Your 300 AAC loads?

[tsubaki]

I would really appreciate hearing what you are using for 300 Blackout, why and your results.
Please include everything you think may be pertinent. Barrel length, gas system length, velocity, powder type, specific bullet and expansion of or lack of, etc.

I have on hand Sierra's 5th edition, Hornady's 9th edition and other stuff to show up this week.

My preconceptions have changed 3 times and I've not even reloaded one cartridge. Now I need some influence.

Thanks

 

[Mobuck]

Gun facts: 16" carbine gas-- one has adjustable gas block w/1-10 twist and one has standard gas block w/1-7 twist, collapsible stocks with a choice of buffer weights on hand if needed to ensure proper function.
Factory loads tested: Hornady 110 V-max super-sonic and Sig Sauer sub-sonic. Both shoot pretty decent.
Handloads tested: 110 Speer HotCor, 110 V-max, 125 &150 Nosler BT, Hornady 195 BTHP all using H-110. WW 296, or AA 1680. Mostly mediocre accuracy with the hunting type bullets but stellar accuracy from the 195 BTHP sub-sonic loads.
I load "from the book" and don't mess around experimenting with such a small capacity case. All handloads will be heavily compressed so get comfortable with that.

 

[Aqualung]

Rifle:
My own build. 16" carbine barrel w/1:8 twist. Pistol-length system. Standard carbine buffer.

Stayed supersonic on my test loads. Factory Remington in 120grn and Firocchi in 150grn tested OK, but beat up the brass and case deflector and ejected at about 5:00.

For my own loads, I'm using W296 and Hornady bullets. 125grn SST and 130grn SP.
WARNING: When using these bullets, use Hornady's data!!! I mistakenly assumed that a Nosler 125grn bullet (on Hodgdon's website) and Sierra 130grn were the same as the Hornady bullets. My reduced test loads ended up exceeding Hornady max loads and I had serious pressure problems.

Aqualung

 

[Three50seven]

Rifle: Ruger American Ranch http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRifleRanch/specSheets/6968.html with Redfield 2-7x33

Hornady 110gr Vmax, 19.2gr H110, 2.050" OAL ~2200fps: Good accuracy, haven't tested it much yet.
Sierra 150gr flat nose (30-30 bullet), 16.5gr H110, 2.00" OAL ~1850 fps: Surprisingly good accuracy, plan to use this one on deer this Fall.
I have also used the Hornady American Gunner 125gr HP with good results.

 

[Mobuck]

"but beat up the brass and case deflector and ejected at about 5:00."

This is indicative of an under gassed AR which is unusual with a pistol gas system.

 

[Aqualung]

"but beat up the brass and case deflector and ejected at about 5:00."

This is indicative of an under gassed AR which is unusual with a pistol gas system.

Could be. But my handloads, which will be 99.9% of what this rifle will shoot from this point forward, dont get beat up and eject at around 3:30, where they should.

So, I'm not overly concerned at this point.

Thanks.

Aqualung

 

[tsubaki]

I'm trying my best not to include another powder to reload with.
I've got a 1:8" twist 16" barrel with a pistol length gas system.
For a first try I'm leaning toward a 150gr jacketed bullet with 12.0gr of 2400.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Aqualung]

I'm trying my best not to include another powder to reload with.
I've got a 1:8" twist 16" barrel with a pistol length gas system.
For a first try I'm leaning toward a 150gr jacketed bullet with 12.0gr of 2400.

Any thoughts on this?

I'd be curious to see how you make out with that. I love 2400.

But, I use W296 for my .30 Carbine, so I have that on hand, too.

Aqualung

 

[tsubaki]

I'm trying my best not to include another powder to reload with.
I've got a 1:8" twist 16" barrel with a pistol length gas system.
For a first try I'm leaning toward a 150gr jacketed bullet with 12.0gr of 2400.

Attempted to get some numbers but the chronograph didn't want to cooperate.
Out of 8 shots only got one number.
1551fps with 150gr Remington PSP CoreLokt's.
Hornady lists this load with their 150gr and 155gr bullets at 1600fps from a 16" S&W AR15.

Firearm cycled fine, need to load up some more and evaluate further.

 

[tsubaki]

Here is what they looked like after being fired into a sand/clay media at about 40 feet. Penetration was about 12".
I have no idea why the one is almost perfect

 

[tsubaki]

A couple I didn't bother shooting.

 

[tsubaki]

I found out Lyman's 50th Edition has data, don't know what but guess I'll get one this week and see.

 

[Galaxiedan]

I use Palmetto Projectiles
http://palmettoprojectiles.com/products/300-blackout-projectiles
203grn with 10.2 grains of A1680.
Load data here http://palmettoprojectiles.com/pages/load-data

 

[tsubaki]

Thanks for sharing the loads you are using!

I've not ruled out anything yet, casting and powder coating is possible as I already do it for a few revolver cartridges. Just haven't progressed to the rifle and have not decided on the projectile.

I already reload for a few .308 diameter such as 30carbine, 30-30, 308, 30/06. So anything that overlaps using some of the same components would be great.

 

[Mobuck]

If they will feed from the mag, the round nose profile bullets will give you a little more powder space(or reduce the compression).

 

[tsubaki]

I made a copy of someones Quick Load analysis with 2400 and 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip in a 20" barrel and COAL 2.260".

12.0gr would be about 76% case fill, about 1770fps and about 37,000psi chamber pressure.

13.5gr would be about 85% case fill, about 1929fps and about 49,000psi chamber pressure.

Anything over 50,000psi there is a warning not to use.

Hornady shows 13.2gr as their max at 1700fps. Again their bullets and a 16" barrel.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I noticed when I looked at Hodgdon's loads for the 300 Blackout online that many of the H-110 loads have a wide variation between start and max loads. Makes me wonder why the 5% rule doesn't apply with that cartridge?

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

 

[tsubaki]

Something amiss here!


Figured I'd see about loading some Trail Boss with 150gr Remington PSPCL and Hornady cases. Being I had the stuff on hand.

Hodgdon lists a start of 6.8gr with a 150gr Hornady Interbond and Remington cases.
The max is listed as 7.8gr.

The most I can get in the case without crushing the powder is 6.5gr.

Just out of curiosity I filled a case up to the top and brushed the powder off level and weighed it.



It came to 7.7gr

 

[Aqualung]

Something amiss here!


Figured I'd see about loading some Trail Boss with 150gr Remington PSPCL and Hornady cases. Being I had the stuff on hand.

Hodgdon lists a start of 6.8gr with a 150gr Hornady Interbond and Remington cases.
The max is listed as 7.8gr.

The most I can get in the case without crushing the powder is 6.5gr.

Just out of curiosity I filled a case up to the top and brushed the powder off level and weighed it.



It came to 7.7gr

It doesnt mention it to be a compressed load?

Also, I'd check what Hornady says about that...maybe someone has Hornady #9 or #10 handy?

Im at work, so don't have my #9 here...

Aqualung

 

[tsubaki]

I have the #9 and Hodgdon does list it as compressed but it won't all fit into the case.

I have a call in to Hodgdon, hopefully I'm not ignorant.