300 H&H barrel length

[rbernie]

I am idly contemplating a 300 H&H rifle build. I have no compelling need for one, and I have no specific use in mind. I just have no magnum rifles in my possession, and 300 H&H seems the most practical of the various options since I'm already well stocked for 30cal projectiles.

If I do - should I get a 24" or 26" barrel? The barrel will get a muzzle break, so I"m modestly conscious / concerned about the OAL of the rifle.

 

[troy fairweather]

id do 24 if your doing a brake

 

[LoonWulf]

Personally Id probably suggest you do 26", and fit the stock properly with a squishy pad (use a removeable space if your going to use it when you need to wear extra thick clothing, and you need to reduce the lop). I think youll find that you dont NEED the brake. My .375 with its squishy pad and properly fitted stock hurts less than the last factory stocked .300 I had that weighed a pound more. Stock fit, and squishy pads, make a huge difference.
If you decide you do want the brake later, can have the barrel cut down and a brake fitted.
Again, usually a lot cheaper and easier to remove length than add.

This is of course barring any physical condition that requires a major reduction in recoil, or if your just dead set on the brake...nothing wrong with that either.

If so id go straight for a 24"-25" with and fit the brake to that.
Personally I much prefer 2 baffle side venting brakes, which usually end up in a larger dia. Id suggest keeping the muzzle dia in the .750 range (which will add weight).
If you go with a radial brake those are usually made smaller, and can usually be fitted nicely with slimmer taper barrels, but they do tend to blast crap all over the place. I got a scratch on my contact, and eye lid, from lava rock dirt blasted back in my face from my 6.5Gs radial brake while hunting. Which is why i shy away from them, and any open bottom brake or flash hider now.

 

[jmr40]

Unless you just want one for nostalgic reasons I'd pass on 300 H&H. A 300 WSM will give you exactly the same bullet velocities with a lot less fuss and expense and do it with a 24" barrel. In fact even 22" seems to get plenty out of the WSM and a brake isn't needed on either.

 

[rbernie]

Since I have no practical use for this rifle, the choice of 300 H&H is purely for nostalgic reasons. It is unlikely that I will use it in the field, and it will simply be a range toy that gets occasional use and gives me something to fuss over.

I’m contemplating the brake because I expect most of the use of this rifle to be from a benched position, and therefore I am concerned about excessive recoil.

 

[edwardware]

Since I have no practical use for this rifle, . . . H&H. . . purely for nostalgic reasons. . . "

Sounds like you've got two digits wrong there. If it's nostalgia you seek, you need a 7 and a 5 instead of zeros.

 

[LoonWulf]

Sounds like you've got two digits wrong there. If it's nostalgia you seek, you need a 7 and a 5 instead of zeros.

I dunno the .300 Holland & Holland, aka Super Thirty, is about as classic as Magnums come. Far more practical as a fun shooter than the .375 also.

 

[edwardware]

. . . the .300 Holland & Holland, aka Super Thirty, is about as classic as Magnums come. .

It'll always be the pussilanimous little sister to the Queen of the Medium Bores. . .

Far more practical as a fun shooter than the .375 also.

Now that is the truth. I miss 30¢ bullets. . . launching 90¢ bullets puts a different spin on things.

 

[LoonWulf]

It'll always be the pussilanimous little sister to the Queen of the Medium Bores. . .



Now that is the truth. I miss 30¢ bullets. . . launching 90¢ bullets puts a different spin on things.

Speer 235s and 270s, sometimes 30 bucks 100 on sale

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Just to get a fuss started, not here, share that you pick any of the Magnums and get 3000 fps with a 180gr. bullet. You will be doing back flips getting a 300 H&H going. This would include an appropriate action. Brass is not common. My old 721 Remington in 300 H&H works fine with a 24" barrel. Yes, I know you can get some monstrosity that will give you 150 fps more. Want more? Go with the longer barrel.

 

[Varminterror]

26” plus the brake. Only reason to go 24” is if you’re a weight weenie trying to sound cool by telling your buddies about your short and light magnum rifle. Don’t hamstring the cartridge, give it the barrel it needs to shine.

Since this will be a range queen, not a hunting rifle, I’d personally want even more barrel. My last two 300wm’s are 31” finished, plus brakes.

 

[Slamfire]

If you want the velocity of a 300 H&H, go with a 26" barrel. The cartridge is an outstanding cartridge, might as well get the velocity you want out of it. The extra two inches of barrel is not objectionable.

 

[TRX]

The .300 H&H doesn't get a lot of respect any more, but it was the go-to benchrest cartridge for a few years. It's still a good performer, even if it's thought of as old-fashioned nowadays.

 

[Gordon]

I went .300 Weatherby for my (now plaything) .30 magnums. The .300 Win mag is also a good choice but I wanted a bit of long thunder. The .300 H&H brass is MUCH more difficult to find than .300 Weatherby. Of course when you fire a .300 H&H in the .300 Weatherby chamber you have .300 Weatherby ! That was the deciding factor for me 40 years ago. Plus you can headspace the Weatherby on the shoulder instead of the belt if you adjust the dies properly, the H&H parent case doesn't have much shoulder. You can buy .300 Weatherby factory ammo , it is not uncommon , well not rare like the .300 H&H . Lastly in reloading both over the years I have a suspicion that the .300 Weatherby tolerates reduced loads better , in my experience with casting for it. I too would use a 25"-27" barrel to get the most from it and a good brake helps. Have fun !

 

[Slamfire]

The .300 H&H doesn't get a lot of respect any more, but it was the go-to benchrest cartridge for a few years. It's still a good performer, even if it's thought of as old-fashioned nowadays.

There are tremendous parallels between the fashion industry and the ammunition industry. Gunwriters have had over a century to perfect the promotion of new cartridges, using the narcissism of tiny differences, to get shooters to adopt the latest and greatest, when there was nothing wrong, with what was out there. The new cartridges introduced this year, next year, they will be so "2018".

 

[Ironhand54]

My .300 H&H is the one rifle I have always regretted selling and would be be my first choice for a custom build

IronHand

 

[Offfhand]

The .300 H&H is a class act and always will be. This M-70 Winchester was restocked and had other refinements added by Griffin & Howell, including the G&H detachable scope mount. Naturally, barrel is 26" ATTACH=full]800001[/ATTACH]

 

[Slamfire]

Plus you can headspace the Weatherby on the shoulder instead of the belt if you adjust the dies properly, the H&H parent case doesn't have much shoulder. You can buy .300 Weatherby factory ammo , it is not uncommon , well not rare like the .300 H&H .

I don't have a Weatherby, I assume it is like all the belted magnums, that is, the distance between shoulder and base is not controlled. Headspace for all of these are measured off the belt. I purchased an L.E. Wilson Adjustable Case Length Headspace Gauge for my 300 H&H Magnum



Set up my case gauge and then the dies.

Adjustable Case Gage



To prevent sidewall stretch, because belted magnum cases are so expensive, I lubricated the heck out of my new cases before firing.





The case lubrication prevented the case sidewalls from sticking to the chamber, and this prevented side wall stretch leading to case head separations. A greased case will slide to the bolt face during combustion, than the shoulders will fold out, and you end up with a perfectly fireformed, stress free case.

Then, after setting up the gage on fired ammunition, I pushed the case shoulder back not more than 0.003".

My ammunition went bang, my cases should last a very long time, and the 300 H&H Magnum remains a useful and practical cartridge.

 

[Slamfire]

The .300 H&H is a class act and always will be. This M-70 Winchester was restocked and had other refinements added by Griffin & Howell, including the G&H detachable scope mount. Naturally, barrel is 26" ATTACH=full]800001[/ATTACH] View attachment 800002 View attachment 800003

Pretty rifle!

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Back at the dawn of time we checked a custom rifle with barrel work by P.O.Ackley. It turned out the rifle had excessive headspace by a button gauge. We wondered it the seat for the belt was made deeper on purpose. This would make the case behave as if was un-belted. We have not gotten an answer to this situation to date. The cartridge in question was .338 Winchester Magnum.

 

[Nature Boy]

I bet when you shoot next to Slamfire you get that nostalgic aroma of a 1950's barber shop

 

[Slamfire]

I bet when you shoot next to Slamfire you get that nostalgic aroma of a 1950's barber shop

More like the smell of an old billy goat!

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Sorry, interrupting your show was unintentional.

 

[joed]

I had 700 Classic in .300 H&H for about 15 years. It is one of the neatest cartridges I ever messed with. It will shoot any weight .30 bullet accurately and without high pressures. I shot mostly 165 gr to 200 gr bullets and it was always accurate. The brass never needed trimming, hardly stretched.

Never needed to lube cases as above and I almost laughed about it. Cases extract easily and last forever as long as you don't go nuts. And that cartridge is capable of anything the .200 Win can do. Regardless of what people tell you the H&H can be head spaced on the shoulder.

Finally sold it this winter as I no longer hunt big game. Were I younger and into big game I'd have another.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Bernie,

Putting a brake on a .300 H&H is parallel to lowering and putting hydraulics on a 57 Chevy. It simply should not be done old boy!