Last year I decided to "go all out" and buy a HS Precision PHL in .300 WSM. The gun has a 22 inch barrel. This gun will be used as a Mountain Rifle starting next year for Mountain Goat, Mountain Caribou and Sheep. And locally for whitetails. Wanted a "go to" gun that was light and manuverable. The PHL seemed to fit the bill.

Usually my goal when I buy a new firearm is to buy several different types of factory loads to try, shootem all up and start reloading with the brass. If I find a factory load I love, I will sometimes just stick with it.

Started out with 165 Grain Nosler Partitions (Federal Factory loads). Couldn't get these to print at all.

Switched to 165 Grain Barnes TSX (Federal Factory loads) and got decent groups but not great.

My brother gave me a box of Siver Box 180 Grain Winchester Soft points and they shot about as good as the 165 Barnes.

A couple weeks ago, I was on a hunt in Alberta and a guy was shooting the 130 grain Barnes TTSX Federals through his 300 WSM and got remarkable results on the range. Upon returning home, I bought a box and tried them and was pleasantly suprised. At 100 yards the first two shots were touching and the third was an inch right. At 200, the three shots strung left to right but were also inside an inch and a half.

My question here is just to get peoples thoughts on this load. Everything I've ever read on the 300 WSM says not to go below 150 grains. This 130 grain TTSX is travelling at 3400 fps out my barrel! Plus, it reduced the recoil noticeably.

Thoughts?

I've always used whatever the rifle liked. We have hunted whitetail deer with 100gr TSX's in 25-06's this season and have killed three nice bucks that have weighed 180-225lbs. All bullets exited and caused massive internal damage.

Barnes builds a pretty good bullet.
If I were you I would stress test that bullet on a dozen or so deer and maybe an elk and a few hogs then see what you think.

Barnes bullets offer the best performance with lighter bullets.

quote:

....Everything I've ever read on the 300 WSM says not to go below 150 grains...

Apparently you are not very well read. Page 498, Speer #14 states:

"At the other end of the weight spectrum, the 300 WSM shows remarkably uniform performance with varmint bullets as light at 110 grains, something large-case 30-caliber magnums do not. Velocities over 3700 fps were common. This is not a varmint cartridge, but certainly has varmint capability..."



.

Try the 130 grain 308 Raptor by Cutting Edge Bullets.
Results have been between 1/2" to 3/4" at 100 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by Captain Finlander:
Barnes bullets offer the best performance with lighter bullets.

Check the results from tests of the Raptor bullets.
The lighter raptor bullets are out performing even the heavy premium bullets.

Will definaltely check out those Raptors...Glad to see the Speer report...This may be the ultimate Whitetail rig...

Nice! That Federal Barnes is a sweet load.

Am I on the right forum?!?

First, no one has called you an idiot for buying a 300wsm, because of course it'll be long gone in 3 years and you'll never see brass, dies, or ammo for it ever again.

2nd, no one has called you a blithering idiot for using anything buy 180gr bullets in a 30 caliber.

And 3rd, no one has proclaimed the end of all life as we know it because you used a Barnes bullet and it shot well.

IMO, all great choices you made! Shoot what the rifle likes best and pick where/how it hunts around that, not the other way around.

The lighter monometal and ultra premium bullets DO work very well in lighter weights. But its going to be a loooong time before most accept that, if at all. The long and heavy for caliber mentality has been with us since the dawn of modern rifle cartridges, and it'll a long time to get people to accept that. Some guys quit reading new reloading manuals after about 1975 and fiercely defend their positions.

Hi tech rifle, hi tech cartridge, why not a hi tech bullet to match? I use the 130gr TTSX in my 300 Wby, gun loves those bullets.

milehigh...I was almost afraid to post this new thread with this title for fear of backlash, but I've had some great response.

I stumbled on to this load by accident and am thrilled with it so far. Wasn't really optimistic going in to this test as I've tried the light weight Barnes in a few different calibers with mixed to poor results. This test was a huge success.

With one exception, the 130-140gr Barnes X, XLC, TSX and TTSX, out of my 270Win have not been recovered out of elk or deer.

You will be fine with that load, for most anything.

I use the 130 gr TSX not TTSX in my 300 Win Mag with the Barnes max load of WW 760 for 3600 fps. Checked with my chrono and it really is 3600. Also works well with the GS Custom HV 130 gr .308. Very accurate, very deadly up to elk so far. Pretty hard on the meat, though.

Tigger have you tried the TTSX since they came out?

No, not yet. I am waiting to run out of TSXs and GS bullets. Is there a particular advantage for general purpose?

Can't wait to get hunting experience with this load. So far it really raises hell with Coyotes. Kills'em dead without any "run offs"