300Win Mag woes - help and ideas welcome

[Jdun91764]

I recently bought a used 110 le with Factory bottom metal, Shilen barrel with 154 rounds through it, full box of 208 eld, 100 pcs. hornady brass, AI 5 round Mag and last ad data for $500. How could I pass it up, right?

Well I have. 6.5 Creedmoor and a 204 Ruger LRP - Creedmoor shoots lights out with Shilen barrel, 204 shoots lights out with stock barrel - it's a single shot left hand port.


I am an avid reloaded who shoots 6.5x47, 223 Wilde, 6x45,6x47 lapua, 308 match, among others and all 1 hole at 100 meters.

The point is is that I know how to get a rifle to shoot - and this 300 has me pulling my hair out.

i tried Sierra 180, 190, 200 match kings, 208 and 220 eld, with Ramshot Magnum, Reloder 17 and 22, H4831 and 4831sc, Retumbo, etc. all shot .020 from a hard jam. Anyone have any ideas as I am ready to throw this one in the back of the safe and move on.

any and all help is appreciated.

JD

[Phranque]

Well, my first thought is... if you know how to load, and you're comfortable with your shooting ability, have you torn apart the hardware? You purchased a rifle with an aftermarket barrel installed?... Did they install it correctly? Have you physically checked your headspace yourself to confirm that it's correct? Is the barrel floated, or is it touching or rubbing anywhere? Are the action screws properly torqued? (It is possible they can be torqued too tight.) If I were having your issues, I'd be tearing it down and doing reassembly myself.

[RustyShackle]

I'll second Phranque.

Also, have you swapped on a known good scope just to rule that out?

[Robinhood]

If bore scope looks good I would ask about how tight the barrel nut is. Then I would ask about the stock. Is it pillar bedded? Are the screws torqued? Out of all of the cartridges you shoot, the 300 WM is a hammer. Are you sure you are not flinching. Use a video camera to tell. My son could shoot anything but when behind a lightweight 7mmRM he looked like a girl. A video helped him out.

[RC20]

My ****ed internet is mucked up and I have writing this 3 x. grrrr. So I am a bit cranky and not my usual effervescent self

Ok, First and formost having full info is needed.

Next, get the best ****ed reciol pad you can find. Thick. 300 wm is a butt kicker, I don't care if you are John Wayne.

Last, think about converting it to 30-06 which does all a 300 wm can do (or so close its not a factor) and its barrel last 8 to 15,000 rounds vs a 300 WM that will eat one up in 1500.

There is a reason you got a deal and you found it!

Ok, you need to go through all the stuff mentioned, action screws, scope base, scope screws, use a different scope.
Check the stock fit, binding anywhere, rear tang interference is often an issue.

Head space is ok or it would not fire at all (too long) and your loads go in, that's the last thing to look at but RHood is right on the nut, check it too.

You listed powders (good) and bullets. Powers are good for 300 WM.

You didn't say how much of any one of those powders you are using? Give grains.

Nice bullet choices.

You said .020 back, but .020 back from what (normal list of COAL or actually checked it?

What is the real COAL? If this is a shot out gun, that will be a big clue if its a really long COAL.

It does not shoot tells us diddly. What is your group size, how many shots in each group.

What is the pattern like? Nice pattern just 3 inches or what?

Is it stringing vertically, horizontally , in between or none?

If it all passes the checks then you need to start moving your COAL OUT by .030 chunk at a time as far out as .150.

If it is COAL sensitive it will suddenly group up much better in one of those moves and then you can fine tune it.

But you need to be sure you have a normal COAL (ie. the throat is not shot out)

If the COAL is excessive, access a Boroscope or by one from Lyman, you have enough guns for it. You can see and or confirm.

Actually COAL throat measuring for a GIVEN BULLET that is far beyond the normal COAL by about .030 will tell you if its looking bad.

Keep in mind, sometimes you will find wrong COAL, but that's odd calibers not the main ones. Max should be no more than .030 past list of the bullet COAL per the bullet mfg in their manual.

[Jdun91764]

Thank you all-

using good scope taken from 1-hole .308- Vortex with La Rue rings

check stock 1st - no rubbing anywhere. Retorqued screws per Savage instructions - setting loosely, pushing barrel against stock while tightening in order, etc.

shooting 3 round ladders starting at low charges listed in Berger manual then climbing .3 grains at a time.

I did get 1 bug hole group but I think it was a fluke as I cannot mimic the results.

I know the gunsmith who set the barrel - he built 4 of my Remington's and told me of the gun.

seller claimed 1/2" group was the best it ever did but I can't even get that.

Recoil no problem - have shot groups with 45-70, 6.5x284, 300 Saum, etc. very good with recoil

monkey fist brake and 3/4" recoil pad in place so recoil pretty minimal as far as 300's go - I did have my body watch me and shoot it with phone for review just in case - no noticeable flinch.

I was having trouble with cheek well so I switched cheek pads - I think that may help.

I will tear down and check everything per above - and try surface ground recoil lug and barrel nut next, maybe bolt head.

thanks for your answers guys - this is my 1st post nad I have a feeling I found a "home"

RC - I have never shot an 06 if you can believe it. Have ways like the springfields but never got into vintage guns - accuracy is my "thing". Have been shooting out to 1K - got the 300 to go a little further (1.5k). How is the 06 for distance - maybe the AI version? Sounds interesting as me likely barrel life.

Thnks again to all - I will be reading and rereading all of the above.

JD

[Jdun91764]

Thank you -

HS Precision stock with Aluminum black so no pillar bedding. I have not bedded a rifle yet - as all have shot well with aftermarket stocks with aluminum blocks.

thanks for the advice and I will review everything.

JD

[Scott Evans]

Pencil, sporter, or bull barrel?

Take the brake off and see what happens. Brakes, comps, and suppressors can do weird things to barrel harmonics (and not always bad).

[Robinhood]

Jdun, this question is for you, how do you set/check for parallax with your scope. What is your process?

[mousemotors]

My 300 win mag shoots 150 Noslers and 178 Hornady's great. Bumped up and tried 220ELD and could not get a load to be consistent anywhere. I am used to almost hitting one holers at 100 yards and could not get it closed than maybe 1.5 inch groups and I do reload. Went back down to 200 ELD's and they worked great .275 group IMR 4831 70.9 grains .020 off lands. Sometimes they just get picky.