Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 300 wsm and 200 gr bullets

Went to a gun show in Reno today and sold all my 200 gr 308 cal Barnes X bullets, bought several boxes last year at a very good price. I could not get over 2750 fps with these bullets, tried RL 17, RL 19, Ramshot magnum and IMR 4831, The people at Barnes told me the reason is because of the long bearing surface, pressures max out before max speed is achieved. I am thinking of purchasing either 200 gr Partitions or the ttsx bullets, anybody have any advice or pet loads that they would care to share, any help of advice is appreciated.

I have been shooting 200 grain AccuBonds over 69.0 grains of IMR 7828sc and CCI mag primers in R-P cases. They clock a little over 2,900 fps out of my CZ Model 3, and just under 2,950 fps from a Winchester Model 70 (New Haven manufacture). They shoot sub-MOA in both rifles and I used one to take the biggest-bodied elk that I have ever harvested a few years ago.

Along with the 200 gr Barnes bullets which have more bearing surface touching the bore as Barnes says, you may also have a slightly slower bore as well.

Not trying to make you feel too bad, but here are some #s from my own particular 300 WSM.

66.0 gr RL22; 210 gr Berger VLD @ 2732 fps.
68.0 gr RL19; 200 gr Nosler A/B @ 2818 fps.
66.5 gr RL17; 175 gr Berger VLD @ 2983 fps.
65.3 gr RL17; 190 gr Berger VLD @ 2894 fps.

A little slow maybe? Now to really pee you off! LOL!

Those are out of a 300 WSM Ruger Frontier shorty carbine with a 16.5" barrel.

Yep! I`d change to a different bullet too! And FWIW, the Berger "hunting" VLDs which I use for hunting hogs and elk use the secant ogive. They have less bearing surface than most if not all other bullets.

I think it's the bullets more than anything else, factory 180 gr winchester ammo is advertised at 2970, I got 2985 out of a ten shot average. I have some 168 gr handloads that run 3115 and I can go a little more without any signs of pressure.

Freddy, you might want to try some H4831sc with the 200 grain bullets. I got right around 2900fps(24" barrel).

I have some H4831sc on hand, I think I am going to go with 200 gr partitions instead of the ttsx bullets, Barnes recomends at least a 1 in 10 inch twist which tells me that the ttsx is a long bullet with lots of bearing surface. I did some research and it appears that RL 19 gives the highest velocity, I also have RL 17 on hand, thought about trying Ramshot magnum but I think that is too slow for the 300 wsm. My goal is 2900 fps and 1 inch groups, I might fall short of both goals, if that is the case I will try IMR 4831 or H 4831sc.

If...I ran a 300 Short mag no doubt I'd be going with the 200 Accu, 190 Horn, 200 Noz or the 200 Sierra and 7828 or the H4831 that Sam mentioned is what I'd try first.

Dober

168 grain TTSX and Rl-17 in my 300 wsm give me 3150 fps...

Very flat shooting, very accurate, haven't recovered one yet in mule deer, elk, or hogs.

Manny

FWIW, the 200 Accubonds shot well out of my 1-11" A7.

I tried some H4350 and R17 with the AB's and didn't get the velocity/accuracy that H4831sc produced. RL22 might be another good choice and like Dober mentioned 7828 might work great as well.

RL-22, RL-19, IMR7828 and H4831SC all work very well with 200 Partitions in the .300 WSM, with muzzle velocities in the 290 range. Which one shoots best will depend on the individual rifle.

Just ordered two boxes of 200 gr partitions from Brunos shooters supply, they had the best price that I could find online. I am going to try RL 19 first and see what happens.

Let us know how it goes, I've always had really good accuracy with the 200 Part. Generally a fair bit better than the 180's. 4 me, I want 200's in a 300.

Dober

I will probably get the bullets some time this week however the weather will probably keep me inside till maybe the week end, major winter type storm will be affecting our area through thursday.

I have shot about everything that walks or swims with the 200 gr. Nolser partition in my 300 H&H and you will never use a better game bullet than the 200 gr. Nosler partition IMO...I am shooting them in excess of 3000 FPS with some old surplus Milsurp 4831 powder, and they are NEAR max, but I get about a dozen reloads with that stuff, super accuracy and they shoot so flat its scary and ignore the wind unless its really blowing.

Went out earlier this morning and shot some loads through the chrony. I made up some loads using RL 17 and RL 19, I was using new winchester brass and CCI mag primers. I only had 15 rounds of brass so I cheated a little, I loaded my starting loads in 1 gr increments and fired only one round for the first few loads, then I switched to 2 rounds per load with one half grain increments. Results were kind of mixed.

RL 19
63 gr 2640
64 gr 2666
64.5 gr 2686
64.5 gr 2666
65 gr 2688
65 gr 2699

RL 17
59 gr 2651
60 gr 2666
61 gr 2749
61.5 gr 2760
61.5 gr 2766
62 gr 2812
62 gr 2789
62.5 gr 2842
62.5 gr 2830

Bolt lift was normal on all the loads, the only thing I noticed was that the primers on the 62 and 62.5 gr RL 17 loads were much flatter than the the 61.5 gr load, all the primers on the RL 19 loads looked normal. I know I can go more on the RL 19 but Nosler lists 66 gr as max and I don't think it will catch RL 17 without going over 66 gr and I don't like going over book maximum. I also measured case head expansion, all loads were under .0008 expansion except the 62.5 RL 17 load which expanded .001. I am not sure what to do, thinking of going with 61.5 gr RL 17 and see how accurate it shoots, I am out of new brass, have some H 4831 on hand but I am using that for my 264 mag, also have some Ramshot Magnum on hand but I think that is to slow for the 300 wsm. If anyone has the quickload program I would appreciate it if you would run these loads for me and send me some information via PM, any more advice or help is appreciated.

62.5 grs of R17 was max in one rifle, I also got around 2830fps.

68-69 grs of H4831sc worked well.

seems like 2800 would be fine for this bullet.

I believe you're limiting the true potential of the .300 WSM when you load up 200-grain bullets for it. They extend too far into the casing, and it affects powder capacity too much IMHO.

I know there are going to be folks who disagree with me and will give me a message board flogging for saying all that, but relax guys. It's just my opinion.

I've owned and loaded for six 300 WSM's and have run 200's in every one with a variety of powders and have never found anything you've written to be true.

There, there's your flogging (grin)...

Thanks. I just think that past 250 yards is where it is going to suffer the most. Inside of that, no problem. I would much rather use either a 165- or 180-grain load in mine, and my favorite bullet for it is the 180-grain Nosler Accubond, though. My Steyr loves those darn things.