Hey guys, I’m looking looking for some advice on some rifle powders.
Let me tell you first a little about my situation. I started reloading a few years back but it was only for 10mm and .40 S&W pistol rounds, however, I’m pretty green at the rifle gig. It wasn’t up until about 6 months ago I started reloading rifle rounds and even then it was only for 5.56. About 2 months ago I picked up a 308 and, of course, I’d like to reload for that also. Anyway, and here is the caveat to my situation, I also would like to reload for a 300 Weatherby bolt gun that I have. I’m wondering if there is any powders that I could use that would work well for all three calibers. Right now, I have been using H335 and Varget for 5.56 and 308. I see in my load manual that Varget is listed for all three. For 300 Wby, only for loads 165gr and under are listed, yet H335 and Varget are both listed for heavier projos up to 200gr for 308. I’m not opposed to using different powders than what I currently have but I just would rather not keep a seperate powder on hand just for my 300 Wby. I really won’t be shooting it that often but I don’t care to drop $80/box either.
The uses for these calibers are as follows:
5.56 (LC brass)=target shooting out to about 100-200yds
308 MSR (Rem & LC brass)=target shooting and deer hunting out to 300yds
300 Wby (Wby brass)=Med to Larger game hunting out to 300-500yds
Also, the primers I have on hand are standard LR (Wolf & CCI 200) and standard SR (Magtech & Federal)
As far as bullets go, I don’t have much yet but I’m looking at 55-62gr for 5.56, 150ish gr for 308 and 180-200gr for the Wby.
I’m not married to any of my inventory so if I need to pick something else up, I’m fine with that.
Ok, thanks. That’s kinda what I figured.
It’s not really about having a 3rd rifle powder, although my space is at a premium, it’s more that I didn’t want a specific powder(s) for my 300 Wby that’s gonna sit around for years. In reality, I put less than 10-20 rounds through it a year, probably less. I was hoping to get by using powder from my 308.
Yeah, I looked through my manuals & on the net. I was surprised not find more powders that the 308 & 300 Wby shared. Of course, I may have overlooked some. I’ll scour around some more to see what I can find for the 300. Thanks.
Another quick question, more so out of curiosity. Why is Varget listed for both yet only for lighter bullets for the Wby? Nothing past 165gr for the Wby yet the 308 has data up to 200gr. Again, I’m fresh at this so I apologize if it’s a dumb question.
Not a dumb question at all. Varget is a faster burning powder than a true magnum rifle powder. So it’s suited for only the light end of the bullet spectrum.
A true magnum powder will burn slower and achieve better results on the heavy end.
By the way… there’s a good article on Wby in the current handloader magazine.
Oh yeah, that “Magnum” detail… slipped my mind & really kind of answers my original question too. Thanks for the heads up on the article too, by the way. Appreciate your time.
Did you already buy the dies and what not for the 300?
If you only shoot 10-20 rounds a year through the gun, IMO, reloading isnt worth the cost of getting setup for it. Once you buy dies, powder, primers, etc… you are into it for maybe $100 if you get cheap dies and dont need a caliber conversion kit. If you get something like Forster micrometer dies you are into the dies themselves for $100 and the rest for maybe another 50-100 bucks. If you need a caliber conversion for your press maybe another 50-100 bucks. So if you go all out you could be into a new caliber for $300 including your initial reloading supplies.
What does a box of 300 weatherby cost? $40? So it will take you 150 rounds to break even. At your 20 round a year estimate on the high side it takes you 7 years to break even. And if your gun shoots factory pretty well, again, might not be worth it.
But it will take you perhaps 100 rounds just to work a load up that your gun likes(5 rounds a piece on different powder charges, different OAL’s, projectile, powder, etc…). So that adds even more, perhaps another year to 2 to break even.
I always look at it from perspective of break even. I load for 12 calibers right now. The one that most people load for, .38 special, I dont because I put a box of 50 through my J-frame every other month. The way I reload on my dillon I would be into a .38 special setup for almost $175 for dies and caliber conversion. Thats 10 boxes of ammo before I break even on just my dies/conversion kit. Then add another at least $50 for powder and projectiles so another 3-4 boxes. Thats 2 years to break even and thats IF I actually put that box through it every other month.
Yeah, I reload not so much for the economics of it but more so because I enjoy it. While I’m not broke, I’d still rather not spit Abe Lincolns out the barrel either. I’d definitely shoot it more often if I reloaded for it. Factory Weatherby ammo is expensive & not easily accessible locally. Can’t be had around here at corner hardware store.
I still haven’t picked up dies for it yet but I think I will soon. I got the gun quite awhile ago from a family member for a smokin deal so I couldn’t pass it up. Hind sight, I kick myself in the ass because the original owner reloaded for it. I could’ve had all the brass, powder, projos, dies, load data, etc for it but I wasn’t looking to reload rifle calibers at the time. I asked him about it last week and, of course, it’s all long gone.
Oh well, anyone got powder recommendations for 300 Wby?
I would check out Brian Enos as well as Snipers Hide(although not sure if that will produce any results or not). Those are my two go to sources when I am learning about reloading a new caliber.
It’s not in front of me but I believe I did see that mentioned in my load book several times. If its good, I’ll pick some up.
And thanks, I’ll take that as an open invitation. I could just dump my wife off on the other side of the border. She’s s big fan of el Shithole’.
Got some 300 Wby dies headed my way and so the fun begins. I opted not to get a full length sizer (actually Midway decided that for me). I’d need a 5 gal pail of lube.
markm, can you send up about 2 oz of every powder you have? That should yield me about 10+ test rounds of each. J/K
Actually, there is a little hole-in-the-wall hardware store not too far away that has a shit-pot full of different powders. Time to pay a visit.
While you can save money in reloading, that is not the purpose of reloading.
You reload because you CAN
And I only say that half in jest. The time may come where you just can’t get ammo for X caliber very easily (due to legal restrictions on shipping ammo, or SHTF, or whatever) and so having the means to reload is worthwhile.
I try and have loading setups for every caliber I have, as well as powder and primers and bullets. Except 22lr of course.
I have setups for 7.62x39 even though I have not used it since the mid 90s. Chicom and russian ammo is far cheaper to just buy. But I have a small bag of brass, some 123gr bullets, and dies. Just in case.
I also have setups for 303 and 6.5x55 though I don’t shoot them that often and have ammo stashes that are pretty good for them.
If I had a big magnum, I’d have the stuff to load it.
slipped my mind & really kind of answers my original question too. Thanks for the heads up on the article too, by the way. Appreciate your time.
J/K