savage 16 .300 WSM Reloading questions

[j8tnub]

Hi All,

So i recently started reloading. I have been shooting with the Federal Fusion ammo for the last few years. Shooting 180 gr bullets. I reloaded some rounds per the nosler data. I loaded Nosler Accubonds with 63 gr and some with 65 gr.

This is my group of 5 shots with 63 gr.



This is the group with 65 grains.



So on the hunting and fishing forum they suggested I start playing with the seating depth. I had one of the guys on the forum help me and he thinks I had pressure issue. I guess it turns out I was seating the bullets too far in. Long story short, my magazine length is 2.98 in. My guns OACL is 2.933. I had these bullets at 2.79 and 2.8 while the caliper I originally used said 2.83. This is what the nosler data said they tested at so I followed it.

I reloaded some today and set the bullets at 2.922

This is the group with 63 grains ( please ignore the shot pattern in the target, I was running low on time and didn't have a chance to get new targets)


This is the group with 65 grains



And last, here is a picture of the brass after the last re-load. This brass was once fired factory winchester brass before I reloaded it.



Does it look like I have a pressure issue here?

He was also talking about having the throat reamed some more because it required pressure to seat a bullet in a fired cartridge that had not been sized. Although I did not try this.

What do you all think?

If you re-load a .300 wsm what is your OACL and preferred re-loading case length?

[wbm]

Does it look like I have a pressure issue here?

No.

[darkker]

You don't know what alloy those cases are made of, nor it's specs. Same goes for the primer cups. So your(or anyone elses) Jedi vision can't magically look at them, and know pressures. Looking at primers will only tell you whether or not they've been fired, nothing else.
I'm too lazy to grab my Nosler book, but here is what you need to know.
You listed some powder weights, unfortunately that is somewhat irrelevant. Nosler doesn't list the lot number of the components tested, so assuming yours is identical is unwise. Watch your velocities. Regardless of your charge weight, when you suddenly match/exceed book velocities; you have gone over pressure.

[olddav]

j8tnub
It does not appear that you are experiencing any pressure signs by looking at the primers or brass.
I noticed that you didnt list the powder you are using, without that info the "63gr and 65gr" are just abstract numbers. What powder are you using?

[j8tnub]

Sorry. Using RL19. It was what I could find at the time.

[olddav]

Without any way to measure velocities you can only rely on published data and reading primers/brass. As I recently found out this method is not ideal. Published data can contain errors. Good luck

[j8tnub]

I am going to put it through a chronograph next week and see where it's at. What would be an ideal velocity?

[scope eye]

That powder is to fast for 180s RL22, 780, and H4831 would yield better results.

Dean

[olddav]

I'm just guessing here, but don't think of ideal velocity instead think of low ES in velocities while not exceeding published data.
Others here with greater knowledge than I can offer more insight into your efforts.
As I said, I'm just guessing.

[Savage110270]

I had a model 11 in 300 wsm and tried 180 gr in it. Shot ok with the 180 but it started to show bench rest accuracy when a old guy at the local range suggested I try H4350 and a 165 gr bullets in it. I settled on 65.9 grs of H4350 and 165 gr Sierra Game Kings bthp In it. My model 11 had a 10 twist barrel.