A word of caution with the 300 WSM.Some of these rifles have freebore and some don't.Mine in particular is one that doesn't.There is no way I could get up to some the published max loads.One example,I tried to get up to Alliant's 68.0gr max with Reloader-17 using a 165gr bullet and quit when 65.0grs gave me 3160fps with poor grouping and 66.0grs gave me even poorer groups with the velocity of 3228fps.I don't even want to know what I would have got if I had went straight to 68.0grs.I usually have to stay about two grain below most manuals for most powders listed.What happens with the ones that have very little freebore is,the pressure shoots up quicker when the bullet makes contact with the lead of the lands unlike the longer tapered leads on the freebored rifles.My rifle shoots great,gets the velocity up there with less powder but,I have to be very careful with the seating depth.So my word of caution and I know mine is not the only one out there,is always start low and work your way up,every rifle is slightly different.The 300WSM is fairly easy to load for and any powder between Ramshot Big Game to Reloader-22 will work just fine in it.Winchester 760 or H414,same powders different packaging,is what I'm shooting these days.64.5grs with the 165gr bullets gives me 3125fps,one inch groups @ 200yds and it will really put a whitetail down quick.
