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300wsm powders

Wolfdog91

Silver $$ Contributor
What's eveyone top three 300wsm powders ? Preferably something a little on the temp insensitive side of things.
Thanks
 
I think @ShootDots has a long thread with good details on the WSM.... Maybe he will chime in.

In the meantime, I will try to dig up the thread.

RL-23 is a solid performer as is H4350...... I think Matt set his 1000 yard record with H4350?


CW
Edit to add link

@dkhunt14
 
Back when H4350 was hard to find a few years ago I went with AA 4350 in my Model 70 300 WSM, under 150 gr NAB's and NBTs. I was able to work up a hunting load that shot 1/2 MOA out to 500 yards with that combo.
 
Here is what I have found out over the years. With 200gr bullets, H4350 and RL-16 are TOP performers. With a 32" barrel the node is 2990-3000 f.p.s. With BOTH 215s and 230s H4831sc and RL-23 hit the nail on the head. With 32" barrels, the 215s node is 2900-2925, with the 230s, the node is 2765-2780. Get in those ranges and your .300WSM will turn right on! Now we have some "new" powders, as in RL-15.5 and VV N555. I have not tried them>>>but they should work well. I think that if I were to shoot the .300WSM with 185 Juggernauts, I would start out with the RL-15.5..
 
not to confuse matters, but what is the twist rate on the barrel? I have a Tikka T3 in 300WSM with a 1:11 twist rate, and was informed the 4350 would be too fast burning for the heavier bullets like the 200gr ELD-X. recommendations were the 4831SC or or IMR 4955 (which I purchased but is now discontinued Enduron powder).
 
not to confuse matters, but what is the twist rate on the barrel? I have a Tikka T3 in 300WSM with a 1:11 twist rate, and was informed the 4350 would be too fast burning for the heavier bullets like the 200gr ELD-X. recommendations were the 4831SC or or IMR 4955 (which I purchased but is now discontinued Enduron powder).
An 11 twist is good for bullets up to 200 grs>>>>no more, UNLESS you are at very high altitudes.
 
I built a 300wsm for fclass and tested only the 215 Berger bullets with h4831sc and RL23.

I found H4831sc to show LESS pressure and way better accuracy over RL23. This is opposite of what others have found. I was not happy with either powder with that bullet. I even tried 2 barrels (Brux and Kreiger 10t). RL23 tuned at 2920 and H4831sc tuned at 2910. And I tested both with Norma and ADG brass. I only tested CCI200 primers (could explain my poor results?)

However, during fire forming, I used H4350 and Hornady 208 ELDM and that shot..... Really well, just as good as my dasher. I was running them around 2850fps. This was with virgin turned brass and an untested load and seating depth.
 
One of the nice things about the WSM is theres a lot of combos that work very well. From 185s to 230s, H3450 to N555. Lots of bullet and powder combos can be competitive. Probably the most combos of any cartridge used for competition. H4350 is probably the most popular in BR with H4831 and rl23 being up there too. But any of the powders in that burn rate are good options.
 
Back when H4350 was hard to find a few years ago I went with AA 4350 in my Model 70 300 WSM, under 150 gr NAB's and NBTs. I was able to work up a hunting load that shot 1/2 MOA out to 500 yards with that combo.
Sounds about like what I want . How was the recoil with a 150gr bullet ?
 
Sounds about like what I want . How was the recoil with a 150gr bullet ?
Very mild with the load I had, it was actually a pleasure to shoot. The factory all weather Model 70 stock also has about a 3/4" foam butt pad tho, so that helps.
 
I know most people want to shoot heavier bullets, but here are my pressure test results with 124 gn Hammer Hunter bullets. I will get back to working up an accurate load once this heat passes.

Kimber Montana, .300 WSM, 26" Bartlein barrel, 1:11 twist
124 gn Hammer Hunter
Fed 215 primer (except where noted otherwise)
Nosler or ADG brass, as noted, previously fired and annealed
No crimp

B/L = bolt lift
E/M = ejector mark
crunch = compressed load

Note: In the comments, "slight E/M" means the E/M is visible under a loupe, but not to the naked eye. Thus, my "slight E/M" is most other people's "no mark," and I treat such loads as safe under those conditions, although it is on the ragged edge of over-pressure.

At the 3700+ speeds, the 124 gn Hammer Hunter is a laser on antelope and deer, and puts them down with extreme prejudice.

powder & charge% fillVelocitycomments
IMR 4064Nosler brass
61.089%3460
61.589%3499
62.090%3542
62.591%3540
63.092%3606
63.592%3623
64.093%3678
64.594%3707
65.094%3755hard B/L
IMR 4064ADG brass
62.090%3524
63.092%
64.093%3689
65.094%3747hard B/L, slight clicker.
N540ADG brass
65.086%slight clicker. 65.0 - 67.0 produced a 0.573" group
66.088%slight clicker
67.089%3810hard clicker. No other pressure signs.
N550Nosler brass (shot great groups @ ~3800fps)
68.8094%3750Fed 215m primer
68.9095%3756
69.0095%3773blown primer, E/M . . . ???
69.1095%3775no pressure signs
69.6095%3775Fed 210 primer (i.e. non-magnum)
69.8096%3782barely visible E/M
70.0096%3810hard B/L, blown primer, E/M
N550ADG brass
65.0089%3499
66.0091%
67.0092%3570
68.0093%
69.0095%3710
70.0096%3743very slight E/M
71.0097%3827hard B/L, hard clicker, slight E/M
Staball 6.5ADG brass
74.0095%3654
75.0097%3694
76.0098%3762
77.0099%3782
78.00100%3831slight E/M. Fastest safe load found.
79.00102%3885slight crunch. hard B/L; but no E/M, primer still rounded
H4350Nolser brass
71.0097%3657
71.5097%3690start drop tube
72.0098%3698
72.5099%3752
73.0099%3775
73.50100%3773
74.00101%3825slight E/M
74.50101%3859clicker, hard B/L, slight E/M
H4350ADG brass
69.0093%355769 - 71 produced a very tight group
70.0095%3602
71.0096%3663
72.0097%3662
73.0099%3744no pressure signs
74.00100%3799drop tube, vibrate, crunch. slight clicker, slight E/M
74.20100%3834slight clicker, E/M
N555ADG brass
63.0087%3183
64.0089%
65.0090%3243
66.0091%
67.0093%3363
68.0094%3389
69.0096%3424
70.0097%3466start drop tube
71.0098%3508
72.00100%3560slight clicker, slight E/M, flattened primer
H4831SCADG brass
65.0087%3016
66.0088%
67.0090%
68.0091%3218
69.0092%
70.0094%3309
71.0095%
72.0096%3396
73.0098%3394slight E/M
74.0099%3448no E/M. This powder is too slow
N560ADG brass
70.0091%3312clicker! (huh? why?)
71.0092%3348no pressure signs
72.0094%
73.0095%3443
74.0096%3489
75.0098%3569
76.0099%3626
77.00100%3671slight hard B/L. This powder is probably too slow?
 
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I reload for .300 WSM, and I’ve had great luck with H4350, Hybrid 100V, and several different RL powders. Another good one is H4831SC, but both my .300 WSM and .270 WSM like H4350. A .300 WSM I sold, like IMR4320 with 165 gr. Bullets. I’ve also had decent results with 6.5 StaBALL.
 
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