.300 Winchester Short Magnum

H

hooligan1

New member
I'm helping a friend work up some loads for his Tikka T3 Lite.
So far I loaded some 165 grn Btips, and those shoot decent but not near as fast as could be.
Having said that, I know speed isn't everything, but it's always on the list, he'd sure like to switch bullets and move up in speed.
 
The only real way to increase speed by switching bullets is to drop to 150 grainers. Trying different powders could definitely increase speed.
 
those shoot decent but not near as fast as could be.
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You might find that shooting "decent" can be more important than shooting "fast as could be" and sometimes fast as could be doesn't shoot decent...

Don't get hung up over a handful of fps. Or even a double handful.

Different guns, different results. That's the way it works.
 
If you have other powders available the velocity he wants may be attainable. Load data sometimes won't produce the book velocity. Just a fact of life. This may be a poor time to find alternative components due to the current shortage of reloading supplies. Good luck to ya.
 
What speeds are you getting and with which powder?

I only used 180 and 200 gr bullets when I had my 300 WSM. I got best results with a max load of H4350 shooting 180's to 2950 fps and very good accuracy. Which was exactly what the load manuals predicted.

I had read that RL17 was supposed to get me about another 100 fps, but I found that powder to be unpredictable in my rifle. I don't recall the details, but when working up the load I was well under max and getting around 2850 fps. Going up just slightly on the powder charge suddenly got me to almost 3100 fps and over pressure signs. I was still about 1-2 gr below book max.

I decided 2950 was fast enough and stayed with H4350. The 300 WSM will never quite match 300 WM for speed, but should come within 50-75 fps. And since it is burning 10-12 gr less powder will generate noticeably less recoil than 300 WM.

I don't like to go much lighter in a magnum cartridge. Dropping to a 150 will get your muzzle velocity up close to 3300 fps. Bullets impacting at those speeds often come apart.
 
I understand the velocity trap, as I've fell headlong into it a few times.
I'm working on his mind, trying to get heavies shooting super out of his rifle, but he wants some fast ammo
Just so happens, I have a box of 155 grns Custom Comps, so maybe I can find some heavy bullets and give him a mix.
 
but he wants some fast ammo..
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If you want "fast ammo" then stick to the book/factory published velocities.

An actual chronograph session may reveal an "inconvenient truth". :D

Every rifle can be different, and the exact same load can give different velocities from different rifles, even when they seem to be identical.

I've personally seen 100fps difference between 3 different guns, all with the same barrel length, shooting the same ammo. That much difference isn't common, but its not unheard of.

One fellow was a big fan of his .270 Weatherby. Until he got a chronograph...and found out that his Win Model 70 with a 22" barrel in ,270 Win was actually shooting 30fps faster than his .270 Weatherby with its 26" barrel.

That's an uncommon result, but not an impossible one.

SO, either accept what is printed as "fastest" or do your own testing and find out the real world truth with the guns in your hands.

And, don't get hung up over a handful of FPS. No animal can tell the difference, and neither can most shooters. ;)
 
Fast is often overrated. It does allow the bullet to hit a little harder, but if he needs more power than a standard load gives, an larger chambering might be what he should consider. Higher velocity does allow for flatter trajectory, but how much greater range will an extra 100 f/s get you? I have found that pushing the envelope occasionally can produce vey accurate loads but have generally found that more moderate velocities are more consistent.

Give him what he wants if you can do it safely, but he might not like what he gets.
 
Higher velocity does allow for flatter trajectory, but how much greater range will an extra 100 f/s get you?
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In .30 caliber rifles, using the same bullet, I've found that 100fps changes the drop ROUGHLY one half inch per hundred yards.

How much that affects easily usable range depends on the shooter.
 
44 AMP said:
In .30 caliber rifles, using the same bullet, I've found that 100fps changes the drop ROUGHLY one half inch per hundred yards.
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My experience and ballistic software shows a 100 fps velocity spread with 30 caliber bullets causes a few tenths MOA vertical spread at 100 yards. At 1000 yards, its a few whole MOA vertical spread. That's a ten times difference.
 
You are correct, I mis-remembered, its not all that much, just 100fps.

Looking at a Hornady book I see the listed difference in drop to be about .1" at velocity above 3000fps, .2" between about 2500 and 3000, and .3" between 2200 and 2500fps (2200 being the lowest listing). (.30 cal 150gr spire point)

The amount will differ with different calibers and bullet shapes but the pattern seems seems consistent.
 
If the barrel whip and wiggle is such that the bore axis LOF angle above the LOS compensates for bullet velocities so slower ones leave at higher angles than faster ones, all bullets will shoot a tiny group.
 
I ordered some Hornady Interbonds 180 grain to be exact.
These should make him a decent anything load, I loaded him some of those 155's for fast plinking/target shooting, hopefully that fulfills his need for speed.
The Interbonds load will be made for accuracy, if it's fast then fine, but accuracy first.
 
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