300 WSM, low velocity

Calif_Mike · Dec 27, 2007

Have started testing handloads in my Rem 700 CDL SF. The two bullets I have been testing are a 180 gr Nosler Partition and a 168 gr Barnes TSX. So far with the 180 gr Nosler the best velocity I can get is 2750 using max loads of RE-19 and RE-22. Both my Speer manuel and the Nosler website say I should be in the mid 2900 range.

For the 168 Barnes I am right at 3,000 with max load of RE-19.

I've been loading for many years and know books tend to be high but man this stinks! Anyone have a pet load they want to share?

Calif_mike

D13er · Dec 27, 2007

makes the 30-06 look pretty modern, huh?

JB

REDDOG · Dec 27, 2007

I don't own one, and never will! just don't think they have any class! but that's my opinion, i have loaded them for a buddy using 180 gr scirocco's on top of 72 grs of h4831 this is a compressed load and gives a bit under 2900 fps, WORK UP if you use this load, start at about 69 gr. the most accurate load i tested was with imr 4064, at about 2850 fps.

huntindude · Dec 27, 2007

The fastest 180 load I've tested in the 300WSM was right at 3000 fps, with a hot load of RE-22 I think. as I've said before the 300 WSM won't run with the old 300 Win Mag no matter what the salesman says.

Calif_Mike · Dec 28, 2007

Reddog, Thanks for the actualy constructive comments.

Calif_Mike

need4x4 · Dec 28, 2007

Go down to the 150 gr. if you want it to go fast. I tend to agree with the above, it won't especially with the 180 gr., keep up with the 300 win. mag.

I do think it is a great round with the 150 gr. accubond, that is what I use. It is around 3150 I think, but it is hot.

canhunter · Dec 29, 2007

I tried for a while to let this go, but no one has came to the defense of the 300WSM. I have several guns in 300WM and one (loaded for another) in 300WSM. I must have loaded for two really weird 300WSM rifles. Both shoot considerably faster then I can make any of my WM 165's go. For all you guys saying it is slow. Try a 165 ahead of 75.0 R19 or 74, or even 73, and a Mag primer. Now you have to shoot it over a chronograph not just look at a book. The FPS will surpass all that have been posted so far. Sorry but I don't have any of my 180's over the chrono yet, but do have them tested to Max. Compared to how much the 165's surpassed the WM I think the 180's will also. Based on the continual apparent bias against the 300WSM I will have to get that done. This would be at equal pressure signs exhibited by all rifles. I don't have a lab where I have strain guages and all the true testing equipment, so I have to go with what I can use to judge pressure.

BuckSnort · Dec 29, 2007

canhunter, are the bbl lengths the same?

shortmag · Dec 29, 2007

I thought the factory loads used a proprietary powder not available to the public.

REDDOG · Dec 30, 2007

LAST EDITED ON Dec-30-07 AT 04:01PM (MST)[p]the loads i posted were the fps off the croney, the manuels are hardley ever the same. not sure about the proprietary powder, i think that's hornady's claim to fame with the light mag loads. and i didn't really mean that short mag shooters didn't have any class!

canhunter · Dec 30, 2007

No the barrel lengths were not the same. The 300WM's were 26" and the WSM were 23 and 24" That would give more advantage to the WSM again. Had a Chrony then upgraded to an Pact and a Pro Chrono. My experience with the Chrony caused an immediat upgrade.

REDDOG · Dec 30, 2007

I was using "chrony" in general, i too use a pact.

BuckSnort · Dec 30, 2007

>No the barrel lengths were not
>the same. The 300WM's
>were 26" and the WSM
>were 23 and 24"
>That would give more advantage
>to the WSM again.
>Had a Chrony then upgraded
>to an Pact and a
>Pro Chrono. My experience
>with the Chrony caused an
>immediat upgrade.

Actually a longer bbl will almost always give higher velocities.For that caliber about 25-50 fps per inch.

canhunter · Dec 31, 2007

BS..You are totally correct and my results on FPS/barrel length is like what you posted. The advantage I was talking about was the fact that the 300WSM in my limited experience easily outperforms the WM in velocity. Shoot them out of equal length barrels and the WSM advantage increases even more.

huntindude · Dec 31, 2007

My buddy gave up trying to out perform my 300 Win loads when his bolt was getting too hard to open, he had a bottle of Crown bet on it and his pride for some reason. the best he could do was 3100 with an unsafe load in his 300 WSM, both my pre-64 and my Rifles Inc 24" barreled 300 Win mags will shoot 3200 with safe loads. this is with 180 TSX bullets over my Ohler. other guns may perform a little different but the trend is consistant in all I've checked. this goes for the 270 WSM against the 270 WBY as well. the WSM's are fine rounds , but their advertising is a misleading.

hntbambi · Dec 31, 2007

The only place the short mags shine is with the lighter weight bullets. When the bullets get heavier (longer) they take up too much of the room in the short-fat case. That is when the older standard length mags will surpass them in performance.

BuckSnort · Dec 31, 2007

>BS..You are totally correct and my
>results on FPS/barrel length is
>like what you posted.
>The advantage I was talking
>about was the fact that
>the 300WSM in my limited
>experience easily outperforms the WM
>in velocity. Shoot them
>out of equal length barrels
>and the WSM advantage increases
>even more.

You are definately one of the few that can reach or out perform the ballistics of the win mag.I wonder what the outcome would be if the chamber pressures were the same?

MortgageMan · Dec 31, 2007

LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-07 AT 01:37PM (MST)[p]Don't buy a 300 WSM and do everything you can to beat the 300 WM. If you can't beat em, join em, IMO!!

257Tony · Jan 1, 2008

In my experience, its no trick to get the ole 300 WM to 3000 fps with a 180, but I've not seen a WSM load that fast out of their short barrels. Another thing to keep in mind is that as the bullet gets heavier, it uses up a larger % of case capacity in the WSM vs. WM.

canhunter · Jan 1, 2008

I do not have the FPS on a 180, so I have not made any claim for against either. I just need to go out and Chrono the ones I tried real quickly while loading for the 165. Maybe the FPS will be slower for the 180 compared to the 180WM's. I hunted/reloaded a 300WM for many many years starting in 87 and killed my first/largest elk, bear, (many others) and a lot of deer with the caliber. In fact if I added up the hunts with a 300WM compared to all the other calibers I have the WM would easily win. I tried a lot of different loads even using some of the more modern powders (H1000, R22, R25) to get maximum velocity. My best was using a stuffed case of H1000 (specs at homoe) that chrono's 3150 out of a 26" barrel. I think the WM is a great caliber.
I just know what my 165's showed on two different Chrono's out of two WSM's. In regards to pressure I will just refer to my earlier post. I'm not knocking either round as I love them both and have both. In fact planning on another 300WSM either this spring or summer for my son. If I start hunting White Tails again then I will switch from my 06 ABolt to a 300WSM or (hoping for a 338WSM anyone listening?). As you can see I have no bias against any caliber I love/want them all. Again, in my limited experience this round with the shorter guns/action are just about perfect for a multi use rifle. No..I think the good old 06 is the best all around one.....no the 308 is the best.

canhunter · Jan 1, 2008

84.0 H1000 in a new NS case, 180gr bullet, =3150fps out of two different 26" WM's.

Bambistew · Jan 4, 2008

Case capacity=velocity, at equal pressure more powder=higher velocity. Both the WSM and the WM have nearly identical length necks, so the bullet seated into the powder column is a moot point. It takes up the same amount of space in each one.

Thinking 100fps is going to make or break a 'kill' is stupid.