WVgoodguy22
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2019
- Messages
- 384
I made a thread about a scope for this new rifle and I appreciate the advice I got there. So I am going to ask the other big question about my new rifle that I currently have on layaway, but want to get ahead of the game for when I do receive it in a month in a half. That would be what medicine should I feed this beast? I know there is a .300 WSM "Pet Loads" thread on here, but that is for a much different rifle in brand/model (Tikka T3x vs Savage Model 110 Long Range Hunter), and Barrel length (22 vs 26 inches), Barrel Profile (sporter vs heavy sporter) and weight (6.5 vs 8.4 lbs, this factory doesn't matter much in figuring out loads, but still). I will take those reloading formulas into account as well, but I wanted to see if anyone out there with more experience with Magnum caliber rifles and rifles with longer barrels and maybe even someone who owns a Savage Model 110 Long Range Hunter old or the new one thought about reloads vs factory and what has worked best for them.
I have reloaded before, and my old late 90s Savage Model 110 Hunter in .270 Win has been shooting reloads that my Uncle came up with for me a long time ago and I use that today (130 grain Nos BT and 53 grains of IMR4350) and I came up with a hunting load for my brother's AR-15 that he FINALLY took back (65 gr. Sierra GMKs 25 grain of CFE223), but I haven't done any Magnum calibers myself and the .300 WSM is a short FAT case. We currently only have IMR 4350 (works in my Dad's .243 and .300 Win Mag, mine and my youngest bro's .270 Win) and a little bit of RL-22 (my youngest bro tried it for his 7mm Rem Mag), but nothing else. First off I want to say that I am trying to make this my main option for Big Game Western (Mostly elk, mule deer, black bear, even whitetail deer) hunting and at some of the longer yet reasonable hunting ranges that can be common there vs. the under 100 yard shot that I am use to here in West Virginia. I am open to try 150-200 grain bullets whether mono copper ones like Barnes TTSX, Hornady GMX, or Nosler E-Tips in 150-165 grains or the copper jacketed lead ones like Nosler Accubond, Partition, Berger Classic Hunter (was told the 185 grain would be perfect in my .300 WSM), Hornady ELD-X (haven't seen a factory load for the 178 grain ones, nor reloading data). My rifle barrel is a 1:10 Twist Rate for anyone wanting to know.
Starting out should I just buy a 2-4 different factory loads and see what she likes before I dive down the reloading rabbit hole and possibly get frustrated like my brother was with his 7mm Rem Mag. But if I do get into reloading for it what powder, primer, and bullet combos should I try for it without going crazy and spending too much $$$? I have been told that Hodgdon Varget and H4350 would be a good place to start since it isn't extreme temperature sensitive. But what to you all think? Thanks for any advice in advance.
I have reloaded before, and my old late 90s Savage Model 110 Hunter in .270 Win has been shooting reloads that my Uncle came up with for me a long time ago and I use that today (130 grain Nos BT and 53 grains of IMR4350) and I came up with a hunting load for my brother's AR-15 that he FINALLY took back (65 gr. Sierra GMKs 25 grain of CFE223), but I haven't done any Magnum calibers myself and the .300 WSM is a short FAT case. We currently only have IMR 4350 (works in my Dad's .243 and .300 Win Mag, mine and my youngest bro's .270 Win) and a little bit of RL-22 (my youngest bro tried it for his 7mm Rem Mag), but nothing else. First off I want to say that I am trying to make this my main option for Big Game Western (Mostly elk, mule deer, black bear, even whitetail deer) hunting and at some of the longer yet reasonable hunting ranges that can be common there vs. the under 100 yard shot that I am use to here in West Virginia. I am open to try 150-200 grain bullets whether mono copper ones like Barnes TTSX, Hornady GMX, or Nosler E-Tips in 150-165 grains or the copper jacketed lead ones like Nosler Accubond, Partition, Berger Classic Hunter (was told the 185 grain would be perfect in my .300 WSM), Hornady ELD-X (haven't seen a factory load for the 178 grain ones, nor reloading data). My rifle barrel is a 1:10 Twist Rate for anyone wanting to know.
Starting out should I just buy a 2-4 different factory loads and see what she likes before I dive down the reloading rabbit hole and possibly get frustrated like my brother was with his 7mm Rem Mag. But if I do get into reloading for it what powder, primer, and bullet combos should I try for it without going crazy and spending too much $$$? I have been told that Hodgdon Varget and H4350 would be a good place to start since it isn't extreme temperature sensitive. But what to you all think? Thanks for any advice in advance.