Pet 300 WSM loads

mjcmichigan

Handloader
Dec 26, 2016
2,307
134
My son is a lucky young man.
A friend who’s banged up is unloading his toys.

I’m going to get his model 70 extreme weather edition 300WSM with a Zeiss scope (3-10x50) and he had magma port install a Muzzle brake and...plus his dies, powder, and left over bullets. ($500).

My son will get it for his birthday, that’s the lucky part.

I plan to load him up with NAB’s. Probably 165 and 180.

Locking for recommendations on powder.

I’ve got a good assortment of powder at present. Rl 15,17,22, IMR 4350, 4381SC, Big Game, Hunter, H1000. IMR 4350 is becoming my all around powder.

Thoughts?


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I've had some really sweet loads with my 300 WSM. With AccuBonds, I produced some very fine loads with 180 grain pills and a charge of either 64 grains of H414 or 69 grains of VN560.
 
I really liked RL 15 with about 3-4 different 165 gr bullets when I had mine. Powder charges ranged from 59-60 gr and speeds were in the 3020-3050 fps range. They kicked a lot less than full power 180 gr loads. For 180 gr Nosler PP Partitions 69.5 gr H 4831 sc worked very well in 2 different Browning A bolt's I loaded for one being mine. Speeds in mine were 2930 fps and in my friend's gun a tad less.

The RL 15 load is a great load for anyone but especially for a younger hunter as it had a lot less felt recoil. I'm looking to get back into a 300 WSM and noticed that after looking at Hodgdon's data Varget, H 4895, IMR 4166 and IMR 8208 would also be excellent for lighter 300 WSM loads. I bet though that you will find something good with RL 15 based on my experience with it.
 
I really like RL17 for the .300WSM- I had great results in two rifles with it. Both rifles favored loads at the upper end of the scale with RL17.

I also had great accuracy from Hybrid 100V and 180ABs

I'm still playing with Superformance w/165s and IMR4166 in the WSM and haven't found anything that makes the jump from good to great.

In my experience with the .300WSM- it is a straight forward cartridge to load for and finding working loads is relatively easy. Sort of like the .308WIN in that regard. Your son is getting a great rifle setup that should be outstanding in the field.
 
RL17 has also worked very well in my Model 70 Featherweight with 180g AB, near max charge and .075" off the rifling. It is grouping under 1/2" at 100 yards and just under 3100 fps.

Good luck to your son, should be a great rifle for him.
 
H4831SC and RL-22 worked really great in mine with 180 AccuBond’s and Sierra Gamekings. He’s gonna love that caliber, i’m Looking into getting another one sometime this year.
 
Reloader 26 gets some really good velocities from the heavies. I shoot 215 Bergers at 2960fps in a 26" barrel with 69grs but mine is throated really long for them.
 
IdahoCTD":3e58z5dk said:
Reloader 26 gets some really good velocities from the heavies. I shoot 215 Bergers at 2960fps in a 26" barrel with 69grs but mine is throated really long for them.

Ya, that's pretty serious!

I'm at 2810 fps with a 210 Berger VLD over H4350. "Borrowed" the load from a 1,000 yard benchrest guy and dang... It works. I've messed around with a few other bullets/loads for that rifle, but really the H4350/Berger VLD load is just super. Very accurate.

Your load is considerably faster than mine! (y)

Guy
 
Most of the competition guys use H4350 with 210's or 215's for 1000yd benchrest. I like the additional speed but my COAL is almost 3.2". Mine is built on a long action though.
 
I've been loading the 180 Grain Sierra Pro Hunter in my .300WSM with 64 grains of RL17. With the 24 inch barrel on My Kimber I've been getting 3030FPS. Accuracy has been excellent.
 
The 300 WSM is one of those cartridges that we didn't "need." There were already a host of .30 cal magnums available, and the most common of them, the .300 Win mag, was well proven for accuracy and power. An excellent hunting cartridge!

But... The WSM arrived... And, it's turned out to be a pretty danged good cartridge. Easy to load, and capable of excellent performance.

Guy
 
I’m really excited to start loading this one..,could see myself getting sucked into other WSM’s.


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Guy Miner":3pjdh34w said:
The 300 WSM is one of those cartridges that we didn't "need." There were already a host of .30 cal magnums available, and the most common of them, the .300 Win mag, was well proven for accuracy and power. An excellent hunting cartridge!

But... The WSM arrived... And, it's turned out to be a pretty danged good cartridge. Easy to load, and capable of excellent performance.

Guy

Yeah- I remember back when it came out...all the hand-wringing, brow mopping and dire predictions about it being obsolete in 5 years.

Yet- a bunch of guys found it, loved it and went out and knocked a bunch of meat over with it. It's perhaps one of my very favorite cartridges- it can do anything in N. America, and most other spots.
 
mjcmichigan":8thi95dp said:
I’m really excited to start loading this one..,could see myself getting sucked into other WSM’s.


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I have at least one each of the WSMs, and I love each of them. I'm hard pressed to say which of the four I enjoy most since each of them has performed so well for me.
 
DrMike":mk3ow4d2 said:
mjcmichigan":mk3ow4d2 said:
I’m really excited to start loading this one..,could see myself getting sucked into other WSM’s.


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I have at least one each of the WSMs, and I love each of them. I'm hard pressed to say which of the four I enjoy most since each of them has performed so well for me.

Personally, having 3006 and 300wm, something like a 270WSM or 325WSM would helm me round out my choices.. lol.


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DrMike":3tv9bs29 said:
mjcmichigan":3tv9bs29 said:
I’m really excited to start loading this one..,could see myself getting sucked into other WSM’s.


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I have at least one each of the WSMs, and I love each of them. I'm hard pressed to say which of the four I enjoy most since each of them has performed so well for me.

Dr Mike, I have and/or have had three 7, 300, 325 and the 325 works best for me. As you know I have mine in a BLR. It gives me all the range I need and a tad more hammer.

Albeit everybody here has more knowledge and experience than I so your critique of my preference is welcomed.

mjcmichigan --congrats to your son
 
I love my 325 WSM. I believe my grandson (16 years old) is gravitating toward laying claim on this particular rifle. He carried it for the season just past and loved it.
 
Thankful Otter":379rnh4k said:
DrMike":379rnh4k said:
mjcmichigan":379rnh4k said:
I’m really excited to start loading this one..,could see myself getting sucked into other WSM’s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have at least one each of the WSMs, and I love each of them. I'm hard pressed to say which of the four I enjoy most since each of them has performed so well for me.

Dr Mike, I have and/or have had three 7, 300, 325 and the 325 works best for me. As you know I have mine in a BLR. It gives me all the range I need and a tad more hammer.

Albeit everybody here has more knowledge and experience than I so your critique of my preference is welcomed.

mjcmichigan --congrats to your son
I have a 270 and 300, both shoot real well. Like them a lot. Would like to get a 7mm and 325, one BLR and another Model 70.

DrMike are yours all Model 70's?
 
Mine are all Model 70 Featherweights. I've shot several of the WSMs in BLRs when I was working up loads for clients. They all shot well. I wouldn't be restricted with a BLR chambered in one of the WSMs, but I do like the Winchesters. So, that is what I have.
 
I have had excellent luck with RL19, RL17, H4831SC and probably some others I am forgetting in my old 300 WSM. My buddy shoots RL19 and 165 AB's into pretty small groups running at 3125. It is a great shooting cartridge. Congrats to your son. Won't ever need another rifle..
 
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