You know how it goes. You get a rifle, pick a component combination, load some test loads up and head to the range. It seems as though sometimes you get lucky but most times it's frustrating.

I've got a .300 Win Mag that I'm trying to get to shoot a 190 gr Match King. It just doesn't like the bullet and I'm going to have to try some others. I've played with seating depth, charge weight, another powder.....no dice.

At the same time, I bought a Browning A-Bolt Medallion in .223 Remington with a BOSS system. It was a used gun I got from a widow. I checked some data, bought some 52gr Match Kings, some W-748 and just loaded what the Lyman book called a max load....30gr. It was funny; the first case I charged, powder spilled all over. I had to go to dumping the powder from the measure and tapping the side of the case with a pencil to get it to settle enough to be able to remove it from the measure. A compressed load.

Well, I checked the recommended BOSS settings, set the BOSS, and headed to the range.

This is what happened:







I know that it's fun to find out what combos shoot best in your gun but I kinda like saving time and having this result. This is the result of firing about 20 shots and tuning the BOSS. I wish I had barrel tuners on all my guns so I could spend more time hitting targets than trying to get the damn things to shoot.


Well, it's back to the loading bench for the .300. I hope the next bullet I try works.

By the way, I got lucky and found 1000 sm rifle primers at a buddy's house!

try setting the 300 bullets .0275 off the lands, with a middle of the road load.

Thanks for the advice jeffeosso,

I've tried every depth from the jam to .080" off and even some further in .010" increments with no luck.

It shoots about an inch at 100, but at 300 goes to about 6".

With 2880fps and 3050fps the bullet does the same thing. I've got 3 other bullets to try in the 168gr range and then I'll give up.

well, darn .. how does it shoot 180gr?

Don't know. I've got some 180gr BT's to try as well. I'll post if I have any success at all with anything.

i've had good luck with 180s and with 165-168 gr in my 300 wins...

rcamuglia ------ The one lesson I have learned over and over in reloading is "you don't pick the bullet, the barrel does". I have had many rifles of the same chambering that would not shoot the same bullet well. Yes, the powder and primer will have something to say, but in the end the barrel speaks loudest. The biggest mistake a reloader can make is pick a bullet he or she wants a rifle to shoot and when it doesn't shoot that bullet, get rid of the rifle. Shoot all size bullets for that chambering, usually the barrel will like something. Good shooting.

Thank you phurley5.

I'm not gonna give up that easy! I've got some other bullets and I would have to agree........the bullet seems to be more important than what's pushing it.

Looks like you got that 2nd node.
I wonder how long the barrel will go for at that amount of 748?
Nice group

quote:

This is what happened:

HOLY COW!
Now don't you wish you had shot that onto one of them fancy targets so's you could frame it? (I would want to frame it!)
Nice one!

quote:

Originally posted by rcamuglia:
It was a used gun I got from a widow. I checked some data, bought some 52gr Match Kings, some W-748 and just loaded what the Lyman book called a max load ....30gr.

Do you always go straight to the MAX load or was there some reason you didn't work up to the MAX load in the usual increments?

Onefunzr2,

No, I don't usually. I usually work up, trying to find the most accurate. Or, load a charge and try to tune it with OAL changes.

I just loaded the max this time because I knew I could tune it with the BOSS. Believe me, if I had seen any signs of pressure with the first shot, I would have stopped.

Well, I've got an update on the Mod. 70 load development attempts.

It just needed a bullet that it liked. The first one I tried didn't work no matter what I did and, like you said, let the barrel "pick" the bullet. It was the Sierra 190 gr MatchKing. I tried to pick it for the gun because of the big BC.

The second bullet I tried was the 168gr A-Max and it worked out very well in front of some Ramshot Magnum.







I talked with my gunsmith buddy, and he says to shoot the big long VLD style bullets, which he says the 190 gr Sierra comes close to, you need a special throat and chamber set up.

Has anyone noted this?

Well, at least I found something that worked. The 4 shots are in 3/8" and the one that's out to the left still makes the 5 shot group only measure 3/4". Velocity is at 3200 plus a little.

FYI, Woods...etc..

I abandoned the "OAL tuning only" method for this one


I worked up conventionally. OAL was .030" off the lands and started the charge 4gr below max and worked up in full grain increments. Best was 1 gr below max.

Found "the load" just as fast and it probably worked better. Just 13 shots.

Shot it in a round robin method and if I saw a load that was unacceptable (the first two groupings) I just stopped. I continued shooting the ones that were one-holing. The 84 gr group was probably the "scatter group". The impacts were the same as the 85gr group but the third shot impacted 2" high. I stopped right then and continued with the 85 gr batch and it continued to print nicely.

This goes back to HC'S thread about seeing or not to see the impacts. It helps me to see the impacts to save components. I'm going to just pull the bullets on the others.

quote:

Originally posted by rcamuglia:
FYI, Woods...etc..

I abandoned the "OAL tuning only" method for this one


I worked up conventionally. OAL was .030" off the lands and started the charge 4gr below max and worked up in full grain increments. Best was 1 gr below max.

Found "the load" just as fast and it probably worked better. Just 13 shots.

Shot it in a round robin method and if I saw a load that was unacceptable (the first two groupings) I just stopped. I continued shooting the ones that were one-holing. The 84 gr group was probably the "scatter group". The impacts were the same as the 85gr group but the third shot impacted 2" high. I stopped right then and continued with the 85 gr batch and it continued to print nicely.

This goes back to HC'S thread about seeing or not to see the impacts. It helps me to see the impacts to save components. I'm going to just pull the bullets on the others.

I would suggest that you repeat you test to see if you get the same results. I have had many one hole groups only to retry at a later date and get different results.

SR4759, Me too. I hate when that happens!

I'll be shooting it at all ranges out to 1000. If it's not "the load", I'll know it soon.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:
...Do you always go straight to the MAX load or was there some reason you didn't work up to the MAX load in the usual increments?

Nice post Dave. I was PMing R about it and noticed your post.

340+ posts and only " 2 " people were concerned enough to ask him about it. I'll admit I sure thought more folks would have said something.

For all the Beginners, Rookies, and the 340 folks who did not say anything, it is a really BAD idea to simply begin at a MAX Load shown in a Manual without Developing from below.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:
...Do you always go straight to the MAX load or was there some reason you didn't work up to the MAX load in the usual increments?

Nice post Dave. I was PMing R about it and noticed your post.

340+ posts and only " 2 " people were concerned enough to ask him about it. I'll admit I sure thought more folks would have said something.

For all the Beginners, Rookies, and the 340 folks who did not say anything, it is a really BAD idea to simply begin at a MAX Load shown in a Manual without Developing from below.

It is a free world and I am not a baby sitter. Those who reload have already taken on the responsibility for their own actions just like I have.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:
...Do you always go straight to the MAX load or was there some reason you didn't work up to the MAX load in the usual increments?

Nice post Dave. I was PMing R about it and noticed your post.

340+ posts and only " 2 " people were concerned enough to ask him about it. I'll admit I sure thought more folks would have said something.

For all the Beginners, Rookies, and the 340 folks who did not say anything, it is a really BAD idea to simply begin at a MAX Load shown in a Manual without Developing from below.

It is a free world and I am not a baby sitter. Those who reload have already taken on the responsibility for their own actions just like I have.

I didn’t find anything wrong with Hotcore’s advice. Why did you?

Anyone can be anything they want to be on the Internet, including being a reloading expert. So far I’m not totally impressed.

I know you’re not a babysitter. Neither am I.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
340+ posts and only " 2 " people were concerned enough to ask him about it. .

No sir.. only 2 folks were personally motivated ENOUGH to question it, and I am overly tired of telling people
"you are loading too hot"
"I know what I am doing"
"Okay, have fun"
"go to hell, you moderator"

then 18 page pissing match..

If you actually CARE, pm the man, and ask him, before your scourge him in public

Just to clear it up guys, HC and I were in a PM'ing mode when we talked about this. He was thoughtful enough to ask for an "OK" to post about no one questioning the reason for me to go straight to a max load.

I think some of you have misunderstood his intentions and each other's.

Mike has definitely misunderstood SR's intentions of saying "I am not a baby sitter". Mike, SR is just saying everybody is responsible for what they do in reloading, he's not slamming HC for anything. He's referring to my actions.


HC is right, it wasn't a good idea and everybody who may be a newby to reloading should know that. I'm happy for him to let everyone know that.

The truth be known, I actually loaded and shot some at 27.7 gr of W-748 first simply because I couldn't get the 30 gr charge in the case and I didn't think of tapping the side of the case to get it to settle!! Obviously the lower charge was safe and the max turned out to be safe as well in my rifle.

Like I've said before, sometimes what is written gets really misinterpreted and I'm sure we've all experienced it here on the forum.

Thank you HC for your knowledge and sharing it kindly, helpfully.

I do understand both SR4759's and Jeffeosso's thoughts and I can see why they both feel that way. Perhaps I'm overly concerned about the Beginners and Rookies getting mis-leading advice, because I've read so much of it in the Gun Rags. Got to the point I quit reading everything except the NRA American Hunter, which is better than it used to be.

Anyway, I'll still try my best to WARN the Beginners, and hope folks like Dave don't burn-out too.
-----

Great shooting with the 300WinMag. Looks like the kind of Load I'd want.
-----

Hang in there Mick. We will have to stir the "22cals for Killing Deer" pot! I know just what will do it too. Check the Small Bores Board for "The Beast".

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
...and hope folks like Dave don't burn-out too.

About the only thing that gets me close to the dreaded "burn-out" is hearing your blather regards PRE/CHE and how chronographs are pathetically useless. Not to mention your loathing of strain gauges. Otherwise, I usually nod my head in agreement with you, Hotcore.

Although sometimes a newbie who's just too damn lazy to search AR's archive makes me wanna scream, "[expletive deleted]." So I just move on to the next topic thread mumbling under my breath something about internet etiquette and how I was taught in Sunday school that it's better to give than receive.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:
...About the only thing that gets me close to the dreaded "burn-out" is hearing your blather regards PRE/CHE and how chronographs are pathetically useless. Not to mention your loathing of strain gauges. Otherwise, I usually nod my head in agreement with you, Hotcore. ...

I do get on about that - on occasion. Gotta spread the truth.

It looks like dj thinks a chronograph can be used to decipher Pressure in another thread. And I feel sure, totally positive, he is really smarter than that. How he ever got mislead with all the good info on this Board, especially about CHE/PRE and chronographs, is amazing.