Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles No performance from superformance in 300wsm

Yeah that extra 100 fps will just knock that Elk on his azz !

Of course there are probably 5 other powders that will duplicate that velocity, in that rifle, with those cases and primers at that altitude with that temp and humidity.

The whole thing is a tempest in a teapot aka marketing hype.

300 H&H 168 TSX 71.5 gr RL 19 3118 fps

300 WinMag 168 TSX 74 gr RL 19 3163 fps

Actually a 26" bbled 721 gets 3220 with a compressed load of RL 25 and the 168 TSX.

So a superior, heavier, more accurate bullet does just as well.

Maybe it is luck or your gun just has a faster barrel than mine does, I am assuming that you saw no signs of excessive pressure, stiff bolt lift, flat primers etc. what length barrel does your gun have and what was the outside temperature, just curious.

Temp was about 45.
24"
No signs whatsoever of pressure. I think I could add some.

I bought another lb of SF from a different lot that I want to try out to see how consistant it is.

There must be a good reason why you are not getting the same speeds.

Bob, I dunno. ..Is that a custom tube? A button barrel, or cut?

Some barrels DO just perc.......I have seen the same things with things like RL22, MRP,N205,etc with other cartridges....I know you are getting the vels,but then we run into what Freddy had happen, and it makes you wonder.....

What causes these differences? It could be a mix of components,but I think mostly it is barrels. That's what I mean when I say you gotta be "lucky"...

I had a pair of 7 Rem Mags that showed a difference of over 200 fps with the exact same load....one a Douglas, the other a Krieger.....

Day and day out,would I bet on your results from several rifles, across the board? I would have to see that kind of cross section before I bought in that those are "typical" velocities for a 300 WSM.

And another thing to keep in mind is this...when comparing velocities from cases that are roughly comparable...like say a 300WSM and a 300 Winchester or Weatherby, it is no uncommon to see the lighter for caliber bullets from the smaller cases come pretty close to the larger case in velocity, other things being roughly equal. The real test, comes when we move to the heavier bullets...and here is where the smaller cases get left in the dust a bit.I have seen this in many instances...I think we are both seeing it with the larger cased 7mm's.

I can recall a pair of 30/06's,a pre 64 M70, and a Dakota 76,that would both deliver about 3080 fps with H205 and 165 gr bullets with manual loads......case life was pretty good, and these two rifles would deliver these velocities day and and day out.But would I consider this "typical" for a 30/06?? No....because the same load in a Savage 110 blew primers with the first shot from new brass.....we simply could not count on it and it was not "typical".

This is part of what I mean when I say the best way to make sure that you are going to get the velocity, day in and day out,over a broad range of rifles,is to go to the case having the greater capacity;which is the very reason i mentioned it in the first place,even if some don't understand ithe "relevance".

Variables of barrel type,smoothness,dimensions,throat length and other factors which affect delivered velocity are more or less negated.So, in my view, yes, case capacity is a better way of getting there across the board.

............If I may interject.

The results you are getting with your rifle, won`t be the same as in other 300 WSMs including those barrels which Hodgdon tested.

In your particular rifle, Superformance apparently doesn`t offer hardly any velocity advantages, whereas in other rifles it will.

Variations with velocities given the same cartridges, powder, bullets, charges, OALs and barrel lengths, is just a ballistic normality and fact of life.

Take what you can get and live with what results you do get.

If you`ve tried RL17 and have gotten great results stick with it. In your rifle Superformance may not offer additional velocity advantages.

It seems to me that only one poster tried SF with the 165 NPT which is the bullet that Hodgdon recommends and got the advertised velocity. They very specifically state that the powder should be used with the recommended components and that the gains may not be there with other components. As far as RL17, Alliant has never made any miracle claims just slightly higher velocities with there SPBT bullets. The great claims for RL 17 came from BR and the 6XC cartridge for which RL 17 was a perfect match.

...Yep! And along with what you state, RL17 was also developed with the 300 WSM in mind.

Better than expected results with RL17 from my 300 WSM.

It does look like superformance may not be for my rifle as far as increased velocity goes, I am going to try a different bullet and see what happens. As I stated when I started this discussion I have had good luck with IMR 4831, at least I have a load to fall back on.

Agreed on all counts.

RL17 is the only "miracle" powder I've seen work in the 300 WSM... adds around 50-60 fps over the best "conventional" powders (H4350) with all bullet weights. Nothing monumental by any means.

The 300 WSM w/ RL17 is a 3,025 fps round with a 180 and a 3,150 fps round with a 165. At least if you want easy bolt lift...

He's still looking for the "free lunch".