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300 SAUM Imp

Little more data here for everyone to work with. Am fireforming some new brass and breaking in a barrel for a Bench rest light gun in 300 SAUMI. Had two trips to the range to get the 100rds fired. 550yd distance. These were from the last 50 rounds fired. Not all went into the target, some went into the berm. The first range trip (target not attached) had a velocity spread in the 2640-2670 range. This morning saw the barrel continue to speed up thru these 50 shots. I'm not sure it is done speeding up so I will likely do a course seating depth test before I do a powder ladder. Barrel is a 1-10" 4 grove HV Krieger and I've never had one speed up this much. It is likely due to 2 separate range sessions and the placement of the lab radar.

All shots fired free recoil and the gun is very manageable (nice surprise) just as long as you keep your shoulder near the buttstock.

Conditions were fairly mild during both range days. Orange target is 2". Fireform load was:

6.5 SAUM brass (ADG). No need to turn the necks once expanded except to skim
CCI 200 primer
H4350 57.2 grains
Hornady 178 gr A Max jammed .020"
Brass formed very good. Used this brass because I can't find any 7 SAUM brass. Will have to see if I get doughnuts.

Plan is to develop a load with R23, 208 Hybrids and 210M primers.


300 SAUMI LG.jpg
 
Been over a month since something has been added to this thread so will post some results from today. Shot a ladder at 600yds with a 300SAUM light gun. Learning to use my shot marker so attached is a pic from today's results. Squares are 1"

16 Oct 22 300 SAUM LG Ladder.png
 
Nice work, interested as I’m shooting 204 gn bullets in a 300 SAUM Imp HG, but I have some Berger 208s too.

Is green-black-orange a nice velocity node? I might try tuning in there, using seating depth and neck tension, assuming you want to tune more.

Are you using a muzzle brake? How is recoil in a LG?
 
Nice work, interested as I’m shooting 204 gn bullets in a 300 SAUM Imp HG, but I have some Berger 208s too.

Is green-black-orange a nice velocity node? I might try tuning in there, using seating depth and neck tension, assuming you want to tune more.

Are you using a muzzle brake? How is recoil in a LG?
Mike

I'm going to test around 62.1. 61.9-62.4 in 0.1 grain increments. It has been my experience that this cartridge likes to spit flyers and I'm trying to figure out why. I've done a few ladders with a couple barrels now and I'm thinking there are certain velocity nodes that might be more prone to flyers (just a hunch). Red and Orange look like they will have flyers so I'm going to stay away from that powder weight. Neck tension next then a bit more seating depth.

I'm jamming the 208 .011 and they are barely in the case but they shoot better there than jumping up to .020. I will try more jump in the future.

I am using a muzzle break and it is manageable shooting free recoil.

Good Shooting

Rich
 
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I should have posted this here a while ago, though I have shared this with a few.

It was either the June or July matches at Deep Creek. The day before the matches I ran several tests. H4350 gave me two nodes with 215 Hybrids, one at a little over 2800 and one at 2900. Both of these nodes had 5" of vertical at 1000 yds. I also found a node with 200 Hybrids at 2980 fps. It had 4" of vertical. Both the 215s and 200s were jammed .021".

I picked the 200s and shot four consecutive 10-shot groups in the 5s. I also managed a 4.3 at the finals on Aug.

I have a bunch of Vapor Trail 204s on the way to test next.
 
Some hunting results of the 185. Tom's moose at 865 and my elk at 430. That bullet works. My elk was a double lung, pretty much dead center. Ran 50 yard and dropped. Toms was quartering away, broke a rib on the way it, destroyed the liver and lung lodged in the off shoulder. Didnt move, turned around and dropped.
 

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Thoughts on this cartridge for F-Open running the 185s Juggernauts that have been shooting very small for Alex and some others? Seems like it wouldn’t beat you up as bad as 200-215s in the WSM, and it may Agg better than than a 284/7-6.5 PRC with 180s.
 
I may have missed it but are these the otm tactical or the target 185 juggernauts?
Both of those are the same exact bullet.

From Berger:

What is the difference between the 30 Cal 185 Grain Match Juggernaut Target and OTM Tactical? (30418 vs 30107)

These are simply different naming conventions that we use to clarify that the bullets can be used for each application. The military requires that OTM (Open Tip Match) bullets be clearly defined as OTM in the product name for clarification. There are no differences between these two bullets.

 
Loaded up a handful of 185’s for rifle season.
Farm is loaded with does this year so hopefully I’ll have 1or2 more samples to add to this thread (post#326) by end of the week, when the weather cools back down.
DF632590-0B28-41A9-9BDE-1C3D38CB30A3.jpeg
Also wanted to add that barrels still on the same charge weight, 58.1grns of RL15.5 (post#360). The only thing I’ve changed is seating depth. As I put a few more rounds down the barrel, I noticed it would throw a random flier about every 4th shot, so went further back in seating until I hit -70K off. Had a really nice window at -57- -61k at 720yds so settled on -59k. This has solved the flier issue so far...
Saw very little change in velocity when testing from -18- -70K off and stayed in tune at mid range, after the change.
Congratulations on the elk & moose, Alex & Tom!
 

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