Well it took a while but here we are
Good stuff mattri. Yeah, that was indeed awhile; 2019 we were discussing it. Quite a bit has happened in the 300aac world. And now it’s pushed aside for yet another AR round looking to overthrow 223. The 6mmARC, LOL! It’s good you stuck to your original game plan.
Thanks Dave. I looked at a number of different rounds, many of which have their own strengths for sure. The things that kept me coming back to the BO were component availability, load data for sub and super loads, the ability to shoot subs and ballistics adequate for nice light "stalking rifle" type build. Hope to do some shillouette type shooting with it as well. So far we have:
200 action T&T by SSS
Shilen select match 18" 1:7
Factory 200 stock pillar bedded
Vortex PST 2.5-10 EBR-1 mil/mil
Nothing too crazy hopefully it comes together well.
Very cool bud! Ya know, it never fails… no matter what it is; I have such a deep appreciation for DIY builds. The anticipation through a thread. Collecting the parts. Showing updates, & the BUILD. Then finally the finished product. Thank you for sharing mattri. Looking forward to hearing how it performs & how you like it. Slick little brush gun.
Thanks Dave- hope to get out tomorrow to do some initial sighting and barrel break in. Will just be cheap factory fodder but hopefully the overall impression is good. Will sure to post results.
1st range session went well. Rifle handled well, like how the various parts work together, think the scope and reticle are a good fit. Barrel cleaned up well, not a lot of copper and it came out easily enough. Accuracy with the cheap factory ammo wasn't amazing- around and inch @100 but didn't really expect miracles.
Look forward to load development.
Nice.. yeah, it’s like any other. Not going to memorable groups until you reload it. Glad you’re enjoying mattri.
150gr Speer over CFEBLK @ 200 yards. Nothing to brag about but at least headed in the right direction.
Typical group from the range session today with the 135 FTX. It's probably me having a hard time steering such a small, light rifle but have struggled to break .5 even at 100, groups today were in the .6s.
Velocity wasn't what the load data suggested, it seems that this barrel is in fact on the slow side- not the end of the world just need to calibrate accordingly.
Will have to run the #s but for now it seems it may be almosta wash between the 150gr Speers and the 135gr FTX.
Hence the joy of working up a load.
True Dave- its a process of elimination but a fun one.
Accuracy with the 135s wasn't really any better than the 150s and the velocity wasn't there even with compressed loads. After putting the numbers through a ballistics calculator it looks like the 150s make more sense so I will focus on them. Going to try casting as well, prob start with the 170gr Lee mould.
You know mattri, I have a close friend in AZ. He had his Win model 70 built by a known Smith. Had it chambered in 6.5-06 AI. The first reloads he rolled did a clover leaf on the first outing. “Wow.. lucky!”, he though. So he tried a several other bullets, powders, etc., & pretty much everything he loaded was doing or near a clover leaf. No load work up at all and instant accuracy!
He put it away in his gun room & RARELY shoots it. No fun for him.
Delete
What part of AZ? I was in Prescott for a while.
My first ever wildcat was a 20 Practical and fell into an accurate load right off the bat- 39gr Blitzkings at a crazy velocity. That thing was a laser out to 400 yards and then the wind just blew it around too much. Explosive on prairie dogs and downright boring inside of that 400 yard window.
Part of the point in this build is to have a light, accurate "walking rifle" that handles quickly and can be shot offhand. To that end 1 MOA accuracy off a bench is realistically more than adequate for my sub par offhand skills. I'd love to find a medium load with a cast bullet but even if I stick with the Speers should be g2g.
I lived in Tucson. My friend has 15 acres just outside Benson. I like it there…. Quiet.
Very cool.
Plan for now is to keep the 150 Speer load as a default, start working with the cast 170gr and hope to find an accurate load for target work and eventually move into subs with either some 190 sub x or cast bullets.
Maybe down the road for a short course score rifle, but a Whisper may lend itself to
compete with a 30BR. Get some bullets from Bart Sauter, And a 18" twist 4 groove
barrel.
Keeping my bad Karma intact since 1952
Got some 170gt bullets cast, only tried one load so far but pretty happy with the accuracy. Four shots at 100 yards right at an inch, if I hadn't pulled the one high would be right at .5"
Very nice mattri! I like it brother. Nice “Chain-Link” group.
Thanks Dave, really hate to ruin a group like that but can't say I'm not used to it
Wanted to stick with the factory stock as it is pretty light and nimble, fairly well suited for offhand shooting but may try a Hogue. Their stock handles well and the full al block really improves stiffness.
Also ordered a 230gr mould for some subs.
Keep us posted. I've been on the fence about an AR cause I can't decide on a cartridge. Most people I have seen have not had that good a luck with the BO, especially cast.
I shoot mostly cast in my .308 and have a lot of fun shooting soda cans at longer ranges.
Phoenix is where I grew up. When I left in 1971 Phoenix had a population of 600,000. Miles between Peoria and Glendale. Fountain Hills was a mobile home office and that stupid fountain in the middle of the desert. Used to visit my mom there until she passed a few years ago. Don't miss it at all :)
Ha! I dated a gal from fountain hills in the mid 90s- looked a little different then- can't imagine now.
It seems the 300BO gets a bad rap and I think that has more to do with end users then the cartridge itself.
I don't get into the military or "tactical" aspects of the cartridge- they mean nothing to me. It is an interesting platform to do with as one sees fit.
Staying in the supersonic world for now-
With basic load work up a 150gr Speer is consistantly sub moa @ 200 yards in this rifle. Shooting farther than that with this cartridge could be very interesting but may not be super practical.
The 170gr cast bullet has proven to be accurate, moa to 100 at least.
Further testing with 15 and 16gr of CFEBLK netted 1430 and 1510fps respectively. Accuracy held with the 15gr load but opened up to 1.5 moa with the 16.
More testing seems moot for 2 reasons-
1) if one were looking for an effective hunting load using cast bullets, no leading and effective terminal effects with a flat noe bullet this seems adequate.
2) That round will be single fed- there is no way to make this bullet feed in this rifle.
Not the end of the world but having tried multiple configurations of multiple dummy rounds this bullet flat will not feed from the Savage internal mag.
I’m very honestly not a fan of 300aac. Save for being an excellent SUB-sonic round, I believe 223 is a much more versatile cartridge. The 300aac is almost a mirror image of the 300 Whisper, which was a failure. Nothing new.
However, that is me. The more important thing is that I am a huge fan of DIY’ers building their own rifle, and loading their own ammunition; Regardless of caliber/cartridge. Each of us chamber our rifles as we see fit and that’s all that matters. I don’t have to be a fan of a certain cartridge, to like ones project & speak with them about said project. I’m more an about the “Doing”, rather than the “outcome”. Although the outcome certainly cannot be be argued here.
Got out to the range this morning to try some new subsonic loads. Have been working mostly with cast bullets for the subs without a ton of luck- think that has more to do with my casting abilies than anything- so today tried some Hornady 190gr Sub-x bullets over CFEBLK for 1020fps, nice stable load does ok accuracy wise @100
Still sticking with the Speer 150s for a super load, this was at 300, wind was obviously a bigger factor
Happy with the round and the build so far- will definitely keep working on some cast loads, may look into powder coating etc.
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