Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 300 win mag 180 etips

Bud that went shooting with me yesterday was also shooting out to 200yds. He was shooting Barnes factory ammo with 180's. His first group was ok then after that it went to complete chit. Not sure if the recoil was getting to him or what. So I told him we could try and work up a load even though he is less than a month out from his sheep hunt. So I loaded him up 12 rds 4 with different powder with 180 etips. I used nosler seating depth for the 180 etip of 3.300 and wow it's seated deep. So the question who out here is using the 180etip in 300 win mag and what are you seating it at? Powder I'm using RL22, 7828, H1000 and RL19. I might pull those bullets and use Accubonds or ballistic tips. Just don't like deep them bullets are seated.

1. Recoil probably was getting to your friend. Why don't you see what kind of groups you get with his gun (that is if you can handle the recoil). If the ammunition he was using isn't at fault, it might be a waste of time to work up a load.

2. Unless the ammunition has to work in several rifles, seating depth should be determined with HIS rifle. Ideally, the bullet will be just off the lands. In some guns the cartridge will have to be shorter because of magazine length.

3. The Barnes factory ammo probably had bullets seated just as deep as you were seating the Etips.

4. I presume hunting will be in AK where you're not required to use lead free bullets. You might get as good or better results with a conventional lead containing bullet.

5. The powders I've gotten good results with in my 300 Winchester Magnum are RL-22 with 190 grain bullets and H4831SC with 200 grain Accubonds.

Oh I’m not shooting a 300 win mag rather smash my nuts with hammer. I fully understand all about no2 but need a baseline to start somewhere. So will use nosler recommended oal. Far as no3 using etips cause he’s using tsx so stick with a mono for him.

If the stock fits and there’s a decent recoil pad the 300 is a pussy cat.

Which this one doesn't have a decent recoil pad.

There’s a way to solve that issue.

I have bursitis and arthritis and I’m old. Without a wide butt or if needed a decent recoil pad, big cartridge rifles hurt my shoulder. In my younger days I’d shoot 8+ hours a day, mostly skeet, but also rifles. I’d sometimes shoot with my shoulder getting bloody but I didn’t notice it.

Now any rifle shooting with a cartridge with a belt on it gets a 1” Pachmyr or equal pad on it. But just as important is “fit”. The comb shape, height, & slope is one thing that I call out in particular. There’s a very popular bolt action rifle that has a stock that for me is about right for iron sights. Put a scope on it and the comb hits my face, which is painful. Talk about recoil head aches... And that was with a rather mild 7mm RM.

I can shoot most factory stocked rifles fine but not that manufacturer’s.

I don’t shoot the big bruisers some do on this forum. But at my age and with health issues, I can shoot a 416 Rigby with hot loaded 400 grain bullets ok.

My point in all this, make sure the stock fits, if needed put on a decent recoil pad and the weight of the rifle should increase with the cartridge. A 300 WM should be heavier than your 243 for instance. Then I’d bet that shooting a 300 WM will be no issue for you.

I would definately agree that the recoil is causing the groups to open up. Any chance you might know someone who is ok with the recoil and have them shoot some groups?

Recoil doesn’t bother me too much but when I’m shooting anything from a bench with recoil above about that of a 25/06, I fold up a beach towel and use that as a recoil pad. It’s a lot easier to avoid developing a flinch vs. getting rid of one.

E tip has a LOT of bearing surface. The barrel is probably full of copper.

I would advise your friend to put a Gentry "Quiet" muzzle break on the rifle.

Keith

I generally seat E-Tips just like a Barnes bullet, they like a bit of a jump.

Per Nosler's FAQ page on their website: "When loading E-Tip® bullets, seating them .050” - .100” away from the lands typically produces the best accuracy."

Yes I'm tracking that as well. Nosler recommends seating them at 3.300 which is extremely deep once you see it, you question it. anyhow I seated them at 3.340 and looks like we have a winner with oal and H1000. I might seat them at 3.335 to tighten up the group more.

How fast are they going?

I just loaded them for my bud he shot them in his rifle sent me pictures of the groups. This next iteration of testing we will chronograph the load.