300 Winchester Magnum

[PALongbow]

I just purchased a 300 winchester magnum and want to start reloading for this caliber. I need some tips on case preperation. I would like to know how I should proceed with preparation for new brass and also how to handle once fired brass.....specifically sizing to obtain proper head space. I read some information about proper head space, sizing, trim to length, etc for magnum cartriges but couldn't put all the information together. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Ron

 

[sam700]

If you have a bolt gun neck size for it. It will drastically increase you're case life in belted magnums like the
.300

Also, for whatever reason, my .300 likes the lee factory crimp. It cut my groups in half when I started using it. I liked it so much that I bought one for my .308 as well. Unfortunately, it dosn't make any noticable differance there, but for whatever reason my .300 really likes the Lee crimp.

 

[jbkebert]

I would suggest buying the book the ABC's of reloading. I purchased this book from Barnes and Nobel.com and found very good information about how to start reloading. All of the reloading manulas will line out case length head spacing, bullet seating, powder charges ect. One more book to consider is the complete reloading manual for the .300 win mag. This book is just a beunch of photo copies from several diffrent sources and looks similar to a cookbook. The thing only cost $7.00 and has 60 pages covering only the .300 win. They are also made for just about any caliber you could want. The info is a few years old but works as a great refrence.

The other thing I would suggest is going to like Hornady.com and requesting a free catalog. It will line out all of the diffrent tools used for reloading and what they do. RCBS,Lyman,Lee all of them sould have catalogs with info and what you may need.

 

[Afy]

All the information regarding trim to length etc, can be found in any decent reloading manual like the one from Lyman. (IMHO the best one)
Neck sizing is the way to go for a bolt gun. Your COAL would depend upon your rifle.

 

[nicholst55]

Spend some time reading at Varmint Al's: http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm

 

[PALongbow]

Do you guys recommend full sizing or just neck sizing?? I only have the full size die.

 

[Shoney]

The brass which you will use for the first time in your weapon should be FL sized. After it is formed to you chamber, then either size with a FL die just to the shoulder (this will head space off the shoulder); or use a neck sizing die.

 

[PALongbow]

Okay. Got it. Thanks for the information guys.

Ron

 

[X-Rap]

If you have more than 1 gun you wish to shoot the ammo in you might have some trouble with just neck sizing.

 

[Clark]

Initial firing heaspaces on the belt.
If the case is neck sized or partial FL sized, the headspace on the reload is on the shoulder.
If the case is full length [FL] resized, the headspace is on the belt again.
Both methods give good accuracy. FL sizing makes the ammo good for any 300WM, but brass life may be shorter, maybe the same.

 

[PALongbow]

I will only be shooting this brass from one rifle.

Ron

 

[PALongbow]

Do you guys recommend that I measure and trim the new brass to recommended Trim to length measurements??

Ron

 

[dakotasin]

yep.

w/ rifles, just make sure your brass does not exceed the max length. as long as it doesn't exceed that, don't get too hung up on trimming.

i hate trimming.

 

[Eaglecreekbrewer]

I know it's a drag, but I FL size, trim, uniform flash hole and uniform primer pockets on all new brass. Gets everything started out as consistent as possible, and consistency is accuracy. The flash hole and primer pockets only need done once as a general rule.
My 300 win is by far the most accurate rifle I own and I love the thing. You will greatly increase your brass life by neck sizing and head spacing off the shoulder after the first loading. If you choose to FL size every time, keep a close eye for head separations, I have had them show up in as little as three reloadings when I use to FL size. I have had three different 300's and all of them favored hot loads, work up carefully, but when I got about as hot as I felt comfortable with, the load usually ended being the most accurate also. Not necessarily the case with the other calibers I load for.

 

[Casefull]

I just shoot and reload mine and the elk do not seem to know the difference. Just stay a little way off the lands.