reloading questions on the 300 BLK

[carbluesnake]

Just ordered from Midway 300BLK dies. They are the 3 die setup from Lee. I hear their crimping die is really good, and that the 300 really benefits from a crimp. I am not aware that the Lee sizing die is a small base die or not. I was thinking that the small base die was darn near mandatory for the AR platform, but a friend of mine said he has had no problem in his AR with the Lee dies. You guys have any opinion or experience with this? Also, any specific recommendations for a 125-130 gr. bullet for this. I don't think I need boat tails as my intended max range will be 300 yards.

[arjunky]

I've only used processed brass so far. Lee dies no problems, yet. I tried 17.8 grains WW296 with nosler ballistic tips out of my 10.5" pistol and groups were not quite twice as big as hornady 110 vmax load.
I haven't had anymore time to play with it yet.

Byron

[Thunder50]

I have been shooting either Nosler 125gr BT or Speer TNT (bulk boxes) out of my 300blk. If the wind isn't blowing, I can hit a 7"x7" plate @500 yds easily, but at our range, seldom is there not any wind!! No chambering problems with standard dies.

[AJMD429]

I've shot 500 or so reloads from my Lee dies, and no problems. Still trying to find optimum COAL and other parameters for the different firearms. Mostly wanting a subsonic load for 8" AR pistol so I'm using 180-220 grainers and 1680 powder around 9-10 grains I think. Have an encore 16" though, and it seems to like longer COAL.

Anyway, the Lee dies have produced perfectly functioning loads for three different AR rifles, a pistol, and of course the Encore. Two of the rifles have been cannibalized to generate funds and parts to make the pistol, so I have only one left I may fiddle with.

[carbluesnake]

Appreciate the info. I was thinking Nosler 125 grainers at about 2100 fps in a 8"SBR. I wasn't sure if the boat tails would behave in this setup.

[arjunky]

Appreciate the info. I was thinking Nosler 125 grainers at about 2100 fps in a 8"SBR. I wasn't sure if the boat tails would behave in this setup.

With the right powder and a little over loaded you might get 2100. I doubt it, but
Maybe 1800-1900. I haven't chronographed anything yet so I can"t say.

Byron

[firefuzz]

Appreciate the info. I was thinking Nosler 125 grainers at about 2100 fps in a 8"SBR. I wasn't sure if the boat tails would behave in this setup.

With the right powder and a little over loaded you might get 2100. I doubt it, but
Maybe 1800-1900. I haven't chronographed anything yet so I can"t say.

Byron

I think he's right here...if you want that kind of velocity you're going to need more barrel.

I jumped on the 300 Blk Out not too long after it came out and only dies you could get without a 6 month to a year wait was the Lee dies. A problem with some of the early ones, they may have corrected it by now, was that the sizing die over worked the case neck by downsizing it too much and then re-expanding it. Several people on the old Blk Out forum had this problem and had to return the dies for adjustment.

The way to check this is to remove the expander assembly and size a case. Then measure the inside neck diameter with a dial caliper. If it's smaller than .303 you may have a problem. Mine originally took them down to .298 and then back up to .308. That's way too much work on the case neck and will shorten you case life. I was lucky and had read about the problem before I got the dies so I checked them before I sized a bunch of brass.

Just something to check...like I said they have probably corrected the problem.

Rob

[cas]

Yeah I don't think you're going to get that fast with an 8" AR.
IIRC all my 11 & 12" guns (locked breach, no gas port) maxed out in the 1900-2000 fps range with 125gr ballistic tips with fairly high pressures. (pushing it, very short brass life)

I love the 30-221 but you can't turn it into something it isn't.

[carbluesnake]

I appreciate it. Whatever it is, it is. Overloading is a poor way to go. If you have to overload it, you have the wrong cartridge. 1900 will be fine if that is what it will get.

[AJMD429]

Whatever it is, it is. Overloading is a poor way to go. If you have to overload it, you have the wrong cartridge.

Yep.

THAT is a statement that could well be repeated on many, many other threads all over the internet, where folks discuss pushing all sorts of cartridges beyond what they can do well.