Reloading the RCM?

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
The 300 Ruger Compact Magnum claims it can match or exceed 300 Win Mag ballistics out of a 20” barrel. With factory ammo, I believe they may have a concoction of powders that can do it, or at least come close. What about doing it yourself though, do you think there’s a setup that could give those kinda numbers for the people making ammo at home? I imagine you’d need a very fast burning powder, I’ve only worked with Varget and the 4350’s.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
never done it, but from what I read from guys who have tried it, their handloads are no where near factory ammo. There are special powders and techniques that is used to load that ammo that a regular handloader can not duplicate.
 

SharpShooter

Ten Pointer
Shouldn’t be any worse than the 300win mag. If they’ve got a blend of powder that burns quickly to push the bullet to the same velocity in 20” that standard powders do in 24” then the muzzle blast should the same.
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I looked up velocities earlier, with Hornady Superformance 165gr GMX -which seems to be the most common/available factory load- the RCM does 3130 out of a 24” test barrel. The 300WSM out of the same length barrel did 3120 with standard (I.e. not Superformance) loads. Superformance for the WSM I believe were north of 3200fps.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
I looked up velocities earlier, with Hornady Superformance 165gr GMX -which seems to be the most common/available factory load- the RCM does 3130 out of a 24” test barrel. The 300WSM out of the same length barrel did 3120 with standard (I.e. not Superformance) loads. Superformance for the WSM I believe were north of 3200fps.

I have never trusted any factory published data. I have never had any rifle that would get what the. Factory claimed. Most are between 100 to 200 FPS slower then the factory published data. Also, had loads will run even less then factory published loads in the likes of wsm’s and RCM and even the saum.....the pressure they run those rounds at are borderline unsafe IMO. Almost every factory round of wsm I fired in the rifles I had almost already showed pressure with either sticky bolt lift, flattened primers or short brass life. I currently have a 300 saum project gun that I am going to try to finish up in the next month or so, and honestly I am not looking to shoot it laser fast. I plan to run 180 partitions at a reasonable speed and mainly I am looking a lightweight fast pointing ‘carbine’ that has some reach when I need it. I will hand load for it, but will not hit rod it. A miss at 3500 FPS is the same as a miss at 2900fps....it took me a while to learn that accuracy is more important then speed...


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JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I have never trusted any factory published data. I have never had any rifle that would get what the. Factory claimed. Most are between 100 to 200 FPS slower then the factory published data. Also, had loads will run even less then factory published loads in the likes of wsm’s and RCM and even the saum.....the pressure they run those rounds at are borderline unsafe IMO. Almost every factory round of wsm I fired in the rifles I had almost already showed pressure with either sticky bolt lift, flattened primers or short brass life. I currently have a 300 saum project gun that I am going to try to finish up in the next month or so, and honestly I am not looking to shoot it laser fast. I plan to run 180 partitions at a reasonable speed and mainly I am looking a lightweight fast pointing ‘carbine’ that has some reach when I need it. I will hand load for it, but will not hit rod it. A miss at 3500 FPS is the same as a miss at 2900fps....it took me a while to learn that accuracy is more important then speed...


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The RCM rounds are SAAMI rated to 65k PSI which I believe is the maximum allowed in any rifle rounds. Don’t think I want to play around with handloads anywhere near that line. But like you said, if I reload for this I’m not looking for crazy velocities either. Heck, if it’ll match my 30-06 power I’ll be happy, that’s more than enough for what I do. It’s just a different/odd/cool short little rifle that I think would be fun to carry still-hunting whitetails or black bears, or if I ever get the chance to hunt elk in the timber.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
I have never trusted any factory published data. I have never had any rifle that would get what the. Factory claimed. Most are between 100 to 200 FPS slower then the factory published data. Also, had loads will run even less then factory published loads in the likes of wsm’s and RCM and even the saum.....the pressure they run those rounds at are borderline unsafe IMO. Almost every factory round of wsm I fired in the rifles I had almost already showed pressure with either sticky bolt lift, flattened primers or short brass life. I currently have a 300 saum project gun that I am going to try to finish up in the next month or so, and honestly I am not looking to shoot it laser fast. I plan to run 180 partitions at a reasonable speed and mainly I am looking a lightweight fast pointing ‘carbine’ that has some reach when I need it. I will hand load for it, but will not hit rod it. A miss at 3500 FPS is the same as a miss at 2900fps....it took me a while to learn that accuracy is more important then speed...


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The RCM rounds are SAAMI rated to 65k PSI which I believe is the maximum allowed in any rifle rounds. Don’t think I want to play around with handloads anywhere near that line. But like you said, if I reload for this I’m not looking for crazy velocities either. Heck, if it’ll match my 30-06 power I’ll be happy, that’s more than enough for what I do. It’s just a different/odd/cool short little rifle that I think would be fun to carry still-hunting whitetails or black bears, or if I ever get the chance to hunt elk in the timber.

That’s what I am planning on doing with the model 7 300rsaum project rifle I have. Going to the Cerokote guy in a couple of weeks. I cut and recrowned the barrel at 20 inches and will put it in a B&C stock and slap either a SWFA or leupold fixed 6 power scope on it and roll on and tote it done east in the Roanoke river bottom swamps this fall for deer and next fall out west for elk.


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