M99 .300 Savage bullet test

[26Charlie]

I wanted to test the 311414 150 gr. pointy bullet for the .300 Savage against some other 150 gr. bullets, so I put together 20 rounds each of 311414, RCBS 30-150-SP, and Modern-Bond 311910 ( a Loverin design GC) all weighing in at right around 150 gr., all using the same powder charge of 16.0 gr. 2400, and all with the Rem. 9 1/2 primer.

All designs fed and chambered just fine. I fired 5-shot groups from the M99 lever gun at 100 yards. This rifle has a Lyman peep rear and a post front sights. Results:
311414 - 5 7/8".
RCBS 30-150-SP - 2 3/4".
M-B 311910 - 2 5/16".

I have some other .300 Savage rifles. so I'll try it in them also - a bolt action Remington 722, a Remington 760 pump, and a Remington M81 self-loader. Hence the need to have 20 rounds of each test load.

It appears the longer body of the RCBS and M-B bullets are beneficial.

[JDL]

I've had very good results with 311466 Loverin in my Savage 99, with which I killed my first deer with cast boolits in 1977. Now, I use a mold I had made for my 7.62x39 that weighs 165 grains and has a flat nose. It doesn't extend below the neck and is as accurate or just a little more.
JDL

[Bret4207]

Anytime you have a boolit with a very short bearing surface runout becomes critical. You'll need to ensure the neck is very concentric, the case mouth trimmed, and the boolit seated as close to perfectly aligned as possible. You also have to be very picky about your sizing as cocking it even slightly can distort things.

Those designs can be tough to work with.

[Maineboy]

In spite of the extremely short neck of the Savage case, I've had better success with boolits in the 170-190 grain range than with lighter ones. More specifically, the Lyman 311291, 311041, and the RCBS 30-180-FN, which weighs about 195 grains lubed and checked.

[26Charlie]

JDL, the Modern-Bond 311910 was designed by Loverin and looks very much like the 311466 Lyman design.

Maineboy, I have had good results also with the heavier bullets, but I wanted to see if I could get some useful load with the 311414; I added the other bullets because I more-or-less knew they would work. I also took another rifle to the range, just to be sure any troubles I may have had were with the rifle and not my shooting technique that day. ( It was a Ruger #3 .22 Hornet with jacketed 40-grainers; got as 2" 10-shot group with it.)

Bret4207, You are right in your particulars. Still, I want to if possible put together a load without worrying so much about the details you mention, and I am reminded of experiments long ago with 311413 in the .30-06. I got really nice groups (from a target rifle) when I stepped the velocity down to 1350 or so. I'll likely give that a try with the 311414 before I part with the mould.

Stay tuned after the upcoming weekend.

[Bret4207]

By all means, go for it. You'll never know till you try and my post wasn't meant to discourage you.

[northmn]

I just got hold of a Savage 99 in 300 Savage and would be interested in some of the heavier bullet loads. I have a round nose 185 grain mold from Lee thats killed 4 deer in a 30-30 (I have always wanted a 99 and got one at a good price)

Northmn

[Bret4207]

Most of the older reloading manuals covered the 300 quite well. I'm not sure about current info, but I'd feel safe using starting 308 loads reduced by 10-15%. That's just me, do as you wish. Something in the area of 34.0 gr 4064 will get you into the 2200 fps range. You can also use jacketed 300 Sav info and see how it works.

[26Charlie]

OK - results from the 311414 150 gr. pointy bullet and 16.0 gr. 2400 in two other guns -
in a bolt action Rem 722 got 5 shots in 2 3/4"; in a pump action H&R Reising prototype (didn't go into production) after a shot out of the group from an oily bore, got 4 in 2 1/4".

Stepped the velocity down to 14.0 gr. 4227; got a 2 7/8" 5-shot group from the M99 Savage, of which 4 were in 1 1/2" with a low one due to tipping the rifle forward, which also gave poor obturation and a smoked case. The M722 with this load gave me a 3 3/8" group, worse than above. This load is too light, being sensitive to powder positioning.

As a check I fired the RCBS 30-150-SP / 16.0 gr. 2400 load in the M722, that rifle being a true tack-driver, for a 1 1/4" group.

Maybe I'll keep the mould for awhile longer and play with it some more.


Northmn, a load which works for me in most all .300 Savages, even functioning the M81 Remington semiauto, is 311291 175 gr. RNGC and 22.0 gr. Scot 4197, same charge with 311644 195 gr. GC also works. Since Scot 4197 is supposed to be same burning rate as 4198, you could try that. I bought a case of 8-pounders when Scot powders were going out, so I use it a lot. These longer bullets will be seated with grease grooves down in the powder, but that doesn't seem to hurt anything.