The .300 Debate

Demonical said:
I always have those yellow foam ear plugs with me. I use them any time I have the time to stick 'em in before I shoot. Why wouldn't you use them given enough time to do so?
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"Given time to do so?" Animal might not be patient enough to wait for me!


I can't justify spending extra $$ on .300 rounds which are more expensive than .300 WM. I bought a used .300 WM for a song, put a used Leupold MKIII 6-18x50 on it, and took it to the range to discover cloverleaf groups, for under $1000! At this point it's worth more to me to spend less on rounds and practice more, as the rifle may still be capable of out-shooting me!


despite all this I have to agree with the fact that the .300 H+H is classic cool. Just not for a cheap bugger like me!
 
Well everyone has to pick their poison. I currently have a 30-338, 300 Wby, 308 Norma Mag,300 RUM, two 300 H&H's and a half finished 300 Pegasus. Oh, and four 300 Win Mags. Which, oddly enough, is my least favorite. Have had a 30-378 in the past. I think the 308 NM is the best balanced of the lot, and probably what the 300 Win Mag should have been. My 300 Wby holds an emotional spot in my safe, but I can't realistically argue that it is a better round. With a few minor differences in range, they all do the same thing.. They are all a good all around rifle, a 30-06 with more range, no more, no less, and that's not a bad thing. And yes, if you want something that kills better, get something that makes a bigger hole. - dan
 
For myself i would go 300 win mag, i`ve talked with enough guys that had some feeding problems with the short mags and i haven`t fallen for the short bolt travel argument. I`ve also sighted in enough 300 win mags that i know what it will do in the accuracy department, don`t own one currently as the 06 fills my needs but wouldn`t hesitate to get one should the itch need scratching.
 
I hate to admit it, but the 300 Weatherby is likely the best balance. 200gr bullets at 3000fps without loosening primer pockets in a 24" tube.

The next best IMO is the .308 Norma Mag. And the 180gr specimens can be pushed to 3000fps as well in a 24" tube, with a nice balance.
 
I was never a fan of the 300WM from a handloading point of view. The big 30's are always best with 200gr bullets and the short neck is a deal breaker for me. Prefer the Norma or Weatherby.
 
rem338win said:
I hate to admit it, but the 300 Weatherby is likely the best balance. 200gr bullets at 3000fps without loosening primer pockets in a 24" tube.

The next best IMO is the .308 Norma Mag. And the 180gr specimens can be pushed to 3000fps as well in a 24" tube, with a nice balance.
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I wish I could say that about my current .300 Weatherby with a 24" barrel. The damn thing uses 8 more grains of H1000 to go 200 fps slower than my .300 Wins with 180s. Can't really even sell it when my best sales pitch would be:

" It may kick a lot more than a Win, take harder to find brass, and might optimistically brush close to MOA on its best day, but it sure is a slooooooooowwwwwwwwwww sum#####" Can't imagine why someone wouldn't leap on that. ;)
 
Dogleg said:
I wish I could say that about my current .300 Weatherby with a 24" barrel. The damn thing uses 8 more grains of H1000 to go 200 fps slower than my .300 Wins with 180s. Can't really even sell it when my best sales pitch would be:

" It may kick a lot more than a Win, take harder to find brass, and might optimistically brush close to MOA on its best day, but it sure is a slooooooooowwwwwwwwwww sum#####" Can't imagine why someone wouldn't leap on that. ;)
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I'll trade you for my $4000.00 300 WSM that was born of the same illegitimate parents and won't give me 3000 fps with a 165 and 24" bbl. My son's '06 does better than this thing.
I bought it believing all the bullsh!t that it would do all a 300 WM would do in a 24" tube,only to be drastically disappointed in it. I spent a lot of money building an all up,under 6 lb rifle,to find it performs like a 308.
 
c-fbmi said:
I'll trade you for my $4000.00 300 WSM that was born of the same illegitimate parents and won't give me 3000 fps with a 165 and 24" bbl. My son's '06 does better than this thing.
I bought it believing all the bullsh!t that it would do all a 300 WM would do in a 24" tube,only to be drastically disappointed in it. I spent a lot of money building an all up,under 6 lb rifle,to find it performs like a 308.
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There is something very weird go on with your rifle: I got 3000+ fps from a 160gr Partition in my 24" 270 WSM Remington 700 CDL SF so 3100fps for a 165gr bullet in a 300 WSM should be expected.
300WSM can't possible underperform a 30-06 on average since it has a larger case capacity, is loaded to higher pressure and is more efficient (short and fat case).

I used David Tubb's FinalFinish to fire lap the barrle and the load in question involved a case full of Retumbo. My barrel was mirror smooth and required almost no force to clean.

Alex


Alex
 
c-fbmi said:
I'll trade you for my $4000.00 300 WSM that was born of the same illegitimate parents and won't give me 3000 fps with a 165 and 24" bbl. My son's '06 does better than this thing.
I bought it believing all the bullsh!t that it would do all a 300 WM would do in a 24" tube,only to be drastically disappointed in it. I spent a lot of money building an all up,under 6 lb rifle,to find it performs like a 308.
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Are you sure that you wouldn't rather have a 7mm Rem that can't keep up with a 30-06?:D I think I had your Wissums long lost twin brother awhile back, there was a reason why it kicked like a sick bunny.
 
Dogleg said:
I wish I could say that about my current .300 Weatherby with a 24" barrel. The damn thing uses 8 more grains of H1000 to go 200 fps slower than my .300 Wins with 180s. Can't really even sell it when my best sales pitch would be:

" It may kick a lot more than a Win, take harder to find brass, and might optimistically brush close to MOA on its best day, but it sure is a slooooooooowwwwwwwwwww sum#####" Can't imagine why someone wouldn't leap on that. ;)
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RL25 and 7828 are good powders for the Wby. They will give that sum##### some needed speed :)
 
444shooter said:
I was never a fan of the 300WM from a handloading point of view. The big 30's are always best with 200gr bullets and the short neck is a deal breaker for me. Prefer the Norma or Weatherby.
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I've had a couple of examples of both the 300WM and the 308NM and for me, the personal preference is the 308NM, partially for the opposite reason. To my way of thinking, and to a degree because I consider the slightly longer neck to be a plus, I think the 308NM case is superior in design. As far as preformance in the field is concerned, anyone would be hard pressed finding one to have an advantage over the other. That being said, and primarily for nostalgic reasons, hands down, my favorite is the 308NM.

Fairly recently I've been in the process of change over to Barnes bullets in a number of calibers I have 'available', one of which is the 308NM. However, some of my best accuracy with this caliber has been using the Sierra 200gr BT.

308NormaMag.jpg


I have yet to achieve that degree of accuracy using Barnes TSX and/or TTSX a variety of of weights but;) I'm still trying/testing:).
 
444shooter said:
RL25 and 7828 are good powders for the Wby. They will give that sum##### some needed speed :)
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It definitely needs some. I never bothered chronographing the 7828 loads, since they didn't shoot worth a fiddler's fornication there was no use. I'll get back to playing with loads for that rifle one of these days, but honestly that cursed pipe probably isn't worth the effort. Weatherby 180 grain factory loads only go 2950 fps. Some barrels are just dogs. Nothing a 26" Gaillard won't fix.
 
Dogleg said:
I wish I could say that about my current .300 Weatherby with a 24" barrel. The damn thing uses 8 more grains of H1000 to go 200 fps slower than my .300 Wins with 180s. Can't really even sell it when my best sales pitch would be:

" It may kick a lot more than a Win, take harder to find brass, and might optimistically brush close to MOA on its best day, but it sure is a slooooooooowwwwwwwwwww sum#####" Can't imagine why someone wouldn't leap on that. ;)
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Well then. They must've given it one of the majik .311 barrels lapped with a bastard file. I've met some dogs too. A buddies 7mm RM that used enough H4831 to pop primers and still only move 154gr Hornadys 2750fps. Damn Rugers had some bad barrels.
80grs of H4831 and 200gr Partitions always did well in one friends 300 Bee. Barely started to flatten the Federal 215's too.
I've always kinda wanted a 300 Weatherby Classic Stainless in a McMillan Super
Grade stock. Edge of course.
 
Some barrels just will not perform, no matter what they are fed.
I have toyed with a couple of those "underachievers" over the years.
Not worth spending time on.
My PH 308 Norma Mag makes 2950+ with the 200 partition and RL 25 in a 24" tube.
My custom gun with the 26" barrel does 3100 and pennies with the 180 and 7828.
I had a Savage 300 Win Mag that would barely make 2750 with a 200.
Go figure!
Regards, Eagleye.
 
c-fbmi said:
I'll trade you for my $4000.00 300 WSM that was born of the same illegitimate parents and won't give me 3000 fps with a 165 and 24" bbl. My son's '06 does better than this thing.
I bought it believing all the bullsh!t that it would do all a 300 WM would do in a 24" tube,only to be drastically disappointed in it. I spent a lot of money building an all up,under 6 lb rifle,to find it performs like a 308.
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I think it's fair to say that the 300 Win mag is faster then the wsm, but my wsm with a 168g ttsx, and IMR4350 clocks 3080 out of my 23" Browning.
 
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