Gents,

I finally had a chance to build up first loads for my Ruger No.1 in .300H&H. This is my first No.1, so no previous experience.

The 180gr Nosler Partitions were seated to give a COAL of 3.6" per spec. Micrometer is measuring accurately, I checked. The rounds would not feed far enough to allow the block to close.

So I started seating the bullets deeper ever so slowly and seeing how they fed. At a COAL of approximately 3.535", the lever came all the way up and the block closed. Removing the cartridge, I remeasured and the COAL was 3.530". I presumed at this point on closing the bullet was up against the LANS and it got pushed in a little deeper.

So, I put another 3.6" round into seater die and shortened this round to a measured 3.534". Again I put this in the rifle and closed the lever. This round remeasured at 3.53". It would appear that the maximum COAL of this rifle is 3.53" with these 180gr NP's.

So to be safe, I'm thinking now these bullets should be seated to 3.5" COAL, giving 0.020" off the LANS and an extra 0.010" for "slop."

So for those with more experience with No.1's and especially with those that have them in the .300H&H, are short throats common?

Does it appear that I've done the right thing here? I've not shot any of these rounds yet.

There is nothing wrong in what you did. Another bullet of different form my facilitate a 3.6 COAL and another maybe less than you are getting with the Nosler. roger

Thanks Roger, I was just a bit surprised having to back off 0.1". Perhaps showing lack of experience.

nothing wrong.
you get a different rifle and you have a different oal or if you change bullets in yours it'll change again.
the measurement to the ogive won't change, just the amount sticking out past that point on the bullet will.
that is what changes the oal.

I have 3 #1's, they are all different. Here's what I do:
Close the action, insert a rod into the bore all the way to the breechblock. Mark the rod at the end of the barrel.
Take out the rod, tap the bullet you want to use use into the barrel through the chamber, close the action. Carefully slide the rod into the bore again. Make another mark at the end of the barrel. Remove the rod, measure the distance between the marks on the rod. That is the starting point for your COAL. Do not forget to tap the bullet out of the barrel.

Most 300 H&H rifles have relitively short throats because the have a tremendous powder capacity and such a long neck that a long throated gun is of little if any benifit from a practical point of view..My old 300 H&H pre war mod 70 has a short throat and I get 3000 FPS witha 200 gr. Woodliegh or Nosler with my old surplus 4831, the stuff that Jack O'c liked. I get more velocity and less pressure with that powder..However a number of reloading books and data duplicate my loads..Bottom line is it won't hurt to seat them a little deeper in that no. 1 and it sure is a strong action....

Calibers like the 7x57 are a whole nuther story wherein I have them built with a 30-06 box and seat 160 Nosler only 284 deep..I use H414 and duplicate the 7x57 IMP or a std. 280..but the 300 doesn't benifit as you simply cannot lenthen the box to fit a long chamber..I suppose you could in a NO.1 but it would be best in that instance to just open the chamber up to a 300 WBY if you want 100 or so more FPS.

Thanks again gents.

Ray, not trying to make a Weatherby out of it, or necessarily push it to it's limits. I just wanted to make sure my head was screwed on straight with this. The intention is to take this one day for Leopard, classic cartridge for a classic animal.

BTW, 3000fps from a 200gr bullet out of this caliber.....that's smoking hot!

With the bullets seated to give a 3.5" COAL, I went to the range and all went well. Loaded up 180gr NP's with H4831 ranging from 69 to 73 grains. Groups at the bottom end were large, but at 70.5gr they tightened up nicely. Best group was a just a bit under an inch at 72gr. 72.5 was just about as good, the 73gr load started to open a bit.

Not too bad for just getting started with load development.

7mm nut,
The old 300 H&H is smoking hot, once you figure it out...MOst loading books give you loads with modern powders that will give a 200 gr. bullet 2900 to 3000 FPS. I have an old Win with a 26 inch barrel and that helps.

I like the old army surplus 4831 that O'Conner hawked. I bought a 150 lbs. US Army, sealed SS canister, in a heavy wood crate of it some many years ago and still have 40 or so pounds of it..

In the .270 and the 300 H&H I can get about 100 or so FPS more than any modern powder gets, and with much less pressure. Needless to say I hoard this powder.

Of note is your Ruger no. 1 is a much stronger action than my old mod. 70 for sure. As to the 300 H&H, I love the caliber including all its supposed and claimed faults most of which are hooey..They do however require more trimming with max loads, but careful resizing to chamber cuts that down to normal as a rule, depending on your chamber.

It is sure and impressive killer of about anything that walks, or crawls with a 200 gr. Woodleigh or 200 gr. Nosler.

Atkinson - If the old H4831 load is used with the new version of the powder it will be over pressure. I miss that old version a lot. At least that's been my experience with the new powder. It's pushed me to using other powders such as RL22 and H1000.

With a #1 you are not concerned about rounds for magazine length; why not throat it out to your liking?

Jim

3000 fps out of a 200gr bullet? I've been loading the 300 H&H for close to thirty years and currently own two pre-64 70s and the best I can do with the 180s is right at 3K and 2800 with the 200s....

jorge,

You forgot to add the 10% to 20% Atkinson rule of reloading. Take max loads and add 10% to 20% or more velocity depending on the day.

Man I would be happier than a democrap with YOUR money if I could get that kind of speed out of my 300 H&H, in fact 2950~ is about all I can get out of my 300 Weatherby and 200gr bullets.

A couple of books give 2900 plus and acouple show 3000 FPS with 200 gr. bullets out of 24 inch barrels.

I've been shooting my old 26 inch barrel mod 70 with that load for since 1950, cause Jack O said so, and I have had no problem at all and brass has held up well indeed. I trust that experience over internet posts me thinks. Same with Jacks loads for the .270 with that old powder and yes I have owned several chronographs for years.

A review of my loading books show the following 200 gr. loads:

68 grs, if /ww 760 3000 FPS 26 inch barrel

RL 22 2940 in a 24 inch barrel

72 H4831 2930 in a 24 inch barrel. Note:
my load of 73 grs. of my old surplus mil.4831 in a 26 inch barrel shows a 10 shot average or 3019 FPS taking out the high and low rounds.

Acc Reloading Manual
73 #3100 shows 2912 at 52,900 in a 24 inch barel

Nosler book
H870 2938 in a 24 inch barrel

HOrn. has no 200 gr. bullets but their 190 gr BTSP shows 5 loads that best 3000 FPS

Hodgen Paper back
H4831 gives 2932 in a 24 inch barrel
4350 is good for 2909 in a 24 inch barrel

So folks that seem to think my loads are out of line in my 26 inch barrel mod. 70 pre 64 might take the time to study their reloading manuals and do their home work at the range with a chronograph, as you may as well be shooting a 30-06 IMO...As to the remarks made about my percentage of overloads, that apparantly is of little sugnificance from someone who probably has not loaded for the 300 H&H.

Other considerations may be that knowledgable handloaders know that threir are fast barrels and slow barrels and experts tell me they can vari as much as 100 FS, and I have had barrels that varied up to 55 FPS, at the most.

Brian Pierce published his 300H&H load in Handloader a while back and it is:

200gr. Nosler Partition
66grs if IMR-4350
Velocity = 2900fps

You might try it. I would reduce the load and work up (standard reloading practice).

quote:

Originally posted by MHC_TX:
Brian Pierce published his 300H&H load in Handloader a while back and it is:

200gr. Nosler Partition
66grs if IMR-4350
Velocity = 2900fps

You might try it. I would reduce the load and work up (standard reloading practice).

I've been wanting to give IMR4350 a go, it's one of my more favorite powders. However what I've seen is when the temp starts getting to 90-95 degrees, my groups start to open up. So I'm waiting for the Arizona summer to be over.....should only be 2 more months!

I've been working lately with 165gr and 180gr TTSX's lately with H8431. At book max loads, I'm getting 2900fps and 2800fps respectively. Quite a bit slower than what's listed in the book, though that's not unheard of in my loading experience.

Though perhaps a bit slower, the loads were extremely accurate. The Barnes manual says to seat these to a 3.515" OAL. I'm going to start working the bullets to seat a bit less deep giving me a bit more powder space and then increase the load and see how that works out.

I would highly recommend RL-22. I've had great accuracy results with it, and at over 2900 with 180 grainers. It also seems it is less temp sensitive. ??