Does anyone have a decent load for deer hunting, I am thinking of taking an inherited M70 out hunting this year, but don't want to destory a lot of meat. I found an old cut down beat up stock that I have fitting so I won't feel guilty taking it out in the field. It likes 150g ballistic tips with 68g IMR4350 will shoot 3 into 3/4" at 100yards. Worried that these may blow up at magnum velocity. Or perhaps best to take the old standby Sako in 6.5X55.

I've used my 300 H&H for deer with 200 grain bullets.....it kills them and don't seem to destroy a lot of meat.
Just don't shoot them in the ham!!!

What you need is a bullet that doesn't expand as much. I would say use a solid but it's probably illegal where you hunt. I would suggest a couple of other approaches:

1. Use the heaviest and strongest constructed soft nosed bullet you can find (Woodleigh comes to mind). That will slow things down a bit and ruin less meat.

2. Use a Barnes bullet.

3. Use a Berger VLD or Sierra Match King. Though most would think that because they're a "hollow point" they'll expand violently, this actually isn't true. They behave more like an FMJ.

A question, does your gun shoot well with the ugly stock? If not, use the pretty stock and just take care of it.

Either rifle. The 300 H&H loaded with a coventional 180 gr. at about 2800 fps. will do just nicely. roger

I'd use that ballistic tip load in a heartbeat. If you're worried about meat loss then you can slow it down or switch to partitions. A rifle that shoots ballistic tips into 3/4" will most likely shoot partitions well also.

Actually it does shoot well with the orignal stock. It's a 55 model like me. Don't really care for the metal butt plate though. I put a large limbsaver pad on the new stock to get the LOP back to normal and it is actually more pleasant to shoot than a 06 M70 lightweight. The cabinet is low on 30 cal, have some 165 partions, perhaps I will order some Barnes solid coppers. There is no comparision to feeding between this rifle and the new pushfeed models..

There isn't much meat in the ribcage, shoot em in the lungs with what you got and call it a day!

I don't know what it was about it,. but I once saw some 300 H & H loaded rounds, in Federal Nickel brass and there was a box loaded with Speers 180 grain RN and the other one was loaded with Hornady's 220 grain RN, and the final box was loaded with Nosler's 220 Grain partition SMP....

Don't ask me why, but I thought all three of those loads were the neatest looking loaded bullets I had ever seen...... they actually seemed kinda nostalgic...

The rifle the guy was shooting for them was a heavy barreled Ruger Number ONE, in stainless steel, with a gray laminate stock... and for it, he had a pair of Leupold scopes, in silver of course... a 2.5 x 8 and a 6.5 x 20 with a 30mm tube on it...

he said the rifle was a special run of 50 made for a distributor.. and he got one knowing someone high up in the distributors company...

I was never a 300 H & H fan really, and still have never owned one.. but that entire set up sure got my attention and made my dream list....

it makes me frequently use 300 H & H data when I handload for my 300 Winchester...

but a 220 grain RN on a 300 H & H nickel case.. what a cool looking cartridge!!!!

Try 220 gr Round Nose Sierra's, they work like a charm for me.

Hi smithrjd

I have another approach you might condsider..

Some time ago I started experimenting with Accurate Arms 5744 powder for reduced loads in a few cartridges including a .300 H&H. AA5744 is truly marvelous stuff. There is nothing else like it in a smokeless powder. It is primarily used in black powder rounds like 45/70, 45/90 etc. It does not require fillers and it is not position sensitive. For more info about this powder;

http://www.accuratepowder.com/

What I was after was a 30/30 equivalent load in a .300 H&H using a 170gr 30/30 bullet, for use on deer at or under 100 yds.
This is what I came up with.
The very helpful staff at Accurate Arms suggested a charge of 35.0 to 38.0 grs. with 170gr. bullets.
I got velocities from 2075 to 2325 fps respectfully. My rifle liked 37.0 grs at 2250 fps as it produced groups under 1" consistently! Velocity spreads were very small throughout testing. W/W brass, Fed 210 primers and W/W 170 Silver-Tips.

This is a very useful load for the small Blacktails we have out here in southwest Oregon at close range.

Again, this might be something you might want to try. If not, then all the above suggestion using HEAVY bullets are just as effective. Deer aren't that hard to kill if you punch 'em through the ribs with heavies.

Have fun and good hunting

Use the starting load with just about any bullet it likes including Ballistic Tips.You dont have to worry about 3/4" groups at short range.I have never lost a deer to Ballistic Tips. My 2 cents OB