RL17 with 300 gr 375 H&H

[PHOENIX PHIL]

RL15 velocity ladder test to find max pressure.

Privi Brass, Fed 215 LRM primers, 300 grain Peregrine copper solids (VRG-2), OAL 3.520 inches:

66.0 2516 ft/s
66.5 2514 ft/s
67.0 2527 ft/s
67.5 2528 ft/s
68.0 2592 ft/s (significant velocity jump with only .5 gr additional powder ?)
68.5 2562 ft/s (wondering if the 68.0 & 68.5 loads were shot out of order as the velocity is much lower)
69.0 2594 ft/s
69.5 2590 ft/s
70.0 2600 ft/s (adding additional powder but velocity is topped out, primers showing signs of pressure)

The target didn't make any sense as the shots were dispersed vertically but were mixed. Hmmm.

Went out yesterday and took one shot with the 300 gr Hydros and the shot was much lower than it should have been. Stopped shooting and checked out the rifle at home. I was able to turn the rear tang action screw more than half a turn before hitting 40 in lbs with torque wrench. Hoping I found the problem and the scope isn't acting up, a little blue Loctite on the action screws to keep things in order.

Back to the range again soon, will shoot 3 rounds of the RL15 at 67.3 grains as there seemed to be a node there as well as the RL17 load of 72 grains with the VRG-3 Bushmaster (expanding point).

Edge

You need to be the judge of what's happening here. But 2600fps with those long copper solids.....were it me, I'd be concerned I'm reaching the line of max safe pressure if I hadn't crossed it already.

 

[Edge]

You need to be the judge of what's happening here. But 2600fps with those long copper solids.....were it me, I'd be concerned I'm reaching the line of max safe pressure if I hadn't crossed it already.

Agree, intent was to find the max for my rifle and then look for a node a couple of grains under the max. I found the max and will see how the lower charge of 67.3 gr of RL15 (~2525 fps) shoots.

 

[Edge]

Range results (3 shot groups):

(1) RL 15 w/ peregrine solids grouped well enough

(2) RL 17 w/ solids as a control group printed same as prior groups

(3) RL 17 w/ Peregrine bushmaster (expanding bullet) had a flyer, didn’t think it was me...

Next attempt, going to shoot a couple of 3 shot groups with both RL 17 and 15 with the bushmasters.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Interesting info. Keep it up. Do you have a contingency plan if Peregrine doesn’t work? I couldn’t get my 375 plains game loads with them to work.
Both R15 & R17 look good with solids.

For DG I went to Barnes and it worked good. Barnes 300 factory clusters an inch high verses Hornady 300 DGS. So that was my set up for buffalo, bushbuck, bushpig then solid on duiker.

 

[Edge]

Interesting info. Keep it up. Do you have a contingency plan if Peregrine doesn’t work? I couldn’t get my 375 plains game loads with them to work.
Both R15 & R17 look good with solids.

For DG I went to Barnes and it worked good. Barnes 300 factory clusters an inch high verses Hornady 300 DGS. So that was my set up for buffalo, bushbuck, bushpig then solid on duiker.

Woodleigh Hydros for everything or I may grab a box or two of Barnes/Swift and run those with the Hydros.

I don’t think I’m far off with the 300gr Bushmasters, we shall see!

 

[sestoppelman]

Barnes Triple Shocks are hard to beat especially for accuracy. When I have had rifles reluctant to group in the last few years, I try them and light shines thru the sky in most cases.

 

[Von S.]

Sometumes I wonder what people are actually looking for when they magnumize a Magnum?

I always attempt to get one ragged hole accuracy first and then kick it in the britches a bit after that. If the accuracy drops off I go back to the original load and become happy with it and load enough so that that particular rifle can be brought to bare at a moment's notice. And that ammo container has that rifles serial number on it so it doesn't get shoved in another gun of the same caliber.

There is always my favorite....the 378 Weatherby mag....the Magnum, Magnum !

 

[Edge]

Another trip to the range this morning to narrow in on a Peregrine VRG-3 300gr load (expanding). Shot varying charges of RL15 and RL17 with RL15 shooting the smallest group, load details in the pic.

I was able to get a decent RL17 grouping but based on the sequence of powder charges/groups, will need to experiment further and increase the powder charge to see if it will tighten up.

I’ll verify the RL15 load again and a few clicks on the scope to center it up and call it good! The Woodleigh Hydros shoot about a 1/2” lower so I should be set. Less than 3 weeks to departure.

Best RL17 group, same cartridge data as the RL15 except for charge weight/type:

Followed up the heavy session with 40 rounds of 223 off the sticks banging steel out to 300 yards.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Looks good, did you chrono those loads?

 

[Edge]

Looks good, did you chrono those loads?

I didn’t run them across the magnetospeed this morning, based on the solids with same powder charge, right around 2500 FPS for the RL15 load. I may run a couple for velocity tomorrow and will report.

In this case, I could not substitute the 300 grain Peregrine copper solids VRG-2 for the copper expanding VRG-3 Bushmaster like I could for the VRG-4 and -5 165gr Peregrine loads in my 30-06.

The VRG-2 solids have a concave bullet base to make up for the loss of copper for the VRG-3 expansion chamber. Could explain why you may have to tweak the load some between the two bullets.

View of the bullet bases:

View of the top, VRG-3 expanding Bushmaster on the left, you can see the plunger insert and the VRG-2 copper solid on the right.

Loads developed with less than 50 rounds down range for both the solids and expanding and will print very close to the Hydro’s. Mission accomplished!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Looks like a go! I’d burn a few cheap 300 grainers (PPU?) off sticks as fast as possible just for practice with same recoil you will get hit with.
Just a thought. I really want to read a great success report!

 

[Edge]

Looks like a go! I’d burn a few cheap 300 grainers (PPU?) off sticks as fast as possible just for practice with same recoil you will get hit with.
Just a thought. I really want to read a great success report!

I’ve been shooting the 375 steadily since I bought it last year, I haven’t kept track but I’m over 300 rounds in a year using 235, 250 and 300gr loads. The recoil on the 300gr doesn’t seem as bad as the 250’s over 2800fps!

I have two more weekends to shoot, I’ll just load more of the solids for practice vs PPUs that don’t shoot worth a shit (from what I’ve read) plus I don’t have any!

I’m at peace now knowing I’ve got loads for anything that walks!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Oh would I be getting excited if I were in your shoes!
Best of luck on your grand adventure!
And don’t forget us guys waiting to vicariously live it through you!

 

[Edge]

Oh would I be getting excited if I were in your shoes!
Best of luck on your grand adventure!
And don’t forget us guys waiting to vicariously live it through you!

Trust me, I’m counting the minutes! Will be on the road the next two weeks for business, home a couple days and off to Zimbabwe! Time is going to fly on by!

I will have some internet connectivity @ Drummond Ranch...deabating on doing a “live hunt”...

 

[Ridgewalker]

I have two more weekends to shoot, I’ll just load more of the solids for practice vs PPUs that don’t shoot worth a shit (from what I’ve read) plus I don’t have any!

Just an FYI, the PPU solids group under 1” at 100yds, but the softs open to nearly 2” in my MRC. I reload the cases with a cheap Speer 235 SP for my stick practice load. The cases seem to hold up well.

 

[Edge]

Just an FYI, the PPU solids group under 1” at 100yds, but the softs open to nearly 2” in my MRC. I reload the cases with a cheap Speer 235 SP for my stick practice load. The cases seem to hold up well.

I believe your MRC shoot’s everything well!

Been using PPU brass from the start and no complaints, I would defiantly buy it again.

 

[Edge]

Velocity for the below RL15 load is 2525 FPS at the muzzle.

 

[Ridgewalker]

That should expand great! All the Federal 300s I have tested were 2,480+-7. The Barnes 300 was 2,529 and the Swift A-frame was the fastest at 2,553.

 

[Edge]

That should expand great! All the Federal 300s I have tested were 2,480+-7. The Barnes 300 was 2,529 and the Swift A-frame was the fastest at 2,553.

Looking forward to testing them out...11 days until wheels up!