The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading Question About My Loads To AfricaGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Question About My Loads To Africa | Login/Join |
| One of Us |
Leaving for Namibia on a Plains Game Hunt in May. The Bullet's I'm taking are Barnes TSX 180 gr. for my .300 Weatherby Mag. When I load, I never go with the minimum or maximum powder charge, I take the average of the two. In the Barnes Manual #4, this is the information. 79.0 of RL-22 will give 2978 fps. 84.5 of RL-22 will give 3202 fps. The average is 81.7 gr. and should give around 3090 fps. This is what I loaded and took to the Range; 81.7 gr. RL-22 My concern is this, all loads came in around 3215 fps which is almost equal to the maximum powder charge I avoid. The Bolt did not freeze up and the cases showed no pressure signs or case splits. Should I adjust and try to find a load near 3000 fps or just go with what I have now; 3215 fps. Thanks for any feed back. MauserK98 | ||
|
One of Us |
If your accuracy is good, leave it alone. If not so good, you may want to cut back a grain or two and see what happens. I personally believe that high velocity is overrated. I prefer accuracy over speed every time. joe | |||
|
One of Us |
+1 If not showing signs of excessive pressure or anything, and accuracy is acceptable to you - leave it as is. BTW - good luck on that May trip. DRSS Sabatti 450\400 NE Merkel 140-2 500 NE | |||
|
| One of Us |
I thought a 300 Weatherby was all about speed... Should beable to have both........ Hang on TITE !! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Wonder what the differnce in temps will be between Tennesse and Africa,will it increase pressure? | |||
|
One of Us |
You may have a "fast" barrel. All else equal, an increase in velocity does equal increase pressure but only relative to that barrel. Remember the Barnes test was likely 1 barrel. I have been 3% below max on a Barnes load and had to beat the bolt open in one of my 308s. With respect to temps..see rule number 8. Mike Legistine actu? Quid scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
|
one of us |
Mauser K98, Personally, I'd reduce the load by a couple of grains. The benefit you might get from the extra 150 fps is vastly outweighed by the potential complications from having ammo troubles surface while on safari. Have a fun and safe trip to Namibia. Please post a hunt report when you get home. ______________________________ "Truth is the daughter of time." Francis Bacon | |||
|
| One of Us |
I have never been to Africa nor do I plan on going but even in the states, I prize flawless function over a couple of hundred feet per second. I'd copper my bets and back off a couple of grains. I'll bet you 3 dollars that the animals won't be able to tell the difference. Aim for the exit hole | |||
|
one of us |
+1 I had my only SNAFU with my handloads while hunting in Namibia so I would tend to be more cautious. Add to that the fact that I have put together a bunch of one shot kills in Namibia with a 180gr cor-loct at 2700fps. According to my experience 3000fps at low pressure will be more than enough. Jason "You're not hard-core, unless you live hard-core." _______________________ Hunting in Africa is an adventure. The number of variables involved preclude the possibility of a perfect hunt. Some problems will arise. How you decide to handle them will determine how much you enjoy your hunt. Just tell yourself, "it's all part of the adventure." Remember, if Robert Ruark had gotten upset every time problems with Harry Selby's flat bed truck delayed the safari, Horn of the Hunter would have read like an indictment of Selby. But Ruark rolled with the punches, poured some gin, and enjoyed the adventure. -Jason Brown | |||
|
One of Us |
1. It may be hard to believe, but temperatures in much of South Africa are quite similar to ranges seen in Ohio during much of the year. The concern that a load will be too "hot" for Africa is usually unfounded. 2. It may come as a shock to some, but velocity is not a good way to deduce pressure. If the primers look OK and there is no sticky case extraction, I would be happy with the pressure. 3. Loads in reloading manuals are many times conservative. In addition, Barnes bullets frequently do best near maximum loads. As long as you know how to evaluate pressure signs, I see no problem in approaching maximum loads in a strong bolt action rifle. | |||
|
| one of us |
Personally if I get vel that seems to high for the load I reduce it a bit. I too would rather be safe and have a bit less vel then other wise. | |||
|
| One of Us |
If you are not showing pressure signs, shoot a 5 shot group and evaluate the velocity spread. Let the last 2 shots of the group sit in the chamber for a minute to heat up, and pay attention to those cases and your bolt. Rifles are like people. Basically the same, but completely diffrent. Weatherby cases, as a rule do perform better as you approach top end. If your accuracy is good and your cooked loads still show no signs of pressure, your all set. | |||
|
| one of us |
This will be the Fall in the southern hemisphere and the temperatures will be mild depending on the area you hunt; you can easily find out what temperatures to expect. I load my 300 Witherbee with 180 gr. Barnes TTSX's and use the exact same load w/H4831sc in Namibia as developed here in Europe. Works excellent, and where we hunt I can use all the advantages of a flat-shooting, heavy-hitting cartridge, too. 300 Magnums are an oustanding choice for antilope hunting there. IF you should encounter an ammo issue there, immediate replacement can range from iffy to next to immpossible; so you need to get it right the first time. Have Waidmannsheil this May in Namibia. Cheers, Number 10 | |||
|
| One of Us |
don't worry about it, those loads will be fine. in may the temps aren't that much different than they are at home. go enjoy yourself | |||
|
| One of Us |
I'm loading 82gr of RL22 with 180gr TSX and 85gr of RL22 with 168gr TTSX. Rock and roll | |||
|
One of Us |
Do whatever you need to do to have enough "confidence in your loads" that any last minite thoughts of your reloads while drawing a bead on an animal will make you smile rather than cast a shadow of doubt. And only you know what that is going to take. AK-47 The only Communist Idea that Liberals don't like. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thanks everyone for the "top notch" advice. Let me throw something else in the mix. The only reason I used RL-22 is it was supposed to be what "Weatherby's Liked". In the past, I loaded with IMR 4350 all the time and FPS was very close to the book. Maybe I should stick with IMR 4350 if I can find it. With the run on Guns, Ammo, Powder it's hard to come by. | |||
|
| one of us |
Yo K98 ..... Yeah, but it's all about what your rifle prefers and how you're loading the cartridges. May will come sneaking up alot quicker than you expect; so perhaps several/many/ full-flegded ammo testing sessions may end up being too time consuming - Dunno, you'll have to decide. Personally, I'd go with what is shooting well in your rifle now and if it's RL-22; it's usually a solid performer with a 180 grainer bullet in this cartridge. AA-3100, H-4831 or sc, RL-22, H-1000 (and others, as I don't want to omit anyone's fovorite!) are all time-tested powders in the 300 Witherbee. IMR, AA or H 4350's are good too, but for my preferences a tad on the quick side for a 180 grainer in the Witherbee but lots of folks use it for that. AA-4350 sure produces Top-Notch velocity & accuracy with the 130 grain Barnes TTSX's and I'd use it with 150 grainers, too! Your 180 Barnes'; in whatever ilk, TSX or TTSX worked wonderfully in the three 300 Win Mags and 1 Witherbee our party had with us, especially for the longer(ish) ranges on larger animals requiring good penetration, Oryx, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, etc. and there's alot of satisfaction in 1-shot DRT's, too that this cartridge with Barnes bullets is capable of. We were in the southern part of Namibia in the last two weeks of June last year and of the 14 days; half of them were in the -1°C to -7°C range in the mornings; Warm or Hot is different, although the daytime teperatures warmed up into the upper 50°F's to upper 60°F's; net, very comforatable, altough a jacket or vest was required during the day. In May it'll be even more pleasant, although you'll be amazed at how quickly it cools off as soon as the sun sets and mornings are always chilly. Add the drive to/from your hunting locale in the back of an open Toyota and you'll be right cold without the appropriate clothing. Regardless of the temps though; it's a dry country humidity-wise so Lip Balm, Sun Screen, Eye. Drops and plenty of water intake for hydration are critical. The locals seem to think we'd been in the sun too long(?) but it'll certainly be alot less humid than in Tennessee. Net, Namibia is not Equitorial Africa with excesively high tempertures at that time of year. Have Fun with your Witherbee in Namibia. Cheers, Number 10 | |||
|
| One of Us |
My only concern is that reloading this time of year *Tends* to be a good test of cold weather performance.... but not necessarily a good indication of hot weather performance.... For example, it doesn't tell you anything about how things will go when the ammo is 120F after sitting in a hot car all day or in a rifle sitting in the sun... I have personally learned several lessons about temperature stability of ammo... My main take away was.... Test it out in the same sort of environment as it will be used.... No exceptions. Reason is.. You can uncover weird sources of inconsistency... like how I figured out that between 45F and 100F - I saw a 500 FPS swing in velocity... and it should have been 30 or 40 fps... I later figured out that 95% was due to PRIMER choice... NOT the powder... Thanks | |||
|
| One of Us |
A 500fps swing in velocity caused by a primer??? Wow. Please give some particulars. Aim for the exit hole | |||
|
| one of us |
RL-22, while an excellent powder, varies more than most powders from lot to lot. It is very likely that the powder lot you are using behaves a little differently from that which the Barnes data was developed with. The true test is in performance. IF your bolt opens without hesitation, and IF your primer pockets are not loosening in three or four reloadings with the same charge, and IF your cases freely re-enter the chamber without full length sizing, THEN you have a load within sustainable pressures. As far as temperature, May in Namibia (northern hemisphere equivalent of November), assuming you're hunting the central plateau at the 4000-4500 foot elevation, typically ranges from around 40 up to about 75 degrees F, unless a cold front or a heat wave makes it cooler or warmer. Now all you have to worry about is whether one of the 1-in-XX times that a monometal bullet simply does not expand will occur on a shot at a fantastic trophy animal. But I suppose it does make for a more interesting hunt. | |||
|
| one of us |
Stonie, Yes, we've had that before as well. Although it was several years ago and we remain doubious until this day on TSX's. Obviously we got a batch of 308" Barnes 180 gr. TSX's that left us scratching our heads. Hasn't happen since then as we've switched to the TTSX's for our monometal requirments. My Pal & I were using his 300 Win Mag & my 300 Witherbee with loads I'd assembled with two boxes of 180 gr. Barnes TSX's from the same batch. We were on German Federal Forestry property; the Forest Director asked us to use lead-free then (now it's a requirment) and we, of course complied. We each shot 3 Stags (6 total) on the same day and ended up shooting each Stag 3 times; all telling shots. After the intial shot the Stags stood as if planted and appeared very ill with their heads down. We kept pumping bullets into them. Obviously, the bullets acted as solids as we had difficulty locating the .308" exit wounds.  Cheers, Number 10 | |||
|
| One of Us |
Another thing about RL-22. It tends to have a pretty wide what I'll call a "flat spot" around the optimal load range. In other words, a grain or two of powder either way, doesn't seem to make a lot of difference in where bullets hit on target. To me this means it's pretty forgiving when it comes to temperature changes, etc. | |||
|
One of Us |
Amen! Rusty We Band of Brothers! DRSS, NRA & SCI Life Member "I am rejoiced at my fate. Do not be uneasy about me, for I am with my friends." ----- David Crockett in his last letter (to his children), January 9th, 1836 "I will never forsake Texas and her cause. I am her son." ----- Jose Antonio Navarro, from Mexican Prison in 1841 "for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson Declaration of Arbroath April 6, 1320-“. . .It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” | |||
|
| One of Us |
A lot of good advice on my RL-22 loads. Loaded up some more .300 WBY with reduced loads an went back to the range. WORSE THAN THE FIRST TIME!! 80.0 gr. of RL-22 were 3085 to 3150 fps. My lowest load was 78.5 gr. and it was 3125!! I took some of my IMR 4350 loads and they did not vary more than 25 fps. Needless to say I'm going to Africa with IMR 4350. Again, thanks for the advice. MauserK98 (Know anyone who wants to buy less than a pound of RL-22--Ha,Ha) | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading Question About My Loads To Africa
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia