Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 300 weatherby load data

hi just wondering if anyone has any load data for a 300 weatherby using 180 grainers and retumbo, thanks

YUP--retumbo saved me from a rebarrel job on an early ul wby 300. The early ones had a terrible reputation...at least in my area. After having a mark V that was terrifically accurate with tons of powder and bullets I couldn't get better than 2.5moa out of my UL.
Anyhow the load I worked up to was 88.2 grains retumbo under a 180 tsx. This load does about 3240 in my 26" barrel and is under moa.....saved my life. Work up of course. I only found about 40 fps diff between wby brass and rem brass with this load and I found it to be fairly temp stable also.

THANKS mate,good to hear, I got stuck with a heap of retumbo and the 300 is the closest suitable cal,I still would like to hear of anyone using lead pills as well as I will be loading woodliegh pp's, did you see any signs of pressure?

I loaded up some behind 180 partitions, but won't be shooting them for several weeks. I am taking my Wby to Paso Robles for them to fix a bedding issue. Mine shoots #1 out of the tube 2" high at 100 yds, which is ok, but #'s 2-5 are grouped another 2" higher in about an inch- inch and a half. So, it doesn't meet the 1.5" criteria, plus they seem willing to resolve the stringing....

My load came from Kraky, and mine also is an early ulw Mk V built in 1998 in Maine.

Keep us posted on how your loads work out, not much data out there.I have been using 84 gns 7828 behind the partitions and it looks to be a decent choice.

Allen

FWIW--my gun didn't like partitions (unlike another wby I own). It did like the 200 ab with about 86 retumbo and the 180 tsx 88.2 was even better. Also I seated them a bit deeper than magazine length.
I do know of at least 2 of the early 300 ul's in my area that had such bad bores (when borescoped new) that when they were sent back to wby they replaced the entire gun. (DOn't know why not just the barrel but both guys got a new gun).
MY gun will now shoot approx 2-2.25" groups at 300 yds and I can shoot them in 3 shot rapid fire groups without having them wander with the tsx. (At least it did it on the last two trips to the range with several groups fired...maybe the sob will surprise me on the next trip?)

Would this load be considered over max? I have not seen any handloads that reached 3240fps with 180's. If I could achieve this speed I would keep my accumark. It is a mental thing for me. I want that fps with a 180 like wby factory claims.

Accumark: I chronographed some 180 BT's in Weatherby factory ammo last week and got IIRC 3187 from a 26" barrel;the load may be faster in warmer temps;not sure.Some barrels may be slightly quicker and some slower.

Federal ammo,180 Nosler Solid base gave a fraction over 3000 from a 24" Weatherby barrel.Seen this before; the 300 Weatherby likes 26" tubes.

Seems to me if you are doing 3150-3200 with good accuracy,you've arrived.Nothing to be gained in the last 50-75 fps.

Bob , I'd say more than likely the Federal ammo is not loaded as hot as the Weatherby stuff , rather than it being a case of the 24 inch lacking .

At any rate , I can load my 24 inch to 3000 with 200 s pretty easy and 3150 is no problem with 180 s......and I haven't really tried to wring out the 180 s as of yet.

Both my guns have 26" barrels. 3250 is about max on the ul but my older alaskan mark V is really fast. It will do 3300 with 85 I7828 under most any 180 with no ejector marks or primer pockets stretching. There are several sources showing 86 of I7828 as a max and if I go there I've gotten 3350 but slight ejector marks start showing and pockets last about 4 reloads.
I do some reloading for friends. I've seen once fired wby factory shells with ejector marks in 80 degree weather. Wish I'd have had my chrono set up as I think that would be near 3300 give or take.
It's my opinion that most other factory ammo is downloaded to take into account the many remington rifles that were chambered without freebore in that caliber.

sd: I think you're right.That ammo gives 3150 in my rifle and I'm content operating at that level.A good 180 at that velocity is capable on just about anything

That's what I like about the 300 Weatherby...plenty of room to spare.Even operated below "firewall",it is still faster than the shorter cartridges.

180 TSX over 7828 got me around 3225 out of my 24" Vanguard. But H4350 is more accurate and still makes 3160. I'm getting just under 3100 with 200gr. Accubonds and Woodleighs, think I can make 3100, but don't really see the need to push the envelope.

David