300 WSM Bullet

[SteveO]

This is my first post. I tried to do a search but can't figure that out at all...

My "long range" experience is a Stone Sheep and a Caribou at 383 and 305 yards respectively with a .270 Win. I'd like to do more and be effective in the big game fields out to 600 yards. I'm sure that is nothing for most of you but I am definitely a beginner at "long range" and want to learn and do better.

Baby steps.

I have a .300 WSM I would like to make my all around big game rifle. Is there an ideal bullet weight or even a specific "long range" big game bullet?

Again, I apologize for my ignorance, any information I can get will help my build my base.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

Long range means very different things to different people. Those 300+ yard shot you already took are extremely long for eastern deer hunters but just a warmup for western/prairie bangers. The answer to your question is NO..there is not perfect bullet for anything. You've got to put bench time and experimentation into the mix. You certainly wouldn't shoot a 220 round nose at 1000 yards compared to 180 berger..lots of common sense involved also. The 300 wsm only has so much room for powder and in my opinion around 180 grain seems to be about it..just not enough room for the big bullets and powder in ole' stubby. Once you start going past 500 equipment and or quality of equipment also come into play..you can't hit it if you can't see it, and then there's triggers, bedding, barrel, shooting form etc.....lots of variables involved. Then you've got to find a club or range that has those distances..not so common east of the Mississippi. I'd start with trying to find a decent load with maybe a 180-165 grain berger or Barnes tax...and always H-4350 powder...then start to go further with optics, trigger, bedding..etc.. It just takes a little time, knowing how to adjust your scope etc...have fun and don't get discouraged... Rome was built in a day !!

 

[SteveO]

That's what I'm looking for. I know the WSM is not ideal and was wondering if in general where the most return stopped; 200, 180, 168, 165? I understand BC comes into play and other variables. Appreciate the advice.

 

[dougduey]

Go to pg 16 and thread "Most accurate 300 WSM load". You'll find the the info you're looking for. The 300 WSM is a ver efficient and accurate caliber. It shines with the 150-180gr bullets and prefers ball powders but isn't limited to them. It also shoots a 200gr bullet well

 

[FEENIX]

This is my first post. I tried to do a search but can't figure that out at all...

My "long range" experience is a Stone Sheep and a Caribou at 383 and 305 yards respectively with a .270 Win. I'd like to do more and be effective in the big game fields out to 600 yards. I'm sure that is nothing for most of you but I am definitely a beginner at "long range" and want to learn and do better.

Baby steps.

I have a .300 WSM I would like to make my all around big game rifle. Is there an ideal bullet weight or even a specific "long range" big game bullet?

Again, I apologize for my ignorance, any information I can get will help my build my base.

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to LRH and enjoy!

For best query, do a custom search on the top right hand corner ...

I have a Savage 11 FCNS .300 WSM 1:10" 24" and my current accuracy load is with 215 Berger OTM, WW brass, 9 1/2M, 60g RL-17, .080" off the lands with a MV of 2785 FPS. Not too shabby IMHO.

Got it's first harvest with MT muley buck at 425 yards last year.

Good luck!

Ed

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I'd look at a 180-200gr accubond.

 

[Dosh]

Welcome to LRH and enjoy!

For best query, do a custom search on the top right hand corner ...

I have a Savage 11 FCNS .300 WSM 1:10" 24" and my current accuracy load is with 215 Berger OTM, WW brass, 9 1/2M, 60g RL-17, .080" off the lands with a MV of 2785 FPS. Not too shabby IMHO.

Got it's first harvest with MT muley buck at 425 yards last year.

Good luck!

Ed

Feenix, does the 215 hybrid fit the Savage factory magazine?

 

[FEENIX]

Feenix, does the 215 hybrid fit the Savage factory magazine?

Yes, it can accommodate 3.003" of COAL but my current accuracy load is .080" off the lands (COAL = 2.967" and CBTO = 2.197", need 3.042" COAL, 2.277" CBTO to touch the lands).

 

[AZShooter]

I would suggest that the 215 Berger match target hybrid would be the perfect long range hunting bullet.

As for it fitting, seat it to fit and feed from magazine and go shoot it. If I can get my friend's Browning A-bolt with Boss with its 22" barrel and its short 2.8" magazine to shoot the 230 Berger accurately with a 2735 muzzle velocity then the 215 should also work.

Read about the killing performance of the aforementioned 215 below. Broz goes to great lengths with every detail on kills with antelope, deer and elk. To date he has taken 31 animals with one shot kills. The link is set on page 12. The kill details go on for pages. While he uses the 300 win mag the 300 WSM performance should be almost identical.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/comparing-berger-210-vld-215-hybrid-88657/index12.html

 

[just country]

morning, not to criticize, the SEARCH MODE on this site punch in favorite bullet

choice for 300WSM. u will find a load and bullet thru research and reading.gun)

I am building a 7mm wbee. thru reasearch on this site I found some very good info and

loads for this caliber. I have a custom 300WM. if did not have this caliber I would

definitely have a 300WSM. the weapon would have at least a 28" custom barrel,

custom stock, trigger and machine work. just me!!gun)

 

[Dosh]

Yes, it can accommodate 3.003" of COAL but my current accuracy load is .080" off the lands (COAL = 2.967" and CBTO = 2.197", need 3.042" COAL, 2.277" CBTO to touch the lands).

Thank you Feenix, good info. A friend has a Savage 300WSM we load 185 VLD's for. He may like to try the 215. I've had some difficulty loading the 215 for a another friend's 300 RUM, the lands are 3.894 and the mag is 3.658 making his Montana custom a single shot.

 

[SteveO]

Thanks folks. Especially for the far upper right search box tip. I was using the pull down tab marked "Search" and it was not giving me any results.

Looking at the answers, maybe my question should have been:

Has there been any research done to give an ideal theoretical bullet weight with regard to case capacity and velocity to be most efficient with the 300 WSM?

I guess there would be variables like BC and bullet composition too.

Seems like 180g is a good place to start?

 

[FEENIX]

U.S.

Thank you Feenix, good info. A friend has a Savage 300WSM we load 185 VLD's for. He may like to try the 215. I've had some difficulty loading the 215 for a another friend's 300 RUM, the lands are 3.894 and the mag is 3.658 making his Montana custom a single shot.

You're quite welcome!

For the .300 RUM, you might want to try the 230s (Hybrid/OTM, if you can still find them, OAL = 1.640"/1.602", bearing surface = .495"/.540") vs 215s (Hybrid OAL = 1.564", bearing surface = .419").

Good luck!

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Thanks folks. Especially for the far upper right search box tip. I was using the pull down tab marked "Search" and it was not giving me any results.

Looking at the answers, maybe my question should have been:

Has there been any research done to give an ideal theoretical bullet weight with regard to case capacity and velocity to be most efficient with the 300 WSM?

I guess there would be variables like BC and bullet composition too.

Seems like 180g is a good place to start?

There has been lots of research done by lots of guys. The thing is the answer is different depending on each individual and his needs. The heaviest highest bc bullet will have a slower muzzle vel than the smaller lower bc bullet. At some point down range the higher bc slower bullet will catch up to the faster bullet. The question is how far down range will that be. I have not run any numbers but I would guess that it would be somewhere around 700 yards that the heavier bullet will catch up for drift and drop. Drift will catch up sooner than drop. It may be a 1000 yards before drop equals out. Also at some pt down range the heavier bullet will begin to have more energy than the faster bullet. Depending on your hunting style the smaller faster bullet will give a much better point blank range than the heavier slower bullet. Point blank range is how far you can shoot without making any adjustment to your aim point and still make a hit on a 5" target. This has always been pretty important to me. My style of hunting is to hike and cover as much ground as I can looking for game to spot and stalk. Many times with this style you encounter game at closer distances where time is short to get that shot, and calculating a drop takes too long.

So as you make your decision, use a ballistics calculator and input reasonable velocities that you can achieve with different bullets. Use the published bc's. Bullets that give a G7 bc will more than likely give you more realistic estimates.

There is a lot of weeds to wade through. You will find good info here from guys with solid experience. You will be able to at least narrow the options so that it is not too overwhelming.

Steve