The Shamanic Dream Rifle

High_Brass:
Campfire Ranger

First off, that is one HECKUVA buck and a great story you posted on “Savage speaks again“. I’ve always enjoyed your posts and stories. Now for the question(s) if I may.

I am getting a Savage 99 EG in 300 Savage and will of course handload for it. I have 150 and 165gr Hornady SP Interlocks and I like how the 165s work in my 30-06 Rem. 760 pump. They’re loaded to around a stout 308 load (2700ish fps) and work just fine. I saw where you posted you load your M99 308 to 300 Savage vels and was wondering what velocity you were getting, what the load was, results on other deer, etc. I know my load works well at just over 2700 but I figure I’ll be running 2500-2550fps with a 300 Savage at best and was hoping they’d still perform well. FWIW, my hunting is very similar to yours in that I hunt the woods of eastern NC and WV. Thanks for any info and again, congrats on that fine buck!

Thank you very much

My first attempt at doing the shamanic dream rifle was with 150 grain Hornady Interlock SP, and enough H4895 to be about 5% off the max. Try as I might, I could not get a good group. After a change of powder or two, a change of bullet etc. I tried Varget with 165 grain Hornady Interlock SP and all of a sudden I had a tack driver. After the Varget ran out, I switched to H4895, and got the same results. I’m pushing the 165’s at 2600 fps, which is light for a 308 Win, but stout for a 300 Savage.

If you have a choice, I’d go with 308 Win over 300 Savage. However, I love living in the world of 5% off max. The next guy will tell you that living right up to the max is where it’s at. I just find that the starting loads are usually accurate and powerful enough, and I stop there and go hunting.

I encountered two other vexations while working up the load. One I’ve found the fix for, the other is still a problem. I found out after two years, that my Savage 99 did not like military brass. It caused sticky extractions, because the case walls were too thick. Some Canuck on here recognized the problem and told me to switch to Federal brass. The problem cleaned up right away. If you get sticky extractions after the first reloading, switch brass.

The second problem is that my Savage 99 requires about half a dozen fouling shots each year before it gets down into its groove. No one can tell me why. However, I just figured this into the routine, and after it gets down to its group, I don’t clean the barrel until after the season ends. H4895 is a clean powder and leaving it in the barrel for a few months does not seem to hurt things any.

The results on the deer are indistinguishable from a 30-06, but then my longest shot in 8 years is inside 80 yards. Both the 2003 and 2007 bucks were taken about 50 feet apart at 30 yards or so.

165 should be fine. However, I still feel the 150 grainers are native weight for the 300 Savage. If I could have found a combination that worked in 150, that’s where I’d be. I’m like you. I shoot 165 grain Hornady SP in a bunch of cartridges, but in my heart I know it’s bit of overkill for a whitetail.

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