300 gr hornady sst loads

[ccchunter]

just bought some 300 gr hornady sst for my ml .50 cal. i've got n120, 5744 and 4227. any suggestions for a 300 yard deer load?

[ccchunter]

also, i have on hand mmp hph12 sabots and short black. are the factory supplied sabots any good?

[Dave W]

The supplied sabots are probably HPH 24's unless they changed suppliers, which shoot as good as anything in my gun with 250 SST's , but my gun has a tight bore also.

If the supplied sabots are red, they are probably 3 petal E-Z's which will probably be very loose fitting.

[olegburn]

Since there was a variety of different sabots that came with the packages-it is best to try them in your barrel.
If it is loose-go with tighter ones.
But some barrels are tighter than others and yours might be it.
Rule of thumb-tight is right.
This is from my experience.
Welcome to the board!
olegburn

[ccchunter]

thanks for the replies. the supplied sabots are red.

[Chris Champion]

Like DW said the red sabots will probably be too loose. Of the 3 powders you list 58-60g N120 with the 300 SST and which ever sabot gives you a snug to tight fit will be a good 300yd deer load. I'd also try H4198 if you can get your hands on some. I have a cousin that shoots 67 or 68g of H4198 with the 300SST & the Harvester EZ Load Short Black Sabot (non-ribbed) and its an accurate load in his gun out to 300 and shoots just shy of 2400 fps.

[Deleted]

the last load that chris mentioned is a good one and helps sell asprin as well.....ouch!

[nic58]

ccchunter,
I've use the 300 gr. Hornady SST-ML in my .50 Savage for quite some time now. I use the same sabot Chris C. mentioned in his post....the Harvester EZ Load short black non-ribbed sabot. I shoot 60 grs. of Vihtavouri N120 and a CCI 209M primer and a PR .033" ventliner in the breechplug. This is the most consistant load I've ever shot in my 10ML-II to date. It will do around 2290 fps in my rifle which is very manageable as far as recoil goes IMO. I know from experience that it will take a deer at nearly 300 yards if you practice for it. I'll be using that same load again come November. Good luck!

[GMB54-120]

N120 or Re7 as a cheaper option with the 300gr SST should do the trick. I avoid the faster burners with the 300gr+ class. Mine also likes 60grs of N120 but i hate shooting it unless its in stock. Its just too hard to find on a regular basis.

[ccchunter]

I've been reading about Harvester sabots in these posts. Where is the best place to purchase them. I've been using MMP since I've been muzzleloading.
Also, I've tried the Barnes 275gr xpb with n120(60 gr) and am getting decent accuracy, but I'm obsessed with great accuracy, moa or better, and I keep reading about many savage ml owners getting exceptional groups. My gun DID NOT like 250 xtp's and 5744 with mmp short black sabot, and I really tried every combination of powder. I would like to try 300 grain bullets to see if my gun will group better with them. I've got Barnes Original on my list next.

[wilmsmeyer]

Harvestors are best bought factory direct. Just Google them and you should have no problems.

While you search for good long range loads, don't rule out .458 bullets. The B.O. is a proven choice by many. Another bullet is the Hornady .458 cal 325 gr FTX in a Harv Black crush rib sabot. I use H4198 but other powders you have should also work fine. Start about 10% less powder then a proven 300 gr load and work up slowly with a chrony. I settled on 70 gr H4198 and I won't be experimenting for a long time....this bullet shoots lights out. It also worked great, on many deer this past season from my gun and the guns of several others in our camp.

[mountainam]

I usually purchase Harvester sabots from www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

[GMB54-120]

Harvestors are best bought factory direct. Just Google them and you should have no problems.

I cant agree with this but i get them locally MUCH cheaper and they keep me well supplied. Retail plus $8 shipping is WAY more than i pay even if i want only 2 packs. Harvester will not offer a discount on bulk...ive tried and they would not budge even on 600 sabots and 500 bullets.

I pay under $6 per 50 for any of them at my local Grafs and Grafs online they are even cheaper.

Harvester are nice folks with good grade "A" service but i would give them a "D" on pricing and a "F" on shipping costs.

[Richard]

I agree with GMB also. I buy ally my sabots from Mid South. I found the reason Harvester will not sell for the price of say........Graf or Mid South is that they do not want to under cut their retailers. If you need them and everyone else is out? Then yes, get them from Harvester........otherwise, I would deal with the other suppliers.............That is??? if money is no option ;D............Like, you got deep pockets ;D
Richard

[GMB54-120]

One thing i do get direct from Harvester is 150 or more Scorpion PT Golds at a time. That works out to be very close to SST pricing (or less) and are usually more accurate for me. Ive never tried them on game though...with smokeless or subs. The bases though are nice and flat.

[Chris Champion]

I second what Wilmsmeyer said about .458 bullets. If you're going to try 300g bullets anyway then you owe it to yourself pick you up some of the Remington 300g .458 or Hornady 300g .458 and buy a pack of the black crush ribbed Harvester sabots. These bullets are relatively inexpensive and should let you know if your gun has a liking for .458 bullets. Countless 50 cal Savage owners on this board shoot their best groups with 300g .458 dia bullets. Mine did when I still had a 50 cal. If either of these shoot good for you then spring for a box of the "premium" stuff like the BO's or the 325g Hornady FTX, both of which have higher BC's. Thats exactly what I did. I shot some Hornady .458 300g bullets to see if my gun liked .458 bullets then graduated to the mighty BO!

[mountainam]

I agree with Wilms and Chris on the .458" diameter bullets. Try them first. I have YET to see any .452" dia bullets shoot tighter groups in ANY of my rifles than a .458". MY go-to bullet is the bulk Remington 300gr HP.458". But your deer parameters that you stated above (300 yds) would be best served by the Hornady .458" 325gr FTX using a MMP orange or Harvester black crush rib sabot. Whichever gives the tightest fit. 35-40lbs loading pressure.Good Luck with your wring-out!

[ccchunter]

Do you think the Hornady 325 is as viable a long range round as the Barnes Original 300g?
The Hornady is a little cheaper but is it as faithful a deal killer as the Barnes O?

I'm only assuming here because I've not killed a deer with either bullet, but I would only assume that a deer wouldn't know the difference between a 300 grainer and a 325 grainer.

Anyone here used the Hornady 325 past 200 yards?

[mountainam]

Two seasons ago I shot a deer at 220 yds using a 325FTX at a mere 1950 fps. I hit the deer at an extreme oblique angle behind the front shoulder and it broke the hip joint on the opposite rear leg coming to rest under the hide fairly intact as a nice mushroom. I don't see any reason at smokeless velocities (nearing 2400fps) that it would not do it's job at an additional 80yds. I've never used a BO and doubt if it has a better B.C. than the 325FTX, but the 325FTX seems to carry a flatter trajectory than the other 300grainers that I tested it against. Myself, 250yards would be the fringe of my skill level at the field conditions that I hunt under. If I had a permanent box blind with sandbags and such, I could perhaps extend my comfort zone to 300yds, but that's only a guess.

[GMB54-120]

If i could hit him clean at 300 yards, i have no doubts even at 2000fps MV the 325gr FTX would do the job. Its not too fragile and not too tough from impact pics ive seen. It probably my favorite FTX/SST.

[zakjak221]

Another vote for the 300 gr .Rem. 458.
I've taken probably 5 or 6 deer with this bullet,BCR sabot and different powders--5744,N120.
Good performance,pass thru's,blood trails.
It is a poor mans BO ;D

[dhayes]

Which BO are you guys shooting? The 300 gr .458 original Semi-Spitzer FB or the Original FN FB?

Thanks

[nic58]

They are referring to the 300 gr .458 Original Semi-Spitzer.