A 180/.30 caliber bullet has ample sectional density, given reasonable bullet construction, to give adequate penetration on any of the game animals you name. Since that is the case, using a heavier bullet provides no advantage, but does cost you a bit in terms of trajectory.
On the other hand, lighter game like deer, antelope, and even caribou are easily taken with lighter bullets, but for the sake of simplicity, most of us like to use a single load in a given rifle. So the 180 weight is what makes the most sense for a universal load.
Posts: 13259 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
The .300 Winny is a mainstay for my Elk hunting group. Out of the 14 hunters this year 8 use the Winny and the load of choice is the 180 grain Nosler Partition or Northfork. 76 grains of RL-22 with a Fed 210M primer gets around 3100 fps consistantly depending on the rifle. Rifle of choice is Model 70 Winchester with a Boss. We take many Elk each year with the rest of the group using larger stuff up to .358 STA and down to .270 WSM. The 180 grain bullets are ideal for the Winny. For the larger Dangerous the 200 grain bullets in both mentioned choices are ideal. I took a 91/2 Brown Bear with the Nosler Partition and got a one shot in his tracks kill. I have since discov ered the Northforks and use them exclusively when they agree with the rifle, which is most of the time. Good shooting
phurley
Posts: 2367 | Location: KY | Registered: 22 September 2004
"though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."
---Thomas Jefferson
Posts: 1091 | Location: Eau Claire, WI | Registered: 20 January 2011
I'm not gonna argue on whether the 180 or 200 is best. If you get your ammo at Wallys, then a 180 is what you're gonna be using. If I wanted to shoot a 180, I'd use my 30-06. And as far as trajectory goes, you're gonna have to get a lot farther than I would be shooting at an animal for there to be a significant difference. One point, I shot my first elk with a 30-06 and a ta-da 200gr bullet.
I use 150gr Nosler Partition or Swift Scirocco II or 165gr Swift A-Frame. The 150 gr priemium bullets will take anything you want to shoot with a 300Win mag. If I wanted to I would use 150gr Barnes TTSX bullets but I prefer the Nosler or Swift bullets
Posts: 161 | Location: Denair Ca USA | Registered: 21 March 2012
I should have my leopard hunt video from the editor this week.It will show how deadly the 180gr TSX bullet is.It is a lightning fast killer on medium size game for sure!
Posts: 11651 | Location: Montreal | Registered: 07 November 2002
IMO the 300's were made for 200grain bullets greater sectional density .301 and greater ballistic coefficient (if using non boat-tail bullets) than the 180grain....why not capitalize on the increased energy down range and penetration of the 200grain bullet?
"An individual with experience is never at the mercies of an individual with an argument"
Posts: 1827 | Location: Palmer AK & Prescott Valley AZ | Registered: 01 February 2005
I would probably go with the 200 grainers because I am a cheap sob and think that @ WM velocities a 200 gn cup/core slug would hold up better than 180's. If you go with partitions or ? then just use which ever shoots best. Definatley 180 to 200 gns though.
AK-47 The only Communist Idea that Liberals don't like.
Posts: 10188 | Location: Tooele, Ut | Registered: 27 September 2001
Sam Taylor has it nailed. Ditto me. Been using H4350 with good results. Understand RL-22 is a kissing cousin. Each rifle will shoot a little differently, different eyeballs, different scope and so work out a load for that rifle with the 180s and then know your point of impact at 200, 300, 400 and 500 yards. Meat in the freezer.
Posts: 15 | Location: Montana | Registered: 02 August 2012
180gr Accubonds or TTSX's for me. I wouldnt go lighter myself.
I actually use 180gr Accubond reloads in my 300WM with RL22 and Federal 215 primers. Taken elk, moose bears deer at various distances (closest was 14 metres-LARGE cow elk, bull moose @ 450 metres, furthest was 554 metres-8x7 whitetail-all 1 shot kills). I would say average 150 metres. I know my rifle and I am comfortable shooting long distances up to 600 metres, but there is no FUN in that per say. The fun is in the Stalk and Calling the animal in close......must be the bowhunter in me!
My Sako m75ss 300WM will shoot dime-sized groups all day at 100 metres. Set up to be 3.5" high at 100 metres. I was setup this way since the rifle was new in 1997 and shooting factory ammo (WS-Partition Golds and then switched in 2004 to the AB's and reloads since 2005).
Maybe if I lived in Alaska or the Yukon I would consider the 200gr Accubond as mentioned.
I was a 1-rifle guy (300WM) till the rifle bug bit and infected me in 2004.
Posts: 431 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 02 May 2005
But, having hunted several hundred game animals with various 270 caliber rifles, using bullets from 130, 140 and 150 grains. I would choose a well constructed 165 grain bullet for the 300 WM.
For the larger 30 cartridges I would pick 180 grain bullet.
Saeed, the question begs to asked, if you are shooting a 165, what advantage would you have with a 300 over a 30-06 other than the couple of hundred feet per second in velocity?
beeman -- what advantage does a 180gr in a 30-06 with rel 22 vs a 180gr in a 300 win "other than the couple of hundred feet per second in velocity?" ...
2700 vs 3000-3100 fps? 600ft/lb difference in "energy" .. heck, bubba, i can get 2000ft/lb difference in the same case, in a big bore... and, of course, that the 3100 load would have a WHOPPING 29 yards better maximum point blank range...
and about double the FELT recoil +muzzle blast... (careful.. remember, I think a 375 HH is a fine lady's cartridge)
a 168ttsx at 3250 "doubles" that difference in max PBR, for marginally greater recoil than the 30-06, ZERO difference in bullet performance as the mono bullets perform like cup and core bullets .. but ONLY when comparing a .02 GREATER SD than the mono bullet...
