Trying to develop a super accurate and effective round.

I have a 300WSM on a Krieger barrel that measures 26-1/2 inches from the tip of the bullet to the muzzle; I'm estimating about 27 inches of rifling. I use garden variety Winchester brass that's been resized to provide just .002 inches of headspace. My brass is thus resized, along with being trimmed to 2.086 inches in length, casemouths inside/outside chamfered, flash holes uniformed and primer pocket chamfered off just enough to remove the sharp edge.

I use 64 grains of Hodgdon H4831SC, 190 grain Sierra MatchKing bullets seated .010 inches off the lands and CCI #250 Large Rifle Magnum primers.

It was breezy, but not overly so, last weekend and I shot a three-shot group into one elongated hole; the center-to-center distance of these three was .200 inches at 100 yards. Then I got nervous and blew the next two out of the time zone for a five-shot, center-to-center distance of .700 inches. My shootin' buddy was excited one minute and crestfallen the next. He loves accuracy and has been wanting to see how my rifle shoots since I met him a year ago and told him I've got a custom rifle in the works. He's such an accuracy nut that he goes home and heads straight for his reloading bench if he can't print less than 1/2-inch at 100 yards every time we go out.

I'm sure I can do better once I've practiced and begin to use better brass and reloading equipment. I presently use garden variety RCBS dies and Lee powder measuring tools. I just got an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press-- very, very nice; a precision instrument. I don't have a good front rest; I just sandbag it and hold my breath. My eyes ain't what they used to be and my scope can only be classified as of the "training wheels" variety.

I have much to learn and a ways to go, but living in Nevada with its vast open areas and no fences allows me ample opportunity to practice.

Lastly, the MatchKing bullet is not designed for hunting-- it will fragment rather than expand. Choose a similar bullet designed for hunting and go from there.

Hope this helps.

Rootbeer,have you tried other powder bullet combos?

No; my gunsmith recommends the powder and bullet I use. He should know-- he builds super-accurate benchrest rifles and has had his rifles hold as many as six world records simultaneously. I listen to what he says as if he were The Christ Himself when it comes to reloading and shooting. I do not question his decades of firearms, reloading and shooting knowledge-- he'll kick my ass and make me apologize for being so stupid.

I think I just might try that powder.

My 300 likes the 200gr. Accubond with RL22. 72 gr. works for me, .5" @ 100. You need to be sure that you have enough twist for this bullet though. 1-10" is OK but 1-9 is better. BTW, it doesn't matter what the gun makers/barrel makers say, measure the twist for yourself and take the guess work out of the deal. If you don't have enough twist for the Accubond, try the 180 TSX also with RL22.

Gabe

Papaschmud,have you tried many powder/bullet combos?How did you arrive with this choice?

Can I point out that the original question was for a 300WM while rootbeer's response was for a 300 WSM?
Peter.

My God, man-- you're right! Well, the 300WinMag and the 300WSM are essentially ballistic twins, so everything posted here may still apply. Or not...

This one is easy---call Sierra 1-800-223-8799 after the message push 2 then at the next prompt push 6! He knows everything!!!(we shoot together and he really has forgotten more than most people know about reloading)

I think I will give him a call,Boss Hoss.What's a Boss Hoss?Is that like a Boss Hog?

A Boss Hoss is the brand of motorcycle I ride. Mine has a 540 ci Shafiroff Racing Engine in it. I do love it so!!!

Guns and motorcycles--so little time and so little money!!!! Did Rich help you??

This reply is not meant to be krass but, aside from the advice Krieger gave or will give: Will the harvested and quite dead animal really care if a MOA load killed him or a run of the mill 2 or 3 MOA ? Not too many hunters, I know are using Benchrest firearms in the field.

Fireball,that's like saying you don't need to go hunting in our time,you could buy meat at the grocery.

We hunt and shoot because we are men. Girlie-men don't know nothin' 'bout guns an' stuff.

When you are shooting at 100 yards.....wether it is a .2moa gun or a 3 moa gun isn't really a big deal, 1/4" groups or 3 inch groups don't matter on a deers chest cavity.

BUT, let's bring her on out where I sometimes take my Elk rifle 500-800 yards.......now at 800 yards the .2 moa will group about 5 to 8 inches with a little wind ......definately a killing group. Yet, a 3 moa gun at 800 yards will group 2 to 3 FOOT groups.......now you are looking to wound a beautiful elk, when you could have made a clean kill with the .2 moa rifle instead...........
see

Not wanting to rain on anybody's parade, but I doubt the fact your rifle sports a Krieger barrel will have much bearing on exactly which load may or may not shoot well. The Krieger may well make it easier to find a good load, and it will likely fowl a lot less than a lesser tube, but I severely doubt anybody can tell you what load to use simply based on the Krieger name.

In general, it is questionable to expect to be able to take somebody's pet load, and get wonderful accuracy in your gun. At most, pet loads may be used as starting points for component choices... If that is what you are looking for, I have had good luck with a max load of RL22 behind a Barnes 168 grs TSX. I chose that bullet to take advantage of being able to shoot lower weight TSX bullets, yet be assured of deep penetration on heavy game. Accuracy has been surprisingly good for a hunting load.

FWIW - mike

You could build two twin rifles- Same action barrel, components, caliber, etc... and they may not like the same load. I guess my point is, take the bullet and powder you want to shoot and see how it does. For the most part there are no shortcuts.