Downloading a 300WM

Katana

Katana

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All my buddies and I all shoot 300WM for our game up in northern BC. One of them used it for deer later that same year and lost a good portion of meat do to the power. So my thought it to download my 300 to 308 specs but not really sure on how to make the happen.

I'm not new to reloading and I know that there are min/max loads for both 300WM & 308. I'm guessing that loading 300WM to 308 with only 48g of Varget (example only) is that there will be a lot of empty case left for the power to move. I've heard topping off the rest of the case with cream o wheat is a way to ensure that the powder will stay at the bottom but am looking for other opinions. So what is the proper way to make this happen???
 
NO!!!

Do not use cream of wheat. That is used for case forming instead of using a bullet - not in addition to a bullet.

The way I down load is to reduce velocity. The easy way is to use a heavier bullet.

I have found 308 too explosive on deer with the 150 gr bullet, so switched to 180 gr and that way use the same ammo for deer and moose. The 180 punches a nice hole, expands, etc., but does not leave a lot of blood shot meat.

You have double to triple the power you need, so a mild load under a heavy bullet would tame it. For starters, try the heavy bullet you use for moose (around 200 gr, I assume) with the Start Load of your regular slow powder. This will be in the 2500 to 2600 fps range, similar to a 308.
 
I hate to say it, but he didn't lose a great deal of meat due to the power, not unless it was owing to a recoil fearing flinch, he lost it because of where the bullet struck.
 
There are only two things to reduce felt recoil in a reload.....Less bullet weight and/or less powder.

You may have heard out there about a 60% from max load as a minimum linked with hodgdon powders. Tried it, seems to work, but why in a hunting rifle for anything other than noob practice or fire lapping.

In my experience it is easier to down load to '06 performance in a 300wm. The recoil is manageable like an 06 and performance in line with.....(just buy an O6' comes to mind).
However, I do not sugest loading lower. The risks associated with down loading are hang fires, in extreme cases detonation, most definitely variable pressure spikes. Because of the risk for very inconsitent burns and pressures, your accuracy will undoubtedly suffer.

Try something like a 130or 150gr pill to feel a noticable difference. Good for practice and still fine for deer. Ditto on the obvious shot placement comments. My two bits.
 
If you want to download your 300 Win Mag to a more tolerable level, I have a load I have used extensively without ever a problem.
I used it primarily to accustom my kids to lower recoil, but when they used it on game, it also worked very well, with minimal meat losses.
Prime your case with a STANDARD primer. [no magnums]
Add 50 grains of IMR 3031
Seat the 180 grain bullet of your choice in the case.
Shoot away! Depending on rifle, barrel length, etc, this load generates from 2550 to 2650fps.
I have found this load to be very accurate in several 300 WM's and 308 Norma Mags.
Recoil is reduced accordingly, and feels about like a 308 or 30-06, depending on rifle weight.
I would guess that IMR 4895 would also work, but have never tried it because this formula has worked so well.
Regards, Eagleye
 
So is there a concern about flashover as there is less powder in the case??? My understanding is that cause the amount of powder is 1/3 of what is normally is all the powder is on the side of the case burning strait over it.

As for recoil, there is no worry there. The Win Mag is just fine for me but I think that the Barnes 180 Triple X at 2950fps is too much.

The rifle is a Tikka T3 Lite 300WM.
 
Katana said:
So is there a concern about flashover as there is less powder in the case??? My understanding is that cause the amount of powder is 1/3 of what is normally is all the powder is on the side of the case burning strait over it.

As for recoil, there is no worry there. The Win Mag is just fine for me but I think that the Barnes 180 Triple X at 2950fps is too much.

The rifle is a Tikka T3 Lite 300WM.
Click to expand...

Reloading manual normally give a 300fps range for their loads and you should simply use the lightest load in the manual.
From Barnes only 300WSM you can get 2700fps with 180gr TSX.
"Big Game" powder 55.5gr 2700fps
http://www.barnesbullets.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/300WSMWeb.pdf

I would only use a load from a reloading manual since some propellant exhibit pressure spike when loaded at low density (especially true for less than 80% loading density in ball propellants).

Alex
 
Katana said:
So is there a concern about flashover as there is less powder in the case??? My understanding is that cause the amount of powder is 1/3 of what is normally is all the powder is on the side of the case burning strait over it.
Click to expand...

You may have an issue IF it was 1/3 of a regular charge, but in the load I shared, it is more than 2/3 of a full load, so I cannot see an issue.
The fact that I have fired at least 1200 rounds of this load in several rifles without any indications of "flashover", "SEE", on any othe anomaly, leads me to believe that this is an entire safe reduced load.
FWIW, it was a load originally recommended in a "Lee Loader" sheet back when I was about 19 or 20 YO.
Eagleye.
 
Eagleye said:
If you want to download your 300 Win Mag to a more tolerable level, I have a load I have used extensively without ever a problem.
I used it primarily to accustom my kids to lower recoil, but when they used it on game, it also worked very well, with minimal meat losses.
Prime your case with a STANDARD primer. [no magnums]
Add 50 grains of IMR 3031
Seat the 180 grain bullet of your choice in the case.
Shoot away! Depending on rifle, barrel length, etc, this load generates from 2550 to 2650fps.
I have found this load to be very accurate in several 300 WM's and 308 Norma Mags.
Recoil is reduced accordingly, and feels about like a 308 or 30-06, depending on rifle weight.
I would guess that IMR 4895 would also work, but have never tried it because this formula has worked so well.
Regards, Eagleye
Click to expand...


Thanks for this information Eageleye!

I haven't downloaded my own 300 WM at all, but I may do so in the future. This sounds like a pretty darn simple and reasonable load.
 
Eagleye said:
If you want to download your 300 Win Mag to a more tolerable level, I have a load I have used extensively without ever a problem.
I used it primarily to accustom my kids to lower recoil, but when they used it on game, it also worked very well, with minimal meat losses.
Prime your case with a STANDARD primer. [no magnums]
Add 50 grains of IMR 3031
Seat the 180 grain bullet of your choice in the case.
Shoot away! Depending on rifle, barrel length, etc, this load generates from 2550 to 2650fps.
I have found this load to be very accurate in several 300 WM's and 308 Norma Mags.
Recoil is reduced accordingly, and feels about like a 308 or 30-06, depending on rifle weight.
I would guess that IMR 4895 would also work, but have never tried it because this formula has worked so well.
Regards, Eagleye
Click to expand...

Northman999 said:
Thanks for this information Eageleye!

I haven't downloaded my own 300 WM at all, but I may do so in the future. This sounds like a pretty darn simple and reasonable load.
Click to expand...

Yup, agreed. I might have to try that one too
 
Katana said:
All my buddies and I all shoot 300WM for our game up in northern BC. One of them used it for deer later that same year and lost a good portion of meat do to the power.QUOTE]

Katana
this is false statement, do you know what bullet he used, what was muzzle velocity, what was the distance and were was hit ?

IMO this was poor shot placement, close distance, cup and core bullet not built to withstand magnum velocities.

Downloading 300 Win Mag would be OK if he can't handle recoil but I think he need to move to tougher bullets.

I've been there, wasted lots of meat with Nosler Ballistic Tip 140 gr shot out of 7 STW at MV 3450 bullet disintegration at 200y and poor placement.

This is entry wound on deer shot with Barnes 225 TTSX out of 338 Win Mag shot at 100 y.

IMG_0489.jpg


Exit wound on same deer

IMG_0491.jpg


No meat damage, should I download 338 WM to 30-06 ?

He should change bullets to monoliths like Barnes TTSX, TSX; Hornady GMX; Nosler E-tip and this should solve his problem.

Andrew
Click to expand...
 
Since there are really two issues here - felt recoil and damage to game.

Use of different bullets - from 180 to 130 might be the answer in respect to recoil.

180 round nose versus some of the rapid expansion bullets may result in less damage to meat.

Hornady and Sierra do not list either 3031 or 4895 but those are both good choices as suggested by Eagleye. Hornady used H4350, and at 58.2 gives a velocity of 2500 fps. This is comparable to a mid load for the .30-06 and a heavy load for the .308 Winchester.
 
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I also agree that it comes down to bullet choice. Shot placement and bullet fragmentation are the factors you need to consider when thinking about meat damage. I have used the .300 Win Mag on deer and have not had a problem at all. Up until recently I used the 220gr Partition at 2850 fps for everything.
 
I would agree that the bullet type is more likely the culprit as I use Barnes 180 Triple X on my moose last year with the same results as your deer Andrzej. He doesn't reload so him ammo of choice is Winchester Ballistic Tips (black box)
 
Katana said:
I would agree that the bullet type is more likely the culprit as I use Barnes 180 Triple X on my moose last year with the same results as your deer Andrzej. He doesn't reload so him ammo of choice is Winchester Ballistic Tips (black box)
Click to expand...

And there is the problem.
 
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