Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 300 savage mild recoil load?

Thanks

Shoulder setback is caused by both the firing pin hitting the case and the primer igniting, driving the case forward. Under normal pressures, the case expands to fill the chamber and the shoulder returns to nominal. Low-pressure rounds won't expand the case enough and the shoulder stays back, creating excessive headspace. This is what happened to my .250-3000 cases; after a dozen or so cast bullet loadings, I went to full-power jacketed loads and there were several partial head separations upon firing. No harm done to the gun, but it could have been worse.

Dan

Some of the low velocity rounds are still producing a high CUP pressure because of the use of faster burning powders. For 300sav, a Lyman 311291 and SR4759 @ 20grns yields a velocity of 1888fps @ 28,800CUP (Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook). Just going up to 22.5gns of SR4759 takes it up to 2047fps @ 40,200CUP. I'm sure the variables are endless but I wonder at what pressure does the problem start to occur.

I honestly don't know, but I'll guess that 20,000+psi should overcome it. Just set aside some cases strictly for use with low vel loads and keep them as such.

You should also try moderate loads of 3031 under a 170 gr. flatpoint .30-30 bullet. I use these in both my .300 (sadly not a Savage) and my .30-40s. Very accurate and really kill deer/pigs at iron sight ranges; sort of a ".30-30+P" load.

The little extra velocity ensures that the 170 gr. opens up very reliably and the 170s have always penetrated well, even at .30-30 carbine velocities.