Favoirite cast for .300 Savage in a 99?

[Abert Rim]

Found a nice one built in 1938 with Lyman tang sight. I have some condom loads put up, but what's a good choice in a cast bullet for these rifles?

[richhodg66]

I personally found the Ideal 31141 works fine and haven't had a problem with the short neck. I loaded it with 28 grains of IMR 4895 and a tuft of Dacron.

[quilbilly]

I personally found the Ideal 31141 works fine and haven't had a problem with the short neck. I loaded it with 28 grains of IMR 4895 and a tuft of Dacron.
I agree. With that short neck of the 300 Sav, this plain base boolit should be a dandy. I have used it with a Unique load in my 308 without the dacron and it shot passably well at about 1400 fps with no leading.

[richhodg66]

The original 31141 I have works great in my Savage 99 and my Model 1920. I bought the NOE clone with a slightly larger nose. It still works well in the 99 and I used it to kill a doe this past season, but it has to be seated so deeply to get it to chamber in the 1920 that I have abandoned it in that rifle.

Also, the Ranchdog bullets seems to work well in my 99 too. I really think that too much is made of the short neck making the .300 Savage difficult to load for. I haven't found it difficult to load for at all, but I'm not looking for bench rest accuracy in it either. Mine have been plenty accurate for deer hunting and that's what I wanted.

[starmac]

Every cast book I have that has 300 savage in it claims best results (of what they tested) was the 173 grain bullet, which the 311291 is the only one they have lsted. They all also say the 311041 works well too.

[crazy mark]

311414 was designed for the 300 Sav.

[richhodg66]

311414 was designed for the 300 Sav.

OK, didn't know that. I'd have to look, but pretty sure I have a single cavity of that one I've never tried. Too pointy for a hunting bullet, but it might make some fun shooting and it might could be hollow pointed.

Have you had some good success with this bullet?

[richhodg66]

Every cast book I have that has 300 savage in it claims best results (of what they tested) was the 173 grain bullet, which the 311291 is the only one they have lsted. They all also say the 311041 works well too.

The 311291 is essentially the same as the 31141 except has a round nose instead of flat. It's a good design, the first rifle mold I ever bought.

[Hardcast416taylor]

311414 was designed for the 300 Sav.


For anything less than a shotgun pattern group with this boolet velocities must be kept fairly low.Robert

[Abert Rim]

'Preciate the guidance, gents.

[OverMax]

I prefer the 311291. It is a cast intended for the 300s use. I don't think the 311041 ever was. Well at least not from the literature I have available. 291 takes a little tweaking for a proper powder charge but once done. 291 shows good down range accuracy. Good enough to deer hunt type of accuracy.

[oscarflytyer]

Have the Lee 170 grn FP GC Lee for the 30-30. Plan to try it in the 99. Can't imagine it won't work. Ubique, 2400, 4895, 3031, something should work.

[richhodg66]

I prefer the 311291. It is a cast intended for the 300s use. I don't think the 311041 ever was. Well at least not from the literature I have available. 291 takes a little tweaking for a proper powder charge but once done. 291 shows good down range accuracy. Good enough to deer hunt type of accuracy.


The 311291 and 311041 are the same bullet except one has a rounded nose, look at them side by side. The 31141 is designed for the .30-30. Looking at the 311291, I have my doubts it was designed for the short necked .300 Savage with as long a bearing surface as it has. Should work well though, my experience shows that the .300 works Ok with bullet bases below the case neck at least with the Dacron tuft I used.

[451whitworth]

I use the RCBS 30-150-FN because my 99G has a slightly slower than normal twist and dosen't like anything much longer. Nothing to do with favorite, it's what works in that rifle

[Good Cheer]

Looking forward to trying the 311413. If the geometry works then might get a hollow point added.

[richhodg66]

I use the RCBS 30-150-FN because my 99G has a slightly slower than normal twist and dosen't like anything much longer. Nothing to do with favorite, it's what works in that rifle

I'm still learning about 99s (love 'em and have six now). Do you know when your G was made? I didn't know they varied the twist rates on them, that's interesting.

[OverMax]

Let me ease those doubts you have about the 311291 richhodg66. Have two manuals in front of me that both state the 311291 as being one of their preference's for use in the 300.

#1.>1980 Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook-3rd edition & #2 _a vintage 1970 Lyman's Reloading Handbook. 45th edition.

[starmac]

The only time I have heard of a different twist, was on a 250/3000 that had a newer barrel on it. I never knew they changed the twist on the 300.

[gnoahhh]

Savage didn't change the twist rate, per se, in the .300, but some slight variations in same will be encountered in the older rifles due mainly to rifling machine operator error. Savage employed Pratt&Whitney sine bar rifling machines that required attention on the part of the operator as they were infinitely variable. If an operator had a hangover, hated the boss, or didn't get laid the night before, some slight variations in rate of twist could have been the result. Still in all, to find one far enough outside the norm to matter one iota is a rare event.

[451whitworth]

richhodg66, my 99G is from 1928. As gnoahhh states it wasn't supposed to be slower than 1-12" it just turned out that way. My G has a 1-13"+ twist and dosen't shoot my LBT 170gr. LFN (.955" length) very well when driven at 2300 fps. The holes in the paper are egg shaped. The rifle will shoot 1" groups @ 75 yards with the RCBS 150gr. (.857") and IMR3031.