Ruger Hawkeye LRT .300 W Mag

[Steve Ladino]

Before saying anything I wanted to load up some good bullets ( 190 SMK ) to see if it would shoot.
After getting my dies set to shoulder space at .001 / .0015 and reduce the case to non interference fit the chamber at the belt area I felt good about testing some loads. I very briefly broke it in with just a few shots and cleaning ( never have gotten any copper fouling ). My inventory of bullet weights was small so I used what really shot well in my 06, the SMK 190's. At 75 shots I finally achieved my desire to evaluate this rifle. With no special case prep other than FL re sizing and the gun show Federal military 08 and 09 brass once fired was ready for H 4831, didn't do better than .5 MOA. even with a pretty broad range of powder load amounts and two different 190's. What to try next ???
Faster or slower, deeper or farther, this primer or that one, You all know the routine. Back to research data and comments ( Medium weight bullets in the .300 seem to favor 4350 ) I read somewhere. and the load data in my Sierra manual seemed to say that another powder similar / like 4350 was listed as an acc. load for the 190 at 2900 fps. 4350 being a high pressure producing powder was not my first or ever choice but besides 7828 it was all the suitable powder I had on hand.
I had already tried IMR 4350 in the early days of poor case resizing and break in and it was definitely worth a reconsideration but quite fast and hot / high pressure for the 300. Loaded 67, 68, and 69.3 grains at .010 off with 190 SMK's. The 69.3 shot a three shot group of .260 c / c yesterday at 100 yds. I use the NF 12 x 42 on my rifles mostly with front and rear pedestal and bag support for testing loads.
Recoil of this load is insignificant. The blast from the brake is the thing to get used to and not the recoil. Kinda like follow through with a flintlock. Firing pin strike is central, aint no jewell 2 oz. trigger but smooth and steady with no creep and clean break, rides a sporter front bag okay and stays in the bag while recoiling, no shoulder pain the day after bag shooting. Free float , fit and finish, accuracy, magazine loaded with max length to land fits it. Overall I can say that this rifle is a solid TEN. Like my Predator Grendel is.

 

[boltman13]

Rifle Shooter magazine has an article on this rifle in 300 Win. Mag. by Brad Fitzpatrick that is generally positive. His best reported 3 shot group was 0.6" with Hornady ELD Match 178 gr bullets. He measured trigger break at 2.2# on that rifle. My take is that PRS shooters would prefer milder cartridges and F-class would loose the brake and recoil would be a non starter. For ringing steel informally it would be fine and long range hunting from a stand as well. Good luck with your handloading for your rifle. Keep us posted.

 

[Steve Ladino]

Rifle Shooter magazine has an article on this rifle in 300 Win. Mag. by Brad Fitzpatrick that is generally positive. His best reported 3 shot group was 0.6" with Hornady ELD Match 178 gr bullets. He measured trigger break at 2.2# on that rifle. My take is that PRS shooters would prefer milder cartridges and F-class would loose the brake and recoil would be a non starter. For ringing steel informally it would be fine and long range hunting from a stand as well. Good luck with your handloading for your rifle. Keep us posted.

If interested the primer I used was the Federal GMM 215 M . The 178 is a little lite for this 9 twist bore if best accuracy is sought after, also if interested , a word of note for locals, there is a healthy Long Range ( 1000 yd. organized ) silhouette Bench rest shooter community here in Pa. both Black Powder and smokeless. Formal competitions I know of are in Lewistown at Mifflin Co. Sportsman and at Ridgeway I believe and at the Shippensburg Fish and Game ( Black Powder 500 meter as well as 820 yd. formal bench rest matches ) . Also, although maybe somewhat overbore the .300 is used by some at our beloved Ground Hog Matches, St Thomas.