 208 Amax and H1000 on hand as well as CCI 250, CCI 200 and the white box CCI no 34 If I remember correctly.

Any advice is highly appreciated.

 

[flashhole]

Nothing special about reloading belted cases but mine seemed to work-harden more quickly than others. You will need to anneal them after a couple of firings. H-1000 never worked for me, I had much better success/accuracy with Retumbo. Magnum primers are important with that big powder column. I went the route of FL dies and picked up a Lee Collet Neck Die but it didn't make any difference with my gun.

 

[Unknown]

I have had good luck with:
190 sierra SMK
Fed 215 or 215M primer
Win case
68.5 grains of IMR 4350
Seat to max SAAMI length
velocity out of my 24 inch 1-11 twist Obermeyer barrel bolt gun is 2960 FPS

HOWEVER, this load is very temp sensitive, and bolt loft gets sticky over 70 degrees farenheit, so I don't use it then. Velocity went over 3000 fps, and that was too hot for my liking.

As always, start low and work up. No responsibility is assumed for anyone loading their own ammo.

 

[SONIC SAAMI]

For the 208 A-Max 76.2g of H-1000 was the magic number in my rifle.

 

[nuclear_shooter]

For the 208 A-Max 76.2g of H-1000 was the magic number in my rifle.

I might try a similar load. Thats pretty close to the max load (on Hodgdon's web site). Was this just where you had a node? What sort of velocities do you get out of what barrel?

 

[trauma1]

I have had luck with:

Win brass
Fed 215 primer
73 gr 4831 sc
berger 230 gr tactical hybrid

Fasten your seat belt before firing

 

[predatornut]

I might try a similar load. Thats pretty close to the max load (on Hodgdon's web site). Was this just where you had a node? What sort of velocities do you get out of what barrel?

Max on Hodgdons site is 78. I'm just starting to work up a load with this combo in my 5r, but between77.2 and 78 is showing promise. Forgot my chronograph at home so no velocities.

 

[ZiaHunter]

I load 185 gr. Berger VLD's behind 70.0 grains of IMR 4350 with Federal 215M primers and Norma brass. Extremely accurate load and shot out to 1200 yards with it. At 65 degrees it was clocking at 2960 fps, sd<7fps. IMR 4350 is temperature sensitive at at a little over 90 degrees fps increased to 3020. Tried R-22 and it shot well but not as well as the 4350. The advantage of R-22 is that it will give the same velocities at a lower pressure. Didn't test it for temperature sensitivity. Brass was fully prepped prior the initial firing including neck turning. BTW the rifle is a McMillan Outdoorsman with a 24" #5 bbl.

 

[Huckleberry75]

I load 185 gr. Berger VLD's behind 70.0 grains of IMR 4350 with Federal 215M primers and Norma brass. Extremely accurate load and shot out to 1200 yards with it. At 65 degrees it was clocking at 2960 fps, sd<7fps. IMR 4350 is temperature sensitive at at a little over 90 degrees fps increased to 3020. Tried R-22 and it shot well but not as well as the 4350. The advantage of R-22 is that it will give the same velocities at a lower pressure. Didn't test it for temperature sensitivity. Brass was fully prepped prior the initial firing including neck turning. BTW the rifle is a McMillan Outdoorsman with a 24" #5 bbl.

How do you get the powder to stay on top of the VLD? =)

For my 26" Krieger, I load the 185 VLD on 78.7gn of H-1000 with CCI-250 in WW brass, seated @ the lands. Clocks avg of 3035fps and low es/sd's. With a 300yd zero it's 6.1mil to 1K and 1154 #KE. I tried R-17 and got velocities over 3100fps at 65*F, but when things dropped to 43*F, I went down to 3010fps. I didn't want to hassle with such violent swings in speed, so I stuck with H1000.

The 208's were shooting really well at 76.2 gns of H-1000 and 76.8gns with velocity of 2832 & 2845 respectively. Although that seems slow, they were the first 20rds down a new barrel, and I have not revisited since I found the 185 load. I would expect that now that the barrel has brokenin, that the 208's should be up around 2900+/-. I guess I need to load up the 350pcs of 208amax I have left.

 

[Dynamic Response]

Thanks for the info guys.

I seen This die that supposedly allows u to load a 300wm 20 times. Here is the link.

Reloading the 300 Win. Mag.

Anybody ever use this? Does it work? Or a waste of money?

 

[Beluebow]

Thanks for the info guys.

I seen This die that supposedly allows u to load a 300wm 20 times. Here is the link.

Reloading the 300 Win. Mag.

Anybody ever use this? Does it work? Or a waste of money?

Save your money get a decent of dies.

 

[308boltgun]

Save your money get a decent of dies.

can you explain why that sizing die isnt worth it?

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Yeah, I'm all ears. In fact, I will likely get that borescope too, while I'm at it. BB

 

[Beluebow]

After having loaded belted magnums 300wm/7mm/264 over the last 30years me nor any of my friends have ever had a case bulge problem with Redding or RCBS dies.Of all the people that reload for the 300 on this site I'd be willing to bet only a handful have a case bulge problem and those are gonna be few and far between.Set your die up correctly and only bump the shoulder back to the minimum and you should be good to go.

As far as getting 20 firings on your brass because you use this die is BS.Depends on how stout the load is your rifle will determine brass life.I get 10-12 loads out of Norma brass with a stout load of H1000 running the 215s.I anneal every 3-4 firings and then chunk them after the primer pockets are to loose.Nothing like a good etching on your boltface from primer leaks on otherwise seemingly good brass.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Fair enough. As it happens, I have at least as much time in grade with a 300WM and can't say that I have ever experienced that particular problem talked about on this site? But, the claim of 20 reloads should be taken with a grain of salt. In that chambering, it could easily be a lifetime of mild to moderate loads. In other words, if you load hot; split necks and enlarged primer pockets will happen long before you reach 20 cycles of your cases. Still, for twenty bucks, seems interesting. BB

 

[Beluebow]

Fair enough. As it happens, I have at least as much time in grade with a 300WM and can't say that I have ever experienced that particular problem talked about on this site? But, the claim of 20 reloads should be taken with a grain of salt. In that chambering, it could easily be a lifetime of mild to moderate loads. In other words, if you load hot; split necks and enlarged primer pockets will happen long before you reach 20 cycles of your cases. Still, for twenty bucks, seems interesting. BB

Heck yes for $20 it would be worth it BUT,,,,it's $96.95+shipping.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Umm? Yeah, where in the hell did I come up with $20? I agree, it's cool looking but I don't need it. I do need that borescope, however! BB

 

[mclevela]

Thanks for the info guys.

I seen This die that supposedly allows u to load a 300wm 20 times. Here is the link.

Reloading the 300 Win. Mag.

Anybody ever use this? Does it work? Or a waste of money?

Never seen the use for such die and I have loaded for a pot load of belted magnums.

I suspect there are some factory chambers that are quite roomy and thus some folks see a bulge just above the belt after several firings \ resizings.

 

[jagged77]

If you go with new brass from the outset you shouldn't have to use anything but standard dies. I use a Redding body die to just bump the shoulder back in conjunction with a Lee Collet Die. I usually anneal every 2-3 firings. I never see much growth in cases so trimming is kept to a minimum. Currently on my 7th firing of RP brass, and most likely my barrel will need replacing before my brass.