Anybody shoot .300 Savage
- Thread starter dak0ta
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wasa
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I now have my dad's Savage 99 in 300 Savage. He used it to shoot deer (10+) and moose (2) over the years. His deer load was 150gr SP either factory or handloads, and 180gr RN SP for moose. Memory has it he used Winchester powders (748 I believe).
It's now mine, and last spring I shot a 250+ lb black bear with my handloads (150gr Hornady SST 300 savage) in front of 41gr Varget. One shot to the heart and the bear did not go 15 yards.
YMMV, for information only, standard caveats apply.
It's now mine, and last spring I shot a 250+ lb black bear with my handloads (150gr Hornady SST 300 savage) in front of 41gr Varget. One shot to the heart and the bear did not go 15 yards.
YMMV, for information only, standard caveats apply.
rabid wombat
Member
300 Savage is a classic. You do your part, it will do it's part.
https://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_99.htm
https://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_99_rifles.html
https://www.chuckhawks.com/ideal_deer_cartridges.htm
When looking at recoil / energy tables - expect similar results with similar bullets and placement.
https://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm
https://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_99.htm
https://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_99_rifles.html
https://www.chuckhawks.com/ideal_deer_cartridges.htm
When looking at recoil / energy tables - expect similar results with similar bullets and placement.
https://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
Snicker...
If you haven't hit one in Michigan, it's because you were walking and the deer ran you over!
I busted one walking the Rails-to-Trails one night, she lept up and ran towards me!
I hit the deck and she jumped at the last second.
I swear I almost died! And was glad I didn't pee myself.
I keep speeding along the road that runs along side it, hoping I'll get her, and a new truck!
When I started hunting in the 1950s the 300 Savage was quite popular. I don't remember whether it was featured in Savage bolt actions.
When the .308 came out, not many people bought the 300 anymore, because the .308 was a military cartridge and had superior ballistics/availability.
When the .308 came out, not many people bought the 300 anymore, because the .308 was a military cartridge and had superior ballistics/availability.
Offfhand
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I've always figured the .300 Sav is a workhorse caliber and hunters who use them know what they are doing. I've never been a fan of the M-99 because the stock has so much drop I can't see the sights, much less with a scope. But I once mounted a scope on this one because I was curious about it's accuracy. Loaded some Sierra 150gr MK's and the three 100 yd 5-shot groups measured 1.012, 1.255 and 1.142" which I consider pretty good for a lever rifle, or just about any other type hunting rifle. Here it is with the original aperture sight back in place, and also a Rem-700 in .300 Sav, which very few were made, and even fewer in BDL grade..It has never been fired..
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I don't use one, but if I had one there is nothing I'd hunt with a 308, or even 30-06 for that matter that I'd not hunt with a 300 Savage. At least with handloads. Sometimes factory loads for the older cartridges are loaded very conservatively.
Looking at handloads the 300 Savage has the same velocity at the muzzle as 308 does at 75 yards and 30-06 does at 150 yards with the same bullet weights. If you can kill it with a 308 or 30-06 at 400-500 yards the 300 Savage should do the same thing 50-100 yards closer. And that is still farther than most people need to shoot.
Looking at handloads the 300 Savage has the same velocity at the muzzle as 308 does at 75 yards and 30-06 does at 150 yards with the same bullet weights. If you can kill it with a 308 or 30-06 at 400-500 yards the 300 Savage should do the same thing 50-100 yards closer. And that is still farther than most people need to shoot.
rodinal220
Member
I have two Remington Model 81s in 300 Savage. Since 300 Savage was the case the 308 was based off I do not see any difference in performance on game at the ranges I shoot at, 0-100 ish yards. I run the irons and keep ranges reasonable for my aging eyes. 300 Savage is just fine on deer size game and black bear.
Had a hard time getting top velocity with the 180 gr bullets. May have been my choice of powder. Was using IMR or Accurate 4064 depending on availability. The 150 and 165 , with 4064, were pretty close to published with a given load. Seems like just over 2700 with 150 and 2600 with 165. Would have to dig out my ancient loading records to know for sure. Dad used both for about 15 years and no deer went very far. It just depended what I had in stock when he needed ammo loaded. Stick with flat base and DO NOT BELIEVE THE BULL CRAP YOU WILL READ ABOUT THE SHORT NECK BEING AN ISSUE!
Can't imagine a black bear , or elk for that matter, not going down quickly with any 150, 165, or 180 grain load. The velocities are in the golden range for cup and core bullets. They tend to hold together and penetrate well.
gonetocamp
Member
Rem. 760 with 150 gr. sp has worked well for me on whitetails.
.308 Norma
Member
I don't, but I used to hunt with a buddy who used a 300 Savage in that rifle - a Savage 99. He did every bit as well on mule deer as I did with my 308 Winchester in a Model 100 Winchester.
I know my buddy killed a few elk with his 300 Savage too, but I was never with him when he killed them. I was using my 308 Winchester with 180gr Remington CoreLokts factory loads for elk back then, and I suspect it might have been a little better for elk than my buddy's 300 Savage. But I can't prove it. Besides, my buddy would have probably just told me, "dead is dead" if I would have tried to argue the point.
armedwalleye
Member
Pop has shot the .300 Sav in. 99 his entire hunting career. As a young guy, I loved that 99 so much, my first rifle was a used 99 in .308. As a lefty, my tang safety was a godsend, but I’d shoot either one at anything walking on 4 legs except a Grizz. We always shot, and I always reloaded, 180 grain Hornady Interlock bullets, either in soft point or pointed soft point. Never worried about distance. I grew up as a bow hunter, so I like short shots. I’ve done 150 in a pinch with a low power scope, though, and the old guy used to hunt Mulies out west when I was a kid.
Random 8
Member
300 Savage will do anything a 30-06 or 308 will do inside of 200 yards with the lighter bullet weights. Favor flat based cup and core designs or the NP or Speer GS for heavy game. I've found the Speer 150 hot core to be a deer hammer, the NP 165 to work on large black bear. You can load BTs, but are a bit handicapped on velocity vs. Pressure vs. Case capacity.
DocRock
member
I have a Savage 99E Carbine in .308 Win. I have no love for 308. but I really like the 99. I would gladly trade the perceived performance gains for an earlier, better looking Model 99 in 300 Savage. These are not really long range rifles, mine is 2 MOA at best so far, which is just perfect for deer. But at 200 yards, 300 Savage will kill deer just as well as 308 Win. If you have an option on one, go for it!
My next will be a take down in 250-3000 because they are period awesome.
My next will be a take down in 250-3000 because they are period awesome.
Random 8
Member
Just some quick notes on the M99. You don't want to hotrod your loads as in the above bolt actions. The action is strong, but VERY low case life and some difficult extraction will be the norm. Found this out when loads that were perfect in my friends M722 were a bit warm in the M99 and my brass lasted only 3 firings. I like to stick with the flat based 150s, currently shooting speer, a grain or 2 below max loads in Lyman or Hornady data. Deer don't know the difference. I shoot the same bullet in the wife's .308 stepped down into the 2600 fps range also, and it hammers whitetails just fine.
I have two things in 300 one 81, and one 99. IMHO it is a bit much in the 81, while that gun is pretty dense, it is not big and really the cartridge seems a bit much in that gun at the few factory loads I tried in it. I down load my 300's for that gun. I also have an 8 in 30 remington, and that feels like the gun was made for that cartridge....duh.
In the 99 it feels just a bit more tame.....again I love the 99 I have in 243, it is just a ball to shoot, the 300 just not so much.....again it just feels a bit much.
Now all that said all I do is put holes in paper and kill cans, and that usually is a lot more shooting then someone that is taking bambi is going to be doing.
In the 99 it feels just a bit more tame.....again I love the 99 I have in 243, it is just a ball to shoot, the 300 just not so much.....again it just feels a bit much.
Now all that said all I do is put holes in paper and kill cans, and that usually is a lot more shooting then someone that is taking bambi is going to be doing.
DocRock
member
Was on some reasonably hot 308 Win loads today, specifically to test a new extractor that I spent many, many hours fitting, and had zero extraction issues. Stock configuration is not kind to stout rounds though. My 16 year old boy shot a handful and then stepped away from the bench with an "ow". We were also trying out some 375 Ruger cast loads (265 grs at 1750 fps) and he thought those were "softies" by comparison.
300 Savage is about ideal in the 99 I think.
ScrapMetalSlug
Member
I have a Savage 99 in 300 savage, made in the mid 1950s. Any of the 150 grain soft points are fine for deer hunting. For handloads, I like the 165 grain Nosler partitions for an elk load for case capacity and keeping the velocity up, as opposed to 180s. I have no doubt either would work. I have not taken an elk yet with mine, but I look forward to using it on upcoming hunts.
Loaded ammo is not easy to find and brass I think is only a seasonal run item, but it is still a fine caliber. I haven’t tried it yet, but I have heard you can make brass from 308. The savage being very similar, but with a shorter neck.
Loaded ammo is not easy to find and brass I think is only a seasonal run item, but it is still a fine caliber. I haven’t tried it yet, but I have heard you can make brass from 308. The savage being very similar, but with a shorter neck.
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