Downloading a 300WM

Regardless of your motives, using the largest case around to make light loads, will not leave you as happy about your accuracy as the same load in say a .308. Even the .308 case is not optimal for reduced loads but does alot better then say a .300 magnum with unburn't powder and off sounding shots.
 
Further to what Ben said, there is an option.

A check of a Nosler #2 book shows most accurate load with different powders. 56.0 grains of IMR 4320 and 180 grain bullets gives velocity in the 2800 fps range. This only gets you down to heavy .30-06 loads.

Regardless, a poorly placed shot can do damage, and even at lower velocities, hitting both shoulders can leave a lot less in the freezer.
 
If you really want a reduced load try Trail Boss from Hodgdon. Here is a link to some data from them.
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf
A 125gr ballistic tip at 2000fps would hold together just find, and have very light recoil.

I agree with the others that the bullet choice is likely the problem. Switch to something a bit tougher to shoot from a 300 mag. That same BT would be a fine bullet from a 308, but is not tough enough when shot at 300 mag speeds. If you are going to handload anyway I would just go to a tougher bullet instead of messing with reduced loads.
 
I second using the Hodgdon website. Lots of loads in there. Check out the ones with 165 grain bullets.With H380 and a 165 grn bullet starting load you are at 2754 fps.
 
I do have 2 boxes of 168 Barnes Triple X that I would more than likely use for that load and save my 180 for 300WM loads.

I guess my main concern was that lack of powder in the 300 case and any problems that might be caused by it.
 
Trail Boss powder is very bulky, looks like little greenish donuts so it feels the case well. Problem that I see is lack of energy for hunting.

Trail Boss data for 300 Win Mag is recommending 18 to 25.5 gr with 150 gr bullet but you only get about 460 ft/lb with lowest and 869 ft/lb with highest charge at 50 yards.
If you use max load and zero it at 100 y it will drop 13 inches at 200 and have only 663 ft/lb energy.

Andrew
 
I have down loaded a 300 WSM for a buddy, I am using 150g SP's Its either 49 or 50 grain of H4895. After I noticed a slight hang fire with them shooting downward in cool temps I put in 3 grain of pillow case stuffing and its great now. He shot a nice buck at 250 yards last fall and was very happy. They are going around 2800 I forget the exact number but the idea was to get it to .308 recoil and speed.
 
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