Hi Guys,

I live and hunt in the eastern half of the mid-west where my shots on deer are about 100 yards. I've killed them with just about everything except a rock. I have a really nice .300 Weatherby Deluxe, but don't want to use my "cannon" loads on deer. SO, I'm looking for a load that will come down to the 30-06 range with say a 150 or 165 grain bullet.

Do any of you have a load like that?

And before you tell me to go buy a 30-06, I just want to shoot my Weatherby for a change.

Thanks for your time and your response.

Take Care!

With 165 Ballistic Tips you might try these:

68gr of IMR-4350
71gr of IMR-4831
75gr of IMR-7828

These loads should give you @ 2900 fps. See what is most accurate in you rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by dblhunter:
...but don't want to use my "cannon" loads on deer.

Why not? At least you know they'll be dead.

Good idea. When your work up (down) hits a similar point of aim as your full power loads you'll have a winner.

Lee's reloading manual #2 has a great section on reduced loads.....best of any I've seen. It helped me find a good one. It's a pretty inexpensive manual too.

There are a couple of ways you can go, depending on what the goal is. Lighter bullets are going to be the least recoil, but I would prefer to aim at 27 or 2800 fps and a 180g bullet....to avoid getting too small a charge in that big case.

If you'd like to PM me particulars of bullets powders, or whatnot you want to consider I can get you some starting point info from Quickload...

Cheers,

Dan

150gr Hornady SP
64.0gr IMR- 4064
Fed. 215 primer
Wby case


Keith

I like to shake the woods

Are you just looking for lighter recoil or less meat damage?

Full house Weatherby loads make nice holes up close

Good Luck

Reloader

Try a full case of AA8700 behind whatever bullet you wish to shoot. The load will be remarkably accurate without a lot of velocity. I am working out of state right now and don't have my load reference materials, but I loaded 8700 behind 125-grain Hornadys for a friend a few years ago and got one-hole accuracy at 100. He was a slightly built man who had been given a 300 by his father in law, loved the rifle but couldn't take the recoil of "full tilt" loads.

Speer #13 has reduced loads listed for your Weby mag.

32.0gr of SR4759 with a mag primer and 150gr bullet=1970fps.

same load with a 165gr bullet goes 2007fps in their 26" barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Doubless:
Try a full case of AA8700 behind whatever bullet you wish to shoot. The load will be remarkably accurate without a lot of velocity.

Using surplus WC860, a tight case full, compressed (100 grains in neck sized fired cases) gives 3050 FPS with 180 grain Hornadies or 2975 FPS with Speer 200 grain spitzers in my 24" Vanguard, both with excellent accuracy and no signs of high pressure. I consider these full power loads, though the velocities can be exceeded with other powders. A bit less will give lower velocities. However, a load like this will kick you harder than any reduced load of a faster burning powder due to the "jet"effect of the large mass of powder gas being ejected at high velocity from the muzzle. Makes a brilliant flash and loud bang. I've tried the 100 grain load of WC860 under 110 grain Hornadies. Gives 3250 FPS, a huge blast, and about as much kick as the heavy bullet Magnum loads, though the ballistics are those of a .308 with 110 grain bullets.

I do like this stuff, though! WC872 is nominally slightly slower. I suspect AA 8700 is surplus WC872. (As H870 was surplus WC870.) I have some of the WC872 to use when my WC860 runs out, but haven't tried it yet.

quote:

Are you just looking for lighter recoil or less meat damage?

Reloader hit the nail on the head with this question. If you are worried about meat damage up close just use a stouter bullet (I'm partial to the Barnes TSX) and don't hit the shoulder. If you do that, meat damage and loss should be a minimal problem. There's a lot of misconception about what larger, "powerful" cartridges do to small critters.

LWD

DBLhunter

Ricochet, reloader and LWD have some good ideas. I'd suggest working around the starting loads in the Lyman manual using 4064 and 180 or 200 gr bullets. You should get into the 2700-2800 fps range with either bullet with those loads which is in the 30-06 range. Another option would be to try, given the short ranges you mention, a 170 gr 30-30 bullet loaded to 2400 fps. Start with 45 gr of H4895 and work up in one gr increments. Let us know what you do. Good luck and good hunting.

Larry Gibson

SR 4759, IMR 4227, and Alliant 2400, RL 7, IMR 4198, and XMR 5744... can all give you velocities that will make the Weatherby into an 06 clone... or even a 300 Savage if you are shooting only at 100 yds..