Interesting comparison tonight: 300 WSM and 303 British

W

Why not?

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Just for fun I took an old 303 British to the range tonight and fired a 215 gr Norma RN into a line of water-filled gallon milk jugs. I have loaded this bullet for many years for my camp gun, and the velocity is between 2100 and 2200 fps.

As you probably know, plastic gallon milk jugs are six inches square. The 303 bullet penetrated four of the jugs, 24 inches. It blew the first into shreds, tore the second and third apart, penetrated the fourth and fell between the fourth and fifth jug. Picture book expansion. :cool:

One of the guys who was there was sighting in a brand new 300 WSM . He had been chronographing factory 180 gr Accubonds while sighting in and they were going just a tad over 2900 fps.

I had seven filled jugs remaining, and of course he wanted to give it a try. :D

Anyone care to guess how many jugs the 180 Accubond from the 300 WSM went through?

(Edited to add) Range the jugs were shot at was 5 yds. We both got wet.

Ted
 
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I guess the big question is what range you were shooting said water jugs at? :confused:
At close ranges magnum style cartridge tend to obliterate bullets.
But I'd hazard a guess that if the WSM wasn't less powerful that the 303 it wasn't much different. ;)
 
A test like this has nothing to do with caliber... strictly bullet type.
The Accubond is designed to shed its energy consistently and over a broader range of velocities, so it will not likely penetrate as far as a Heavy Round nose bullets. I would expect about 16-18 inches at 100 yards for the 180gr A/B.
 
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It is true however that bullets like the Accubond are touted as perfect for the 300 WSM.
Surely this has a lot to do with the aims of cartridge designers?
 
Yeah most of the latest factory offerings are using this new technology.... core and jacket bonded at the molecular level. Accubond, Winchester Xp3, Federal uses all of the premium bullets in its Factory offerings.
Come on Ted give us the skinny how far did it go?
Inquiring minds want to know..........
 
impact velocity was 40% more, with a bullet that has a much lower SD. water is tough on bullets too

300 wsm would still kick the crap out of a 303 in real life though :D
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I'd say that the bullet came apart in the first two jugs and got the rest of it in the third.
There is a little explanation to that.

When an object moves through a media (or medium- depending on where you went to school) with a certain velocity (<V>), a friction/resistance force is opposing that movement. That force is not proportional with <v>, but rather with <v>square.
They are also known as Stokes forces.
That initial force is also accompanied by a "wave" while travelling through the said media.

the 300WSM is a victim of physics. It sure does a great job on game, but about penetration..... It expells most of its initial momentum on that accompanying "wave" and the difference between the kinetic energy and the potential one are too great to yield an efficient penetration, be it with Accubond or FMJ (case which will give you a fast yaw cycle)

An old frien told me that the 303 is better for moose than 308. I vehemently disagreed at the time, but a few years later....

My 2c go on the third jug.
 
That wave you mentioned - is referred to as 'hydrostatic shock.' Usually it won't do too much damage to game as muscle tissue is fairly elastic. If it's close enough to an organ though - well, those aren't elastic. Like the water in the jugs. At 5yds, I'd say you got wetter with the wizzum than the brit.

regarding your 303 vs 308 discussion - at some point the 308 has slowed down to 303 brit speeds, so if nothing else it DID buy you more range
 
eltorro said:
I'd say that the bullet came apart in the first two jugs and got the rest of it in the third.
There is a little explanation to that.

When an object moves through a media (or medium- depending on where you went to school) with a certain velocity (<V>), a friction/resistance force is opposing that movement. That force is not proportional with <v>, but rather with <v>square.
They are also known as Stokes forces.
That initial force is also accompanied by a "wave" while travelling through the said media.

the 300WSM is a victim of physics. It sure does a great job on game, but about penetration..... It expells most of its initial momentum on that accompanying "wave" and the difference between the kinetic energy and the potential one are too great to yield an efficient penetration, be it with Accubond or FMJ (case which will give you a fast yaw cycle)

An old frien told me that the 303 is better for moose than 308. I vehemently disagreed at the time, but a few years later....

My 2c go on the third jug.
Click to expand...

I agree on the penetration.
As to the 303/308 comparrison, I would say the the 375 H&H is better the both!!:D
 
I have 2, 303's but somehow I don't think I will be getting rid of my 270 WSM .

I don't remember shooting any deer at 5 yards.... maybe set them up at 150 yards or 200 and then I will get excited if the 303 tops the 300 WSM.
 
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todbartell said:
300 wsm would still kick the crap out of a 303 in real life though :D​
Click to expand...

Not from what I have seen at our local range, and we have had days were there are both of these calibers aplenty there at the same time.

Besides which a critter is not going to notice the difference in 400-600 ft/lbs at 100yards, but your shoulder and wallet sure will. :D
 
mylesrom said:
Well that does it, another exciting debate. Everyone sell their magnums and buy out all the 303's cause the water jug test is the proof.... I have 2, 303's but somehow I don't think I will be getting rid of my 270 WSM .

I don't remember shooting any deer at 5 yards.... maybe set them up at 150 yards or 200 and then I will get excited when the 303 tops the 300 WSM.
Click to expand...

If you were to shoot a moose under 100 yds, I'd strongly recommend to do it with a 303, rather than 270 WSM.....

The wave of dissipating energy that accompanies the bullet is not hydrostatic shock. If anything, it would be dynamic.

The hydro shock is presumably the overload of the circulatory/limphatic systems that results in a burst - usually when it takes place around larger veins. Arteries are elastic - veins -not.

The temporary cavity that most ppl call "hidrostatic shock" is the result of that dissipated energy, and yes, it causes a lot of damage if it reaches its peak around an inelastic organ - like the liver.

But since we're talking expanding bullets, where exactly that wave reaches its max, is entirely uncontrolable. Since the ned for penetration.

I'm a big fan of bang-flops myself, but in order to obtain these results, I use Ballistic tips. If the quarry increases in size, I'd go for penetration.

That unless you're talking 375 H&H.
 
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