Getting started with the 300blk ...

wquiles

Well-Known Member
I decided to try the Rand Dog 180gr hunting bullet from NOE: (TL310-180-RF) GC PC-coated (sized .309") and although it has (for the caliber) a large meplat, in my rifle it always feeds from the PMAG 10-round I am using to develop the COL. I started with 2.050" and had to go shorter and shorter and shorter until it would no longer jam in the rifling (what "wide" band" above there you see the crimp was the area giving me trouble). Once I got the COL to 1.960", I can load and eject with no problem.

Same case as with the lighter 124gr Green pills a couple of posts earlier. I didn't expect at all these flat points to feed at all. Anyone else loading something similar in their 300BLK? Did I just get lucky with the particular ramp/barrel I got in this fully assembled upper?
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freebullet

Guest
One would think as popular as this cartridge has become someone would design a nice high bc hollow point. I seen where some folks were modding the smk by cutting the nose back a tinch & filing petals on the shortened nose to get them opening at sub velos.

Glad yours will feed fat flats. Maybe other haven't tried?
 

popper

Well-Known Member
Both my extensions have wide ramps so they feed my version (170PB & 185GC for 30/30) of the RD well if I use lancer mags. I did make the meplat a bit smaller. OAL makes a lot of difference too.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
Got to the range today!

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Except for the blowback in my face from this traditional baffle-designed F1 suppressor (part of the fun in being a lefty), the 300BLK pistol is definitely a keeper. It fed "everything" 100%. Both supersonics worked the bolt and held open on the last round. I tried one subsonic load which I didn't expect to cycle the bolt (it din't): 124gr cast with 5.2gr Trailboss which was supposed to be subsonic.

Funny thing is that I was not mentally ready when I fired the first shot of that wimpy suppressed load. In fact, then I shot it, I though the firing pin hit the round and the round din't go off. I actually went through my NRA training, waited 3-4 seconds, and manually cycled the bolt to check why I had a light strike. To my surprise an empty case came out. I actually took the bolt out and looked through the barrel since I wasn't even sure the bullet exited the barrel (it did!). Did it again 4x more times. So freaking quiet and so calm when there is no bolt to move nor make noise. Now I get why folks say that for shooting 300BKL subsonics a bolt action is best :)

Now, these 124gr loads fired OK supersonic and subsonic, but they had very little recoil, almost too little recoil for what I am used to in the AR15 platform. But then I tried the 180gr cast supersonics - now that felt great. Stronger recoil but still plenty light & manageable. I can see sticking with this load for a while and come up with a good accurate setup. Today I fired these rounds just to try function and closely sight-in the 1-4x scope, so I look forward to having more fun with my new 300blk pistol!

Will
 
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Ian

Notorious member
Pistols are bad about giving you "gas face" because the timing is so short. One thing I like about the carbine system is less of that, in fact almost none with the right load and subsonic 230-grainers.

Glad you got it running, it's always a thrill to try out a new F1 can and see how she does. If you use one of those Caldwell brass catchers that dovetails onto a rail mount and get it adjusted to fit between the forward assist boss and the back of the handguard it will deflecf a lot of that gas and debris away from your face.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
I highly recommend making a two-diameter nose and body bullet sizing die with a tapered transition between the two sizes that matches your throat taper. In/out and the noses are uniformed and trued with the driving bands. Make an ejector and ejector bar for your awesome homemade press and crank them out.

I decided to try out your suggestion. I resized them first at .3084", to minimize a little bit of the lead shaving I was seeing, but of course that is not enough for the nose, so I took a couple of pieces of threaded rod I had and decided to make a nose sizing die for my Mega Press:
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Drill:
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Bore to get "close":
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And then the really slow process of using sandpaper to slowly create the taper by hand. Take the die out, try on a sample bullet, repeat:
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Once I got the die ready, then work on the "plunger" to push them out:
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Plunger is not yet trimmed, but this gives you the idea of what goes in the ram of my Mega Press (replaces the shell holder):
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wquiles

Well-Known Member
The hex key pushes the plunger as the ram moves down, ejecting the sized bullet:
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How well does it work? Unsized on right, while left bullet has had the nose sized down:
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This is how it looks like before being pushed into the die:
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and after:
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Size before:
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size of the nose portion that got sized down:
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My new home-made nose sizing dies:


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The top portion that does the actual sizing has been polished "enough":
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freebullet

Guest
AND your machining skills are of the order or better, I believe you could make some swage dies.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
A quick video of sizing one bullet:
Video Link

And finally, after all of this work, I went from a COL of 1.960"
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To a col of 2.085" (these are the dummy rounds who have been re-seated several times):
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I now have the room for a full 20.0gr of CFE BLK:
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I hope to try them out this weekend. Thanks again Ian for the suggestion :)

Will
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
Splendid photography.
AND your machining skills are of the order or better, I believe you could make some swage dies.
Thank you for your kind words :)

Although I designed and added the few features to make the Mega Press work as a swaging/sizing press, this is the first time I actually try it in the 10 months since I finished the press. I am pleased the press had enough force to size the nose to freaking easily. One of these days I will have another project where swaging might come handy ;)

Will
 

Ian

Notorious member
Edit: splendid work! I didn't savvy your ejector and was responding BELOW to post #67, it all makes sense now.

I would have been happy to loan you one of my .310" D-reamers with .298" pilot and 3⁰ included-angle taper to save you the trouble doing that by hand. Consider it an open offer if you need one, I made two and one is slightly smaller than the other. Drill and ream or polish to .299" and ream deep enough the whole bullet goes in past the entrance taper. I make an ejector at .298" that sticks out the top and has a button or shoulder on it to keep from falling through. That gets the noses to about .3015" and the bands about .310".

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This particular ejector has three steps, one big enough to not fall through the die, one for as snug a fit in the nose-sizing bore as possible without binding, and a slightly reduced end to prevent contact and wear on the nose-sizing portion just above the taper. If the bullets aren't too tight, a "swing press" can be used to eject them, otherwise a bar across the top and a couple of rods going down to the ram will be necessary to eject the bullets from the die.
 
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Ian

Notorious member
The other version:

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Watched the video, that power press you made still wows me. The idea to use the primer punch hole as an ejector is very clever and could be adapted to some commercial presses too.
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
Thanks much guys, and thanks Ian for the offer - will keep it in mind for next time ;)

I was able to go to the range today, every round again fed flawlessly, and got the rifle sighted at 50 yards. Using just a 4x scope at 50 yards I got 2-3" inch groups with CFE BLK and perfect cycling, although I think "I" can do better with more range time, and a little more magnification specially when 3x out of the 5x shots were almost touching:
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Ian

Notorious member
Powder coated bullets group like that for me quite often, it can be maddening. Still not too shabby for a lightweight, bottom-feeding rifle. Making free-fitting cartridges that will feed in an action that has extremely weak camming force and getting it all to put bullets close together is its own unique challenge.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I may need to make a die like that for mine. The NOE mould is big enough on the front band to give me fits.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I think that would do it. All you need is to draw out the curve of the ogive a little. I think it will be necessary to support the whole bullet while doing it or they might get banana and/or mushroom syndrome.