300 Win in RPR

[JoeInTucson]

So I am going to get another RPR this year. I have a lot of great 30 cal VLD and heavy hunting bullets for a 300 Win Mag hunting rifle which never gave great results. I still have dies and brass. The Win Mag has some bullet length limitations normally BUT the RPR action has a 3.850 magazine for their magnums. At least that is what it is for the 338 LM. So the only other limitation is the throat. Which brings me to the reason for this post. Does the Win Mag RPR digest the heavy stuff well or should I follow my first instinct and just get the.300 PRC.

My guess is PRC………

 

[ShaunBrady]

This thread gives the OAL of a 225 ELDm 300WM in a RPR as 3.686" just short of the lands. It gives a BTO of 2.8" if you want to check the OAL for your bullets.

https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...-300-wm-225gr-eld-match-range-report.6920308/

I think it was 3.725" with that bullet in my 300PRC RPR? I usually shoot the ATip. That one touched just over 3.8" when new.

3.850" is the external length of that magazine. The 300WM uses the same length in the RPR. My 300PRC RPR came with magazines marked 300WM. 3.75" is more or less the max OAL for a hollow point in it. Maybe a bit longer with a plastic tip because the lengths are more consistent.

I was also well set up with 300WM when I bought a 300PRC RPR. The primary driver was the availability of boutique brass. I was using Norma with the 300WM. It's great brass but won't take the pressure of some of the others. I don't run big pressures but it's nice to not have to be so conscious of it. The rise of the 300PRC had carry over effects on the 300WM brass market, but the case volumes are low and I'm skeptical the availability will last. A new set of dies just isn't that much compared to the gun and all the time you'll be spending with it.

The 1:9 twist carried over from the PRC instead of the standard 300WM 1:10 makes staying with the 300WM a viable option.

"Another"? How many of them do you have? I'm up to 6.

 

[JoeInTucson]

This thread gives the OAL of a 225 ELDm 300WM in a RPR as 3.686" just short of the lands. It gives a BTO of 2.8" if you want to check the OAL for your bullets.

https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...-300-wm-225gr-eld-match-range-report.6920308/

I think it was 3.725" with that bullet in my 300PRC RPR? I usually shoot the ATip. That one touched just over 3.8" when new.

3.850" is the external length of that magazine. The 300WM uses the same length in the RPR. My 300PRC RPR came with magazines marked 300WM. 3.75" is more or less the max OAL for a hollow point in it. Maybe a bit longer with a plastic tip because the lengths are more consistent.

I was also well set up with 300WM when I bought a 300PRC RPR. The primary driver was the availability of boutique brass. I was using Norma with the 300WM. It's great brass but won't take the pressure of some of the others. I don't run big pressures but it's nice to not have to be so conscious of it. The rise of the 300PRC had carry over effects on the 300WM brass market, but the case volumes are low and I'm skeptical the availability will last. A new set of dies just isn't that much compared to the gun and all the time you'll be spending with it.

The 1:9 twist carried over from the PRC instead of the standard 300WM 1:10 makes staying with the 300WM a viable option.

"Another"? How many of them do you have? I'm up to 6.

I have 338LM, 6.5 Creedmoor in the newest gen, and 6mm GT from the custom shop. I have the rimfire version in 22LR so I am a few behin you but catching up.

 

[Tangent]

What are your impressions on the build quality on the new gens of the RPR? I hear conflicting reports. They do seem one of the best priced options in the larger cartridges.

 

[JoeInTucson]

What are your impressions on the build quality on the new gens of the RPR? I hear conflicting reports. They do seem one of the best priced options in the larger cartridges.

Mine are fine. I have two of the current generation in 6.5 Creed and 6GT. I did change a few things on the 338 LM which is one generation back but I have found no need to change anything on the new ones. With one exception. I swap the brakes for brakes that work with my Hybrid 46 can.
And I did make a decision. The next will be 300 PRC.

 

[ShaunBrady]

What are your impressions on the build quality on the new gens of the RPR? I hear conflicting reports. They do seem one of the best priced options in the larger cartridges.

I bought a 243 Gen 1 the first week they came out. Accuracy wasn't great so it was rebarreled to 6XC. Love the gun, it's on its second 6XC barrel. Replaced the handguard, grip, and added a riser to the recoil pad. Eventually tried a Timney trigger.

A few years later I picked up a NOS Gen 2 223 in a clearance sale. Never shot the factory 20". Went straight to a 26" heavy palma bartlien throated for long 223s. Absolutely the best feeding magazine/action 223 bolt gun I've handled.

Bought the Gen 3 in 338 Lapua the first week they came out for $1550. I immediately rebarreled it in 300 Norma. Prior to that, I'd been looking to find a Surgeon XL action and AI chassis in stock at the same time. The prices on the action and chassis were each more than the whole RPR and there was a lot left to buy to make a gun. It currently has a 33XC barrel on it. Other modifications include an adjustable bag rider and a buttstock weight.

Bought another Gen 3 338 Lapua and was shamed into shooting the factory barrel some. Most 5 shot groups with handloads were around 3/4" or a little above. I shoot prone on natural terrain and am not a group shooter. Easy barrel to clean. Like many factory barrels, velocities are lower with a given powder charge. Probably the easiest cartridge/barrel combo I've had to reach 10 shot velocity ES below 20. Brake works well but you can do better and will probably want to upgrade. This one became a 300 Lapua and is ready for its 3rd barrel. This gun has hits on a 37" target at 3300 yards.

Was bored during CoVid so I tried Gen 3 300 PRC. Same basic comments as the Ruger 338 Lapua barrel. Eventually replaced the brake, but it really wasn't necessary. I like to test factory guns on a 1 mile target to see how far the game has come. On a lark, I tried it on a 2300 yard target and it went better than expected. I decided to take it to a local URSA 2K match to see if it could qualify and compare it's score with dedicated ELR rifles. Both mine and others. 3/10 on a 37" round target are required to qualify and I'd have been happy with that. It did that easily and over the course of several matches managed a couple 5/10 that qualified it for the end of year 3K match. I didn't actually shoot the 3K match with it. The barrel is at about 500 rounds and still has some life in it, but it's queued up for the 7/300PRC barrel it was purchased for before I started having so much fun with the factory barrel.

The last one is a Gen 3 6.5PRC bought a few months before the Gen 4s were introduced. Last week Anarchy had a sale on the Gen 4 buttstocks so one of those is on the way.

Overall, I'm really impressed with the engineering that went into these guns and more than satisfied with their quality. I'm 50/50 on just leaving the factory trigger. All 6 of them have excellent primary extraction which is something my Remington and Savages struggled with.

 

[JoeInTucson]

I bought a 243 Gen 1 the first week they came out. Accuracy wasn't great so it was rebarreled to 6XC. Love the gun, it's on its second 6XC barrel. Replaced the handguard, grip, and added a riser to the recoil pad. Eventually tried a Timney trigger.

A few years later I picked up a NOS Gen 2 223 in a clearance sale. Never shot the factory 20". Went straight to a 26" heavy palma bartlien throated for long 223s. Absolutely the best feeding magazine/action 223 bolt gun I've handled.

Bought the Gen 3 in 338 Lapua the first week they came out for $1550. I immediately rebarreled it in 300 Norma. Prior to that, I'd been looking to find a Surgeon XL action and AI chassis in stock at the same time. The prices on the action and chassis were each more than the whole RPR and there was a lot left to buy to make a gun. It currently has a 33XC barrel on it. Other modifications include an adjustable bag rider and a buttstock weight.

Bought another Gen 3 338 Lapua and was shamed into shooting the factory barrel some. Most 5 shot groups with handloads were around 3/4" or a little above. I shoot prone on natural terrain and am not a group shooter. Easy barrel to clean. Like many factory barrels, velocities are lower with a given powder charge. Probably the easiest cartridge/barrel combo I've had to reach 10 shot velocity ES below 20. Brake works well but you can do better and will probably want to upgrade. This one became a 300 Lapua and is ready for its 3rd barrel. This gun has hits on a 37" target at 3300 yards.

Was bored during CoVid so I tried Gen 3 300 PRC. Same basic comments as the Ruger 338 Lapua barrel. Eventually replaced the brake, but it really wasn't necessary. I like to test factory guns on a 1 mile target to see how far the game has come. On a lark, I tried it on a 2300 yard target and it went better than expected. I decided to take it to a local URSA 2K match to see if it could qualify and compare it's score with dedicated ELR rifles. Both mine and others. 3/10 on a 37" round target are required to qualify and I'd have been happy with that. It did that easily and over the course of several matches managed a couple 5/10 that qualified it for the end of year 3K match. I didn't actually shoot the 3K match with it. The barrel is at about 500 rounds and still has some life in it, but it's queued up for the 7/300PRC barrel it was purchased for before I started having so much fun with the factory barrel.

The last one is a Gen 3 6.5PRC bought a few months before the Gen 4s were introduced. Last week Anarchy had a sale on the Gen 4 buttstocks so one of those is on the way.

Overall, I'm really impressed with the engineering that went into these guns and more than satisfied with their quality. I'm 50/50 on just leaving the factory trigger. All 6 of them have excellent primary extraction which is something my Remington and Savages struggled with.

Speaking of triggers the 6GT is custom shop with a TriggerTech unit. That one is great. The others have factory triggers that I adjust down a little. At some point I might decide on Timney drop ins but is not a hurried thing. Speaking of the 223 version what is the mag length on that one? I have been considering one if I can find a decent one.

 

[ShaunBrady]

I'm a trigger thug and probably not the guy to take trigger advice from. Too much IDPA.

The RPR 223 magazine is AICS short action externally and single stacks 10 rounds. Its internal length is 2.6". Absolutely the best feeding full sized 223 bolt gun I've handled between that magazine and the 3 lug bolt.

I chambered it with a 223 Wylde reamer and throated it to put 75 ELDm out of the neck/shoulder radius. They load to 2.500". 3030 fps from a 26" barrel with H4895 at 8-10 loading pressures. I'm sure a dedicated bolt gun long throat chamber would be more accurate.

It's a companion to shoot while the 6XC cools down.


Basic 'boomer customization. Tube forend, pic rail, larger AR grip at original angle, adjustable recoil pad height.......

 

[rfwind]

For Shaun. Where did you get the adjustable height recoil pad? I have a 223 all original but would like an adjustable height recoil pad.
Also, what fore end are you using and why change?
I'm undecided about upgrades vs. selling.
Agree on the mags allowing a longer COAL and extraction/ejection.
Thank you

 

[ShaunBrady]

The adjustable recoil pad is from Anarchy Outdoors.

Vertical Tactical Adjustable Stock pad fits Magpul PRS2, RPR, LUTH AR1/3

The V-TAB-U combines to fit multiple stocks for the true multi compatibility, it fits Magpul PRS2, Ruger Precision Rifle and both the LUTH AR1 and 3 buttstock's and is the only product on the market that allows you to vertically adjust your buttstock on the go as well as have 12 degrees of...

www.anarchyoutdoors.com

I think the handguard is Nordic Components and no longer sold? I did the conversion for a few reasons, probably none of them apply to most. The 223 is set up to match the 6. The 6 was a Gen 1 gun and I really didn't like the way the handguard mounted. All of this was done within a few weeks of the RPR being introduced so there were not the tools or parts that are available today. I went with that style handguard because:

1 - I like the way it looks.
2 - It's clocked separately from the mounting nut.
3 - The mounting nut was a style I could easily modify for the RPR

The largest driver was I wanted to use standard 1.25" barrel blanks. The choice of profiles is larger and I wanted to drop the barrel nut. Ruger backtracked on the barrels being changeable by anyone with AR tools soon after they were introduced. They won't sell the nuts to non gunsmiths. That's not a whine, I don't blame them. It's very easy to ding those nuts on the first barrel removal though. Better tools are available now, but the risk is still there. There is also the eternal shoulder vs. barrel nut accuracy debate. My thoughts are for the way I'm using these guns, losing the barrel nut isn't necessary. This isn't really something you'd pay someone to do, but if you're a hobbyist with time on your hands you just might. I go into it in more detail in this thread.

Thread 'Ruger RPR barrel shoulder?'

Apr 24, 2023

Does the unique shoulder on an RPR barrel serve any purpose? It is not related to barrel / receiver mating, and doesn’t seem to be needed for fore end mounting, either. Am I missing something?

• Doug Beach
• Replies: 14
• Forum: Advanced Gunsmithing & Engineering

• 

If you wanted to use the handguard but didn't want to use the Ruger barrel nut, turning a groove into the face of the handguard nut to clear the barrel nut sprocket would be easy to do.

When I'm really bored, I make barrel nuts. I was hoping that doing a few would lead to PTG offering them for $39.95 but that doesn't seem to have happened.

 

[Mark W]

@ShaunBrady, I also bought a Gen 1 RPR in .243 Win right after they came out, except mine was a excellent shooter. After shooting out the original barrel, I also converted to 6XC, which I’m like a lot so far. I need to spend more time dialing it in, but it easily matched the 243s accuracy with minimal load work up, so I’m hopeful that it will be even better.