Hot Federal ammo ?

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Yesterday at the range, I was doing loads develloppement for my XCR 300 RUM.

My loads were 84 grains Reloader22 pushing 180 gr Accubonds at 3140 FPS (I know should go faster but I'm far near max), Nosler Brass and WLRM primers.
Out of 7 rounds fired they were all near that speed.

Then a stranger wanted to try my gun. OK . I chambered a commercial Federal Vital Shock round loaded with 200 gr Partition. Damn ! It was flying at 3400 FPS ! I found that a little high.

Is my chrony broken. Is that normal to have that high velocity over was if announced for that round (about 3250 FPS)

Greatmush
 
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Mush said:
Then a stranger wanted to try my gun. OK . I chambered a commercial Federal Vital Shock round loaded with 200 gr Partition. Damn ! It was flying at 3400 FPS ! I found that a little high.

Greatmush
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You let strangers shoot over your chronograph?

Cool. Hope you keep a spare chrono handy. Just in case.;)
 
No problem with letting (hope this is a word in english !) a guy shoot the set up. When the target and chrony are lined up and set up good. Pretty hard to shoot the chrony.

Those Federal ammo are really fast. Wonder what kind of powder they use.

I don't think I will be able to push 180 gr. Accubond at these velocities with reloader22.

It got me thinking, I might use those for moose hunting this year.

Mush
 
Moose won't notice that extra 240fps and they can't run that fast. I would compare accuracy between the two and chose accordingly.
 
joe-nwt said:
I would compare accuracy between the two and chose accordingly.
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That is wise .
I already got a Ruger 300WM that pushes 180 gr Accubonds at 3100 fps and groups over a 25 cents. So the 300 RUM must push them faster at the same MOA to have an advantage. But those Fed 200 gr. are great ! I think. They shoot about 0.6 MOA in the gun and flies real fast !

Mush
 
I chambered a commercial Federal Vital Shock round loaded with 200 gr Partition. Damn ! It was flying at 3400 FPS ! I found that a little high.
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Were you using a Chrony brand chronograph?Was it fully opened?Have you been able to repeat the results on another outing at the range?Were there any pressure signs present since 3400fps would be a hot load for a 200gr bullet out of a 30-378,let alone a 300ultramag?To drive that 200 gr bullet at 3400fps out of a 300ultramag with a 26" barrel,you would likely be developing pressures well above safe limits.
 
Considering the 200 grain Partition load is advertised at 3070 FPS thats SUPER fast!

And considering the 180 grain bullets doing 3200 fps drop a whole 5.7" at 300 yards if you are zeroed at 200...I call that good enough! Heck, at 400 it's giving up 16.

I know some dudes shoot moose from pretty far away....but if you are rested and hold on the spine between 350 to 400 yards thats a nice kill.

Considering even a 1 moa load would technically be a 4" grouper at 400 yards...I dunno. Call me lazy but thats more than good enough for me.

The amount of people using the Federal rounds, if that was not just a weird box, goes to show that guns and casings are made very well these days. Doesn't mean I would ever want to push my luck.
 
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The amount of people using the Federal rounds, if that was not just a weird box, goes to show that guns and casings are made very well these days. Doesn't mean I would ever want to push my luck.
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Having worked with several 300ultramags over the years,including two of my own,and with several chronographs,I think that the most likely explanation is that the chronograph readings were in error due to the unit not being set up properly,or due to the light conditions.
 
as federal being hot. i shot 308 150 grn blue box last sunday that was showing cratered primers and ejector marks on the case head. i had five boxes of the same fed blue box and three showed no signs the fourth box really hot.
 
I will test this week again to see if that reading of 3400 FPS is repeatable. Maybe my Shooting chrony is fubar. But while testing my load of 180 gr AC, I was getting goog results, = 3140, 3141, 3119 etc...FPS. Tight ES.

I will let you know.

Mush
 
And look closely for pressure signs with those factory 200gr loads.You aren't going to produce 3400fps with a 200gr bullet out of a 26" barreled 300ultramag without producing some excessively high chamber pressures.
 
stubblejumper said:
And look closely for pressure signs with those factory 200gr loads.You aren't going to produce 3400fps with a 200gr bullet out of a 26" barreled 300ultramag without producing some excessively high chamber pressures.
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Today while looking with more caution , I can see that the primer crattered around the firing pin indentation. I will check the other cases to see for pressure signs.

Mush
 
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