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I have achieved great success (for me that is anyway) reloading for my Tikka T3 Light 300 WSM using IMR 4831 and 180 grain bullets. My average MV is 3130fps and I'm getting MOA or better out to 300 yards with a 100% factory rifle. I came by this loading of 67.2 grains of IMR 4831 on my second range session and in fewer than 18 shots so I am looking for a reason to do a little more load experimentation. And truth be told I tried IMR 4831 on a whim as my first two powders didn't yield either the MV(IMR 4451) or accuracy (RL17) I was looking for. I was sitting in my reloading room pondering what powder to try next and I recalled a pound of IMR 4831 I had bought for my 338wm but never tried. So I figured WTH give it a try and my first three shots using 67.2 grains gave me a 3/8" group the next two shots opened it up to a little less than 5/8" so needless to I was happy beyond measure. That same loading has given me enough additional MOA or sub-MOA groups to know it's no statistical fluke. Between myself and my friends I have reload for a multitude of different calibers including belted magnums. As a result I have amassed a rather large selection of powders and would like just for the fun of it to give at least one or two of them a try but am rather unsure which one to choose. So those of you with much more experience reloading for the 300 WSM than I do with 180 grain bullets could you help me out with your knowledge in suggestion in order of preference with two of the fallowing powders do you think will have the best chance a performance close to or the equal of that I have had with IMR4831. The powders are: H4350 H4831sc RL26 AA Magpro IMR4350 My rifle is a factory stone stock Tikka T3 Light stainless steel synthetic RMEF edition 24.3" barrel with a 1:11 ROT. I have my COAL set as long as it can fit in the magazine and feed 100% relai at 2.263". My best performing load thus far is: 180 grain Sierra GK/BT or NBT 67.2 Grains IMR4831 Federal 215m LRG/RFL/M primer Winchester of Hornady brass. COAL 2.263 20 shot average of 3130/FPS/MV Don't recall ES or SD right now and my notes before me only have MV/FPS average. Thanks for the help, Arthur | ||
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Before I gave my 300WSM Tikka T3 Lite to my son my go to powder was IMR4350 under a 165 grain bullet but at the top end I was only pushing it at 3000 ft/sec. I read about the 180 grain bullets doing very well with H4831SC from other reloaders. My load shot sub MOA in my rifle and this same load was a tack driver in my buddies Browning A-bolt. Dennis Life member NRA | |||
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Too bad the RL17 did not work out for you, as it provides excellent velocity in that caliber. I can't recommend any of the powders you have listed there based on experience. However, try Ramshot Hunter if you get a chance. Similar velocity as the RL17, clean burning, and it meters like water. | |||
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I use varget.   | |||
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In my 1K BR rifle H4831 SC was outstanding with 220 grain Matchkings. However, my current 300 WSM is more applicable. It shoots 168 TTSXs at 3000 fps with H4350, accurately. I couldn’t get RL-17 to work in it. Also, I use Fed 210 GM primers. The WSM doesn’t need a magnum primer and I get better ES with The 210s. | |||
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4831 and 4350 are the standard by which most powders are judged by in that they get high velocity with low pressure..The downside being they cut grains and are rough in a powder measure.. They can be replaced with such powder as H414, RL-15 and RL-22 for the most part and those powders go thru a powder measure like s--t thu a goose.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Thanks to all for your replies. Mr. Atkinson, Thanks for suggesting H414 I had not considered that powder. I have a PACT electronic powder dispenser use it to drop each powder charge and set it for +/- 2 grains less than I want and trickle the remaining using my RCBS 1010 scale. I only use my manual powder measure for HG reloading. I forgot I also have an virtually unused 1lb of IMR4350 that was gifted to me that I will likely try also. Once again, Thanks to all. | |||
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H414 and 760 are the same powder Dont know why, but I find the H414/760 powder usually recoils more than a like minded powder. I dont use it anymore for that reason. Might just be me though, as I have never found a rifle that preferred it over 4831, or Rl22. I have a 270wsm, and Rl22 is what I use. Your Rl26 would be pretty close.. | |||
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I've never tried IMR-4831 in my 300WSM.But 3130fps is about the best I can do with Win. 760 using 165gr bullets.I do good to get 3000fps with a 180gr bullets using any powder I've tried,most being somewhere in the 2900fps.But then sometimes you find a powder and a bullet that gives you a a match made in Heaven.I've learned to live with shooting 165gr bullets in the 3000fps + range in mine.Usually more than what a 30-06 can do,so it cannot be all that bad. | |||
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I use H4350 in my wsm with 168 to 190 grain bullets. I only have two powders on my shelf - H43550 and Varget fill all my needs. Mike Legistine actu quod 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. | |||
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I am currently using H4350 and RL 15 with 165 grain bullets. | |||
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I don’t own a 300WSM, but have worked up loads for a buddy. We found RE17 to be the best performer with 180gr bullets. The only other powder we tried was H4350, it wasn’t quite as accurate or as fast. The worst thing was that the cases are hard to size and the brass is harder than a cats head. Cheers.  | |||
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H-4350...none better ! | |||
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