Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

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CMcLeish
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Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by CMcLeish »

Just bought a new 300 Win Mag rifle and curious of peoples experience in cost of reloading. I have a hornady progressive press and reload pistol rounds. It seems like factory ammo runs $1.25 and up per round for the 300.
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BobK
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by BobK »

Yes it is cost effective. If one could reload 9mm and still save money back when it was $8.00 per 50 -- $0.16 per round -- look how much more money you save at $1.25 per round, or $125 per hundred.

For example, Ramshot Hunter yields 3408 fps for a 150 gr Hornady SST. At $132.80 for 8 lb, that works out to about $17.80 per hundred in powder cost.

MidwayUSA charges about $30 per hundred for the Hornady 150 gr SST bullets.

Say, $3.50 per hundred for primers. So that is just over $51 per hundred without the brass. If you already have brass, it is free. But brand new .300 WinMag brass is about $30-$35 per 50 and is reloaded multiple times.

Of course, I am not sure I want to shoot a .300 WinMag a thousand times to feel good about how much money I just saved by reloading! :lol:
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by CMcLeish »

Thanks for the info -Is that powder your favorite? I use Hogdon for my pistol loads. Ive read to use something slow burning.
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by mreising »

CMcLeish wrote:Thanks for the info -Is that powder your favorite? I use Hogdon for my pistol loads. Ive read to use something slow burning.
Yes, in general, rifle powders are slower burning than pistol/shotgun powders. You'll end up using a powder that is recommended by your reloading manuals and that you can find (easier said than done now). I usually load my rifle rounds on a single stage and save the progressive for the pistol stuff where the increased production is advantageous. In looking at some of my references, they actually have 300 Win Mag loads listed for Varget if you're loading 150 grain or lighter bullets. I like Varget in my .223 but there are other powders that are probably more useful for heavier bullets in large magnums. My Hornady manual has a lot of loads listed for bullets ranging in weight from 110 gr. to 225 gr. so you have a lot to choose from. Please understand that there are several powders with the same number in the name (for example, IMR 4350, Accurate 4350, H 4350) that are not substitutes for each other. Make sure you use the correct data for the powder you select.

All of the above may be basic info to you, but it is worth mentioning for new reloaders who may be reading the thread.

Edit to add: I don't have a 300 WIn Mag, though I have been looking for one for a future planned trip, so I don't have a favorite powder for it. My Lyman and Hodgdon references both used Winchester Large Rifle primers, while Hornady used Winchester Large Rifle Magnum primers. Lyman cautions about using magnum primers leading to higher pressures.
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by Sevens »

Absolutely, positively, definitely cost effective to handload .300 Win Mag, no doubt, and it ain't even close.

Know this going in, however: these belted magnum cartridges are not at all friendly to brass life. I have been working mostly with Federal head stamp brass and 3-4 loadings is what I expect before incipient case head separation. Less if I run them hard.

Federal bottle neck rifle brass has reputation for not being the best stuff out there, so there are -MANY- variables here. Your rifle, your methods at the load bench and the throttle position of your loads as well as the brass you start with will all have a say in the life of your brass, but don't expect whatever you might have come to enjoy with other (non-belted) bottle-neck rifle brass, and of course, no rifle brass that I know runs the distance that most pistol brass runs.

If you are starting from scratch, factory ammo is always a fine baseline to get your gun rolling & your optics trued, but factory ammo in .300 win Mag is never going to be a cost-effective method for building a brass supply. Factory new brass (better, more $) is the best bet, but looking on Gunbroker for once-fired brass is going to be the cheapest method for building a supply.
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by JediSkipdogg »

VERY cost effective. I reload for 70 cents per shot, and that includes a piece of brass lasting 5 shots. I'd expect to get about 7-8 out of a piece.

I use 200gr Sierra Matchking, H1000 powder, and Federal Match Primers, and Winchester brass. Final round loaded is 70 cents total. 200gr factor loads for 300 Win Mag? Somewhere in the area of $50 for 20.

You have to first find what grain bullet and go from there. I could load 180 or 150 grain for probably 20 cents cheaper, but my rifle loves 200gr due to it's twist rate and barrel length.

Granted, 300 win mag isn't a round you shoot a ton of if you love your shoulder, but when you can spend a few hours shooting say 100 rounds, there's a huge difference spending $250 to do it vs $70. I'll take the $70 please. :mrgreen:
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by CMcLeish »

Does anyone have powder preferences or should I just run with whatever rifle powder I can get in the present market and adjust based on published data?
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by mreising »

CMcLeish wrote:Does anyone have powder preferences or should I just run with whatever rifle powder I can get in the present market and adjust based on published data?
While powder is difficult to get, you should only use something that has published data for your cartridge. It looks like JediSkipdogg likes H1000 but there are quite a few other powders that are suitable for 300 WinMag. get yourself a couple of references, don't just rely on one. The manuals from the bullet manufacturers (Hornady, Sierra, etc.)will list a variety of powders from different manufacturers but only their bullets, while the powder manufacturers will only list their powders with assorted bullets. Hodgdon's web site has an online load data application which covers Hodgdon, Winchester and IMR powders. If you don't already have a couple of different manuals I suggest you get a couple. As Sevens noted, loading for rifles is different than for straight wall pistols. For example, it is important to properly apply lubricant before sizing rifle cases, too much in the wrong places is a problem, as is too little.
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by JediSkipdogg »

I like H1000 as it's a recommended good load for 300 Win Mag. I'm a fan of Hodgdon powders, so that's why I went the H1000 route. IMR 4831 is also a good powder for 300 Win Mag.
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by stephen45-70 »

Belted cases have a bit of a learning curve to load ... not an issue if you dont mind taking a few hours to learn a bit about it .

As to powders .. h1000 is probably one of the easiest to start with .
If your the experimental type and want to fine tune the best load possible you will start choosing powders
Based of of barrel lenght and twist rates. Along with bullet weight .

I had good luck with the h1000 .. and a bit better luck with rotundo.
But fear not .. youll have ample opertunity to try new powders as the big belted magnums eat up a wholeot of powder

If you do start loading for it give me a shout i have a few new cases left. And no use for them as i gave up on magnums ling ago
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by mreising »

stephen45-70 wrote: .. and a bit better luck with rotundo.
Is that the powder with the fat grains? :wink:
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by Pecker »

Words like "cost effective" really don't mean much in a round that is probably for big game hunting.

Let's see, flight to Montana? $700
Hunting guide? $1500
Lodging? $1000

300 Win mag round reloaded ? $0.75

In loading those rounds its because you've dialed in a round perfect or as close to perfect for your gun as you can manage. I don't think the dollars and cents factor in much.

When you have a shot on the elk of a life time, or the moose of a life time, do you really care that you saved compared to a $1.25 over a factory round?
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by CMcLeish »

All good info - very much appreciated. Dear old dad reloaded a lot of rifle rounds in his day but he is not physically able to teach me anything so I rely on you all. I do not hunt anything other than stationary targets at the end of a range so I use the hunting trip expense fund to send more lead downrange :) Then again that would require actually going to the range which I do not do enough of!
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

Post by CMcLeish »

I would like to make a "HUG" meeting to meet some of you soon.
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Re: Cost effective to reload 300 Win Mag?

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CMcLeish wrote:I would like to make a "HUG" meeting to meet some of you soon.
Quite a hike from St. Clairsville to Columbus.

But the guys are worth the trip . . .
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