Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles R17 and the 300 WSM

Been doing some work with a 300 WSM this winter.

M70 stls with 23" factory tube (one of the older ones)
Talley
3-10 Leo with M1
Hunters Edge

(weighs 7lb 11 oz just like this)

Shoots well, and recoil is very easy and user friendly.

It luvs 155 Scenars, 180 Horn flat bases and believe it or not 125 TNT's but I use R15 with this one...

I shot it the other day @ 40* (and a truck load of wind, never had to duck tape a clock to the bench to do clork work b4 this day..ouch) Only had a couple bullets to work with so it's not a real complete check but gives a good idea:

67/150 Horn Bt= 3093 and 3137

69/155 Scenar= 3308 and 3267

70/155 Scenar= 3367 (only had 1 round)

Bolt lift seemed a bit stout with the 70 load but hands were like frozen hockey pucks so not sure. But the primer was beginning to crater a bit. I had one 150 Horn load but it didn't read so I don't know what it ran but it had the same crater effect.

Think I'll try 68 and just go with it, with a LRF and a M1 on top I see no reason to horse it as it's easy enough to turn in a bit mo.

Have a super day!

Dober

Mark
Did you do any R17 with the 180s yet????
Thanks
Tim

Dober,

You ever try RL17 and anything 165 ?

Those 155 Scenars have been calling to me too !!!

I might have to try them out of my GAP 300WSM.

TIA,

Tony

I have shot the 180's not sure if I clocked them, the Horn flat bases shot very well.

The 168 NBT, seems to wanna shoot and if I could get it to shoot like the Scenar I'd be very happy. The 165 Horn Bt did ok but wasn't a rock star.

Give em a try out of you Gap Tony, thinking they'll perk very well. Glad as heck that Scenar (Pat) turned me onto them.

Dober

Interesting report Dober!

I still haven't shot any yet but figured 67-68 grains would be top end charges given 64-65 grains is top for 180's.

You found pressure at 70? Of course lot to lot variation/barrels is a factor.
Either way good info!

RL 17 with 155 Scenars in a factory 24" Rem 300 WSM
65 2912
65.5 2991
66 3088
66.5 3089
67 3152
67.5 3162
68 3184
68.5 3233
69 3286

180 Etip
64 2940
64.5 2994
65 3016
65.5 3047
66 3061

180 BTip
64 2922
64.5 2964
65 2985
65.5 3017
66 3060
66.5 3089

200 Accubond
62 2807
62.5 2821
63 2838
63.5 2884

Sammers--I shot 65 with the 180 horn the other day, didn't clock it but the group was good. Will clock and shoot again soon.

Dober

Learning, very interesting info also.
I got similiar velocity using a grain or two less powder.
66 grains of '17 and a 180 ET would blow my chit up.....(grin)


Dober, I think 64 grains get me about 3000-3030fps with 180's.
Figured 3200 with 150's would be just fine!

Sammer, my last 300 WSM would only take 64.5 RL17 with 180's, the latest 300 WSM will take 65.0 so far, and looks like 65.5 will be no problem either.

I'll be running 17 this weekend under 180 Partitions and Accubonds in my 300 WSM. In my SAUM, I broke 3k with less than max load and 180 Partitions. I still think that a bit warm in a SAUM. Accuracy was acceptable but didn't beat H4350 although 4350 was a good bit slower.

Even if it was poking along, I know a bull that hated the SAUM and Accubonds this past year <G>

65 and 180 BT =3050 and bolt eltighto

LC

Where I'm comfortable running the 300 WSM with a 180 and RL17 is around 3,035 (24" bbl). My 23" bbl will make me comfortable at 3,000.

In my opinion, R17 really shines with 165 bullets. In my Kimber 8400 (24" barrel), I have generally been able to work up to 3180fps in Hornady GMX 165s, Hornady btsp's, and Nosler BT's with out pressure signs. Generally 66gr. is my comfortable max in various 165's and 68 gr. is about max in 150's for my rifle. I easily get another 100 fps with R17 over IMR 4350 before any pressure signs begin to show.

64gr R17 Hornady 165 GMX 3072
66gr. R17 Hornady 165 GMX 3180 No bolt stiffness

64gr R17 Hornady 165 btsp 3072
66gr R17 Hornady 165 btsp 3182 No bolt stiffness

150's
Nos bt
63gr R17 3065
68gr R17 3325 (Safe Max for my rifle)

168 TTSX over 66.5 gr of R17 gives me cloverleaf accuracy at 3100 fps. I worked up above 67.5 (book max is 68.5 as I recall) but the accuracy was best at 66.5. No pressure whatsoever at that and an acceptable SD of 11. That load also matches well with the Zeiss Rapid Z 600 reticle on 9x. I've confirmed that out to 600.

You could do the same with a 165 NAB, 168 NBT, or 168 AMAX if you want a more lightly constructed bullet.

Fellas,

Thanks for the great information on the RL17 and 16x's

Awesome, got me fired up to try some....

Tony

Not to be an RL17 kill-joy here as I use it myself. Let`s all try that new Hodgdon Superperformance powder in our 300 WSMs too.

300 WSM Hodgdon prelim #s are slightly better than are Alliant`s RL17 300 WSM #s. Hopefully it`ll have the same or better accuracy as RL17.

When will the Superformance be available???

............Sometime early this year.

I for one am not going to use a temp sensitive ball powder in the further pursuit of another 50 fps...

If the R17 doesn't do it for you, give H4350 a try.

I used both in my A7 and the H4350 came out a clear winner in the accuracy department, was neck and neck in speed, and fared better in the SD department.

The "extreme" temp. stability is just the cherry on top.

Just a thought.