Best all-around load for 300Wby

[Guest]

Just wondering what y'all think is the best all-around loading for the 300Wby. I figure this chambering is the ultimate North American do-everything rifle, and I am wondering if the 180gr or 200gr is the better choice. Either is fine for short range work on anything out there (with good bullet construction like the Partition or AccuBond), but will the 200 shine at 300-500yds where the 180 will begin to drop off, or vice versa? Also, what loads are recommended and have performed well in your rifles?

 

[JD338]

The 200 gr AB has a BC of .588 and will retain its velocity and energy over longer ranges than the lighter 180 gr bullets. The 200 gr AB is a long range hammer but will work well even at close range.

RL22 and H1000 would be good powders to consider for either the 180 gr or 200 gr bullets.

JD338

 

[Big Squeeze]

JD 338 is right on this one!..... Regardless of what 30 caliber is used; from the 30-06 up to a 30-378, the 200 gr. with its higher BC, will be a better choice for the bigger game & at the longer ranges.The 180`s drop off faster in velocity and energy beyond 250 to 300 yards! A slower 200 from the muzzle is better than a faster 180!........The 200 will shine better, not only in long range ballistics, but for shorter ones as well. Any well placed 200 gr., beginning at 2650 to 2700 fps. MV from a 30-06, 300 WSM, 300 Win., 300 WBY. or 300 RUM makes for excellent big bear medicine at short to medium ranges (preferably, no further than 200 yards) and great for the longer ranges on elk (300 to 500 yards)........

 

[Guest]

What do y'all think of RL25 for this round? I found some data using a 180gr Barnes X (so it is applicable to the TSX) that gives 3275fps or so, at max charge. Even if I can only achieve 3200fps, that's smoking for a 180gr. IMR7828 also seems to have good data. What do you think?

 

[FOTIS]

200 gr AccuBond with RL 25 or IMR 7828.
Start at 80 gr work up.

If you break 3000 fps you are there.

Mice to moose.

 

[R Flowers]

I guess I have to be the only dissenter here.

The other guys are all good posters and may be right, I do not know. BUT, I will stick with the 180 grain Partition in my 300 Weatherby Mag. I have shot lots of stuff with it from coyotes to 6X6 bull elk. It drops them like lightning!

In regard to ballistic coefficient, there just is not that much difference, especially in the Partition line of bullets. The 180 Partition BC is 0.474 while the 200 Partition is 0.481.

The 180 can be driven faster by quite a little bit. Look in the number 5 Nosler manual and you will find that at 500 yards the 180 grain Partition drops nearly 5 inches less than the 200 Partion when sighted in for 200 yards.

I did not bother to do the math on retained energy, but I will bet you dinner there just is not that much difference.

There is a reason that there are "classic" bullet weights for various uses. (Such as 160 grain bullets in 7mm magnums and 180 grain bullets in 300 magnums.)

In regard to the AccuBond, the ballistic coefficient of the 200 grain version is fantastic!
However, they shoot like crap in my 300 Wby Mag. I tried every suitable powder I could think of, I tried various over all lengths, etc. etc. They just would not shoot for me.

That is how the Accubonds have performed for me. In some guns they shoot great.
In my buddies 338 RUM the 225 grain AccuBond shoots 0.35 inch groups! In my 338 Win Mag they shoot about 3 inch groups. Go figure!

So my poor old 300 Wby Mag will just have to somehow get along shooting 180 grain Nosler Partitions loaded over a max load of RL 22. It just seems to work for me.

 

[FOTIS]

180 GRAINS will do just as well

 

[buckfever]

180 grn Noslers is all my dad shoots out of his and every thing drops dead just the same as if it were a 200 grn bullet.

 

[Firedog]

I shoot 180 grain partitions pushed by 82.5 grains of IMR 7828 and get real good accuracy out of them. I also load 200 Grain AB's and they are pushed by 81 grains of IMR 7828 and they are extremly accurate all the way to 300 yards at the range. I wll be hunting elk with the 200 AB's this year.

 

[JD338]

I shoot 180 grain partitions pushed by 82.5 grains of IMR 7828 and get real good accuracy out of them. I also load 200 Grain AB's and they are pushed by 81 grains of IMR 7828 and they are extremly accurate all the way to 300 yards at the range. I wll be hunting elk with the 200 AB's this year.

Hammer Time! :grin:
Good luck on your elk hunt. Post some pics.

JD338

 

[Guest]

Any idea what velocities you're getting out of those, Firedog?

 

[FOTIS]

3100 or so.

 

[Firedog]

Any idea what velocities you're getting out of those, Firedog?

I don't know what I am getting out of them, I had gone up to 83.5 grains with the 180s and was having preassure signs in my gun. Bolt was tough to open at times, so I backed them down to where they are now and have been real happy.

I was at the range today and shot 38 rounds mostly out of the .300 wby. Was shooting the 200 AB's shooting 100, 200 and 300 yards. After 27 rounds the final three were still in a 2" group at 300. I am happy with that and hopefully that will be more than enough for our Montana hunt. I think the accuarcy could have been better but I was pulling them a bit after that many, since I was starting to get sore.

 

[JD338]

Any idea what velocities you're getting out of those, Firedog?

I was at the range today and shot 38 rounds mostly out of the .300 wby. Was shooting the 200 AB's shooting 100, 200 and 300 yards. After 27 rounds the final three were still in a 2" group at 300. I am happy with that and hopefully that will be more than enough for our Montana hunt. I think the accuarcy could have been better but I was pulling them a bit after that many, since I was starting to get sore.

Firedog,

2" at 300 yds ain't too shabby buddy.
Give it a few days rest. Clean your rifle real good and give it another try.
Take your time and let your barrel cool between shots(3-4 min between shots). If after these steps you are still 2" at 300 yds, be happy because you have youreslf a long range elk hammer. Smaller groups are even better. :grin:
If the recoil is bothering you, here are a couple of suggestions.
1. Use both ear plugd and shooting muffs.
2. Try a PAST Shooting pad. These are gel filled (I think) and will really take the sting out of the recoil.
3. Change out the recoil pad, get a Pachmyer Decelerator ot Limbsaver recoil pad. Even a slip on to practice with will be better than most factory installed pads.
4. Cut back on the number of shots taken. 27 is a fair amount for a heavy recoiling rifle. Cut in in half, take a break and go have lunch and then go back to shooting again.
Keep us posted with your results.

JD338

 

[Firedog]

JD, I was happy with the groups, today was the first day I have been to the range for awhile and that day always hurts a little. I never did do more than a 3 shot group at 300 today but did have a couple that two would be touching and I would pull the third a bit. I am more than happy with how it is shooting and if I do my job I think I could get a nice 4 shot group in there good and tight. That gun is a great shooter, was also shooting my .280 MTN rifle today with 140 accubonds and it was shooting pretty decent groups also. Time to go clean things up and get the reloading desk going now.

 

[JD338]

Awesome!

Sounds like you are ready to rock and roll. :grin:

JD338