300/221
Bobg, Some additional comments to add to the already good info you've received. The 300/221 (AKA '300 Whisper') uses 221 Rem Fireball brass necked up to 30 caliber. 300 Whisper dies are made by RCBS and Hornady. RCBS told me they sold the dies only to JD. Don't know about Hornady, but the set I bought from JD was made by Hornady. Redding makes 300/221 dies, but have heard reports on the 'net about the Redding dies not sizing the brass down enough. You can get 221 FB from many handloading dealers. 300 Whisper brass (already necked up) is also available from SSK, and is about $4/100 cheaper than is FB brass. There are some differences in the twist rate for this barrel. To utilize all loads, including subsonic (using 200-240 gr bullets), you'll need a 1:8" twist. I believe the T/C factory barrels are either 1:10" or 1:12" twists; these would be fine for loads using "hunting weight bullets" i.e. 125-180 gr bullets. Load data is available from "The Hornady Data Manual, 5h Ed" as well as JD. BTW, JD doesn't take kindly to 300/221 barrels bought from 'smiths other than himself and will tell you up front not to call call him you have problems handloading w/ a 300/221 barrel not bought from SSK. For small whitetail deer, JD's recommended bullets to me (in order of preference) were: 125 gr NBT, 125 gr Speer TNT, and 130 gr Horndayd SSP. For supersonic hunting loads, he rec'd H110/W296/N 110, or AA 1680. In my 12" VVCG barrel, I easily get 2200-2250 w/ 125-130 gr bullets and H110 or W296. It's a very good hunting round that's amazingly efficient. :grin: I killed 2 whitetail deer w/ mine next year. The only regret I have w/ my 300/221 is that I don't get to hunt w/ it enough
. Sorry to have been so long winded. Good luck and good hunting. Gary T
