I am shooting a custom 300 Weatherby made by David Miller on a Winchester Action. I am having problems with the factory loads " Weatherby loaded 180 grain Barnes x bullets". The load seems to be too hot and is denting the Brass and in three cases actually nocked out the Primer Caps. Any recomendations as to where to start with a different load which has less powder???? I do not relaod and do not have the time to learn so I am looking for a Bullet I can buy ready to go. I do prefer the 180 grain bullet.

IF it does this with factory loads, I would take it back to David Miller...

Is there a possibility, that this chamber was cut with a shorter freebore as opposed to the (long) standard Weatherby freebore?? This is not uncommon in custom rifles, as the long freebore is normally not considered beneficial for accuracy.

Weatherby (Norma) factory loads are loaded to pretty optimistic pressures, but although I have seen my share of flattened primers in factory loads, I have yet to see a primer blown out.

The long freebore of the standard Wby chambers has the effect of reducing pressures just a tad. That is why it is not a recommended practice to shoot factory loads in chambers without the long freebore.

Should this be the problem in your gun, it is not that hard to fix, if you insist on shooting solely factory loads. As Steve suggests, a trip back to David Miller, and a throating reamer might do the trick.

- mike

P.S. Wasn't somebody complaining just the other day, that he had a hard time getting in touch with David Miller?? Any good gunsmith should be able to tell you whether the freebore is a standard Wby or not, and if need be lengthen it for you. But since this is a pretty expensive rifle, you had better make double sure you use a good smith...

quote:

Originally posted by ricciardelli:
IF it does this with factory loads, I would take it back to David Miller...

And very soon.....there's a problem that needs to be corrected.

Minuch,

As MHO stated David may have shortened the freebore. If this is the case it might be stamped on the barrel. D'Arcy Echols does this and stamps the barrel accordingly.

Did you receive test targets and load info with the gun?? I know the gun was tested by David and he likely has a load worked up for it.

The other option is to take the load info and have it hand loaded by one of several companies which does custom hand loads. I know David could help you there also.

Bryan

Minuch, I agree with the posters above and your problems are probably due to a short throat. I had my Model 70 rebarrelled by Mark Penrod and he has a specific chambering that he sets up after years of experience, that allows one to shoot Weatherby factory ammunition (which tends to be on the warm side) as well as handloads with the bullet seated out closer to the rifling than is possible in the standard Weatherby factory chamber. I’ve never had a problem with either factory ammunition or my handloads and the rifle shoots three shots into three quarters inch repeatedly with a couple of bullet weights. It is a great cartridge. It should go back to David Miller for some fine tuning of the chamber.

Good luck
Paul

The other folks hit it on the head. I'd say there's a 99% chance that's your problem. I have the same situation with my custom 338/378. Factory ammo is a no-no in that gun.

In lieu of having David fix it, this could be a good time to take up handloading.

Hot loads with the 300 Weatherby AND Barnes Xs is a recurring problem and it's mot your rifle although if the gunmaker did not allow for sufficient freebore that might excacerbate the problem. Switch to 180gr Partitions also factory loaded by Weatherby and see what happens. Barnes X bullets are NOTORIOUS for overpressure. If your rifle does the same thing with the Noslers then take it to your smith. I had the same problem a few years ago before a safari. I called Weatherby and they expressed shipped me some 180 Noslers and that did the trick.jorge

I think Federal and Hornady make 300 wby mag and the published velocities are substantially lower than the Weatherby brand loads. But I'm with everyone else. You need to have it looked at before something else blows.