.300 Win Mag

[Hales Smut]

For the ammount of game you shoot with a 300wm price of ammo can be of no concern, certainly if you reload . Barnes TTSX must be marvelous in a 300 WM.
I've been told that the 308 Norma is created to have a .30 calibre load short enough for standard actions and legal in countries with a ban on the 30-06.
I agree with leec6.5 that the Barnes TSX and TTSX makes calibres fight in a larger class. A 130/140 grain bullet in 270 is a lethal as a 160/170 traditional softpoint in a 7mm RM. At least that's how I think about it.

 

[scrumbag]

Somewhat ironic that, as the German Army use it as their sniper cartridge in the AI AWM. Still, since when have any firearms laws been consistent?

Apparently mate it depends whether it started life as a military cartridge or not. If like 5.56 it was developed for military purposes, that is a no-no. However if a military adopted it after being a "civilian" round, then it is fine.

(At least that was the way I understood some French guy explaining it too me over a few wines... so I maybe incorrect)

ATB,

Scrummy

 

[blunderbust]

I have a cheep and cheerful Browning X-Bolt in 300 WM. I use it here and abroad and have shot a varied size of beasts from Munti to Red with boar and others in between. I am using Remington Cor-Lokt 180 gr SP just now but I am in the process of kitting myself out with reloading kit to eventually use Barnes TTSX 180 gr. The rifle shoots sub 1" with the factory ammo so hope to improve on that with the home loads. Without the mod it can kick a bit but is not excessive and with the mod it is just like shooting my .243.

 

[sharkey]

I like the 300 win mag. I have several 30 06's & whilst this would be my all time favourate chambering, I still carry the 300 often. Its sighted in an inch higher than the ought sixes at 100m & this along with the bit more speed gives it a 100m advantage. It cant match a 270 wby for long shots, but it's good when the game is over 200kg, at 400 kg & when the range is further than 200m, Then I'd go for a 338 win mag,or 375 wby.

I shoot a lot of pigs on my place & believe it or not the 30 30 knocks then down better than the 300 when the range is under 100m, (mainly bullet performance).

As for recoil? Any healthy teenager with practice & tuition can easily manage this chambering. I'm confounded that some might find this unmanagable.

Cheers Sharkey

 

[finnbear270]

I had a look at the old Finnbear L61R .264, Lying forlornly in a rack not far from here, will be having it rebarreled to 300 soon, Just wondering if this will render my 7mm W.S.M. obsolete ???????

 

[Brithunter]

For the ammount of game you shoot with a 300wm price of ammo can be of no concern, certainly if you reload . Barnes TTSX must be marvelous in a 300 WM.
I've been told that the 308 Norma is created to have a .30 calibre load short enough for standard actions and legal in countries with a ban on the 30-06.
I agree with leec6.5 that the Barnes TSX and TTSX makes calibres fight in a larger class. A 130/140 grain bullet in 270 is a lethal as a 160/170 traditional softpoint in a 7mm RM. At least that's how I think about it.

I have an old, now anyway, Kettners catalogue and they list Mosin Nagants re-chambered to .308 Norma to make them no longer fall under the military classification.. I'll bet the recoil is ................................................ interesting.

 

[Muir]

For the ammount of game you shoot with a 300wm price of ammo can be of no concern, certainly if you reload . Barnes TTSX must be marvelous in a 300 WM.
I've been told that the 308 Norma is created to have a .30 calibre load short enough for standard actions and legal in countries with a ban on the 30-06.
I agree with leec6.5 that the Barnes TSX and TTSX makes calibres fight in a larger class. A 130/140 grain bullet in 270 is a lethal as a 160/170 traditional softpoint in a 7mm RM. At least that's how I think about it.

Yes and not quite. It was originally offered as brass only with no loaded ammo. The intent was to let 30-06 shooters rechamber their 30-06 or rebarrel their standard length actions to a magnum chambering with as little work as possible. That many rechambered 30-06's as a result of the ban is most certainly what happened, but as I understand it, the offering was generic in its appeal. I have a 308 Norma. It is quite an accurate cartridge.~Muir

 

[bewsher500]

I agree with leec6.5 that the Barnes TSX and TTSX makes calibres fight in a larger class. A 130/140 grain bullet in 270 is a lethal as a 160/170 traditional softpoint in a 7mm RM. At least that's how I think about it.

sorry to hijack but I am genuinely intrigued by this
is this your personal observation or something you have seen/read/learned?

I can see how greater weight retention of TSX/TTSX equates to better penetration at ranges out past 300yds but for UK sub 100-150 yard shooting the majority on relatively small deer I am struggling to see 100% weight retention and higher velocity as anything more than over penetration.

my first hand observations of cup and core design at shorter and longer distances are over expansion and potential to not exit at sub 50yds and not enough penetration at 200+ depending on (calibre/velocity/POI and size of quarry obviously)

I assume from the marketing that Barnes expect them to be run faster than lead cup and core design. this I would imagine exacerbates the issue of over penetration, no?
I have no experience of them personally but the only video evidence I have seen is of extreme long range shooting 4-600yd shots on large animals and plains game with big calibres 7mm Rem Mag, 300Weatherby, 300WM etc
or
small calibres at average distances, 223 at 100m etc
this:
to me shows an effective kill assuming it didn't run but the size of the exit concerns me.
a similar chest shot on a roe for example I want a larger exit and a bigger expansion

 

[finnbear270]

The video for me exhibits the exact opposite of what we need, (Mike & I that is), in a bullet for Foxing, or any other vermin shooting we undertake, I certainly do not want what looked like a pencil thru' job, 99.99% of our Foxes are sounding like washing machines when picked up, & no projectiles going off into the unknown, Nosler Shotz, (soft point @ 55 grain) have been the heaviest used on Fox & have always exited, so are no longer used, best round for Me on Fox has turned out to be any plastic tipped BT, from .17 cal on up to .224

 

[bewsher500]

The video for me exhibits the exact opposite of what we need in a bullet for Foxing

agree
I was considering more of what it would do to say a muntjac, teddy bear, roe or similar?
not a massive difference in size, especially if you consider change in range and impact velocities
if i had a similar sized exit on a roe I would conclude that the bullet had not expanded enough

 

[finnbear270]

agree
I was considering more of what it would do to say a muntjac, teddy bear, roe or similar?
not a massive difference in size, especially if you consider change in range and impact velocities
if i had a similar sized exit on a roe I would conclude that the bullet had not expanded enough

Try & get hold of these Nosler Shotz, originally for the market down under for head shooting those big hopping things, when used on Fox, we reckoned the results were perfect for Roe, .224 I know is not the cal under the spotlight, but maybe they are available in other cals?

 

[finnbear270]

I'm quite close now to going ahead with .300 WinMag build, on a Finnbear action, still wondering if this move may render the 7mm WSM redundant?, if this turns out to be so, would there be any interest in a Howa 1500 barreled action? Steve.

 

[John Gryphon]

Here are pics of two sambar stags my Kiwi mate shot using one of my .300 WM`s.. It is my Sako Trg-s with Norma 180 Vulkans.Taken only last September.

Two shots for two stags both dead on the spot.Let me advise that he didn't give a tinkers cuss about any meat that was damaged either.

It would be good to see the posters that have "had" or "use" or "own" 300 WM`s putting up some photos for us to enjoy.

This same rifle has taken three good stags this year..no ifs no buts,the proof is in the pudding!

​BTW Muir I too have a 308 NM...GREAT cartridge too!

 

[bewsher500]

nothing like that size
but my first with the 300wm

lots of blood but the exit was around 20-30mm (50p size)
Shot with 185gr soft point (forget what brand)
dropped in 5yds to a high mid chest shot (no carcase/meat damage at all)

 

[Lee1972]

I had a Tikka 300WM a few years back. After a few rounds it would be difficult to pull the bolt back. I picked it up for a steal (almost brand new) due to an older bloke not liking the rifle/ cartage. I used it a fair bit on the sambar. I eventually got rid of it and replaced it with a 308. No particular reason for the change other than I thought it was a little bit too much gun for the circumstances...

 

[John Gryphon]

I had a Tikka 300WM a few years back. After a few rounds it would be difficult to pull the bolt back. I picked it up for a steal (almost brand new) due to an older bloke not liking the rifle/ cartage. I used it a fair bit on the sambar. I eventually got rid of it and replaced it with a 308. No particular reason for the change other than I thought it was a little bit too much gun for the circumstances...

Got a few of the sambar pics for us Lee1972?

 

[scrumbag]

Got a few of the sambar pics for us Lee1972?

Oh yes, we lurve Sambar piccies!

 

[Lee1972]

My avatar photo is my best sambar stag 27" in velvet. He was shot with the 300 WM. When I hunt out some of the other photos and work out how to load them up Ill put them on.

 

[Lee1972]

Heres what I could find immediately

Heres a couple of photos. I quite often dont take a camera though.

 

[enfieldspares]

I have not owned, nor shot one, but I have handled both gun and cartridge and knew a fellow club member who did have one about thirty years ago.

​My comments are based on if you intend to reload for that calibre. It has a short neck and thus many bullets of heavier weights that work OK in the 30-06 have seating issues in the 300 Win Mag because you may have problems with finding a parallel part of the bullet.

My advice is take, if you handload, your favourite bullet ad check that you can assemble a round in 300 Win Mag that will still be of correct length to work through your rifles action.

If you can come across a cheap 308 Norma Magnum (or the pre-runner the "wildcat" 30-338) you'll avoid those issues. The 300 Win Mag was designed so that owners of the earlier arrived 308 Norma Magnum could re-chamber their rifles to Winchester's cartridge, thus the shoulder being moved forward, and in consequence the neck being reduced to a mere stub.

It doesn't affect accuracy but it can cause seating issues with some heavier weight bullets. Lastly the calibre is both legal and widely available as factory ammunition in France.