Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Load for .300 Savage

Is anyone using RE-15 with 150 grain bullets for the .300? I can find loads for the 165, but not the 150. I've been using some milsurp 4895 which gives good accuracy but is quick to show hi pressure signs if I get to 40 grains. Thought I'd try the RE-15 for the .300 and the .250. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

Lightfoot:

I have not tried this yet, but I emaied Alliant on this a while back. My records show they recommended a start load of 37.5 grains of Rl-15. Good for 2300 fps with a 150 grain bullet. The max load of 43.1 grains of Rl-15 is said to yield 2700 fps with a 150 grain bullet. You may wish to contact them at www.alliantpowder.com They said this was taken from a Hornady manual. As always start at the minimum and work up with care.

Good luck!
300jimmy

Thanks! I don't know why they don't update their website. They list the .300 Savage but there is no load data for it. The Speer 13 manual skips over the 150 grain for RL-15. I'm guessing RL-19 would work too. Do you have anything on that?

Sorry. I don't have any data on Rl-19 in the 300 Savage. Am thinking this may be too slow a powder. Not sure. But again, emailing Alliant may help. As I remember their response was fairly quick.

300jimmy

I just bought a pound of Reloader 15 this week for my .300 Savage. I was under the impression that the concensus was that Reloader 15 was the best available for 165's, but showed no advantage over IMR4064 for the 150's. I've managed to duplicate Remington's factory 150 grain velocity with loads in the 41.0-41.5 grain charge weight using various 150 grain bullets and IMR4064. Decided to begin my 165 grain experiments with the Reloader 15 due to recent reports. I might even try some 180's if I can find some recent data for them, even though I feel the cartridge is peaked out at 165 grains bullet weight.AW

I have had great results with 41.0 grains of Reloder 15 behind a Sierra 150 grain Spire Point. CCI Primers and either Winchester or Remington Brass. Deadly on deer and very accurate, 1.0 inch groups at 100 meters; with my 1955 99 "F" in 300 Savage, with a Weaver 2.5X scope. Also I have had excellent results with Accurate 2520, 40.7 grains behind a 150 grain Hornady Spire Point Boat Tail. 1.38 inch groups at 100 meters and almost complete penetration on white tail deer from stem to stern.

What kind of velocity are you getting with 41.0 grains? That seems like a moderate load for the 150 grain.

For whatever reason, Speer 13 lists RL-12 for the 150 grain. Good results at 2662 fps. Wish they had used the 15...

I have been using the RX 12 exclusively in my 300 Sav loads with 150 grn. bullets. I am using 44.4 grains of 12, and I know you should be able to use the same amount(44grn) of Rx 15 because it is a slower powder. Just my 2 cents.Mark

I noticed case brand hasn't been addressed to much. I recently loaded 150 gr. Rem. PSP for my 99F., 40 gr. WIN. 748(2 gr. below max.), Win. WLR primers. Rem., Win. Super X, and Herters cases showed no pressure signs whatsoever.
However, once fired Federal cases that I had used in my EG
exclusively had the primers back out considerably. I proceded
to fill the cases with water and then weigh. The Federal cases
held +/- 2 gr. less than the Rem. cases. I guess it would be
prudent to be cautious with the somewhat thicker Federals. (My 99F is in excellent condition and tight, so I would say that
there isn't a headspace problem.)

Thanks for that observation. I'm using Winchester and Remington brass and will have to check those factors as well.

Lightfoot�

I�d suggest you buy a NEW can of IMR4895 and work up to the load I use for hunting. It doesn�t show any pressure signs at maximum load (41.5 grains). It is possible your old military surplus 4895 is in the process of deteriorating� and has thus changed its burning rate.

My hunting load is 41.5 grains of IMR4895 (purchased in 2003) behind a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet using once-fired Winchester brass and Winchester standard large rifle primers. This load chronographs at an average muzzle velocity of 2680 fps (at 80� F) and consistently averages � inch, 3-shot groups @ 100 yards off the bench-rest out of my 1953 EG Model 99.

In developing this load, I tested a variety of combinations using four different powders (IMR3031, IMR4064, IMR4895 and Hodgdon�s Varget) in conjunction with four different primers (Winchester, Remington, CCI and Federal) and two different 150 grain bullets (Hornady and Nosler).

While all loads shot very well, the above mentioned hunting load gave the best accuracy and was within a few feet/per/second of having the highest velocity as well. However, 41.5 grains of IMR4895 is a MAXIMUM listed load, so follow safe reloading practices and reduce it 10%, then slowly �work up� to 41.5 grains while watching carefully for pressure signs. If you are unsure of what �pressure signs� are, consult a good reloading manual or a knowledgeable friend who reloads.

I used once-fired cases which were full-length resized, then the case was trimmed to the minimum length of 1.865 inches and the case mouth was chamfered inside and outside. I also �uniformed� the primer pockets and trimmed off the �spruce� or extra brass pushed up in the powder chamber on the inside of the cartridge case when the flash-hole was punched at the factory when the case was manufactured.

These three actions insure that:
(1) The case mouth will release the bullet at exactly the same time on all sides.
(2) The primer will be seated at a consistent depth which should result in the primer being fired consistently every time.
(3) The removal of the extra metal pushed up when the flash hole was formed eliminates that extra metal standing up unevenly inside the case�s powder chamber which �shields� some areas of the powder from the sparks of the primer thus creating a situation which can cause uneven ignition & uneven burning of the powder granules. Naturally, uneven ignition and burning causes differentials (highs & lows) in muzzle velocity which, in turn, effects where the bullet will strike (high or low) on the target.

I�ve read in various gun magazines that these �modifications� don�t help accuracy, but I remain unconvinced and continue to do these �accuracy tricks� to every cartridge case of every caliber of rifle for which I reload.

There are other �accuracy tricks� some of the guys do to their cases, but I�ve never found those �trick� to help the accuracy of my rifles. However, I have found the above-mentioned cartridge case modifications did improve the accuracy of my reloads.


Strength & Honor�

Ron T.

Sorry to dig up old bones but I have been digging for an overall length measurement for the 300 savage and the 130 TTSX. 2.600 did not shoot well. Obviously I will be loading shorter. Just hoping to get some input before burning up my limited resources.

My guess is around 2.585. I know that each rifle is different and that individual loading practices differ. Hopefully there is some general consensus of a .010 or .020 range that these 99's seem to like.

Bear in mind TSX's favor a looong jump into the rifling. Seat them deeply. I received that caution when first trying them and didn't believe it. Boy was I wrong.

I guess that diving into these copper bullets means diving that bullet way back in the case. Looking like I have to just burn the powder and test every .005. Hopefully someone will chime in with their magic numbers LOL. My first time with copper and first time with a 99. Total virgin newbie in this realm. I can load. I was just trying to burn less money in the process. I am trying to figure out this load for a rifle that is intended to be handed over to a 5th generation of hunter. The 165 grand slam doesn't cut it in commiefornia anymore.

You could save money by cutting to the chase and try around .10 jump first.

That's kinda how I'm leaning right now. Testing in .010 increments to see if I get any answers. I picked my hardest cartridge/rifle to load copper for my first time. Next up is the model 94 30-30 and the the bolt gun fun will start. 270 win, 300 wby, 270 wby and 308 to name a few. Good old commiefornia

slip over in to Nevada and get some good bullets.

I can't wait for the opportunity to get the heck out of this state but until then I have to keep moving forward with these copper bullets. Merry Christmas everyone

Ken Waters (pet loads) did not have any results listed for the that load

What if any data for an overall length measurement for the 125-130 gr. does the book show? I'm thinking that 2.585 - 2.565 is going to be the window from what I can gather. Thank you for your response