Just found this forum yesterday and it looks like a good one.

I was wondering if anyone has worked up any good reduced loads for White Tail in the 300 Win Mag? Say something in a 150 gr bullet? My maximum range here in East Tennessee would be 200 yards. I'm shooting a Ruger M77 Mk 2 with a 24" barrel.

I haven't done exactly what you are asking, but I have worked up RE15 loads in my 300 WM for 165 grain bullets for whitetails. There is a predictable velocity/pressure/charge weight growth with this powder, and I have loaded 165 grain bullets from 2800 to 3100 fps with RE15 with great accuracy.

Were I you I would use one of the 4895s on the fast end, through RE15, Varget, and 4064 to the slower end to see what you like.

H4895 does very well at reduced pressure, and Hodgdon expressly recommends it for reduced loads. They recommend that for a good reduced load take a given bullet weight and use a powder charge as low as 60% of the maximum listed for that bullet. In the 300 WM this would likekly get you to the 300 Savage-308 Winchester range with a 150 grain bullet, which is likely what you are looking for.

Best,

Kevin

My favorite combination in my 300 Win is the following:
Brass - Winchester
Primer - Federal GM215M
Bullet - Nosler 165 grain Ballistic Tips
Powder - Reloder 22
Load - 76.5
Works for me.

Thanks for the ideas.

Handloader, have you chronographed that load? If so, what velocity did you see?

Thanks again,
Dan

Not another one of these posts!

Jon A: If you come on here I second every thing you say! I Judge you as a 300 Mag expert in a world full of few of them.( Sincerely)

dneweby
Welcome to the forum. There are a bunch of great guys here, I think you will enjoy it.
I too wanted to shoot a whitetail with my 300 Mag. On my deer lease you would have to work hard to have a shot over 100 yards. Most of my shots are under 50.
I can give you 2 loads. Both use 180grain bullets. The first is from Ken Waters Pet Loads.
180gr. bullet, 47grains of IMR 3031, standard primers velocity about 2300 to 2400fps.
The second load is the one I have used, a 180 Sierra Round nose with 70gr. of IMR 4831, Fed 215 Primer. This load shoots very good in my Blaser and kills deer very good. I had the 180gr. RN on hand and at basically 30-06 velocities I felt they would not damage a lot of meat. It is easy to tell them from the regular 300 Mag loads.
Similar loads with 150gr. bullets should work good too.

[ 08-28-2003, 20:43: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]

I've had great results out of 165gr Partitions around 3000fps. The Ballistic Tips are a little more accurate, but they tend to blow up more meat.

I don't quite get the incentive to use a light bullet, and then go to the hassle of having to load down... It is obvious that the .300 Win Mag is hardly an ideal Whitetail caliber, but then again in most cases, neither is a .270 Win. Both suffer from a tad too much speed - and thus tend to produce a bit more bloodshot meat than necessary. But apart from that, they sure do work.

So given that too much speed is the problem, rather than too little, why not just load a heavier bullet - 200-220 grs spring to mind?? No need to bother much with loading down, because velocities will already have fallen off a bit - in particular with the 220 grs. And when you need to go out to hunt big pigs tomorrow, you already have your load right there, and maybe even the rifle already sighted in. Naturally recoil will be a bit more noticeable with the heavier bullet, but if recoil is the problem, maybe a .257 Roberts would be the answer??

Just one man's opinion, you obviously get to load what you fancy
- mike

Hey Mike,

I was just thinking that the lighter bullet might not tear up as much meat. Then I would use a full power load with a heavier bullet when I go out west Elk hunting.

It was an idea. Whether or not it was a good one is yet to be seen.

Dan

FWIW--I've seen postings where people have wanted to load down the 300 win mag and have had real good luck by using minimum listed loads of I4320 with whatever grain bullet you choose. These loads have been real accurate for most guns and have produced 30-06 or slightly slower speeds.

Jon A:

You just convinced me you know what you are talking about on the 300 Mags. Wasn't trying to flatter you at all.

You not only convinced me that you know your caliber and know it well. You also taught me not to waste my time arguing in here over points you aren't going to prove to anyone else.

Just giving credit where credit is due. If you don't want me to, let me know and I will stop it immediately.

Instead of flattery, look at it as respect. I learn to respect people I don't always agree with, if they show me they still have valid points and they know what they are talking about.

I've played with a number of loads in my WinMag. 220gr (Sierra or Nosler) have shot very well but they're certainly not easy shooting. No need for that shoulder punishment to knock over a little deer. I plan to use the 220 Sierra for pigs and, if I ever get so lucky, the 220 Partition for big bears.

I'll be experimenting with a 130gr Hornady and H4895 soon. I expect about 2500fps. I'd say that's about the lower limit of usefulness in a 300WM. Whatever specific recipe works well in your rifle should be about perfect for your application.

The above is exactly why I love the 300WinMag so much. It's a great sampe of useful range. Sure no one would buy a WinMag just for little deer at close range, or just for big bears. But it can do both and everything in between. I think I'll go give it a kiss.

Gonzo--Your reply is exactly why I would choose a 300 win mag as a "first buy" for any adult. It has total flexibility--can be downloaded to a virtual .308 but takes performance way past 30-06.
Its definately a winner.

I got a 300WM and have tried all kind of bullets and loads.
Right now I am a firm believer of a 180gr Nostler Oryx on top of a Winchester shell loaded with 73,3 gr of Vihtavuori 165.
I have seen those bullets after going through a Polar beer, Reindeer, and all kind of African game and they mushroom perfectly.
This load has light recoil and my daughter 15 years old is shooting them with ease.
But the best thing to do is to pick a bullet and then reload 25 or 30 shells with some powder that is common in your community and load from the lowest recommended load and up, 5 shells of each and increase the powder one gr at a time.
Pick the load you feel most comfortable with and you got a hunting bullet for most game.
But beware reloading is like a religion, everybody has his true believe

Gonzo:

For downloading a 300 Mag, take a closer look at XMR 5744. It is a great powder and is not sensitive to where it may be in the case. I have loaded up the 300 mag with 180 gr and 165 grain bullets with velocities down to 1500 fps and it still maintains all of its accuracy.

A real flexible powder for any Mag rifle or standard for that matter, if you load velocity up or down

Thanks for all of the ideas.

I think I will start with the 150 gr Nosler spitzer over 72.0 gr of IMR 4831 and go from there.
Hopefully, I can get a good accurate reduced load somewhere around there and would really like it to be around 70.0 gr.

Then the next thing to try is, as some of you suggested, going to 180 gr bullet and work up a load for it.

Thanks again,
Dan

I don't believe in downloading any cartridge. There's no reason to. For the .300 Win. Mag., I use the same load for whitetails that I do for elk, bears, mule deer, sheep, pronghorn, moose, or African plainsgame. That load is a premium, controlled-expansion 180 gr. spitzer bullet (currently Nosler Partition) at about 3100 fps.

It just-plain works, and it doesn't blow whitetails up any worse than a .270. One general-purpose "mice to moose" load is a very smart way to go.

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