Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Loading Heavy in the .300 Savage?

I see Speer has recipes for their 200-gr spitzer in the .300 Savage. Peters factory ammunition used to be available at that bullet weight, according to old catalogs. Has anyone here tried loading that bullet weight? It looks like it might be a good elk or moose load at close range.

Dan

I'd rather throw a 150gr Barnes TSX

Or a 150-180gr. regular bullet.

What velocity does Speer say their 200gr will get? I'd think it'd be a fine round for deep woods hunting where you eastern boys don't get shots over 50 yards, especially for bear or big whitetails. Course, not sure it would kill anything that any other good bullet in 300 Savage wouldn't kill, but what's that matter to a rifle loony?

Speer quotes 2379 fps as their top velocity. Not sure I want to hammer myself with that through a steel-buttplated 99EG, which is why I ask if someone else has gone first!

I'll probably load up a box just for the hell of it.

Dan

I don't think the velocity would be that great. The length on a 200 grainer would set it back substantially in the case, thereby reducing powder capacity. I'd be willing to bet that on a broadside/quartering shot that the bullet would pass through without expanding much if any at all. Actually, my personal choice is he Speer 165 grain round nose. I find it to be a nice compromise between velocity, penetration, weight retention and expansion. Unfortunately the bullet has been discontinued but still can be found at gunshows/auctions.

A 165 gr round nose would be hard to beat in most .30 caliber cartridges for Eastern hunting.

Longbeardking, What velocity are you getting with these Speers?
I have exactly one box of the 165 R.N. and have been hesitant working up a load with them. Afraid they will shoot bug hole groups.;-) There's a fellow in Australia that says no better bullet has ever been made for the .30-30 than these.

Ave vel. was 2320 out of a .300 sav. Are you asking for .300 data or 30-30? Everyone's opinion varies. I just went to it because I thought 180 was abit more robust than needed for deer and I just didn't get a fuzzy feeling from a 150. Don't get me wrong. I have used 150's and 180's many times without problems. I just felt that 165 was a GREAT alternative. I don't take super long shots and at 200 and less, a round nose will do anything a pointed bullet will do. And for eastern woods hunting, I prefer a round nose. Then Speer and everyone else stopped the manufacture of the 165 grain round nose.

Yep. When I heard Hornady had discontinued the .284 154-gr RN, which I prefer in my 7mm-08, I ran out and bought all the boxes I could find. I've also stocked up on Hornady .25-cal 117-gr RN and Speer .25-cal 87-gr Hot-Cor bullets. I figure my kids and grandkids can shoot up what I don't.

Dan

The only moose that I've personally witnessed shot with a 300 Savage died via a 180 grain Remington RNCL from a Remington 81. Since the 300 Savage has a rather short neck, I think that I'd load 150 grain Partitions if I was planning to shoot elk or moose with a 300 Savage. If I wasn't going to reload for the 300 Savage, I'd strongly consider the Federal factory loads, 150 grain for deer or 180 grain for larger than deer critters.

JEff

The .300 Savage cartridge is fully adequate for either elk or moose... especially if the hunter keeps the range under 200 yards or better yet, 150 yards or less.

However, I'd recommend no bullet heavier than 165 grains at about 2600 fps... a muzzle velocity which is 'most likely a maximum load for that weight bullet.

One of the most proven 165 grain bullets for both good expansion and deep penetration is the 165 grain Nosler Partition spitzer with a sectional density of .248 and a ballistic coefficient of .410 vs. the 180 grain Partition at a SD of .271 & a BC of .474 and the 200 grain Partition at a SD of .301 & a BC of .481.

Since the .300 Savage cartridge case has limited internal space, a bullet heavier than 165 grains tends to "rob" too much of the case capacity needed for the powder.

Jus' my 2�...


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

So, you're saying that 165 grains is the maximum practical bullet weight for the 300 Savage and that the 165 grain Partition is a markedly better choice than either the 15 grain lighter 150 grain Partition or the 15 grain heavier 180 grain Partition?

JEff

My "pet load" is a 165 grain Hornady BTSP InterLock over 40.3 grains of IMR 4064 with a CCI 200 primer. Overall length is 2.6" crimped, and they run around 2550 fps out of my 24" EG Savage 99 tube.

165 grain Partition at 2600 fps from a "G" will kill 650 lbs. elk every time. I don't know if they'd work from an "EG" though.

Nice! The 165's work just fine on deer from an EG, don't think they'd bounce off of elk.

They might. EGs don't pack the wallop that a G does.

Would a 99T be okay? Or would the shorter barrel make that even worse?

Love learning this new stuff.

About the same. .300's fired from T's, R's, EG's, and F's have the moxie of a .30/30. Fired out of post-mils, they are more like .32/20's.

That's IF the post-mil will actually fire.

Rod