04 September 2012, 03:18
45-70 shooter300 H&H 721 updated with load results
The 1952 721AC with its old BalVar 8 was a solid 1" shooter with my pet load of 78 gr of RL25 and a 168 TSX. At 3150 fps it killed every time with one shot (I don't shoot past 400)
As I have done many times before with other 721 & 722s I swapped out the stock for a 700 classic (my cheek thanks me). Along the way I fell into a 4.5-14 Conquest, a great scope except for the silly Z 800 reticle. Put it in SK mounts and bases (the best) and went to the range.
Three powders and 3 bullets were tried. As the old timer once told me (before I became one):"when you find a good load that shoots and kills stick with it!"
As the targets show, he was correct.
Shots were one minute apart with a 5-10 cool down between groups. 7000', 60 odd degrees, no wind or mirage. The pet load was 5 rather than 3 and the barrel was quite hot at the end.
Note: photos are not in the order fired.
04 September 2012, 19:52
jens poulsenThanks for for sharing.
My own standard load for the .300H&H is 72 grain Norma MRP to 200 grain NoslerAB or 69grain MRP to Hornady 220grainRN.
Rifle is a M98 custom build.
04 September 2012, 20:56
vapodogI have a Remington 721 in .300 H&H as well....and like you I restocked it as the original stock didn't work well with a scope.
I only tried three loads and the load with the 200 Grain A-frames quickly caught my liking...
RL-22 (68.0 grains IIRC) was the charge that seemed to work.
Groups run well inside 1.25" and that makes it a 300 yard gun in my eyes.
05 September 2012, 06:41
45-70 shooterSounds like you have another good one. I read somebody once (Finn ?) who said any rifle that would shoot 3" groups @100 would kill any big game shot within an ethical range.
Love my 721 but my go to for Wyoming hunting is now my Benelli R 1 in 300 Winmag. 3200 with 150 TSXs will hold 3 in 1" or less and that bullet will kill anything here. Now why use a semi auto when every animal shot since moving here 12 years ago was a one shot kill ? Obviously not logical.
My excuse is this year's Antelope will be shot with my Browning Highwall Wyoming Centennial model in 25-06 with the new 80 gr TTSX that can be coached to 4000 fps (28" bbl and Superperformance) while dropping 3 into 1.5" @200. Weird rifle as it has 1 in 13 twist and until the 80 TTSX was just a varmint rifle.
05 September 2012, 16:02
BNagelMy 721 and 180+ grainers does best with H4831SC. IMR 4350 good with 150-grainers. Haven't tried RL25 with anything...