Ive never been a fan of the 300 Wby, which is strange as Ive seen more instant kills on both large and small game with it, its a damn hammer, shoots flatter than a flitter and will drive a 220 or 250 gr. bullet at awesome velocity, and send a 180 or 200 screaming..NOthing about it is minus in the hunting field and its killed all the DG on this earth..

I guess thats why Ive only used it on game one time and that was in African some years ago and I never needed a second shot..

Terrible boring caliber..Maybe some day I'll get another one, who knows..After all its the ultimate hunting rifle and only those that have used realize that I suppose..I have not had one for many years..Why that is I have no idea..

Wait for a great deal to come up and you'll have another one Ray. I'm waiting for a "good deal" on a left handed Deluxe or Ruger #1.

Until then I'll have my "good deal" RH Japanese Mark V Deluxe in the safe

Why have you never been fond of it? Probably because it was originally marketed mostly to well-to-do people who were unsophisticated about what they were buying. They loved the hype about its velocity (only marginally more than you could get from a .300 H&H loaded to the same pressure) and the false pride and ego boost that comes from paying more for your rifle and ammunition than "ordinary people".

In reality there's nothing wrong with the cartridge itself, if you can overlook the purposeless radiused shoulder and accuracy-defeating freebore. A couple of years ago I came across a nice Magnum Research Mountain Eagle (Sako action) chambered in .300 WBY. It is very accurate using my handloads with a Nosler 190 grain LR Accubond. I killed a cow elk with it two years ago, but hit in the spine at 80 yards it could have just as well been a .243 Win.

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
Hunting buddy of my late father imported via the back door a Lazermark all the way from the USA complete with Weatherby ammo. One day sitting on the bench going head to head with my Sako 300 win we were both very shocked and surprised to see that using factory ammo the Weatherby had less than 100 fps with its 26 inch barrel to my 300 Win with its 24 inch barrel ! Given at the time the hype around the Weatherby this came as a huge surprise ! On the same day he made a bad shot with that 300 W when he took a frontal shot a Wildebeest which literally took us on a out of province walkabout ! his shot went low and unzipped the belly spilling intestines which the poor animal dragged along as he went !

No cartridge looks impressive when you direct the bullets through only the guts. A bad shot is a bad shot.

I have never shot one, but it seems the same as a 300 H+H to me if they are loaded to equal pressures. I do shoot a 300 H+H and like it.

Over the years I have had quite a few "accuracy" rifles in both 300 Winchester and 300 Wby, all with 26" barrels.

With 180 grainers and loaded just below where accuracy fall off the 300 Wby was 100 f/s to 130 f/s faster than the 300 Winchester. For me a 300 Magnum has always been a 180 grainer at 3100 f/s and the 300 Wby does that with easy, in fact with backed off loads.

In an all out accuracy rifle the 300 Winchester will win. With bullet being much closer to the rifling varying seating depths is what makes the difference as you are altering ignition. While Wby freebore is a parallel section of the bore and specifications are for no more than .0005" over bullet diameter, small changes to seating depth don't alter the ignition so the bottom line is the load can't be "tuned" to the same degree.

Thus for a pure accuracy gun I would choose the 300 Winchester. In general the 300 Win will give better accuracy across a wider range of bullets and powders but I am talking about very degrees of accuracy.

On the other hand the Wby freebore brings some pluses. First up it will get much better velocities with powders on the too fast side. You can also load a 300 Wby "hotter" as pressure spikes are not the same problem. Also, the 300 Wby is more likely to put a shot from a clean cold barrel or a barrel with cold hard fouling into the group than the 300 Winchester. A negative is the 300 Wby is more dependent on neck tension for accuracy than a the 300 Winchester with a load that has the bullet right next to the rifling.

Alf mentioned factory ammo velocities but my experience has been different and 300 Wby is well in front and also often a tad faster than 300 RUM factory ammo.

With top reloads the 300 RUM adds a 100 f/s to 300 Wby and the 30/378 adds a 100 f/s to 300 RUM.

In general I prefer the 300 Wby. Undoubtedly some of that preference is because of seeing the 300 Magnum as a 180 grain at 3100 and the 300 Wby does that with ease but it is getting to the top end of the 300 Winchester. Maybe also living Australia with less powder availability gives another edge to the 300 Wby.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
Wait for a great deal to come up and you'll have another one Ray. I'm waiting for a "good deal" on a left handed Deluxe or Ruger #1.

Until then I'll have my "good deal" RH Japanese Mark V Deluxe in the safe

Google Barry Browning. He is a big dealer on the east coast who uses Guns America, Guns International, and Gunbroker.

He also has his own website.

I have bought quite a few Mark Vs from him, and he's a good guy. I just bought a Weaver 3-15 scope from him a few days ago.

Cheapest prices on Sako, Weatherby and other collectable rifles I have ever seen.

He regularly has Weatherby Mark V deluxe rifles for under $1000. And often $700-800 if they are Japanese.

Because I never found a free market rifle in that chambering cheap enough.

My 300WM mag 700 was brought along with a 20ga BPS and a MKII Ruger in 338 mag for the gross cost of 900.00 all new in the box.

At a garage sale I then sold the BPS for 450.00 so I have a grand total in my 700 of 225.00.

If I would come up with a deal like that on a 300Wby I sure I would like it as much..

Not sure but I think it might be the number 1 chambering for D'Arcy Echols and David Miller.

Monometals appear not to have heard about the detrimental effects of freebore on accuracy. 168s, 175s, even 150 gr TTSXs group plenty tight in my .300 Roy 700s.

Both rifles also give me 2950 fps with Nosler 200 gr PTs, putting five in about 1.25". Not as good as the monos, but good enough.

I have all the respect in the world for the 300 Wby, especially handloaded, and Ive seen it perform wonders...

BUT I don't care for the action or the stock, and that's a personal thing only..

My pick of the 300s has always been the 300 H&H, and I'll argue with you all day long on its attributes, with the exception that its a 100 FPS slower than the WBY under most circumstances..

I'm now up to 2 of these in the safe...and looking at a Vanguard in the .300 Roy. Never owned a Vanguard but I've read good reviews on them. 90 degree bolt throw is kind of annoying but it looks like a Timney trigger and these things are good rifles.

Did they quit making 30-06?

I fired one once, IIRC in a plastic-stocked Remington, and was surprised how gentle the recoil was.

Despite its probably being chambered more often than other .300 magnums, I think the 300 Win mag is the real ugly duckling, with its funny short neck.

Here is a good one, look for profile 'twobobbwana' halfway down the first page. Been hunted HARD.
http://forums.accuratereloadin...1019521/m/9621000832

There is very little difference between any of the 300 mags (wby,win,norma,h7h,30/338).When handloaded with good bullets like the 180 gr TTSX they are devastating on big game. The downside there is some recoil and unfortunatly some people refuse to practice enough to become proficient with them .That is not the cartridges fault.It one feels a 180 gr monometal bullet is not enough I would suggest they move on up to a 338 cal or bigger

quote:

Originally posted by metal:
Here is a good one, look for profile 'twobobbwana' halfway down the first page. Been hunted HARD.
http://forums.accuratereloadin...1019521/m/9621000832

Awesome!!! I want one!

Just like the 270, most all the 30 calibers are boring and unneeded. Only the Marketing strategy of Weatherby made it any kind of success; as for the 270; never should have existed; but Americans were scared of all things metric after WW1 so the 7mms didn't catch on until much later.
Both could cease to exist and I certainly wouldn't miss them.

DPCD,
Your getting plumb weird these days, the 270 and 30-06 should never have been??? a pox on you, you've tarnished the holy grail!!! Been bit by a blue gum Cajun!!

The freebore was unwise viewed decades later, the rounded shoulders just silly. Relatively light boat-tail cup/cores are not a good place to start with a Roy. Then, who buys a .300 Roy to shoot 150 gr Speer BTs?

Don't have a problem slightly downloading 180s and up tho.

Monometals level the accuracy field vs other .300s. Still get about 75 fps more MV w/case head exp similar to my 24" .300 Wins. Worth it? Silly rhetorical question. Ask someone who owns a .30-378.

I never liked any of the magnum 300 bc if I am going to deal with the recoil of the fast 300s, then I am shooting a 338 or 375.

Oh I like my .300 Weatherby quite a bit. Fast, very flat shooting, accurate and handles heavy bullets well. I've had much luck with it through the the years.

Some folks seem to have it in for Weatherby's in general just by the way they look. But this was the fashion at the time and they were the most copied rifle in the 1950's & 60's. Lots of rifles looked like them. Somehow this has also included the Weatherby cartridges.

Lets dispelled some long standing myths about it:

A few say it's too fast and the bullets will pencil through but never say the same thing about other companies versions that shoot the same or faster. Yes they did have a reputation for blowing up bullets way back when but that's no longer a problem with today's better bullets.

The Weatherby round has about the same freebore as any other similar .300 magnum. About 3/8 of an inch. It in no way effects the accuracy of the cartridge. Besides we are talking hunting rifles here not target shooting.

The long neck is one reasons it's easily handles heavy bullets well. The round shoulder has no ill effect other than some people's minds.

Until you get to the bigger cartridges like the .300 RUM (hand loaded) and 30/378 Weatherby does the recoil truly get violent and the velocity gains start to get questionable. The RUM in factory loaded ammo only beats the Weatherby round by 10 feet per second which makes it a hand loading only proposition to get more out of it. It's funny still to this day people complain about the recoil of the Weatherby but never say the same thing about a RUM for instance. In either case if you can't handle it don't buy it.

It's significantly faster than either the .308 Norma, Winchester or H&H at 3240 fps in factory loading with a 180 grain bullet. It just plain physics. It holds a bunch more powder then those others. I don't bother with lighter bullets. If I wanted to shoot something lighter I have a .30-06 for that.

The 300 Weatherby has been around since 1946 and has been used all over the world and trusted by some pretty successful hunters who have used it on just about everything which certainly makes it a classic by any measure. Maybe because of this I've never found loaded ammo hard to find. Well maybe a mom & pop general store may not carry it but I've been surprised how often even a pretty small gunshop or sporting goods store in some out of the way places does have a few boxes.

Just like everybody else here who have favorites the Weatherby is mine. I've used it a lot and have no plans to change any time soon.

Couple reasons to love it. It ushered in the magnum craze and launched the chase for better. There were magnums, but not like Roys or with Roys marketing. Also it remains different. The venturi shoulder was never copied and while it may be "silly" it doesn't hurt anything and it's cool. Nice long neck. Always supported with good brass and ammo. I have a Ruger #1 and a mark V outfitter currently and they are 2 of a dozen 300 bees I have had. Cool, nostalgic, and very effective. The Ruger by the way could be had at a very good price, but it has a brake.

As I said I never doubted the 300 Wby caliber just never opted for one, probably because of the .338 Win. and 300 H&H..but the Wby is one hell of a flat shooting, quick killing machine..

That said the stock design of Roys guns always turned me off, but a mod 70 or ruger 77 or no 1 sounds great..

Though the overall Weatherby stock design is a bit much, I quite like the forward-sloping Monte Carlo comb as copied by Sako in the L61R - mine never smacks me in the chops, unlike some of the supposed 'classic' designs.

Funny, I don't see why anyone would choose a 300 H&H; it is closer to a .30-06 than a 300 RUM. The belt is a total waste but perhaps it is easier to headspace of the belt than that barely slanted shoulder. It has been decades since it competed in long range shooting competitions.

I am not a fan of the 7x57 either; the 7-08 is a much better cartridge or if you go long, pick a .280 Rem.

I must take exception to your post, surprised at your approach to the 300 H&H, and 7x57, but will defend your right to choice with my life!

My take on your post being the 300 H&H won many a long range shoot in its day, and with a proper hand load it will approach the 300 WBY. easy to load on the shoulder, that's never been a problem, reeks with nostalgia, and never will a case fail to eject with that slope..As to the 7x57 I can load it beyond what the 7-08 can be, it simply holds more powder..much like the 243 and the 6mm Remington, the Rem wins balistically, but not in the public mind, which is a plus for the Remington! but I won't bore you with more maybes!

I still find it amazing that Elgin Gates shot several elephants, including his biggest ever, with his 300 bee and a 200 grn nosler.
He considered it a great buff round, loaded with the same 200 nosler.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
I still find it amazing that Elgin Gates shot several elephants, including his biggest ever, with his 300 bee and a 200 grn nosler.
He considered it a great buff round, loaded with the same 200 nosler.

I've read he used 220 grain solids that Weatherby used to sell for that purpose. Actually I've found a few stories of others doing the same.

To quote a now deceased member here who was the ghost writer for many well known hunters of the past;

quote:

If its recoil does not bother you, do as Mac did and buy a .300 Weatherby. Ammo might be hard to find in many places, but you should be able to plan ahead and take enough for where you're going. It's certainly enough gun for anything that walks in this world, including an elephant in a pinch if you have solid bullets and you can convince the local game guard that it's a legal caliber.

- Bill Quimby

I'm going by what Gates wrote in his own book.
He may have used solids too, but on his biggest ele, and a couple others, he used 200 grn noslers.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
I'm going by what Gates wrote in his own book.
He may have used solids too, but on his biggest ele, and a couple others, he used 200 grn noslers.

You got me there. I unfortunately haven't read his African book. My source was a few stories he wrote for the various club publications he belonged to.

Thanks for the info.

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
The Weatherby round has about the same freebore as any other similar .300 magnum. About 3/8 of an inch. It in no way effects the accuracy of the cartridge. Besides we are talking hunting rifles here not target shooting.

This interests me. Never measured throats and only have WBY's published freebore dimensions. Can't find anything re .300 Win, etc.

Have been able to engage rifling with long ogive 180s on some .300 Wins seated such that case lip to start of ogive was certainly less than 3/8". In fact the 180 gr Hornady Spire required seating to cannelure. A couple .300 Win Rugers seemed to have very short throat sections. Can not do so with any of our Roys.

Am not muddying the waters with box mag limitation here - though it would be easy to do so.

As for accuracy, agree Roys are plenty accurate....well, for my needs. Still, if I want best accuracy monos are best, next are flat-based, least accurate are the cup/core boat tails (including SMKs). Talking non-custom rifles/chambers.

I love mine, but have only shot one coyote and one elk with it.

It's a laser - 180 gr TTSX at 3,255 fps with a 24" barrel. 3" high at 100 yards, zero at 320 yards, -7" at 400, -20" at 500. Need to work up some loads with some higher BC bullets for a bit more flatness!

Like I said, Ive seen it do wonders on all manor of DG,
I just never wanted one,shot a few of them but not on game.
Mostly I suspect its the wby stock, and action and finish I detest, the caliber I have all the respect in the world for,,but I am really a .338 win fan I guess...

I've started reading a 1996 article called 'P.O. Ackley's Wildcats' by Rob Lucas, first of a three-part digital freebee Gun Digest is giving away.

Though I haven't seen the 300 Weatherby mentioned, I get the distinct feeling Ackley thought short and fat was where it's at. I think the No. 1 short Ackley Magnum might have been his favorite, though the slightly longer No.2 cleaned up .30-06 chambers without setting the barrel back.

Of the factory calibres, I suspect he would like the 300 WSM and 308 Norma magnum for their efficiency. Using less powder, they would also be slightly better recoil-wise.

I've had a few, killed quite a bit with them and can't fault 'em much for hunting. The stocks fit me well.

That said, I prefer the .300 Win. In my rifles and given the same barrel lengths velocities are similar with the Wins coming out on top a lot of the time. Guys like to say that the Win has a long free bore too, and that's at least half true for ammo loaded to fit a 3.400" box. Rifles with 3.600ish boxes abound though, and reaching the lands with most bullets and approaching them with just about everything is easy. Can"t do that with a Weatherby.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
I'm now up to 2 of these in the safe...and looking at a Vanguard in the .300 Roy. Never owned a Vanguard but I've read good reviews on them. 90 degree bolt throw is kind of annoying but it looks like a Timney trigger and these things are good rifles.

I've owned one of those with a beautiful MK V Claro walnut type stock. I installed a Timney trigger and it was an excellent shooter. With it's 24" barrel best velocities were not attained but nearly 3200 fps was from 180s. But my 26" .300 Win beat it by 20 fps shooting 180s. Both were superbly accurate shooting sub-moa.
I used Rl-22 in each for best performance.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Just like the 270, most all the 30 calibers are boring and unneeded. Only the Marketing strategy of Weatherby made it any kind of success; as for the 270; never should have existed; but Americans were scared of all things metric after WW1 so the 7mms didn't catch on until much later.
Both could cease to exist and I certainly wouldn't miss them.

The 270 out performs the beloved 7mm Mauser round in every way, haters will be haters

You are misreading my post and misunderstanding the point; I never mentioned a 7x57.
I said, 7mms. The 7x64 was introduced in 1917, and was better in every way than a 270.
And Ray, you too; you didn't read/understand my post either; I did not mention the 30-06; I said that MOST 30 cals are/were un needed.
That means all of them but the 30-06.
It was the 270 that never was needed; but again, Americans did not understand metric cartridges then.

That is/was true. Metric was foreign + unappreciated _ "unamerican" at the time; thus the dismal acceptance of the 264 Win. Mag. The 270s claim to fame was the propagation by Jack O'Connor. Even his wife hunted with a 7X57.