300 WSM Just bought one. Intended purpose. Just about anything over 100 pounds. Biggest concern accuracy.

Has anyone fooled around with one long enough to have learned any do's and don'ts on this cartridge? If so, anything you can share would be of interest to me.

In PA, using it for deer, instead of the 30-06, but I'll stick to a 150 grainer or a 165 grainer, that shoots the best. Probaby a Hornady. Just don't need a big heavy bullet here. Ballistics look pretty good on the tables up into the 200 weights, so let me know on that too if you can.

Thanks for any help.

Tony F

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Live Free! Madison, Jefferson and all the boys paid for it, and so did our very own fathers.

Looks like you are the first.

Let us know how she goes.

Don

The latest Handloader magazine, #212, August 2001, has an article on the .300 WSM by John Barsness. I'd recommend reading it. His favorite powders seemed to be RL22 and H4350, pretty much what you'd expect to work in a .300 Win Mag.

Factory and handloads with 180 grain bullets were in the 3050 fps neighborhood, 165's over 3100, and 150's at 3200-3300.

If you're going to push 150 & 165 grain bullets at those speeds, I'd upgrade to a premium design like the Nosler Partition or Combined Tech. Partition Gold, Barnes-X,
Trophy Bonded, etc. A standard jacketed 150 or 165 at those speeds might have problems in a shoulder joint or on a large animal, not to mention bloodshot meat from the explosive expansion characteristics.

The Combined Tech Partition Gold 150 grain could be a real fine projectile in that cartridge. It ought to plow a big hole without coming apart.

BigIron

By the way, the 180 Ptn. Gold was the most accurate bullet in John's testing - well sub MOA.

[This message has been edited by BigIron (edited 07-24-2001).]

1LoneWolf,
You are not the first. There are a few of us out there who have taken the 300WSM plunge. I've done some experimenting with the 140gr Barnes XBT, 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, 165gr Hornady SPBT and the 165gr Swift Scirocco as well as the 180gr Factory Power Point load. My Browning A-Bolt II Composite Stalker shoots everything reasonably well (1.5" or better 3 shot groups at 100 yards) but absolutely loves the 150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and 180gr Factory Power Point loads (.50" to .75" 3 shot groups at 100 yards). For powders I've tried H414, IMR4350, IMR4831 and H4831SC. I've found my gun likes the first 3 powders just fine but I can't get enough H4831SC into the case to get the velocities of the other powders. For primers I've used Federal 215's and Federal 210M's. My gun likes the standard primers better. Standard primers deliver comparable velocities and accuracy but lower pressures so I'd recommend standard primers. With the bullets and powders I've tried my observations of maximum velocities, within pressure limitations, goes something like this. 140gr bullet-3300fps, 150gr bullet-3200fps, 165gr bullet-3075fps. The 180gr Factory Power Point loads are 2890fps from my 23" barreled Browning. I don't know if it is appropriate to list my actual load data as it is not posted in any manuals or pressure tested other than my own observations for pressure signs. Hopefully this information will be of some value to you. Hope you enjoy your new gun, I'm sure having a great time with mine. Jay