I recently picked up a USRAC Winchester Model 70 in 300 Weatherby and just got a chance to shoot it. It came with a couple boxes of ammo, both factory Weatherby ammunition in 180 grain Weatherby Spitzers and 180 grain Nosler Accubonds. I wanted to try them out compared to my Winchester Model 70 Supergrade in .270 Winchester and my handloaded 130 Grain Nosler Ballistic Tips in front of 61 grains of H4831SC and Nosler brass.
Weatherby advertises the 180 grain Spitzers at 3,150 and the Accubonds at 3,250. The barrel on my new 300 Weatherby is 26" so these might be close. My handloads should be right at 3,150 but I haven't chronoed them.
The 300 Weatherby and my old standby Supergrade 270 Win.
The Model 70 chambered for 300 Weatherby wears a Weatherby Supreme 3x9x44 mm and the Supergrade sports a Leupold VXII 3x9x50 mm from the Leupold Custom Shop with a fine duplex reticle and the CDS System
From left to right, 300 Weatherby factory ammo with Weatherby 180 grain spitzers; factory Weatherby ammo with 180 grain Nosler Accubonds, 270 Winchester handloads with 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips pushed by 61 grains of H4831 SC stuffed in Nosler brass and WLR Primers.
My range in our front yard. My homemade rifle rest from the back of our pickup.
I had not shot the 300 Weatherby yet so I pulled my homemade 3/4" plate steel gong out and boresighted it at 50 yards, the distance I decided to do the jug test. The first shot after bore sighting was exactly on so I left it for the test. I will fine tune it later on a less windy day.
I was surprised to see that it almost completely penetrated the 3/4 plate steel gong. The dent to the right was from a 338 Lapua with 250 Grain Sierra Matchkings shot at the other side. The 300 Weatherby made a similar dent on the backside.
The Weatherby ammo, loaded with 180 Grain Weatherby Spitzers made it into 4 jugs. It retained 90.8 grains or 50.4% and expanded to .846 inches.
The Weatherby ammo, loaded with 180 grain Nosler Accubonds, made it through the 5th jug, dented and cracked the 6th, and was found sitting between the two jugs (I'll attach more pics as I am already at the max of 6). It retained 106.4 grains or 59.1 % and expanded to .621 inches.
The 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip handloads out of my 270 Winchester made it into the fourth jug. It retained 45.4 grains or 34.9% and expanded to .596 inches. There was no lead core left, only the copper shank/jacket was recovered.
I will try to attach more pictures to a response to this post.
Todd
Weatherby advertises the 180 grain Spitzers at 3,150 and the Accubonds at 3,250. The barrel on my new 300 Weatherby is 26" so these might be close. My handloads should be right at 3,150 but I haven't chronoed them.
The 300 Weatherby and my old standby Supergrade 270 Win.
The Model 70 chambered for 300 Weatherby wears a Weatherby Supreme 3x9x44 mm and the Supergrade sports a Leupold VXII 3x9x50 mm from the Leupold Custom Shop with a fine duplex reticle and the CDS System
From left to right, 300 Weatherby factory ammo with Weatherby 180 grain spitzers; factory Weatherby ammo with 180 grain Nosler Accubonds, 270 Winchester handloads with 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips pushed by 61 grains of H4831 SC stuffed in Nosler brass and WLR Primers.
My range in our front yard. My homemade rifle rest from the back of our pickup.
I had not shot the 300 Weatherby yet so I pulled my homemade 3/4" plate steel gong out and boresighted it at 50 yards, the distance I decided to do the jug test. The first shot after bore sighting was exactly on so I left it for the test. I will fine tune it later on a less windy day.
I was surprised to see that it almost completely penetrated the 3/4 plate steel gong. The dent to the right was from a 338 Lapua with 250 Grain Sierra Matchkings shot at the other side. The 300 Weatherby made a similar dent on the backside.
The Weatherby ammo, loaded with 180 Grain Weatherby Spitzers made it into 4 jugs. It retained 90.8 grains or 50.4% and expanded to .846 inches.
The Weatherby ammo, loaded with 180 grain Nosler Accubonds, made it through the 5th jug, dented and cracked the 6th, and was found sitting between the two jugs (I'll attach more pics as I am already at the max of 6). It retained 106.4 grains or 59.1 % and expanded to .621 inches.
The 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip handloads out of my 270 Winchester made it into the fourth jug. It retained 45.4 grains or 34.9% and expanded to .596 inches. There was no lead core left, only the copper shank/jacket was recovered.
I will try to attach more pictures to a response to this post.
Todd
RJ
