Took my latest M81 out for a test shoot today. Using factory Winchester 300 Savage ammo 150 grain Spire Points it shot pretty darn well at 100 yards. But I did have two failures to feed out of twenty rounds. Both were on the second shot from a full mag of four. Seems the round bounced up when it hit the feed ramp and the SP jammed just above the chamber mouth. Easy to clear but not so hot if you are needing something other than a single shot for hunting. The round was obviously picked up by the bolt but failed to chamber. Any advice, is this common with spire pointed bullets in these guns? I do plan on giving round nose bullets a try and was planning on using them for hunting anyway. Any information would be of great use.
Thanks
Need Some Input
Re: Need Some Input
Took my latest M81 out for a test shoot today. Using factory Winchester 300 Savage ammo 150 grain Spire Points it shot pretty darn well at 100 yards. But I did have two failures to feed out of twenty rounds. Both were on the second shot from a full mag of four. Seems the round bounced up when it hit the feed ramp and the SP jammed just above the chamber mouth. Easy to clear but not so hot if you are needing something other than a single shot for hunting. The round was obviously picked up by the bolt but failed to chamber. Any advice, is this common with spire pointed bullets in these guns? I do plan on giving round nose bullets a try and was planning on using them for hunting anyway. Any information would be of great use.
Thanks
Yes, it is common to have feeding problems with the pointy ones.The angle of the spire point is greater than soft or round nosed bullets .With a full mag the pressure on the second round (first from the mag I assume) is great enough to cause the case to have a different angle when picked up by the bolt and stick the pointy one on the roof of the chamber.Since you don`t plan to use the spire points for hunting, problem solved.My favorite Deer round out of the 300 Sav is good old Remington Core-Lokt`s 180 gr Soft Points. No feed problems and kills deer stone-dead where they stand.
Thanks
Yes, it is common to have feeding problems with the pointy ones.The angle of the spire point is greater than soft or round nosed bullets .With a full mag the pressure on the second round (first from the mag I assume) is great enough to cause the case to have a different angle when picked up by the bolt and stick the pointy one on the roof of the chamber.Since you don`t plan to use the spire points for hunting, problem solved.My favorite Deer round out of the 300 Sav is good old Remington Core-Lokt`s 180 gr Soft Points. No feed problems and kills deer stone-dead where they stand.
".......ain't many troubles that a man cain't fix
With seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
With seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Re: Need Some Input
Thanks sarge,
It would have been a real drag to have problems with an old rifle that seems to shoot as well as this one did. I pulled the two fliers due to jumping on the trigger but all of them would have been a dead deer. I need to get some dies and go to work.
It would have been a real drag to have problems with an old rifle that seems to shoot as well as this one did. I pulled the two fliers due to jumping on the trigger but all of them would have been a dead deer. I need to get some dies and go to work.
Re: Need Some Input
Now that is a nice group! As you said even with the two fliers the deer is dead. Rolling your own is the way to go.Who knows where things are headed down the road. I have 4 rifles in 300Sav Three 99 Savages and a Remington 81. My favorite load is 38g of BLC-2 with the 180gr Core-Lokt`s. This is about a maximum load for that bullet and should be about 2300fps at the muzzle. I`ve shot this load from each of my rifles and not had a problem.You may want to work up to it with your 81 just to be on the safe side .You can use 4895 or 4064 and load 40grs and get another 100 fps out of it but again these are maximum loads and should be worked up to.
I`m partial to the Core-Lokt`s as I got a good deal on a couple thousand a few years back.I load with BLC-2 more than anything else as I have a good supply of it.Paid about what a pound is going for now for 5 llb canisters at a closeout of one of our sporting goods stores.
Wondering what sights you were using to shoot the great group ,peep or scope ? If scope what kind? If peep you are Davy Crockett. Good Shooting. Joe
I`m partial to the Core-Lokt`s as I got a good deal on a couple thousand a few years back.I load with BLC-2 more than anything else as I have a good supply of it.Paid about what a pound is going for now for 5 llb canisters at a closeout of one of our sporting goods stores.
Wondering what sights you were using to shoot the great group ,peep or scope ? If scope what kind? If peep you are Davy Crockett. Good Shooting. Joe
".......ain't many troubles that a man cain't fix
With seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
With seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
Re: Need Some Input
The rear sight is an orginal Lyman made for the M81 in 300 Savage I picked up at a gun show. I pulled the buckhorns when I mounted it. I have been shooting tang sights in both BPCR and Lever Gun matches for quite a few years so they are very framiliar to me. With the orgianl buckhorns I would be SOL from the git go. I am a big fan of BLC-2 and have a bit on hand. Used it a lot in 30-30 and 7.62X39 for a long time. Will give it a go for sure. Same with the bullets you recomend. Thanks for the input!
Re: Need Some Input
Great shooting Wildgoose! Sounds like you've got some experience shooting vintage rifles, very cool.
Cam Woodall
Site Co-Administrator
Site Co-Administrator
Re: Need Some Input
Have not had any issues with Remington Core-Lokt's feeding through my M81 in .300 Savage.
Am more partial to 150 grain and had nothing but good luck using them this past season.
My $.02 worth on the subject!
Am more partial to 150 grain and had nothing but good luck using them this past season.
My $.02 worth on the subject!
Re: Need Some Input
Unfortunately it appears that I do have a feed problem with the 300 Savage. I loaded up some RN 150 grain loads and went to the range today. It failed to feed about every other round. So, seems that SP's were not the main issue. In every case the round was into the chamber at an angle with the bolt face having over ridden the case rim and the rim still down in the magazine. I am not sure if the problem is that the bolt is not picking up the round as it comes forward or if it is the round binds at the chamber causing the bolt to run over the rim and shove it back into the mag. Or maybe something else? Weak magizine spring, floor plate hanging up? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as the rifle functions fine other than this issue and shoots very well indeed as far as hits on target are concerned. Right now I have a great single shot deer gun. 
But I am not giving up, I plan on keeping with it and seeing if I cant get her to run right. It think shes worth the effort and what the hey, a good challange keeps life interesting.
But I am not giving up, I plan on keeping with it and seeing if I cant get her to run right. It think shes worth the effort and what the hey, a good challange keeps life interesting.