SierraHunter's 300 blackout thread

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SierraHunter posted this 02 February 2017

I've been working with the 300 blackout for a while now. I'm just starting to start working with cast bullets in it, and have been asked by several people to document my load development. My elderly goal is to have a load thay will shot a inch at 100 yards and cost under 10 cents each. When I bought the blackout, I saw it as a modern 32/20, with the ability to get cases much easier, and shoot any bullets I might have laying around.

So far, I have shot just enough to know the rifle will shoot that we'll, but not consistently. I pulled the rifle from the stock this morning and noticed the finish worn off the stock towards the end of the stock. I sanded this out so it does not touch, but have not shot it since. Before I was averaging about 2 inch groups at 100 yards, sometimes putting several under a inch, and then 1 or 2 fliers. I have only worked with a couple bullets so far, but plan on trying quite a few, both powder coated and lubed. I know with jacketed bullets, the rifle likes the lighter weight bullets better then heavy ones, even though it has a 1 in 7 twist.

The rifle is a Ruger American Ranch, with a 4-14 Falcon Optics scope on it. Most of my shooting is done from a Bipod and rear sand bag off a bench at 100 yards.

I don't know if I'll reach my goal of 1 MOA or not but I think it's worth a try. The rifle will do it with Jacketed and I can't push the jacketed that much faster then cast out of this cartridge.

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onondaga posted this 02 February 2017

SierraHunter

Ruger specifies that model as a 1MOA rifle with factory ammo. That means 5 shots in an inch every time at 100 yards. you want a cast load to do the same. Well so would everyone else.

I have had success getting the Lee 300AAC cast bullet in my 7.62X39 Remington Spartan but actually got the Lee 32 ca. pistol bullet TL-314-90-SWC, sized for my rifle and shooting better and the Ranchdog 31 cal 165 gr FNGC does too. My fluted 24” barrel is 1:10 twist and chrome lined. I also polished the bore with my method in the Accuracy forum. The rifle loves cast and I have all 3 bullets I shoot grouping under 1/2” at 50 Yards.. My best 5 shot group with the 300AAC was 1.2"@100yards but groups averaged 1.6". My rifle is NOT a lightweight at all at 9.5 lbs all up. I see your Ruger is under 6 lbs. That is a very light short barreled carbine rifle you have. I wish you well but your expectations may be unreachable with cast bullets even if you add up everyone's tricks..

Three powders, H Titegroup, H4895 and AA2230 are the powders I tested. The titegroup was for low velocity and subsonic only and gave me a killer squirrel round at 1160fps with the little SWC pistol bullet.

I tried H Titegroup with the 300AAC at subsonic-1600fps without and with gas checks.The best load was #2 alloy and sized/checked .3125” but the RD165FNGC  bullet shoots better.

Any of those 3 bullets  are large enough in diameter to size/check for your rifle. You sound like you want to get a heavy one shooting well but don't pass up the little Lee TL-314-90-SWC. It is cheaper to load than buying .22 Rim-fire.  It is my best shooter for the caliber and a joy squirrel hunting.

 

All my bullets are #2 alloy tumble lubed 45:45:10

Gary

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Scearcy posted this 02 February 2017

I did a series of 3 articles on the 300 BLK for the TFS last spring.  I also used the 300 BLK in a number of CBA matches the past two years. It seemed that the small case should allow pretty good accuracy. This is particularly true with the unusually long throat that the 300 BLK possesses. I still have two 300 BLK bolt guns.  Pretty good accuracy should come easily.  Very good accuracy not so much.  I'll be very interested to see what you come up with. 

Jim

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SierraHunter posted this 02 February 2017

Gary, I wouldn't really say that I'm looking to use a heavier bullet. I plan on trying them. The one that I have high hopes for is the Lyman #311466 and the Lyman #311410. With the small amount of shooting I've done so far, I've had pretty decent results with the NEI 200gn DD design.

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frnkeore posted this 02 February 2017

Let me see if I can be of some help.

I built a 32/20 (12 twist, .308 Douglas bbl) on a high wall action, for my wife to shoot in our ASSRA matches.

Shot breech seated, it should have a simular case capacity as your BLK with a bullet in the neck.

Depending on the day, she is getting 1.9 - 2.5, five shot groups at 200 yd, using a 184 gr bullet. The rifle has put 10 shots in 2.5 @ 200.

Her load is 10.5 gr AA #9, using either Rem 7 1/2 or Fed 205M.

I would suggest starting with that load, including the same primers and jamming the bullet as much as possible, using a bore riding bullet, to help align it. Then move up, as much as 1 gr (.5 increaments) and down .5 gr. We use a BW/Alox lube and I would also suggest that, too.

#9 is THEE powder for small capacity cases in my sport. I use it in my 33 ELCO (357 Max case) and have shot 200 yard groups as small as .46. Must people that shoot the 32 Miller short use it, too. Our national record @ 200 is .2 something, using a surplus #9 powder.

Frank

 

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SierraHunter posted this 02 February 2017

I'll have to try that. The powders I have tried so far are Reddot, and SR4756, but as I stated I havnt shot much yet.

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GP Idaho posted this 02 February 2017

SH: I own a 16” upper for my Rock River Arms AR and I bought my daughter the 300 Blackout H&R Handi rifle. My next purchase will most likely be the Ruger bolt action. I'm still working on loads with these and so far most have been with the Lee moulds. CTL312-160-2R and the 155gr that's about the same bullet with a standard lube groove. I've also tried the TL309-230-5R in the single shot.  In early testing I have been loading with AA1680 and H110 with a few loaded with TiteGroup in the Handi. almost  all have been powder coated.  I will watch this thread and your results.  Best Gp

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SierraHunter posted this 03 February 2017

Wife went out of town for a few days so I took the opportunity to take over the kitchen table and bed this rifle. The recoil lugs on this rifle are a bit unconventional, but work. This is actually going to be my first bedding job, so wish me luck.

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Scearcy posted this 03 February 2017

The V blocks in the Ruger Ranch seem to do a surprisingly good job.  With the light recoil of cast bullets in a 300 BLK, I would think bedding won't be a serious issue.  If you find a technique which really helps, give us a picture!  My Ranch rifle is not as accurate as I thought it should be.

Jim

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SierraHunter posted this 03 February 2017

Bedding turned out pretty nice. I bedd3d both sets of V blocks as well as the sides of reciever to the stock. I noticed before with the bolts loose there was quite a bit of back and forth and side to side movement. With the bedding there is no movement period.

I also routered out the forearm and laid a carbon fiber arrow shaft up front, filled in with shot around it, and then epoxies the while thing in, and free floated it. I'm getting ready to go shoot it as soon as the sun comes out enough that it does not feel 12 below out.

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SierraHunter posted this 03 February 2017

So, went out and shot the rifles favorite load today. The target on the top left was 6 rounds with the 130gn SPEER HP and 20gn of H110. The hole that is circled was the first shot from a clean barrel. This load shot pretty well before, but this group is the smallest air have shot with it. I was getting a bit of vertical stringing before.

The other three groups were fired with factory Sig 220gn ammo. Someone gave it to me to see what I thought of it. I must say, I'm not very impressed.

”

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SierraHunter posted this 03 February 2017

Tried 700x with the 200gn NEI DD design. The bullets are on the soft side, and powder coated with harbor freight Red. I think I need to make up a harder batch, because I worked up from 5gn of powder, and as soon as it stared to show some promise I started getting wild patterns at about 8 grains of powder.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 03 February 2017

bedding :   i advise everyone not to waste ammo before bedding ...even the factory bedding blocks etc .   even recoil and/or vibrations from a rimfire makes bedding a necessity for best accuracy ..... accuracy defined as predictable impact of bullet .

fwiw my favorite bedding is still the pillar type .... easy and simple, less mess,  gives good results ... and you can take the rifle apart as opposed to ” glue-ins ” ... .

ken

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Scearcy posted this 03 February 2017

SH

Can you post a picture of your stock?  I think an aluminum arrow filled with lead might be an option for a guy with 10 thumbs like myself.

The 130 gr HP is a good bullet.

Jim

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SierraHunter posted this 04 February 2017

bedding :   i advise everyone not to waste ammo before bedding ...even the factory bedding blocks etc .   even recoil and/or vibrations from a rimfire makes bedding a necessity for best accuracy ..... accuracy defined as predictable impact of bullet .

fwiw my favorite bedding is still the pillar type .... easy and simple, less mess,  gives good results ... and you can take the rifle apart as opposed to ” glue-ins ” ... .

ken

 

I've always had the glass bedded type bedding, and have never had one that I could not take apart. This one I did with accuglass from brownells.

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SierraHunter posted this 04 February 2017

SH

Can you post a picture of your stock?  I think an aluminum arrow filled with lead might be an option for a guy with 10 thumbs like myself.

The 130 gr HP is a good bullet.

Jim

 

I'm not sure that a photo will do it much justice. The Arrow in completely covered in shot, so  the only thing that can see if the shot, and the clear epoxy. If you would like, I could do a write up on exactly what I did. I may be doing my Mauser 308 this same way, and if I do, I will take some photos of the process.

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SierraHunter posted this 04 February 2017

I decided to change gears, and keep trying the 700X since I didn't really have enough of the bullets left to start with a new powder. I switched to a pistol primer, and started working back down from where I was. It did shoot a bit better then it did with the small rifle primers, but still nothing to write home about. I think I need to water drop the bullets after baking them to harden then back up a bit. I have a batch of the Lyman #311466 that I coated, and I'm getting ready to reheat them, and water drop them, and will be giving them a try in the next few days.

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JSH posted this 04 February 2017

After having used the 30-20 for the past 20+ years and cast bullets only in my three different guns I have learned a fair bit. FYI I used a 30x221 for a couple of years, the 30-20 was more friendly for me. There is not enough to difference in the two to argue over.

The advice on the AA #9 is good, it is my go to powder for bullets over 150. I played with a lot of fast powders. It seemed no matter the design the sweet spot was very small. I use bullseye and 120-140 plain base for 100m and under. It is not subsonic but stays super to 100. A solid powder column seems to have been best for me and others. Bullet jammed into rifling on seating is another thing that seems to work better. Dunno why. I do shoot a bore rider, so upon closing the action it finishes seating the bullet. RCBS165 Sil design. I must have tried close to 20 designs before I just kind of tripped over this one.

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SierraHunter posted this 04 February 2017

That is some pretty good advise. I don't have any #9, but I do Ave some WC820 which should be pretty close.

The only 2 bullets I have tried that engage the rifling are the 200gn DD (only the nose ring touches), and the custom NEI mold we have for 235 grain round nose. This rifle has a terribly long throat.i am hoping to be able to seat the lovern out of the case quite a ways and this it will engage the rifling. My dad has a lot of 30 caliber molds, so I should be able to find something that works.

The 30-221 and the 300 blackout are quite close actually.

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SierraHunter posted this 04 February 2017

One thing I would like to make a comment on.

One of the big attractions to this cartridge to me was being able to easily form cases from 223. When I first bought the rifle, I formed some cases and selected 5 FC cases to use for load testing. I quite counting at 50 reloads, and that was quite a while ago. I have not annealed them or anything. I did try some cast with cases that havnt been shot as much, and some annealed ones and saw no gain in accuracy over ones that had been well used.

The dies I have are Hornady custom grade, and of I set the sizer die to only size half the neck, it also starts to size the body. I found that using a 7.62x25 Tok sizer die backed out makes a perfect neck sizer, and if properly adjusted I can size the full neck without touching the shoulder or body of the case.

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Scearcy posted this 04 February 2017

I found I had to be very careful with shoulder set back with these cases.  Ultimately I bought new cases thinking I had solved the case problem.  I Had to fire form every last one of them  as the shoulders were way too far back right out of the bag.

RCBS 165 sil is a great recommendation. The Harris 160 gr works well also.  I am going to try the Lee 160 spitzer (312) next, see below for reason.

I found 4227 to be the best powder for my purpose (1500+ fps). 2400 works great for lighter loads (125 gr FN) but was never quite as good as 4227 for full power loads.  1680 and 4198 seemed just a bit slow for cast bullets in a bolt gun.

I would avoid bullets that are too long even though you have a fast twist rifle. 200 gr spitzers and heavier never really worked for me.  200 gr round nose and truncated cones were ok.  I finally settled on 311299s for match use and 150-160 gr bullets for fun.  I have a project still pending with 160 spitzers .  I have never developed a load yet that feeds reliable through the ranch rifle.  Hopefully these middle weight spitzers will solve that.  My Savage action feeds better but is still not reliable with any FN bullet.

Currently I have fired about 2500 rounds through 3 rifles the last 3 years.  It is a fun cartridge and holds plenty of challenges to keep it interesting.

Have fun

Jim

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