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Thread: Ramblings of an Old Man and his winter projects!

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Ramblings of an Old Man and his winter projects!

    I have been on the hunt for a shooter grade 300 H&H for a couple of years now. I did not want a collector gun, just a shooter. No luck! I was just about to spend the cash on the one current factory factory offering I could find, a Browning bolt gun. My local enabler called and said that she had a line on a Rem. 721 in my grail caliber.

    The rifle was pretty sad. Barrel cut to 24" (came with a 26), replacement stock, an old Bishop that looks to have been shaped with a hoof rasp and inleted with a chain saw. (Well, maybe not that bad, but close, receiver inlet looks OK but may have to do something with the barrel channel after I test fire it). On the plus side, it came with nice Redfield base and rings and the barrel had been cut by someone that knew what they were doing (nice looking crown), also it has a very nice bore. The price was a little more than I thought I would like to / should have to pay BUT I have been looking for several years, so it came home with me. I have been working on the stock as well as checking out other stock option and rereading the articles and reloading manuals on the 300 H&H (it ain't like I needed a H&H as I have 2, 300 Win Mags and a 300 Weatherby(inherited from my Dad). So, this is an ongoing project but with a foot of snow on the ground and 6 foot drifts on the way to my desert range, I have some time. I already had a set of dies and some new Hornady cases (in anticipation) and many choices of 30 cal. bullets

    Winter projects part TWO

    Like I said, I have been reading.(a dangerous pastime for me) One of the things I have been reading about is the 7 MM Rem. Magnum. I have never been a huge fan of the big Rem. (although I shoot a 7x57 and a 280 Rem., both of which shoot better than I can/could, even when I had a younger man's eyes). I have been looking at rifles. I looked at and read about Mossberg (I like the look and the price point) Ruger Am. (OK price, not much of a looker), Savage (I own a couple of 110s and bought them years ago when they were just starting to build a rep. for accuracy and had a good price point), now, they are expensive and still butt ugly! I also have been looking over the used guns at the two places in my town that trade. Several Rem. 700s to be had but most were priced for more that I thought I would like to spend on a project and caliber that I have no particular affinity for. Used Savages can be had but again, a little high priced and still UUUgly. I also ran across a couple of Ruger 77s, in several variations, but nothing outstanding. Yesterday I was at one of the local shops and they had just put out an older Ruger 77 (first gen, tang safety) with a 3x10 Simmons scope (not the greatest but usable), price was reasonable. As I am looking, the counter gal says that the rifle had just pulled from layaway. (guy had it put back before Christmas and had come in to pick it up and while waiting had discovered a pristine 77 in 300 Win mag. (I really liked it also but as I said above: I already have 3) Made a comment about wishing he had seen the 300 before buying the 7. An accord was reached and he bought the 300 and left the 7) I was offered the 7 at a further discounted price (I AM WEAK) and it came home with me.

    A couple of years ago, my, then, next door neighbor was just starting out in the reloading game and was trying to reload 7mm on a Lee press and having issues. I had an extra RCBS jr. and traded it to him. I also gave a half dozen boxes of misc. 7mag brass I had gathered over the years. (might as well get rid of this junk, I will never have a rifle in that caliber - - Ya Right!) So here I sit with a new to me rifle and a set of dies and not one single 7 mm Rem Mag case in sight! Well, I fixed that this morning. Ordered up a couple of bags of Federal brass (I know that not everyone likes Fed. brass but I do)

    So, I have two projects to work on while I wait for the snow to melt and mud season (spring) to be over!

    On the off chance that I stepped on some toes by stating my preferences in guns, brass and reloading gear ect., I offer an apology and the thought that if you like something and I don't, it doesn't make either of us wrong, just different.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    I owned a 300 Winchester mag and a 300 Weatherby mag at one point. I could not get used to the recoil so they went down the road. Never tried the 7mm mag but did have the 280 at one point in a Browning. Nice rifle. It went also.
    I own several Savage rifles. Yes indeed they are not the most beautiful rifles out there, but they are ACCURATE. That count for a lot to me.
    I have a couple too many rifles if that can really happen. Not certain which one or ones I would sell though. They shoot too well.

  3. #3
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    The 7mm mag is a great cartridge. It may not be at it's best in that Ruger, but it may shoot ok- the old 77's were hit and miss IME. The original home of the Big 7 would be a better choice- the Remington 700. Like you said different opinions! But I share your excitement about the 721 .300 Holland's Super. I want one too.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    If your new to the 7 Mag and looking for a inexpensive load Try Surplus WC860 powder. This powder likes heavy bullets. We like the Hornady 162 gr. BTSP. and Fed 215 primer. My sons have shot alot of deer with this combo. Full power loads burn clean. Recoil is about like 180 gr. 30-06.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master northmn's Avatar
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    I have talked to more than one older individual that had the 300 H&H and liked it. The H&H was supposed to be a longer range 30-06 in that it could drive a 180 grain bullet about as fast as an 06 could a 150. Recoil was more pleasant than the super mags. Basically it did what a 300 mag should and if one needed more punch they should go to a bigger bore. The thought behind H&H was not to make a 30 cal a gun for larger game but just to shoot what one would with a normal 30 cal but maybe a bit farther away. Been reading books by Capstick and Robertson, both African PH's and both recommend bigger bores over higher velocity.

    DEP

  6. #6
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    721 B Grade in 300 H&H is THE 300 H&H to have. With today's powders and that 26" bbl it will match a 300 winny or wsm. Feeds better than any of them.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I thought I would add a few comments and additions to my original post and address some of the other members advice and recommendations:

    Tazman: I agree that the Savage brand has a reputation for stellar accuracy. I own two, a HB .308, that will shoot 3/4" groups (5 shot) at 200 yrds with loads it likes. I also have a .223 HB that also shoots very well. A decade or so ago, I bought several 110s off various dealers used gun racks, mostly for $125 to $150. I have a friend that built his collection of calibers by switching out the barrels on these guns to various things that he wanted. 35 Whelen comes to mind. But the days of $125 dollar Savages are gone.

    T b G: I agree with you that a Remington 700 would have been, maybe, a better choice! But economics was a key here. The 700s I looked at were all $100 + dollars or more than the 77 and didn't come with optics or bases. Also I have owned, maybe, a half dozen or more 77 tang safety rifles, all from the same time period. The 22-250 V that I own will shoot small groups with almost any bullet and really small groups with something it likes. I have a .257 Bob that has been my primary goat and deer gun since moving to Wyoming in the 80s. I have owned a few other calibers and all shot well enough to hunt with or better. So we will see what happens.

    Loudenboomer: Thanks for the load tips. I was planing on using bullets from 150 to 175 grain as I have a couple of 7mms to shoot lighter stuff. I have a good supply of 162s!

    As for the reasoning on a 300 H&H: I have/had a friend(he recently passed) that was a H&H fan and I watched him shoot deer and speed goats with it and I know he killed a couple of sheep also. He called his, a saddle ring carbine because before he got it someone had shortened the barrel. I always hoped to talk him out of his Model 70 but it was not in the game plan. So I finally found this 721 basket case. No good reason, just because I wanted one and this is the first and only one I found for sale a what was a sort of reasonable price.

    Thanks all for the tips, opinions and comments. I will post an update when the snow goes away and I can get out and shoot.
    Last edited by Binky; 02-04-2019 at 03:20 PM.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy gumbo333's Avatar
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    Glad you got the basket case to fill your winter hours. Sometimes you just get a hankering for something, that's what makes life enjoyable. Good luck with the 721 and 77 projects. Hope you don't bruise your shoulder.

  9. #9
    In Remembrance


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    Back in 1980 I built up loads for 2 Rem 7mm Mag rifles for antelope. The 1st rifle loved Fed brass with Speer 145 Hot core bullets in a case with 1 gr. over max of H-4831 with Fed Mag primers. At 250 yds it made a 3 shot 1 hole group. The other rifle liked WW brass and the same other componets minus 2 gr. of the powder. At 250 yds it made a super sweet 3 leaf clover group.Robert

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    This thread has re-opened an old itch in me. Even before I started handloading (around 50 years ago) I decided I had a real "want" for a rifle in 300 H&H caliber. Now that craving has come back to me. Looks like I'm going to take a "never too late" look for another rifle to add to the herd.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by baileyboy View Post
    721 B Grade in 300 H&H is THE 300 H&H to have. With today's powders and that 26" bbl it will match a 300 winny or wsm. Feeds better than any of them.
    I bought a 300 H&H pre-64 Win 70 for $300. How do you say "regret"? Selling it for something else I just had to have. I am always looking for another one but doubt I'll be able to afford it. All I have left is the Redfield range finding scope with the yardstick in it. Of all the guns I've sold that is the one I still think about.
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

    Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    My issues just got magnified! Early this week I was hangin' out at one of the local joints. A guy comes in and asks the clerk if she has made up her mind about buying his gun. She says "Not really interested" but points at me and says "You might be interested" The guy and I start a conversation. He has a Win. Model 70 Post-64 (he thinks he bought it in the mid 80s) He wants less money for it than I paid for the Rem 721. I said I was interested but need to see the gun. We agree on a price - pending examination - and off we go. Me to the magic money machine and him home to get the rifle. About a hour later I am the owner of a Model 70 XTR in 300 H&H (I didn't know that they made any 300 H&Hs that late. ) Condition is excellent, only a couple of dings. Only need to find the bases (somewhere in the gun room) and mount a scope. Along with the gun (for a few extra bucks, less than the price of a box of current 300 ammo) I got a box of factory Win. 180 gr. silvertips a box of once fired brass and 4 boxes of new Win. unprimed brass. All from his original purchase of the rifle. So, I still have the project gun(which I will finish when the weather gets better and I can sand outside) And a nice looking rifle to play with until then. When it rains it pours!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master northmn's Avatar
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    Yup. When yo spend your money on something like that then another one comes along. Murphy's law. Kind of like buying something and then finding that you had one like it stored away some place.

    DEP

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check