Just wondering if any of you are loading the 150gr Sierra Prohunters or the 165gr Sierra Gamekings in your 300RUM and what their performance on whitetail sized game? I'm currently loading 180gr Nosler Partitions and was thinking of switching to some lighter bullets for longer, flatter shooting. I loaded some up this weekend to see how they shoot, but I'm mainly concerned with performance.

Stick with the heavier bullets and buy a rangefinder. The small trajectory advantage the lighter bullets have is negated when you know the range and can compensate (you have practiced out to the maximum range you'd take a shot, right?).

The heavier bullets of a similar shape will have a higher BC and will drift in the wind much less making you more accurate at those ranges. And with heavier bullets, terminal performance will be more reliable at RUM velocities with standard bullets.

I agree with Jon. You really can't do better than the 180gr bullet or even the 200 grain if you can handle the recoil. However, that being said, the 165 gr Barnes or 160gr GS Customs would be worth looking at for what you want - you will get the speed and a little less recoil but still have good terminal performance. (I would never drop down to a 150 gr bullet in 30 cal for shooting anything other than varmints; just too great of a chance of the bullet blowing up)

Jethro, those 150 and 165 Sierras work great in my .308 - but I wouldn't consider them for use in something with the case capacity & velocity range of your .300 RUM. I suspect though that they'd kill whitetail just fine. Heck, everything else does, from .223 on up...

So, the 180's don't shoot flat enough or something? Just kidding! That is one potent cartridge! Guy

I used the Sierra 150gr Pro Hunter this past season in both my 300 RUM and WSM.Worked Very Well in Both.
I had a few doubts about using them at these velocitys, so I talked to the Sierra Tech Line gave them my loads and asked thier Oppion."at these velcitys will be a HAMMER..0-500 yards...advise soft tissue shots" I shot 3 with my with my WSM ,2 of which were Shoulder Hits and 1 with the RUM. The tech lied TNT would be a better way of putting how they worked.

The only load I use from my SAKO 75 in 300 RUM for everything is:

180 Partition Golds at 3315 fps with 109 of AA 8700 and 215BR caps. (This load is 4 gr under max but they used a 24" barrel...the MV is the same though so let's call it almost a max load). After some serious case preparation the best group I have gotten so far was .942" at 300 yds...letting barrel cool between shots.

Now if you have a ballistics program plug in these #'s and compare them to 150/165...not much difference huh?

[ 02-28-2003, 20:17: Message edited by: POP ]

There was nothing wrong with the 180's I was shooting, but like always, I just want to try a different combination for the heck of it. I really like the Sierra bullets and haven't tried a single one through this gun, so that's a reason as well. Hopefully, the weather stays ok for tomorrow so I can hit the range. I guess the real test will be on the deer. Gotta wait a few months for that though.

Some of you mention that the bullets blow up at those speeds, but doesn't the thicker jacket on the Gamekings help prevent this? I've never used the Gamekings, so I'm pretty na�ve to their performance.