Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors deer and elk loads fora300 Savage

I'm lookingfor good deer and elk loads(prob.130-150 gr.and 165-168gr.) and I'dlike to use Barnes allcopper bulleta as i think the lead ban will be comng to Washington soon Thanks

My newest "hunting load" (deer) for my Model 99 and it's .300 Savage cartridge is 40.8 grains of H4895 (maximum load = 40.9 grains) with a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip (now obsolete, but I've got 400 of 'em left, so that's what I'm usin') Bullet sparked by standard Winchester large rifle primers in once-fired Winchester cartridge cases.

This load is reasonably accurate and H4895 is one of Hodgdon's "EXTREME" powders which is supposed to be unaffected by temperature. It is more than accurate enough for hunting deer out to 250 yards... and chronographs at a very consistent 2635 fps (which is slightly faster than the standard factory loads) with a deviation of just +7 and -8 fps for a maximum velocity deviation of just 15 fps. This extremely low velocity deviation should produce consistently excellent accuracy.

I hunted elk with a pre-'64 Model 70 in .338 Winchester Magnum using Nosler Partition Bullets, so I can't help you with .300 Savage loads in 165 grain bullets (for elk). However, I agree with your choice of bullet weights (165 gr.) when hunting for elk although a 150 grain Nosler Partition would undoubtedly do the "job" on elk.

However, I believe the 165 grain Nosler Partition or Accu-bond would be a better (than the 150 grain bullet) choice in the .300 Savage cartridge for elk... a tough hombre even when hit "hard". Buttttt... they're NOT "bullet-proof" ! However, the 165 grain Nosler Partition or Accur-bond should take down a big bull elk as long as bullet placement is good and the range is reasonable (150 yards or less).

Personally, in a .30 caliber, I'd prefer using a 180 grain Nosler Partition Bullet for elk, but due to the .300 Savage's limited powder capacity, the 165 grain bullet is a better choice if using a .300 Savage cartridge because the 180 grain bullet intrudes a bit too much into the .300 Savage cartridge's limited powder capacity thus severely limiting the muzzle velocity.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

For elk I would opt for the 150 gr. Barnes X bullet as you have to seat them deep and that takes up a lot of powder space and the 300 is a small case..It would be a suitable elk round if you do your part and don't try to stretch the range..

My .300sav 99EG took a 6 point whitetail yesterday with 38.25g of IMR4064 pushing a nosler 150g BT (...Ron T, you want to sell a few dozen of your stash?)
First shot hit a rib and turned left just under the skin (???), then under the front shoulder blade and up the neck. Shot #2 went through a rib, through the heart, and through another rib on it's way out, (more like it)...anyway, it worked.

that first rib must have been made of steel!!!

I had the same type of deflection with ballistic tips in my 270.I don't use them anymore. Love the partitions!

Nope...

For elk with the .300 Savage, my choice would be the Speer 180-grain spitzer with 43 grains of Reloder 15. It gives close to 2500 fps in my 24" EG. If you hunt in timber, try Speer's 200-grain spitzer over 42 grains of Reloader 15; it produces 2400 fps in my gun and is a real smacker.

Dan

I use Re15 in my .300s. Those loads sound pretty stout. I'd sure work up to those levels in the particular gun I'd be toting.

I agree with Lightfoot.......

Those are both MAXIMUM LOADS in my loading books... start lower and work up to those "hot" loads IF you feel you need that much muzzle velocity.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

My newest "hunting load" (deer) for my Model 99 and it's .300 Savage cartridge is 40.8 grains of H4895 (maximum load = 40.9 grains) with a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip (now obsolete, but I've got 400 of 'em left, so that's what I'm usin')

Are you sure you meant the Basistic Tip in the above post? When on earth did they get discontinued?

I don't think the 180 is necessary for elk. I like the 150 Grain Speer Grand Slam in front of 38.5 grains of IMR 3031 with a CCI 200. COL 2.52 inches. This is a max load (from my manual) but it has shown no pressure signs in my rifle. I have taken a couple elk with this load, but I didn't hit shoulder bone with them. A big bull's shoulder at a few hundred yards may stop that lighter bullet. I dunno. If your wanting the 180, I am sure there are some powders out there that will allow for a safe compressed load, since, like others said, the 180s can restrict valuable powder space or be too long to feed correctly.

Speer #12 book calls for 40-- 44 grains of Rx 15 with the 165 grain bullets.

I'd say the safest thing to do is work up loads using a chronograph if possible. Stop when you get appropriate velocities to the bullet/powder combo you're using.

Originally Posted by bassetman

My newest "hunting load" (deer) for my Model 99 and it's .300 Savage cartridge is 40.8 grains of H4895 (maximum load = 40.9 grains) with a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip (now obsolete, but I've got 400 of 'em left, so that's what I'm usin')

Are you sure you meant the Basistic Tip in the above post? When on earth did they get discontinued?

I don't know that Nosler has stopped making 'em, but Nosler's Accubond Bullet seems to be a "better" Ballistic Tip... i.e., a Ballistic Tip which has a center that is "bonded" to the outside "shell" of the bullet thus making it (in my mind) a better hunting bullet with the same or very similar, superior exterior ballistics (aka "accuracy" and "ballistic coefficient") thus making the Ballistic Tip "obsolete" in my mind, but perhaps not according to Nosler.

However, I suspect if Nosler hasn't stopped making the Ballistic Tips yet, they soon will. Why make almost duplicate bullets when one of 'em (the Accubond) is so obviously superior?!?

At least, that's my "take" on the situation. For anything larger than deer, I go back to the Nosler Partition Bullet in .338 Win. Magnum with which I've always been happy because it definitely gets the job done... no "excuses" necessary or needed.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.