A few reload/target shooting questions.

[SwL_Wildcat]

Coming up in May I am going to go to a 2 day course on long range shooting.

I have a Remington 700 Sendaro in 300 RUM that I was going to use. I have a 2 nice loads worked up for hunting depending what I am hunting, but have not worked up anything for paper targets.

I know what your going to say, just use your hunting loads. Yeah, I would agree, but were going to be firing 200 rounds a day. I don't know if I could take 200 rounds of 3200+FPS 200 gr shots in 1 day. I was thinking of loading up a bunch of 135 - 150 Gr Sierra match kings, and slow em down to 3000FPS or less.

If I do that I will obviously be using less powder, and I am a bit worried with the larger case capacity of the 300 RUM brass that depending on the firing situation I am in I may not have complete powder coverage on the primer.

Has anyone run these light bullets in a 300 RUM?

Thoughts?

 

[Ron AKA]

If you haven't done it already, I would do some ladder testing on the loads you plan to shoot during the course. Couple of links on how to go about it. If possible shoot them at 300 meters, as it will give you more meaningful results, than at 100 or 200.

Long Range Load Development

Incremental Load Development

 

[Obtunded]

You do realize that with 2X200 rounds, you will have used one-third to one-half of that gun's useful accurate barrel life? I would go with heavy bullets and as little powder as you can get away with.

208 Amax or 210 Berger VLD's at a nice and sedate 2700-2800 fps would be perfect. That is IF the gun has a twist of 1:12 or tighter.

 

[SwL_Wildcat]

Thanks for the info. The Sendero has a 26" 1:10 barrel. You feel that the heavier bullets (200 - 220 gr) at 2700 fps would have less felt recoil over lighter 140 gr bullets at 3000 fps? I can work the loads up and most likely get it to shoot with either but would just like to minimize the recoil for this 1 event. I don't mind shooting the barrel out as I was thinking of rechambering this anyway at some point.

 

[Why not?]

The more I think about this, the more obvious the answer (for me) becomes......Forget about using your Ultra!

Loading 400 rounds of 300 Ultra will cost at least $300, perhaps much more. Instead, buy a Stevens 200 in 7mm-08 or 308 Win for the same money, and use it for the course. Brass is everywhere and cheap, it will have adequate accuracy, recoil concerns will be gone, and best of all, you end up with another rifle.

Ted