Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Favorite Deer Load for 300 WM?

I know it is not needed but want to use the rifle more often and was interested in going light and fast possibly with the 130 TTSX or similar bullets. The use will be for South Texas where if a deer goes even a short way before dropping it usually means you will be crawling around in thick thorn at eye ball level with the rattle snakes. Ranges will be moderate with shots up to 400 yards a possibility.

I kind of feel like the .300 magnums really come into their own shooting bullets 180 grains or heavier. If I was looking to shoot lighter bullets for quick kills I would probably look at a 150-165 grain bullet probably a cup and core or similar rapid expanding projectile.

I just used the 180grn Hornady interlocks for everything.

If I was doing a deer only load, I'd look hard at the 130grn TTSX.

A 130 should fly out of there at what? 3200+ fps? In our part of the world all shots are under 200 yards that should do fine, if I thought I would stretch it out more I'd go heavier personally...

3500 fps and some change so it is cooking along. What I am really thinking is how to turn the 300 into a .257 Weatherby with out buying a new barrel.

Agree and my one bullet load was a 180 usually a TSX or a Nosler. The Elk loads worked fine on deer and hogs. I go back and forth from the one load per rifle to wanting to have two or three tailored to whatever my imagination desires.

A number of years ago Kenny Jarrett, the well-known custom rifle makers, reported that he preferred 150-grain Ballistic Tips driven as fast as accurately possible from a .300 to cull deer on some of his property. Usually they were shot out in the middle of big farm fields, and he wanted a load that dropped them right there. The BT almost always did so.

I don't 'have a win mag but a Weatherby 300. I started out with it hunting with Sierra 180 SBTs in a Federal factory load.Several of the bucks ran when I shot them. The bullet expanded a lot and damaged the shoulders more than I wanted. When I started reloading for it.The best accuracy I found with the bullets I tried was a 180 gn Grand Slam Speer. I have shot several good older bucks with it and they haven't moved a step. Most of them haven't even twitched after the shot. They just drop dead. I have shot in the shoulder and through the ribs. The meat damage is minimal even with shoulder shots. I'm using RE26. Don't know if that works in a win mag. But I love the bullet performance of the Grand Slam.

MD thanks if it is good enough for Kenny Jarrett then it is good enough for me. I will keep an eye out at the Shooters Pro shop. HW7 good info not sure if they changed the 30 GS but I have used them in 7mm with good results. I will see how R26 does with the lighter bullets so far I have not been disappointed with it in a number of cartridges.

I think the 125gr AB would drop deer fast! Probably be my pick over the 130 TTSX, assuming the shot equally well.

That's what I hunted with back in college, the 150BT at 3,400 or so from a 26" Sendero 700. I can't remember how many deer I shot with that load over the course of several seasons, maybe 20-25, but I do remember that only a couple ever made it more than a few yards after the shot. Most folded up on the spot, even with lung shots. And my bullets were the old-stock 100ct NBT, which were not super sturdy. I worked up a load just before I sold that rifle and never got to really field test it much, but it looked to be a good one. The 168gr NBT at 3,300fps over 7828. The BC was a little better and the construction was supposed to be a bit tougher. That's likely what I'd look at today if shooting a 300WM for deer, the 168NBT or 165AB at 3,250-3,300fps.

Good advice on the 125 AB and the 165-8 BT. The 160s would not sacrifice as much of the ballistic coefficient as the light weights would. I'll be curious to see if R26 works well with the lighter bullets if not R17 will really scoot then along some 3,800 fps for the 110s.

Going to try these along with some of the other suggestions especially a 150 BT. https://www.lehighdefense.com/colle...-high-velocity-bullet?variant=1086671656 if these perform like the raptors it my be just the ticket.

I was about to recommend that very bullet at 3400 fps with RL-22 or 7828, and yessir, it drops em.

150 gr. btbt's w/ a heavy load of 4350 has killed everything from chucks to elk for me.. it is deadly when driven through the lungs.. I am sure Kenny could have use any caliber he wanted.. that says something to me👍

I've used bot the NBT in 150 gr and the Speer Grand Slams in 180. I prefer the Grand Slams but either will do fine.

I shoot 180 grain NBTs out of a 300 WBY. Buddy down the road shoots 125s out of a 300 RUM. We both hunt roads in CRP trees.

Is the 125 BT a game bullet or varmint Nosler seems to call it a game bullet same colored tip if that means anything but if they stand up to the RUM they must be.

These look interesting as well...

https://hammerbullets.com/product-tag/308/

Nice but pricey. Their Heavier VLDs are similar to the old Lost River Mono torpedoes.