Good Ball Powder for 300 Win Mag???

[Glennster]

My buddy can not get a consistent powder weight when he loads 4350 in his Dillon 550. The folks at Dillon say that's normal, they say that a good Ball Powder will get better consistency.
Do you guys have a powder that you would recommend for the 300 Win Mag?
THANKS!!!

 

[OneBadV8]

Load powder manually.

Or look at some of the Super Short Cut powders from IMR. I use 7828 in mine, its similar to 4831

 

[sloughfoot]

WW760

 

[Glennster]

Have you tried the WW760 in a Dillon Loader?

 

[Broom_jm]

My buddy can not get a consistent powder weight when he loads 4350 in his Dillon 550. The folks at Dillon say that's normal, they say that a good Ball Powder will get better consistency.
Do you guys have a powder that you would recommend for the 300 Win Mag?
THANKS!!!

If you mean IMR-4350, your buddy has chosen one of the worst metering powders there is.

It also happens to be a bit on the fast side for the 300WM, and temperature sensitive, to boot. He doesn't need to switch to a ball powder. If he wants an even better performing powder, that meters quite well from a 550, just get some H4831SC. It's an ideal powder for the 300WM and won't get caught on large grains, the way IMR-4350 does.

 

[sloughfoot]

If you mean IMR-4350, your buddy has chosen one of the worst metering powders there is.

It also happens to be a bit on the fast side for the 300WM, and temperature sensitive, to boot. He doesn't need to switch to a ball powder. If he wants an even better performing powder, that meters quite well from a 550, just get some H4831SC. It's an ideal powder for the 300WM and won't get caught on large grains, the way IMR-4350 does.

For all bullet weights?

Edit to add....IDEAL for all bullet weights?

 

[Skip]

If you are using a Dillon they state right in the instructions not to use stick powders in their measures. Of course, who reads the instructions!

Most of the ball powders out there are a bit more temperature sensitive than their stick brothers. What about one of the short cuts from Hodgdon?

There are some good ball powders from Accurate Arms too. Magpro may be something to look into.

I think one of the short cut Hodgdon Extreme powders is your best bet though.

FWIW

 

[Glennster]

My buddy wants to use his Dillon 550 to load, he will not use an electric powder measure or anything else. Just the Dillon 550, he is very set in his ways.
In talking to the guys at Dillon, they agree, that powder will NOT get him consistent weights.
They said a Ball Powder will do quite well.
My buddy and I are both shooting the Savage 110BA in 300 Win Mag. The 208 grain A-Max has been very good at 1,000 yards for a factory stock rifle. My buddy wanted to go 1,000 yards and liked my set up, so he got the same rifle. He's got a few bucks, he's in his 80's and does not needs a bunch of recoil. This rifle is great for him, almost NO RECOIL!
But it is 17 pounds with the scope!

I need a good Ball Power that will shoot good in the 300 WM and drop consistent charges in a Dillon 550 .......
THANK YOU for any assistance!!

 

[Skip]

Have you looked into some of the surplus powders?

 

[rimfire_crazed]

He's probably not going to get consistent charges with stick powder in a Dillon powder measure unless he switches to an SC-Extreme powder.

The question is, does he really need that amount of consistency in the .300WM? That' a pretty large case and a pretty decent volume of powder. He might find plenty of accuracy and be throwing charges that are +/- .75 grain or more.

If all else fails, his options are as stated, H4831sc, Winchester 760, Winchester 780, and other slow burning ball powders from Ramshot, etc.

But yeah - the old IMR powders and a lot of the Hodgdon stick powders meter like corn flakes. Such is life.

 

[Broom_jm]

For all bullet weights?

Edit to add....IDEAL for all bullet weights?

There is no one powder that will be "IDEAL" for all bullet weights in 300WM, although H4831SC comes close. It is certainly "usable" for all bullet weights and will meter well, which is the main question the OP was asking.

In the interest of full disclosure, a slightly faster powder would be better for lighter bullet weights and slightly slower might be better for the heaviest 30 caliber pills. That's what load development will determine. For the standard 150-200 grain bullets, H4831SC will more than likely deliver the kind of accuracy and performance most hunters are looking to find.

 

[sloughfoot]

There is no one powder that will be "IDEAL" for all bullet weights in 300WM, although H4831SC comes close. It is certainly "usable" for all bullet weights and will meter well, which is the main question the OP was asking.

In the interest of full disclosure, a slightly faster powder would be better for lighter bullet weights and slightly slower might be better for the heaviest 30 caliber pills. That's what load development will determine. For the standard 150-200 grain bullets, H4831SC will more than likely deliver the kind of accuracy and performance most hunters are looking to find.

And my post with WW760 is the same.... Well said in any event.....

How did we ever figure this stuff out before the internet? And survive?

 

[shooter1054]

I use Win 760 in my 300 WSM with 150gn Hornady SST. I have used it with 180 gn SST as well with good results. I have shot sub 2 MOA at 1000 yards with this hunting rifle. I have gotten consistant 2-3" groups at 200 yards with this load. Might also check out Win Supreme 780.

 

[chipdog4]

Never used this particular powder, but Ramshot's makes a spherical powder called Magnum.

http://www.ramshot.com/products/rifle/

 

[sloughfoot]

And to clarify, I do not reload any rifle cartridge in a progressive press. All of my 50,000 + CUP cartridges get single loaded and the powder charge is individually weighed. And I shoot thousands of 223 rounds in a year.

Progressives are great for pistol rounds, not for rifle.

My opinion, which you can ignore.

 

[Broom_jm]

And my post with WW760 is the same.... Well said in any event.....

How did we ever figure this stuff out before the internet? And survive?

I don't know about you, but I stayed GLUED to my reloading books and didn't even attempt stuff that wasn't published in black and white. I also talked to "old guys"...they know stuff.

For all the advantages of software programs and online data, I really enjoy these forums because it's like a bunch of old guys, sitting around BS'ing about reloading. I dig that!

 

[IndyGunworks]

I really enjoy these forums because it's like a bunch of old guys, sitting around BS'ing about reloading. I dig that!

Ill second that. Sometimes it is awe inspiring how much knowlege some of you guys have from experience. I consider myself a very seasoned and knowledgeable reloader, but it still pales in comparision to some of you guys that have been around the block.

 

[noylj]

4000 MR with heavy bullets