300 Savage

08 March 2024, 09:49

Wstrnhuntr

Is this for making them feed in a tight chamber? If so try sizing with a different shell holder and adjust the die so you actually get just a tad of resistance from the die touching the shell holder for maximum squeeze. I had a really tight 308 chamber and that did the trick. Never had another problem with it again.
Otherwise I think your best bet might be a custom C/H die or Flea-Bay.

08 March 2024, 17:50

Uncle Grinch

Question, if removing metal off a shell holder, do you remove it from the top where it touches the die or the bottom, where it seats in the ram?

09 March 2024, 04:42

Hipshoot

quote:
Originally posted by Uncle Grinch:
Question, if removing metal off a shell holder, do you remove it from the top where it touches the die or the bottom, where it seats in the ram?

I don't think that would matter but the top would be much easier.

Things are getting confused! He wants a SMALL BASE sizing die . That has nothing to do with the case shoulder.

Oldcodger---I have one in .308 if you could use that and if you are interested.

Hip

09 March 2024, 08:43

oldcodger

300 Savage brass is hard to come by so am trying to size and trim 308 Winchester to make 300 Savage. It works most of the time but for 20 cases about 25% will not chamber after sizing. About 25% will chamber but with extra effort on the closing lever (Savage Model 99). If I load those that will chamber a couple of them will stick and can't extract with the lever. A gentle poke with a cleaning rod down the bore will dislodge them. These are either starting or middle of the range powder charges, nothing even close to max charges. The Model 99 does not have good extraction force, so any case which gives any resistance may be a problem. I think a small base die would probably cure the problem.

09 March 2024, 21:19

Hipshoot

Shell holders are cheap! Take a couple of thousands off the top of one and try that. Not much of a loss if it doesn't work.

Hip

10 March 2024, 05:36

Hipshoot

Thinking about this a little more!

Take a resized and trimmed .308 case that won't or is hard to chamber and cut the shoulder/neck part of it off, resize it (to make sure it wasn't distorted during cutting) and see if it will easily chamber. If it does you know that the problem is in the headspace or OAL case length and not the base diameter.
You can also try retrimming and also resizing (sometimes the brass bounces back).

Hip

12 March 2024, 21:32

Stonecreek

Sounds like you need the cases to go further into the regular resizing die -- not squeeze the rear of the body smaller. As has bee suggested, just grind a few 1/000ths off of the top surface of your shell holder so that when it bumps against the die bottom the case will be inserted a bit further.

"Small Base" dies are rarely needed and can give you hell getting cases stuck in them. Besides, if the problem is base-to-shoulder dimension then the SB dies won't necessarily solve the problem.

14 March 2024, 05:41

Lamar

is the shell holder actually touching the die with a shell inserted?
or did you just screw the die in to touching and go with that?

if you did that another quarter-half turn will take care of the issue.
and giving the brass a 3-4 Mississippi count in the die will let the brass have time to flow and move around in it's new format.

26 March 2024, 20:44

Atkinson

A RCBS guy advised me that all 300 Savage and 308 dies are indeed small base..I never questioned it, but ever 308 die I've owned and that's quite a number worked perfect in my 99 Savages. ??

10 April 2024, 20:32

belaw

quote:
Originally posted by oldcodger:
300 Savage brass is hard to come by so am trying to size and trim 308 Winchester to make 300 Savage.

I think some of the posters missed this critical point. I've done the exact same thing using LC Match brass and had a similar experience to the OP in my 99. All of the rounds would chambers but some required a bit of effort to close the lever (although they extracted fine once fired). I picked up a small base die and re-sized all of the empty brass and didn't have any further problems.

I believe that the issue is that 300 Savage is not only shorter than 308, it also has more body taper (specs for 300 Savage are .4466 at the shoulder while .308 is .4540) and at least in my case I'm pretty sure the problem was spring back in the brass at the shoulder. But since the small base die took care of my problem I assume it is smaller in all dimensions and not just at the base. I have used my 'regular' Redding sizing die for subsequent reloadings without any problems.

12 April 2024, 10:13

eagle27

quote:
Originally posted by belaw:
quote:
Originally posted by oldcodger:
300 Savage brass is hard to come by so am trying to size and trim 308 Winchester to make 300 Savage.

I think some of the posters missed this critical point.

The posters didn't miss the critical point, the OP only made it five posts after his initial post. Would have been helpful to have this critical point made first up.

26 April 2024, 07:16

oldcodger

Using reformed PPU 308 brass I can not go above 39 grains or I get sticky extraction. Just can't get even close to RP 150 gr CoreLok (1614 fps). Best I can do with the PPU cases is about 2400 fps. (39 gr. IMR 4064 with Hornady 150 gr. SST bullets).
I took 5 cases of the reformed PPU cases and 5 cases of RP 300 Savage cases and made some measurements:
The PPU cases hold an average of 50.5 gr. of water.
The RP 300 Savage cases hold an average of 52.2 gr. of water.
RP cases hold 1.7 gr. more water.

The average weight of the PPU cases was 175.5 gr.
The average weight of the RP cases was 158.2.
The PPU cases weigh an average of 17.3 gr. heavier than the RP cases.

Would these differences in case volume and weight explain the behavior of the PPU cases showing earlier than expected pressure signs?

27 April 2024, 04:37

Hipshoot

Yes!

I have used PPU cases for fouling shots which are a little lighter than my regular loads and still I have gotten slightly stuck cases in my chamber. Had to load even lighter to even use them and in some instances I just don't want to fuss around any more.

Load lighter and work up as needed!

Hip

27 April 2024, 08:11

Lamar

yes.
less case volume is like having a smaller than 300 savage case.
so of course the pressure will be higher.

you might need to switch to a different powder to get the other fps without stressing the pressure window.

28 April 2024, 02:13

Bobster

22-250 brass is plentiful. Might make a better parent case.

quote:
Originally posted by oldcodger:
300 Savage brass is hard to come by so am trying to size and trim 308 Winchester to make 300 Savage. It works most of the time but for 20 cases about 25% will not chamber after sizing. About 25% will chamber but with extra effort on the closing lever (Savage Model 99). If I load those that will chamber a couple of them will stick and can't extract with the lever. A gentle poke with a cleaning rod down the bore will dislodge them. These are either starting or middle of the range powder charges, nothing even close to max charges. The Model 99 does not have good extraction force, so any case which gives any resistance may be a problem. I think a small base die would probably cure the problem.

28 April 2024, 02:36

theback40

If you are making them out of .308 brass, it's easy to find .308 SB dies. Run it into that before forming.

28 April 2024, 08:46

Wstrnhuntr

I liked using milsurp brass in my 99 because those actions have just enough give in them to cause premature brass failure. The thicker brass negates that issue.
Stick with the thicker brass and try some Rlr 15.

17 May 2024, 07:30

oldcodger

Just thought i would update my experience. I trashed my converted 308 cases and started over. Bought a bag if new Hornady 308 cases. Using RCBS 300 Savage dies to make the conversion. It was like night and day. No problems with chambering. Used standard unmodified shell holder. I have gone up to 41.0 grains of Varget and 150 gr. Hornady SST with no sticking. Velocity 2581 fps. Might try 41.5 but right now am happy with the 41.0 load.

17 May 2024, 15:33

p dog shooter

I found the same thing when making some 7mm08 brass.

I tried federal 308 no luck tried some Winchester 243 worked great.

As far as the 2581fps load it well kill a lot of game.

If you need faster and greater use a 308.

18 May 2024, 15:45

Bill/Oregon

Glad you got it sorted, oldcodger. I had an uncle who loved horseback hunting in the mountains of Eastern Oregon and his favorite elk rifle was a Savage 99 in .300 Savage -- but with 180-grain Silvertips.

19 May 2024, 04:37

Hipshoot

Don't push your M99 loads the rifle and brass will be a lot happier and you don't really gain anything!

Hip

05 July 2024, 21:58

Atkinson

I've had my best accuracy and velocity with the 150s in all the 99s in 308 using a max load of H414/ww760. Max in a 99 is two grs under most book loads..If its true max in a 99 you will feel a slight lever drop..time to back off a grain or two and loose 50 FPS give or take a tad...

20 July 2024, 04:03

eagle27

Bit of information out of a RCBS glossy insert I pulled from an old Reloaders Digest some years ago re their small base dies.
Interestingly apart from listing a SB sizing die for the 300 Savage, they also produced ultra small base sizing dies just for the 243 and 308 cartridges for use in the Savage 99 and 110 rifles.

17 November 2024, 22:13

HBV

quote:
Originally posted by oldcodger:
Just thought i would update my experience. I trashed my converted 308 cases and started over. Bought a bag if new Hornady 308 cases. Using RCBS 300 Savage dies to make the conversion. It was like night and day. No problems with chambering. Used standard unmodified shell holder. I have gone up to 41.0 grains of Varget and 150 gr. Hornady SST with no sticking. Velocity 2581 fps. Might try 41.5 but right now am happy with the 41.0 load.

17 November 2024, 22:15

HBV

quote:
Originally posted by oldcodger:
Just thought i would update my experience. I trashed my converted 308 cases and started over. Bought a bag if new Hornady 308 cases. Using RCBS 300 Savage dies to make the conversion. It was like night and day. No problems with chambering. Used standard unmodified shell holder. I have gone up to 41.0 grains of Varget and 150 gr. Hornady SST with no sticking. Velocity 2581 fps.
Might try 41.5 but right now am happy with the 41.0 load.

Where are you located I might have some 300 brass?

18 November 2024, 01:41

Atkinson

Bingo, when you use a heavier brass case you normally get sticky brass and higher pressure than you get with thinner brass, but the thick brass lasts longer and gives you the same velocity with less powder. Not written in stone but I've found it to be true in all my guns that I've tried such in..

I have filed the bullet seater down a tad for PMC brass and worked fine in my 300 and 308 mod 99 (1950 fwt) PMC brass lasts forever and when you use thick brass with less powder you give up nothing in velocity as a rule, suggest folks use a chronograph when working up loads and not guess and by gosh.