"Heck there is not a nickle's worth of real world performance difference between the 300 Winchester and the 300 Weatherby.
Except that Roy did it first!"
30-06 150 gn max 2950
300 win 150 gn max 3200
300 Wby 150 gn max 3400
Does that mean the 300 win hasn't a nickels worth of real worls performance over an 06?
Since we are all sitting around here having a friendly conversation, I grabbed a couple of my reloading manuals.
I have never loaded 150's in the 300 win, but I have loaded 165's. I had no problem meeting the numbers in the book with an old 26 inch push feed model 70, so I see no reason to suspect the numbers are bad for the 150 gr bullets.
Hornady #6 says the 300 Win will make 3300 fps with five different powders.
Hodgdon #26 says she will make 3300 fps with RL 22, or H 380.
Sierra #5 gives us six powders which will make 3300 fps and 3400 fps with IMR 4350.
Nosler #4 hits 3420 fps with IMR 4350 and 3390 fps with IMR 4831.
The fastest 150 gr bullet load in the Nosler book for the 300 Wea is 80 gr of IMR 4350 at 3412 fps.
Nosler actually runs the 300 Win faster than the 300 Wea.
Sierra runs the 300 Wea to 3400 fps with a 150 gr bullet but they give you a much wider choice of powders in the 300 Wea than they do in the 300 Win.
Hodgdon's only breaks 3400 fps with two powders in the 300 Wea. Rl 19 and Rl 22 are both good for about 3460 fps in the Hodgdon's book.
Obviously, we know the Wea does have a bit more powder capacity. So it has to produce more velocity, right? But how much more?
RCBS Load 2.88 says the Wea holds 92.8 gr of water to the top of the case. The Win holds 82.4 gr of water to the top of the case.
I could refine the accuracy here a bit if I could calculate water volume with the bullet seated. But this should be close enough for our needs.
The Weatherby case has 12.6% greater volume.
If I remember Mule Deer's calculations correctly, we should see 3.15% greater velocity from the Weatherby at equivalent pressures and barrel lengths.
If we average out the reloading manuals and say the Winchester is good for 3300 to 3350 fps with a carefully chosen propellant, then the Weatherby should be good for an additional 100 fps.
That is why I claim there is not a nickle's worth of difference between the two cartridges. They are about like comparing the 308 against the 30-06.
Yes, I own a 300 wby. Not sure it is worth the extra expense of brass and recoil/ powder burned, but an Ultralight at a killer price became my first Weatherby rifle.
Funny how this has, unless the replies are in pun, a fear amongst some posters. Almost everyone knows someone who stuck mud, bullet, bug in a barrel and bananna'd it, but the guns failed to cause injury. This is becoming a Wby against the world debate, sort of like my favorite Mopar Vs every other brand name.... Being different has it's advantages, if you have thick enough skin.
I am contemplating a 257 Wby right now, and feel a 25-06 is plenty fast for my needs. So I am on the prowl for another lightweight speedster in 25 caliber..... since I have plenty of brass/ dies for that caliber and it would save quite a bit to not have to buy another setup...
Allen
ETA:
Remember when Weatherby used to advertise their 150 gr 300 Wea loads at 3600 fps. It is possible to make her run that hot. And that explains the anecdotes of super high pressure ammo which the good Dr. Howell has relayed to us.
