Several months ago I bought a Vanguard in 300 WBY for a hunt that fell through. I like the rifle and the cartridge but it is just brutal on these small TX deer. WAY too destructive! I want to try to load it to the 30-06 range with a 165 or 180 grain bullet. Would anybody be willing to share their reduced loads for this round? Which manuals list reduced loads for the 300?

You want the bad news or the good news first.

Bad news is 7mm and 30 mags are not very flexible on downloading. The big cases and small bores, with small powder charges, can get dangerous, be careful.........The only worse cases to work with from your perspective is the 30-378, and the 300 Ultra mags.

Good news is changing powder types to faster burning powders, or the min safeloads will help some.

The Sierra manual has some lower velocity loads, but 2800 fps is the bottom end. Hornady has a couple of loads with 2700 fps using 4064 and 4350 powder. Which are pretty fast powders for that case volume.

If you are only shooting Texas whitetails, 150gr is plenty of bullet. I have used this reduced load for years in my 300Wby. 150gr Hornady SP, 64.0gr IMR 4064, Fed. 215 primers. This will give you the 30-06 performance you are looking for, and the reduced recoil. It will not ruin huge amounts of meat either.

Hog Killer

The other way to consider going would be to go to a harder bullet and or a big bullet (220) if you want to try and keep the chops sort of intact. And at the same time slow it down as much as possible.

Mark D

Great! Because of you guys I'm gonna have to rebarrel it to 416 Taylor. How am I gonna get that past the wife? "But Honey, the guys on AR said the WBY round won't do reduced loads well. You DO want me to stop destroying half the deer DON'T you?" It's all your fault. LOL

Some years ago I did tests for precisely this; to see whether I could get 30-06 velocities from my .300 Weatherby (a Remington 700 with 24 inch barrel). Here are some of my results:

(All with Remington brass and Rem. 9 1/2M primers.)

63 gr IMR 3031 and 150 gr. Speer BT gave 2942 f.p.s.

64 gr. Varget and 150 Speer BT gave 2845 f.p.s. with good accuracy, but the dirtiest cases I've ever seen.

64 gr. H-414 and 150 Speer BT gave 2883 f.p.s.

68 gr. H-414 and 150 Speer BT gave 2935 f.p.s.

62.7 gr. IMR 4320 and 180 Sierra BT gave 2654 f.p.s.

With Federal 215 primer:

79 gr. H4831 and 150 Sierra BT gave 2871 f.p.s.

64 gr. IMR 4064 with 150 Sierra BT gave 2801 f.p.s.

Weatherby case, Federal 215:

83 gr. H4831 gave 2969 f.p.s. with 180 gr. Speer Grand Slam

I don't have accuracy figures to go with these.

I shot several deer with a M700 in 300 Wby. Awesome calibre with a lot of recoil/muzzle jump. I cant say I ever had a problem with the bullet destroying more meat than any other cartridge. It had some spectacular kills but I honestly think most of the energy went through the animal and ended up in the dirt on the other side. I usually used 180gr bullets and they always passed all the way through. I actually think my 270 win does more damage to the animal with 130gr Interlocks. As far as the meat damage is concerned, hit em BEHIND the shoulder and they die quickly and you dont lose any meat, except for some rib cage meat. I dont like blowing out the shoulders with any caliber on any animal. Hard to beat a double lung or heart shot, they may not always drop instantly but I belive it's much more humane and ethical.

quote:

Bad news is 7mm and 30 mags are not very flexible on downloading.

Ummmm , wrong.......

Actually they are more flexible for downloading with the right powders that are the 30.06 class of cartridges.....

Let me know what kind of velocity range you are looking for....

SR 4759, IMR 4198 are two good powders just exactly for that.. along with Reloader 7, H 4198, Alliant 2400....

IMR 4198 is evidently what Remington is using for their "Reduced Loads' series.. they don't do a 300 weatherby, but they do a 300 Win Mag and a 7mm Rem Mag...

These downloads can be every bit as accurate as full power loads.. downloads can also have the same pressure ( say 50,000 psi)....

Reduced velocity will also give you substantially reduced recoil.. and increase barrel life substantially for off season practicing at the range....

But the downside.. It does not appeal much to the macho type guys.. they will tell you all day long that they don't work......Anyone who uses them correctly will beg to differ, believe me...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
Actually they are more flexible for downloading ......Anyone who uses them correctly will beg to differ, believe me...:

I believe you! I believe you!!!!!! roger

quote:

Originally posted by Bloodnativ:
... I want to try to load it to the 30-06 range with a 165 or 180 grain bullet. ...Which manuals list reduced loads for the 300?

Hey Bloodnativ, I just reached over and grabbed the Speer #12 and it lists a Tested Load down to 1769fps with the 165gr bullets and 1763fps for the 180gr bullets.

You can go to the Hodgdon web site and see they have a "Rule of 60%" for any MAX H4895 Load shown.

And of course, the old Lyman Manuals have Reduced Loads.

What actual "Bullet" were you using?

I was using the Federal factory 180gr SP load. I have only shot one deer with it so maybe it was just that particular bullet. It made a nice little entrance wound and about a 3-4 inch exit wound. The only real reason I thought about using reduced loads is because I can't really afford to rebarrel it right now. (I REALLY want a 416 Taylor) I looked on the Hodgdon website but I didn't see that. I must have just missed it. I'll pick up a Speer manual and try some of those. Thanks.

From Handloader Magazine number 138.
Reduced load for the 300 Weatherby: 180 grain jacketed bullet, 60 Grains of IMR 3031. Velocity 2640 fps.

I have used a similar load in my 300 Win Mag. I used Sierra 180 Round Nose bullets so I could tell that load from my full power loads. It kills deer very good.