I tried WIN 760 with 165 gr ssts and I was not getting consistant groups. What powder should I get now? I have a stock Weatherby Vanguard bedded and free floated in a Boyd stock. With factory federal fussion 165 SP I can group .75 to 1 at 100 yards. With my handloads I an getting 2in groups. Should I set the sst's farther out then the factory rounds are? I'm broke and can't afford to load bad rounds. Please help. Thanks in advance for the help.

Spitting the 165's i would suggest you start with H4350 or H4831SC.

E4,

Is the 165 grain SST the bullet you are set on using? Your Weatherby has a 1:10 twist, so you have a lot of options.

If you are sure that's what you want to use, what load development have you done?

-Chris

I heard really good things about them and I got two hundred for $20 so it was hard to pass that up. I tried 180's and they worked well but my goal it to go out to 1000 so I figured the 165 would drop less. I'll take any suggestions.

To answer the 2nd part I tried 3 different loads 67.5, 68 and 68.7. The faster loads grouped better but according to my manual I am getting close to hot. I haven't relaoded into the hot so I am paranoid to try it.

E4,

I've revisited your thread several times, trying to figure out a good response. Here is a couple things I have been mulling on.

-What is the intended use of the rifle? I know you said you want to get to a 1000, and the 300WSM will. But, are you shooting targets or mammals? Be specific.

-Why are you reloading? Are you trying to get better accuracy, or save costs?

-Chris

Oh, and I second what NotAGuru said. I use H4831 in mine. I have also had good success with H4350 and H1000.

I want to do long range paper shooting but I also hunt large game with this rifle. At the farthest I will be taking deer is at 200 yards. I know the 300 WSM is over kill but where I hunt I have to drop them in their tracks. Due to pay changes I am trying to do all this on a budget. So besides the 9 day season the 300 is used to punch holes in paper. I choose the 165's because they were recomended by the local fun shop. I'm open to try different powders but I want to use the bullets up before I buy more. Thanks for the help I love the Hide.

I reload for both cost and accuracy but I am not having any luck with tighting up my groups. The fun shop also said I should be crimping should I?

E4,

I have had good results with H4350, RL19 and RL17. H4350 is the most accurate for me followed by RL19. WW760 did not work well for me at all and H4831 was to slow. I was compressing the load and not making it to 3000fps. RL17 was fastest at 3175fps but the accuracy was not as good until I slowed them down.

My go-to load is:

64.5gr H4350
175 SMK
Fed 210 or GM210 primer
and the bullet .004 off the lands
Chrony says it is traveling 3045 fps

Like you I punch paper, ring steel and kill a deer or two.

Here is a link with some loads and the site has other good articles on load development. Really worth using if you are on a budget as you can develop a good load with less shots. Reading is a good way to learn.

300 WSM

Load Development

No!

I have a Winchester Model 70. I use it for hunting with the following:
RL19
168gr TSX Triple shock

I tried most of the powders listed by others. Mine liked RL19.

Good luck

H4831 and h1000 would be better powders for heavier bullets like 200+ range. A good bullet to use hunting would be the 180 Nosler Ballistic tip or the 180 TSX. The Nosler BT's are good to use after 200 yards but not really any closer.

Thanks Mdesign for the help. I should be getting some powder this week and to the range this weekend. I will try to post some pics and loads.

OK so the 165 are going to be a plinking round. What would you suggest in the 180 gr range for deer at 100yds? Factory 180's shot around 1 inch at 100 so I will try to improve that with a handload.

I'll be working in Horicon almost all winter. Mine likes H4350 with the 150gr TSX. Otherwise I shoot the heavier bullets. 180SST likes H4350 also. RL22 for the 210 Berger VLDs.

I have been shooting 168gr Barnes TTSX out of my 300WSM with H4831SC. This has produced good velocity and excellent accuracy.

Balthasar where do you normaly shoot? I have 10 different loads ready to try with 4350 and 165 ssts. Maybe after rutt I will find the time.

Thanks agian to all the Hide members for the help.

I usually shoot at my father-in-law's place in Wautoma, but the new brake on the 300 WSM put an end to that:) Now I am stuck at the Waushara Co. range.

My brake lets everybody in the county know where I am. I love the brake, less punch but a lot more bark. I was hoping to find someone in the area with a private range to strech the 300's legs. I don't mind ranges but I want to something more "real world"

Anyone us 180 SP's? Looking for a good 100 yard deer killing rd

the 180 SST I listed above would work. I have a coulpe of farms I have permission to shoot on that can get me to 800 but I'm the only one allowed. Sorry.

I use 69 grains of RL22 behind a 190SMK in Winchester brass and Win mag primers. Shoots great out of my GAP/Surgeon. I have no idea what the velocity is, but 5 consecutive rounds at 100 into a nickel. I do wish I would have had a muzzle brake installed when I had it built. After about 40 rounds, I have to pack it up.

The barrel is a Bartlein 1:11.25 24 inches long. I've tried to shoot them slower, but groups weren't all that great. About a quarter size for 5 shots. All are mag safe.

Also tried Sierra 165 grain HPBT with RL19 and worked well. It also needed to be on the faster end of things. I can't quite remember what the powder charge was, but in the high 60s. If you want to know, I can take a look at my log book.

Almost any weight of 30 cal bullet will do for plinking or deer hunting but your barrel life and performance may be better if you go with a more middle weight bullet and a reasonable powder charge.

Shooting long range sounds cool and it fun but most deer shooting occurs at much closer distances and heavier bullets are not required. While they hold up better in the wind and at long range, they also make recoil worse. I shoot the 175 SMK at everything even though the 210 Amax is just as accurate and does better in the wind.

I would find the load that is most accurate in your gun and get to know the load and rifle well. You know what they say, beware of the man with one gun. The WSM can do many things well.

A brake lets me shot a lot more. Now I will the barrel out in a year not five. On the SP I heard that certain bullets will not expand at close ranges, I don't know if it is true or not. The federal fusion 165 sp make nice holes at 15ft to 100 yards that I usaully shot deer at. I plan on going out to the inlaws in Idaho soon for elk and I want to be prepared to shot some distance.

I have loads of Win 760 and A4350 loaded and ready to shoot. After rutt I should have sometime to target shoot.