Tried out the new rifle

[fatrap]

I tried out my 300 win mag build today. It was all over the place. Tried three different powder loads with a 208 grain Hornady BTHP Match. Had bullet holes touching in a diagonal pattern. Then two inch groups then to the left then up then down. Got it home and found the action screws that are deeply recessed into the stock were a full turn loose on the front one and a turn and a half on the back one. Time to load up some more cartridges and try again with things tightened down really snug. It rest on two aluminum bedding blocks and the rest is free floated. Back to the drawing board might need to tension the back of the barrel in front of the recoil lug.
On the positive side is the recoil was very manageable very similar to my DPMS .308. All the way up to the top end load no problem which should be expected as much as this thing weighs. Could shoot it all day. The trigger is unbelievable. The scope clear. Oh Well!
fatrap

 

[TritonGlenn]

Just curious, but why are you going with such a heavy bullet for the .300 WM? I only use 208 grain .30 cal bullets in my subsonic loads for my .300 AAC. I'd probably go with a 180 grain offering in a .300 WM before using the 208's.
All the best,
Glenn

 

[fatrap]

Glen. Higher ballistic coefficient. The bullet has less wind resistance for a given mass, allowing it to carry its energy more efficiently. My plans are some long range shooting with this heavy ass brute. Switching from 150 grain to 168 grain bullets with my .308 rifles improved my 200-300 yd groups significantly. I talked to the man who set up my barreled action at length on a couple of occasions before having him build this. The advice I'm getting is to start at the upper end and work down. Once I get this dialed in I plan on developing a range of different loads , some with bullets as small as 100 grain V max's. I have a 30-06 100 grain Vmax bullet that vaporizes coyotes at 3450fps. In my years of selling firearms for Bass Pro I was fortunate to be able to pick the brain of some unbelievably shooters. One retired military shooter told me....."in a contest between mass and velocity, mass always wins." Other than varmints and birds I don't hunt big game at all. But I shoot a lot. I kept all my empty bullet boxes for this year and to date I've loaded eleven boxes of one hundred 168 grain bthp Sierra bullets plus some hornady Amax in with my 3 target rifles chambered in .308 Winchester. I have a hundred loaded right now. I also custom load for my bolt rifle in .223. Again switching to a 60 grain bullet from a 53 grain BTHP significantly tightened my groups. To mention again the 300 win mag is a target rifle. I only own one maybe two rifles that would be appropriate for big game. What's nice is I live about nine miles from my gun club's range. I can pop into the truck and be there in a couple minutes. I won't even mention how much pistol ammo I go through. What it boils down to is I have too much time on my hands, very few friends, and enough $$ to keep me in components.
By the way I just purchased a stripped lower receiver for an AR 15. 300AAC is one of my considerations for the upper half as is 50 Beowulf. How's that bad boy shoot?
Mike

 

[TritonGlenn]

Mike,
The 300 AAC shoots "ok" for now, but I'm not done playing with it. The adjustable gas block has worked well for what I've been doing, as I'm loading between 110 and 208 grain bullets for it. Most of what I've tested so far is 125 grain Sierra ProHunters, as I'm trying to find a good supersonic load that I can hunt a certain place with (has to be a soft tip bullet - no HP's, no Ballistic Tips) I'd like to argue the point with them, but it's their land, their rules.

Still don't know completely if I love it or not, but I'm leaning towards "yes". I'll say that I like it a lot for now, but when I finally get a can and start shooting the subsonic 208 grain A-Max's through it with the silencer on, I'm almost sure I'll love it. I've thought of the Beowulf as well, just for something "different", but I think my next upper trial is going to be a .458 SOCOM.

All the best,
Glenn

 

[TritonGlenn]

I haven't shot my .300 Win Mag much at all - less than a box though it. Mine wasn't purposely built to be a long-range performer. Just a thumper for big game. I always wanted to add a JP brake to something, so when I got this Encore barrel, I had an excuse.

 

[BASS AKWARDS]

I haven't shot my .300 Win Mag much at all - less than a box though it. Mine wasn't purposely built to be a long-range performer. Just a thumper for big game. I always wanted to add a JP brake to something, so when I got this Encore barrel, I had an excuse.

NICE!!!

 

[fatrap]

Nice rifle. I was looking at having IT&D install one when I had my barrel installed to my action. I was told at 16pounds I didn't need one. I still wish I had one because they look soooo cooool. I know they're loud but WTH huh. If I had to hump a 300 wm up and down a mountain yours would be the one I'd pick certainly not mine. Glen what's your total weight on your rifle?

Mike/fatrap

 

[TritonGlenn]

9.2 lbs, outfitted as shown in pic.
All the best,
Glenn

 

[rbstern]

Mike, will be interested to rear your follow up on the accuracy issues.

 

[fatrap]

Rich I have 32 cartridges loaded with 208 HPBT ready to go. I'd like to get out tomorrow and do a quicky shoot we'll see.
Mike

 

[Greg Meyer]

Rich I have 32 cartridges loaded with 208 HPBT ready to go. I'd like to get out tomorrow and do a quicky shoot we'll see.
Mike

Good luck... tomorrow have to put the boats away in storage...sad day.... But, it is only a few miles from the trap range so guess what we are doing after we park the boats?

 

[fatrap]

Well I tightened everything up and went to the range. Zero value wind, 38 degrees. Took a while to get sorted out. Best group was .482 @ 100yds most were over an inch. NOT satisfactory. Cleaned the rifle after every ten rounds. Loosened and retightened the action screws. It seemed to get a little better as I shot but still not acceptable. Now I'm loading different loads an bullet weights. Went to the Snipers Hide and asked some of my guru's there. It may be that the heavier bullets need 200 plus yds to stabilize so I'm trying some 168s. Next time at the range I'm taking some modeling clay to put under he action forward the recoil lug. Maybe tensioning the barrel there will give it some added stability. Time and bullets will tell. Oh And I sht 55 rounds.
Mike/fatrap

 

[Greg Meyer]

Well I tightened everything up and went to the range. Zero value wind, 38 degrees. Took a while to get sorted out. Best group was .482 @ 100yds most were over an inch. NOT satisfactory. Cleaned the rifle after every ten rounds. Loosened and retightened the action screws. It seemed to get a little better as I shot but still not acceptable. Now I'm loading different loads an bullet weights. Went to the Snipers Hide and asked some of my guru's there. It may be that the heavier bullets need 200 plus yds to stabilize so I'm trying some 168s. Next time at the range I'm taking some modeling clay to put under he action forward the recoil lug. Maybe tensioning the barrel there will give it some added stability. Time and bullets will tell. Oh And I sht 55 rounds.
Mike/fatrap

I would not get too seriously concerned until you have 200+ rounds down the tube. A little "breakin" is normal. A good torque wrench and socket head screws for the action and then "adjust"... get the specs from the manufacturer of the action or the builder. Slight adjustments there may have some effect. Also some shim stock "washers" 2/1000ths thick. And, do not forget the scope mounts, straight and torqued right. Then on to the ammo.... adjust how far off the lands with your bullets. Some like a bit more or less freebore. What powder?

 

[fatrap]

Ok my torque setting is 65 inch pounds forward 60 aft. I'm using 4350 with the 208 grain bthp. I now have some 168 sierra bthp with 4350, some 208,s with H1000. Scope has been reset twice. I've mounted about 200 scopes in my years with Bass Pro and have double checked myself. So far I have 90 rounds through the barrel. Douglas Barrel said they usually didn't need a break in. I'm questioning that as the more rounds downrange the tighter it's getting. When I get a nice day and the rest of the cartridges loaded I'm off to the range again. This time I'm going to shoot 200 yds also. Thanks for the input Greg. It's all part of the puzzle. I'm spoiled because my other target rifles shot great right out of the box.
fatrap

 

[Greg Meyer]

Well.... so much for all of my bright ideas....lol. How about going for slower powder H4831 or H4831SC (prefer this for target loads). My efforts with 210gr Noslers were between 65.5 grains and 69.5 grains (very heavy load). The SC (short cut) meters and packs well. My next step would be to find an accurate as possible load at say 68.5 grains of 4831 and then adjust seating depth.

 

[fatrap]

Greg
Don't have any 4831 but will put that on the list to try. The 4350 doesn't flow so hot and has some variance from drop to drop so a lot of trickle charging is in order. I'm trying out loading the H1000 tonight with the 208 Hornadys. I also have a few cartridges I loaded for my brother's 300wm but they are basically my 168 grain .308 load. I'd like to try and avoid having just another .308. My friend Ed has(he says) 800 yds set up on his property about 20 miles from me once I get this tamed I want to try at least 400yds which might be the fringe of my abilities. 30 years ago I was deadly (on metal gong) with my 30-06 at that range but haven't had access to that distance in a long time. It's corn instead of pasture. In theory the 300 wm is good far beyond my meager skills. I think I'll call Douglas barrel again and see if they have any ideas also.

 

[Greg Meyer]

Greg
Don't have any 4831 but will put that on the list to try. The 4350 doesn't flow so hot and has some variance from drop to drop so a lot of trickle charging is in order. I'm trying out loading the H1000 tonight with the 208 Hornadys. I also have a few cartridges I loaded for my brother's 300wm but they are basically my 168 grain .308 load. I'd like to try and avoid having just another .308. My friend Ed has(he says) 800 yds set up on his property about 20 miles from me once I get this tamed I want to try at least 400yds which might be the fringe of my abilities. 30 years ago I was deadly (on metal gong) with my 30-06 at that range but haven't had access to that distance in a long time. It's corn instead of pasture. In theory the 300 wm is good far beyond my meager skills. I think I'll call Douglas barrel again and see if they have any ideas also.

I use 4350 in my non-magnum medium bores (.25-308) but use other powders for heavier loads. I also have Varget that runs from .224 to 35 with good results. That might be another to try but you won't get absolute max velocity from it. My .257R like 4350, 4895 and Varget.

Also, are you using Large Rifle Magnum primers?

 

[rbstern]

Mike, if you shot a half-inch group at 100 yards, obviously, the rifle's potential is very much there.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect the first powder you try to produce best possible accuracy. 4350 is good stuff, but it might not be the right stuff for that particular rifle. Ditto on Greg's primer question. I'd want to vary that as well.

 

[fatrap]

I'm using Winchester large rifle magnum primes. Not my first choice but CCI are hard to find here. I use Varget for .308 and with a 168 sierra bthp I'm shooting half inch at two hundred yards wind permitting with my .308 rifles(3 of them). I guy in my gun club died and I bought out his supply of Varget, three one pound cans for $12 a can. Plus what I already had. I went to Scheels today and no 4831, no 300wm brass, no CCI primers (LR) nothing larger than a 180 grain Amax bullet. So I'm back to what I have on hand. I do have some 4895 that I load my 06 varmint rounds with (110 grain V max) but no recipe for large match bullets. So I have loaded right now:
168 sierra bthp with 4350
208 Hornady with 4350 and some 208 in H1000
168 with H1000
I did go to harbor freight today and buy some long reach hex wrench sockets(3/8 inch) I couldn't get a hex wrench with my torque wrench attached into the forward action screw. Now I can play with different torque settings.
BUT the weather is taking a huge dump tonight and I doubt even someone as anal retentive as myself will go to the range in freezing rain.
Mike/fatrap