Weatherby .300 mag question
Question:
I’d say get the 300 Win Mag anyway. It has lower recoil, lower cost of ammo, is available in more rifles, more ammo to choose from, and the difference between the two cartridges won’t be noticed unless you are shooting at over 400 yards. The Weatherby is over powered for hunting under 300 yards in my opinion.
Response:
NO WAY!! Over 80% of the animals I personally take (I only carry a handgun when guiding) are taken under 200 yards and most under 150. I use a Remington Express with a 190 grain boattail. I use it for everything from antelope (no, it doesn’t blow them up unless you shoot them through the shoulder blade) to elk. The last elk I shot (a regular 5 point, one shot, through the aorta, 103 yards in dark timber) went 30 yards before he quit and he never knew I was there. >I’d say get the 300 Win Mag anyway. It has lower recoil, lower cost >of
ammo, is available in more rifles, more ammo to choose from, and >the difference between the two cartridges won’t be noticed unless you >are shooting at over 400 yards. The Weatherby is over powered for >hunting under 300 yards in my opinion. — Brian D. Nelson, Missoula, Montana Montana Flyfishing and Hunting Outfitter http://www.montana.com/dno/dno.htm http://www.montana.com/dno/hunt.htm
Response:
Dave, You make some good points but the truth is the .300 Weatherby is still pushes the same weight bullet faster. I load for a .300 win BAR using the 165gr Hornady interlock BT over H1000 w/ CCI250 pimers and get about 3100fps. A friends Rem 700 in .300 Weatherby with the same length barrel is pushing the Weatherby factory 180gr Hornady Flat base load at about the same 3100fps. Both guns barrel’s were 24" long. The BAR has a fairly long throat, although not as long as Weatherby guns. The Rem 700 has a fairly short throat, although I haven’t measured it. Even though the BAR is an auto-loader, I don’t feel much velocity is lost. I must point out the 165gr .300 win load for the BAR is probibly over SAMMI pressure specs. Both these rifle represent the extremes in both cases. Short throat with the Factory 180gr Weatherby loads, and long throat in a .300 Win w/ hot handloads. The Rem 700 in .300 Weatherby using the Weatherby factory ammo does NOT show signs of excessive pressure, where as the .300 win load is starting to show signs. I am convinced that the .300 Weatherby does beat out the .300 win mag.. >From a reloading perspective, the velocity gains out weigh the additional
cost in cases and powder. But if I were looking to shoot factory ammo and was price sensitive, I’d go with the .300 win mag.. To be quite honest the increase in Max. Point Blank Range (MPBR) is not that great over the .300 win mag.. Only when giving a lot of thought to bullet weight, velocity, bullet construction, and B.C., can significant gains in MPBR be made. And this is only a valid topic to disscuss at ranges over 350yrds. But you know, in spite of all I have just said….my next big bore will most likely be a Rem 700 SS synthetic in .300 or .340 Weatherby. I know Rem doesn’t offer the .340 yet, but I’ll rebarrel if that’s what I decide on. So much for logic! Mike in Oregon – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have decided to purchase a .300 Weatherby Mag. for Moose, Elk, Bear > and those long shots at larger game. My question is: The Weatherby > rifle is a little to rich for my blood so I am considering the > Winchester model 70 classic in stainless. However, I have been told > that the Winchesters are not freebored the way that the Weatherby’s are > and that will cause the Win. to develop dangerous pressure levels with > Weatherby factory ammo and the stout handloads. I also notice that the > reloading manuals warn about this. Why would I buy one of the > hottest .30 caliber rounds only to be limited by the rifle. I might as > well by the .300 Win. Magnum if my loads will be reduced to that level > anyway. Can anyone shed some light on this for me. Any help would be > Dave
Response:
John I manage to reach > 3200 fps with 168 grain bullets. I think Weatherby advertises something > like 3300 fps using a rifle with a 26 inch barrel.
Have you chronographed the loads? WBY actually claims 3300 fps with 180 gr. I’ve been looking at a .300 WBY for the next rifle, but I’ve not been finding anyone who can verify their claims, nor can anyone claim to load up to WBY claims. Maybe there is no good reason other than mystique to leave .300win mag. > Weatherby factory ammo is pretty expensive, however, so I use it just > for hunting now. I reload my target ammo, but haven’t found a load > quite as accurate as the Weatherby factory ammo.
Have you tried seating the bullets way out to get near the lands? The obvious problem may be getting them to feed in the mag. — "Man1 : Look at this picture. M2: I know these men. M1: Are they terrorists? M2: Much worse, they’re idealists."
Response:
> I have decided to purchase a .300 Weatherby Mag. for Moose, Elk, Bear > and those long shots at larger game. My question is: The Weatherby > rifle is a little to rich for my blood so I am considering the > Winchester model 70 classic in stainless. However, I have been told > that the Winchesters are not freebored the way that the Weatherby’s are > and that will cause the Win. to develop dangerous pressure levels with > Weatherby factory ammo and the stout handloads. I also notice that the > reloading manuals warn about this. Why would I buy one of the > hottest .30 caliber rounds only to be limited by the rifle. I might as > well by the .300 Win. Magnum if my loads will be reduced to that level > anyway. Can anyone shed some light on this for me. Any help would be
My best guess is that’s horse hooey. Neither Winchester nor any other gun company is crazy enough to intentionally chamber, market, and sell a rifle that was not safe for all available factory ammo on the market for whatever caliber was in question. Tom
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have decided to purchase a .300 Weatherby Mag. for Moose, Elk, Bear > and those long shots at larger game. My question is: The Weatherby > rifle is a little to rich for my blood so I am considering the > Winchester model 70 classic in stainless. However, I have been told > that the Winchesters are not freebored the way that the Weatherby’s are > and that will cause the Win. to develop dangerous pressure levels with > Weatherby factory ammo and the stout handloads. I also notice that the > reloading manuals warn about this. Why would I buy one of the > hottest .30 caliber rounds only to be limited by the rifle. I might as > well by the .300 Win. Magnum if my loads will be reduced to that level > anyway. Can anyone shed some light on this for me. Any help would be > Dave
Hi Dave, I shoot the .300 Weatherby mag factory ammo in my Rem 700 BDL SS DM without any signs of high pressure. The rifle has a 24 inch barrel, which is 2 inches shorter than the Weatherby rifle. I manage to reach 3200 fps with 168 grain bullets. I think Weatherby advertises something like 3300 fps using a rifle with a 26 inch barrel. Weatherby factory ammo is pretty expensive, however, so I use it just for hunting now. I reload my target ammo, but haven’t found a load quite as accurate as the Weatherby factory ammo. John
Response:
I have decided to purchase a .300 Weatherby Mag. for Moose, Elk, Bear and those long shots at larger game. My question is: The Weatherby rifle is a little to rich for my blood so I am considering the Winchester model 70 classic in stainless. However, I have been told that the Winchesters are not freebored the way that the Weatherby’s are and that will cause the Win. to develop dangerous pressure levels with Weatherby factory ammo and the stout handloads. I also notice that the reloading manuals warn about this. Why would I buy one of the hottest .30 caliber rounds only to be limited by the rifle. I might as well by the .300 Win. Magnum if my loads will be reduced to that level anyway. Can anyone shed some light on this for me. Any help would be Dave
