Something else to consider with a 10" barrel. It sounds cool and in case of home defense the 10" barrel makes sense. However, in the woods where you have space a longer barrel makes more sense because it usually comes with a longer forearm, which you will need if taking a shot leaning on any sort of rest (window seal, truck hood, leaning against a tree, fence post, etc). I learned this the hard way when I brought out a 10" SBR on a pig hunt. I could not physically get close enough to front of blind (humping the wall) and still get the very short handguard propped on the window seal. From that point forward any AR15 for hunting was kitted with 16" barrels with 15" handguards. This same issue carries over to bolt action rifles.

The Howa Mini-1500 and CZ527 are a smaller footprint then standard size Rem 700 footprint. You may want to pull out a tape measure to determine length from buttstock to extremely shortened forearm (<10" so that there is room for suppressor), and then compare this to standard length of rifle rack that you might use on ATV or other vehicle. My SBR is too short to fit in a rack so must be carried on lap or in hand during transit.

These are things you don't usually even think about unless you have already encountered the issue after the fact. Good Luck

I have a 10" BO pistol fits in my front rack on the king-quad. More of a truck gun - not for stand use. I did put a linear comp on it - reduces felt noise and flash. 16" barrel just barely works in the stand - muzzle needs to be a few inches out. Friend found that out - 223 and no muffs.

This would definitely not be intended for use out of a stand. Would likely be using a Pendleton stock. The howa mini I have been testing out has a Pendleton stock with a 9” forearm. Going to use it as a bit of a proof of concept.

That's great that you have a "loner" to test and determine exactly what works. Pendleton Stocks are rugged light weight stocks. Oregunsmith (Wayne York) makes them and also a replacement internal magazine with hinged floor plate. He is good guy to deal with and has a following over on 6.5 Grendel forum. I bought his magazine upgrade/replacement and his Timney Trigger, which is tweaked by Timney to specifically fit the Howa Mini-1500 action.

Clarification: The reliability issue with the Mini's factory magazines is with the 6.5 Grendel. It is a hit or miss... some owners have had zero issues and others can get the rifle to feed ammo reliably. I don't know if Mini-1500 (.223) have same magazine issues. Might be worth researching. A call to Wayne might be the quickest answer.

One last thing on the running the CZ527 or Howa Miini-1500. These action are small and if you try to feed it fast/hard their bolts can get sticky. The fastest and easiest way to smoothly close the bolt is not to gorilla the holt handle, but rather just push the bolt closed using your thumb on tail-end of the bolt. This eliminates any lateral torque on the bolt in the action. Good Luck!

Update...I've had the Black Collar on order for over a month and still don't have it. It's new and not a complaint just a fact, I'll wait until it comes. In the interim, I bought an MDT 223 AICS 10 round mag and it's feeding flawlessly...oh and I ended up hacking on the KRG Bravo so that combo seems to be a winner.

I've had some bolt issues that Zermatt has been awesome dealing with so I'm still not hunting with it and trying to find a load that shoots extremely well...initial impression is after about 4-5 shells this Shilen is heating up and opening groups but it's still very much shooting minute of pig...I sort of prefer minute of ear hole

Took a 6pt. on opening day last week with the Wilson/Ruger 300 HAM'R (Image taken before I mounted a 2-7 Leupold)


Followed that up on Wednesday with a small 8pt. (broke one is the brow tines when it went sliding down the mountain) with the Wilson/Kimber 300 HAM'R. (AKA The Gentleman's Rifle}

I do wish we had bigger deer but that is in the Eastern part of the State.

Mr wilson will you guys be producing 6.8 spc and 6.5 grendel bullets or ammo in the extreme chaos configuration any time soon ordering some for the ham'r zz to try they look devastating??? Thanks keep up the good work

We just finished up a 120gr 6.5 for the CM, should be easy to drop the weight some and weaken it to work in the Grendel. The 6.8 seems to be pretty dead in the marketplace, so it's way down the priority list for new products.

Thanks glad have it for our 3 ham'rzzzzzzz save the other calibers for zombie apocalypse

Good idea with the creedmoor maximum expansion bullet I saw a tracking dog guy say how 6.5 creedmoor keeps him in business. Looking for crippled up Animals

Especially when bullet selection is made on BC, not proven terminal performance. For example Berger/ELDX NO GO, Nosler Partition YES

Success this weekend (finally). Ruger American conversion with the 135 FTX. High neck shot dropped this nice 3.5 year old 8 pt. in his tracks. 300 Hamr rifles have put all my other calibers in retirement mode

Is there any big difference between the nickel brass and the Starline? I developed load with Starline but have since decided to switch to nickel brass since I shoot suppressed.

Spongecop

Good looking deer. You're dead on concerning the HAM'R. It just does what it is suppose to do.

Not Bill, but my nickel plated brass has more capacity than my Starline. It has the most capacity of any of the brass I've used (Starline, formed and fired LC brass and the WC nickel plated). I like the nickel plated brass so far, seems like very good brass. It might be made by Sig Sauer if I recall correctly.

Theg_man is correct, the nickel has more powder capacity and is Sig mfg.. A load developed in Starline cases will be safe in the nickel cases.

I decided to try some of these 110gr Lehigh CC2 bullets after noticing they were on the website. Do you still prefer AA1680 powder with them?

Yes you can get a little more velocity with A1680 over CFEBLK. You should find these bullets extremely accurate.

Finally built my dream hog getter. 20" Tactical Hunter 1-15. Bill talked to me years ago about a secret cartridge he was about ready to release when I asked about the 7.62x40WT and told me to hold off a couple of months. Life and circumstances got in the way of me jumping on board as I had wanted to do when the 300 HAMR became available. Now have built my upper, bought powder and primers. I would ask anyone how do I determine lot number on 8 lb CFEBLK. Can't find anything that would make me think it was a lot number on the jug.

There should be an orange tag on the back of the jug with some numbers on it but I can't find my notes so someone else is going to have to tell you how to read it. On my jug it looks like the first number is the lot number, next two the month, next two the day, and next four the year but I wouldn't swear to that. If all else fails give Hodgdon a call.

I think the first number is the container size (1 or 8), then date information which I forget how to interpret, then the last digits are the lot. I haven't bought any CFE BLK yet that has more than a 2 digit lot code. The older stuff had a tag stuck on, but the newer stuff I have seems to be printed in a white rectangle that is part of the label.

Hey Bill, I have been watching for the 500 count Starline brass for the 300 HAMR to come back in stock for several weeks now. Any idea when it might be?

Iam loading 150 Hornady sp interlock #3031 I shaved a little lead off of tip to make them .985 to 1 inch loaded them mag length 2.250-2.255 with 25 grains Cfe blk shot them the other day temp 35-36 degrees.today I shot that same load 55-60 degrees and had 2 flattened and 1 blown primer.started at 24.6 ,24.7 24.8 24.9 25 no problem then shot them again today with blown and flattened primers.is there other bullets prone to high pressures like this also found 2 copper donuts in brass catcher(brass goat) does this have to do with load being to hot for temperature.my ham’r is love in the 110 vmax shooting one hole groups.197 ,.250, .335, .556 the worst group so far with them is.879 for 8shots.130 Speer hot core best group .859 worst be 2.12 avg around 1 1/2 group 100 yards wish they be more consistent in grouping I bought over 1000 of them.shots 135 ftx average 1 inch groups best being .389 worst be 1-1 1/4.like to here of others pet load ie iam shooting 18in 1/15 twist.

I have shot 4 animals this November using this round, that I found. Normally I shoot the 130 gr HHC. I know I hit other animals, pigs and deer and never found them with little to no blood.

10 point buck, 50 yards, high shoulder shot, DRT
Large Doe, 126 yards, double lung shot, went over 100 yards, very little blood lucky to find it. Others I hunt with were surprised how far the doe got.
Pig, 100+ yards, double lung, went 75 yards,
Pig, 60 yards, Neck shot, DRT

The terminal effects of the 125 gr Sig rounds seems to be less than the 130 gr HHC. Going back the the 130gr HHC, recovered every animal I have hit.

Thank you for sharing your experience with this round.