Reloading .300WM Newbie

[DaveMarine1]

Hello guys,
Reloading for a .300WM. Shooting 185 gr to 200 grain bullets, no competition, just a long range hunting rig that is being custom built. What are some of the components and techniques of reloading the .300WM ? Any tid bits are welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

How long is "long range," and what will you be hunting?

Bullet choice (and magazine length, if your rifle has a magazine) will determine critical things like freebore. If you're not planning to neck turn, give the Lee collet neck die a try. I ordered (from Lee, $5) another mandrel sized -0.002" from standard, to give a better grip on the bullets, because the standard mandrel allowed bullets in the magazine to be pushed back into the case under recoil. The standard mandrel only gives about 0.001" of grip on a Barnes 180gr TSX. I use a Wilson bullet seating die, and a Redding body die to bump the shoulder.

Keep your eyes open for RWS or Norma brass. Huntington Die Specialties sometimes has it in stock.

I use a factory Rem 700 Sendero in .300WM for some big game hunting. Load development was uncomplicated, as described here:

http://www.africahunting.com/namibia-hunting-reports/11723-namibia-safari-kowas-beginning-end.html

Having done a lot of target shooting out to 500 yards, I don't plan to do any big game shooting at much past 300 yards, and would much prefer to be within 200 yards.

 

[DaveMarine1]

Thank you for the information tobybradshaw.

I supose it will be more of a "mid-range" rifle as most shots will be 600yds on in with an ocasional longer 700-800 yarder on stuborn coyotes. I am not new to mid/long range hunting, just want something with more energy as I have a .308 and would like to keep using the 30 cal bulelts for ease of component buying.
Initially it will be whitetail deer. I will use the PTG bottom metal with the AI five round magazine. I will not turn necks. Bullets that will initially be used will be the Berger 185 grain, with some exploration into the Sierra 190's and the Hornady 200+ A-Max's.

Planning on Redding sizing and seating dies. I read alot about primers, I suppose CCI LR BR-2's and Lula Large Rifles I will try to use and then explore the magnum line of primers. What do you guys see most of?
Powders I would like to go with R22 but perhaps H1000? Do not know the truth about R22 and it being temp sensative. Looking for any real life examples if I can to point me in the right direction as far as some of the more common components in the 300 WM world. Thanks

 

[oldhoward]

Hi, for deer sized game I have used this loads which has been extremely accurate in 3 different rifles. 165 grain nosler partition, imr 4350 powder - 70 grains, and a standard Remington 9 1/2 large rifle primer. I use RCBS dies nothing special just basic trim, chaffer, clean and load to magazine length or chamber length less 10 thousands.
This is not a hot load, use at your own risk, and work up to it.

 

[DaveMarine1]

thanks for the information!

 

[ShootDots]

If you are primarily going to be using it for deer and coyote hunting>>>stay with 165gr. projectiles. Make sure they will be the "rapidly expanding" type>>>once you get out past 400 yards, a "Premium Style" (i.e. Bonded Core / TXS etc..) do not always expand properly and many times drill smallish holes with "less than desirable" expansion / tissue destruction for a clean kill. Those type of bullets are great on an Elk and such as they will expand better because of the size of the animal compared to a Whitetail Deer.. My fav load in the .300 Win was 77.0grs of RL-22 pushing a 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip.. Super accurate and just above 3300f.p.s. in my rifle!! It was a laser-like death ray on Hill Country WhiteTails!!

 

[Jason Boersma]

I use Lapua brass and load 78gr. of H1000 with 185gr. Lapua Scenars and it works great from 75 yards to 330 yards on deer and drops them in their tracks.