.300 win mag

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awesomeame

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Etobicoke, Ontario
I was eyeing this .300 win mag the other day and the salesman was trying to tell me if I handload I could cut the powder in 1/2 to reduce recoil and to make it more "useful" for deer. This was in response to me saying .300 winmag was "too much" for my main quarry which is whitetail. What do you guys think about the salesman's statement? I've got all the reloading stuff except for dies and of course that hornady book which is taking it's sweet time :p

Matt
 
I don't think you can cut it in half but you could take a good chunk of power out of it and have it shooting in the range of a 308 or 30-06 without much effort.
bigbull
 
awesomeame said:
I was eyeing this .300 win mag the other day and the salesman was trying to tell me if I handload I could cut the powder in 1/2 to reduce recoil and to make it more "useful" for deer. This was in response to me saying .300 winmag was "too much" for my main quarry which is whitetail. What do you guys think about the salesman's statement? I've got all the reloading stuff except for dies and of course that hornady book which is taking it's sweet time :p

Matt
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The 300 is best when loaded near the top, some reduced loads are dangerous,especially slow burn powders like the 4831 varieties.If you want a .308, then just buy one.
Hodgdon has some up to date data on their site for the 300 while you're waiting for your manual.
The 300 is a super deer killer and you will have enough horsepower if something bigger shows up.


PS,I think it's wrong of the salesman to suggest reduced loads,he should have told you to refer to at least three manuals and always work up loads for your rifle.
 
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depending on the powder chosen it sound dangerous. greatly reduced loads can be as bad as hot loads. buy a 308 or 30 06 and be happy.
 
I shoot reduced loads with gas checked cast bullets in my 300 win mag. The cartridge is pretty versatile if you're willing to experiment a bit.

Here are a couple of loads I've used using Alliant Unique power

180 grain gas checked round nose bullet - 19 gr - 1.1 inch group

200 grain gas checked round nose bullet - 14 gr - 0.735" group

These loads will make it recoil like something between a 30-30 and a 308. I'd take a poke at a deer out to about 150 yards with this load.


This was in a Stevens mod 200. I bedded it and put on a Timney (sp) trigger.

I have also used the gun in a match and can fairly regularly hit 6 1/2" gongs at 700 meters with it using 68.5 grains of 7828SSC powder and a 180 grain spitzer. This load will make it kick a fair bit harder, and is much closer to the amount of power that the cartridge was designed for.

It's not a heavy barrel target gun by any means, but I have been complimented on how well I do with it.
 
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I shoot WT deer with my 300WM with full power loads. As mentioned, my rifle seems to shoot most accurately at near top end loads.

I just don't shoot deer in the parts that I want to eat.;)
 
awesomeame said:
I was eyeing this .300 win mag the other day and the salesman was trying to tell me if I handload I could cut the powder in 1/2 to reduce recoil and to make it more "useful" for deer. This was in response to me saying .300 winmag was "too much" for my main quarry which is whitetail. What do you guys think about the salesman's statement? I've got all the reloading stuff except for dies and of course that hornady book which is taking it's sweet time :p

Matt
Click to expand...

Whatever you do,don't use any reloading data that you get from unreliable sources off the internet.....
 
blacksmithden said:
I shoot reduced loads with gas checked cast bullets in my 300 win mag. The cartridge is pretty versatile if you're willing to experiment a bit.

Here are a couple of loads I've used using Alliant Unique power

180 grain gas checked round nose bullet - 19 gr - 1.1 inch group

200 grain gas checked round nose bullet - 14 gr - 0.735" group

These loads will make it recoil like something between a 30-30 and a 308. I'd take a poke at a deer out to about 150 yards with this load.


This was in a Stevens mod 200. I bedded it and put on a Timney (sp) trigger.

I have also used the gun in a match and can fairly regularly hit 6 1/2" gongs at 700 meters with it using 68.5 grains of 7828SSC powder and a 180 grain spitzer. This load will make it kick a fair bit harder, and is much closer to the amount of power that the cartridge was designed for.

It's not a heavy barrel target gun by any means, but I have been complimented on how well I do with it.
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Have you chronied the 180's?
 
I used a buddy's chroney that he had set up one day but I didn't write down the numbers unfortunately. The one thing I can tell you for sure with that gun is, the heavier the bullet, the happier it is. It didn't seem to matter what I did with a 180 gr bullet. Weighed each bullet, visually inspected them, weighed each charge with meticulous accuracy, etc. I'd do a much less meticulous job using 200 grain, unsorted bullets and they'd beat the 180's for accuracy every time.
 
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I borrowed used a buddy's chroney that he had set up one day but I didn't write down the numbers unfortunately. The one thing I can tell you for sure with that gun is, the heavier the bullet, the happier it is. It didn't seem to matter what I did with a 180 gr bullet. Weighed each bullet, visually inspected them, weighed each charge with meticulous accuracy, etc. I'd do a much less meticulous job using 200 grain, unsorted bullets and they'd beat the 180's for accuracy every time.
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Of course that is only one rifle,the next rifle may prefer 180gr or 165gr bullets.
 
The 300 and 180gr Nosler Ballistic tip make great medicine for whitetail. Stay away from shoulder bones, gets kinda messy then. The 300 is best when used at it's full capabilities, like others said if less is needed 308 and 30-06 is the way to go. I have not tried cast out of mine some day I'll get a mold for it.
 
The great thing about handloading is that you can match the load to the problem. While it is possible to decrease the powder charge in the .300 so it is suitable for small game, or to bring it in line with milder deer rifles, when going after moose, elk, or big bears you can't turn a .308 into a .300.
 
In regards to reduced loads and/or cast bullet loads in those magnum cases, there are certain powders that allow you to use light charges, these powders are very different ones then what is used in heavier loads....Unique was mentioned, SR4759, and others. Consult a good loading manual that shows reduced loads, such as the new(or old) Lyman book!
 
Just for the record the sales guy should never suggest cutting the powder in "Half". Bad idea. I had a guy offer to let me shoot his 460wby one time and I jumped on the chance. When I pulled the trigger there was a distinct click-boom. It was a hangfire from an underloaded cartridge. He told me, after, that he had cut the powder charges down "way below the book" in order to reduce recoil. The bolt never opened and I'm sure he had to take it to a smith to have it fixed. My point is, and it has already been mentioned, that just cutting powder charges willy nilly is a bad idea. Use data from a reliable source. That being said...the .300 win really is capable of being a .308, 30-06, 300wsm, 300 h&h ect. with lighter loads. It is a very flexible and useful cartridge. I have had 3 of them and loved every one. The recoil can be a bit much but it is not unbearable. The lighter loads from an approved source should be just the ticket to reduce that as well. You'll love the big .300.

Brenden
 
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