What ONE hunting bullet for .300WM?

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wombat13

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If you had to choose one hunting bullet for .300WM what would it be and what weight? 90% of game would be whitetail deer and 90% of shots would be within 100 yards.

I count at least 27 different hunting bullets between 175 gr and 220 gr available at Midway. I don't think I'd want anything lighter. I think I'd prefer slower MV for short range shots and heavier weight would offer less wind drift if I ever have the chance to hunt where that matters.

I'm planning to get a new Hart Barrel installed on my rifle. A HR member suggested I load a dummy round to max magazine length (because Rugers have short mags) and ask Hart to chamber it for the dummy round. That's why I'm asking this particular question.

*** Please don't waste my time telling me not to use a .300WM for this application. I know it's overkill and don't care (sorry for the attitude, someone always jumps in with unsolicited advice). The 20 whitetails I've killed with this rifle all died just fine and I do as Art Eatman always advises "Don't shoot them in the eating parts."
 
wombat13 said:
If you had to choose one hunting bullet for .300WM what would it be and what weight? 90% of game would be whitetail deer and 90% of shots would be within 100 yards.
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If you're really set on only shooting one bullet weight, I'd go with a 165 grain.
If you're just going to hunt deer, I'd say Sierra Gameking. If you're going to maybe one day hunt elk or moose or something like that, I'd probably go with something with a little more controlled expansion.

But for whitetainls within 100 yards, I'd go with the 165 grain SGK and I'd probably load it with a 70% charge of H4895, which would put it at about .30-06 level performance.
Of course if you want one load only, just go by the book.

I shoot the same bullet out of a .30-06 and it is pure poison on deer, and that's only at 2700-2800 fps.
Coming out of a .300 at 3000+ it would be a devastating bullet.
 
wombat13 said:
If you had to choose one hunting bullet for .300WM what would it be and what weight? 90% of game would be whitetail deer and 90% of shots would be within 100 yards.

I count at least 27 different hunting bullets between 175 gr and 220 gr available at Midway. I don't think I'd want anything lighter. I think I'd prefer slower MV for short range shots and heavier weight would offer less wind drift if I ever have the chance to hunt where that matters.

I'm planning to get a new Hart Barrel installed on my rifle. A HR member suggested I load a dummy round to max magazine length (because Rugers have short mags) and ask Hart to chamber it for the dummy round. That's why I'm asking this particular question.

*** Please don't waste my time telling me not to use a .300WM for this application. I know it's overkill and don't care (sorry for the attitude, someone always jumps in with unsolicited advice). The 20 whitetails I've killed with this rifle all died just fine and I do as Art Eatman always advises "Don't shoot them in the eating parts."
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I'd chamber a 180 btip, it'll do what you want, you COULD load slower, and if you switched to the scirrocco ii or tgk, you'd still be just fine, otherwise, I'd look at a 200 gr blunt profile (think as close to round nose as possible) and then when you use anything from 180 to 220 pointies, you will be ok.
 
Anyone of these would be fine for 90% of the deer inside 100 yards more than 90% of the time.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Nosler-reg-Partition-reg-Caliber-Diameter-Bullets-Per/751590.uts

I might pick one over another if I knew what I would be doing the other 10%, just so I had one load that covered 100% of what I might do with the rifle.

edit: my response seems kind of silly with the various “what .223 for deer threads”, there are so many ways to not go wrong with the 300wm because, as you know, it’s more than necessary.
 
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horsey300 said:
I'd chamber a 180 btip, it'll do what you want, you COULD load slower, and if you switched to the scirrocco ii or tgk, you'd still be just fine, otherwise, I'd look at a 200 gr blunt profile (think as close to round nose as possible) and then when you use anything from 180 to 220 pointies, you will be ok.
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Closest bullet to that description at Midway is the 200 gr Speer HotCor. Why not just go with a 220 gr roundnose for that matter?
 
I would use 180s and the bullet would be a Swift A-Frame if you want one bullet for everything. This to me is a no compromise choice.

If you want to take into account the 90% this @ X yards than a Nosler Partition in 165 gr May be the way to go.

For me, I don’t like complications in a “one bullet” conversation. 180 gr A-Frames.
 
earlthegoat2 said:
I would use 180s and the bullet would be a Swift A-Frame if you want one bullet for everything. This to me is a no compromise choice.

If you want to take into account the 90% this @ X yards than a Nosler Partition in 165 gr May be the way to go.

For me, I don’t like complications in a “one bullet” conversation. 180 gr A-Frames.
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wombat13 said:
Closest bullet to that description at Midway is the 200 gr Speer HotCor. Why not just go with a 220 gr roundnose for that matter?
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Wombat, a 220rn would fit what I view your objective to be, so would a 180 rn.....as I understand it, this conversation is to pick 1 bullet to set proper chamber dimensions in a barrel that will allow for mag length seating. If you use a rn at mag length to essentially customize headspace, any pointy partition/btip/accubond/berger bullets will be able to be loaded at mag length and NOT be into the lands whatsoever due to ogive differences, and since I enjoy all aspects of hand loading, I would LOATHE a rifle that was designed for a berger but had to stub a rn halfway down the case if I wanted a big and nasty powerhouse load to hit hard up close. If I've missed the point of your query I apologize.
 
horsey300 said:
Wombat, a 220rn would fit what I view your objective to be, so would a 180 rn.....as I understand it, this conversation is to pick 1 bullet to set proper chamber dimensions in a barrel that will allow for mag length seating. If you use a rn at mag length to essentially customize headspace, any pointy partition/btip/accubond/berger bullets will be able to be loaded at mag length and NOT be into the lands whatsoever due to ogive differences, and since I enjoy all aspects of hand loading, I would LOATHE a rifle that was designed for a berger but had to stub a rn halfway down the case if I wanted a big and nasty powerhouse load to hit hard up close. If I've missed the point of your query I apologize.
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horsey300, I appreciate the information you're offering, even though it is not exactly what I asked. I really have two questions, one of which I was planning to ask in the Handloading forum:

1. What is the best all around hunting bullet and weight for the .300WM? This is the question I was asking here.
2. What bullet should I used to set the chamber dimensions in the new barrel? Should I use _________, the bullet I intend to hunt with (the answer to question 1), or something else?

You've just jumped ahead and answered my next question! I'd prefer to keep this thread on the topic of the best hunting bullet/weight. I'll PM you with additional questions.
 
wombat13 said:
horsey300, I appreciate the information you're offering, even though it is not exactly what I asked. I really have two questions, one of which I was planning to ask in the Handloading forum:

1. What is the best all around hunting bullet and weight for the .300WM? This is the question I was asking here.
2. What bullet should I used to set the chamber dimensions in the new barrel? Should I use _________, the bullet I intend to hunt with (the answer to question 1), or something else?

You've just jumped ahead and answered my next question! I'd prefer to keep this thread on the topic of the best hunting bullet/weight. I'll PM you with additional questions.
Click to expand...
Ahhhh, well then in that case, my favorite weights for the .300 Wm were always 180-220 depending on the day, the range, the quarry, my mood, etc. For close ranges 180 aframe/partitions, bondeds, and monometals will all do quite well, farther out I prefer not to tempt fate with monos, and the partitions give up favor to the bonded tipped bullets in the wind, so if I were to pick just 1 bullet to hunt with for the rest of my life in a .300 Wm (perish the thought!) I'd roll the 180 bonded (scirrocco ii) with confidence. There will be days when you would perhaps benefit more from an aframe type of sheer weight (220 partition) on that Alaskan fantasy hunt or hunting tough exotics, but I truly believe that you'll be able to kill em just as dead with the 180 bondeds. At close range I wouldn't look at anything (except monos) under 165 gr, but I like a Lil more sectional density for the what if situations.
 
You can't go wrong with a 180 grain partition in a 300 mag.

FWIW I've used my 300 Wby on deer and it works great. Yeah it's overkill but that beats being under-gunned, and I like the rifle a lot. I hunt in the west where longer shots are common.
 
I’d shoot a 200gr Accubond myself.

I shoot the 180gr Accubond in my 300 WSM and it shoots great, hits hard, holds together, and ruins little meat even on 100lb coues deer. With the WM I’d go 200gr to theoretically maximize the traits I mentioned that I desire, and because ‘Merica
 
My primary 300 WM hunting bullet is the 180 grain Nosler AccuBond. I shoot the matching Ballistic Tip Hunting most of the time at the range and switch to the AB just before the hunting seasons. I have used that bullet from game smaller than pronghorns to game as large as an eland.
 
I think that any of the popular 30 calibers are too versatile to limit them to only one bullet. But if forced to do so I'd probably go with Nosler Accubonds. 165's for my 308, 180's for 30-06 and 300 WM. At least for my hunting. For me whitetails and black bear are the most likely game with the possibility for elk as the biggest game hunted. If I were primarily hunting elk and bigger then a good argument can be made for a 200 gr in 30-06 or 300 WM.

I'd also have to consider any other rifles in my safe. If a 300 WM were the only rifle I had to hunt everything it makes it even harder to narrow it down to one bullet. But if I have other rifles in other cartridges then it is easier to pick only one bullet for each cartridge.
 
Your question has been answered pretty well. I was just curious as to why if you are rebarreling you're getting the 300?

If 90% of your hunting is whitetail deer within a hundred yards I might rebarrel to 30 ought 6. I would think the magazine would feed well and you could have the barrel throated to any dimension for the longest round you would want.

Not questioning your choice, just a curious question that popped into my head.
 
Stevel said:
Your question has been answered pretty well. I was just curious as to why if you are rebarreling you're getting the 300?

If 90% of your hunting is whitetail deer within a hundred yards I might rebarrel to 30 ought 6. I would think the magazine would feed well and you could have the barrel throated to any dimension for the longest round you would want.

Not questioning your choice, just a curious question that popped into my head.
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My answer may seem irrational, but...the rifle was a gift from my wife. I will never forget the Christmas she gave it to me and my 3 yo daughter proudly helping Mama carry the box to me. It just wouldn't "feel" like the same rifle if I switch it to .30-06. It's like the axe that you replace the head and the handle, but it's the same axe. Switching to a different chambering would be like changing to a different head design. I wouldn't really consider it the same rifle.
 
We've got 3 votes for Nosler Partition, 3 votes for Nosler Accubond, and 1 each for Nosler Ballistic Tip, Swift A-Fram, Swift Scirocco, and Sierra Gameking. 180 gr is the most popular weight. Not sure if there is a clear winner.
 
That caliber and speed I would think you want any bonded bullet hold together. Try a few and see which one shoots most accurately through your rifle.

Good luck!
 
wombat13 said:
Not sure if there is a clear winner.
Click to expand...

I was the nosler ballistic tip from walmart vote. If the op was wanting a 1000 yard bullet or something for grizzly or Cape buffalo I'd go for something more expensive or exotic. But a whitetail at 100 yards is 30/30 LFP or 22 magnum territory to millions of dead white tail. If you miss at 100 years with a 300 magnum it wasn't the bullet not being accurate enough either. I don't figure there is much point in spending or worrying about ordering something special when anything will work. If you want better go for it and there are better for sure. But any bullet from a 300 mag (or 300 savage or 30_06 etc....) is perfectly capable on a <400lb whitetail deer at 100 yards.
 
crestoncowboy said:
I was the nosler ballistic tip from walmart vote. If the op was wanting a 1000 yard bullet or something for grizzly or Cape buffalo I'd go for something more expensive or exotic. But a whitetail at 100 yards is 30/30 LFP or 22 magnum territory to millions of dead white tail. If you miss at 100 years with a 300 magnum it wasn't the bullet not being accurate enough either. I don't figure there is much point in spending or worrying about ordering something special when anything will work. If you want better go for it and there are better for sure. But any bullet from a 300 mag (or 300 savage or 30_06 etc....) is perfectly capable on a <400lb whitetail deer at 100 yards.
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I agree with what you say. I've killed 20 deer with this rifle over the past 10 years. 10 with 165 gr TSX, 5 with 180 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, 2 with 180 gr Federal Fusion, 2 with 180 gr Federal PowerShok (think that's Speer HotCor bullet), and 1 with 165 gr Nosler Partition. All of the deer died. The point of this thread is, if I had to pick one bullet to handload, knowing that I will certainly take close range shots on whitetail, occasional medium range shots on whitetail, and maybe one day hunt out west, what bullet should I choose?
 
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I use the 200 grain Nosler Accubond in my 300 Winchester Magnum and 300 Weatherby Magnum. The ballistics are similar. I get excellent accuracy with that bullet in both rifles. I've put down a Gemsbok at about 400 yards with it, about 16 Springbok at various ranges (probably 80 to 200 yards) and other stuff I don't remember.

That's not to say there aren't other bullets that would do just as well but I tend to stick with the first one that gives me excellent accuracy.
 
because of the length requirements id suggest the 180gr AB, since your going to be magazine length limited. It expands fast enough for quick kills, but wont explode like a softer bullet will.
Friend of mine uses them exclusively, tho im going to buy a box of 210s for the Abolt i just rebarrled for him. Its got a long magazine and long throat. His ABs are loaded to 3.6" in that gun.
 
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