.300 win mag ammo

[mww982]

Recently picked up a Browning X-Bolt Western Hunter LR in .300 win mag. Broke in the barrel per Browning's recommendations and now testing ammo. I don't have time to reload so I will be shooting factory ammo. After the range session today this is what I found the rifle liked and didn't.

Liked:
Remington Corelokt Ballistic Tip 180 grain
Federal Swift Scirocco II 180 grain
Federal TSX 180 grain.

Didn't Like
Barnes Vor-TX TTSX 180 Grain
Nosler Accubond 180 Grain

I'm leaning towards using the Scirocco II and TSX for elk this fall.

I also have Federal Berger Hybrid Hunters in 185 grain and may pick up a box of Federal Terminal Ascent in 200 grain.

Between the Scirocco's, TSX, Berger's, or Terminal Ascent, which one would you pick for your gun, assuming they all shot equally with one another in terms of grouping?

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I would buy ammo from @Unknown Munitions . ADG or Peterson brass with the bullet of your choice. If you buy 100 rounds you can send the fired brass back and they will reload your brass and return it to you. It is only a little more $$$ for a better product.

 

[mww982]

I would buy ammo from @Unknown Munitions . ADG or Peterson brass with the bullet of your choice. If you buy 100 rounds you can send the fired brass back and they will reload your brass and return it to you. It is only a little more $$$ for a better product.

So, I get a pretty steep discount on Federal Ammo and can usually pay less than $50 for 20.

Really interested in feedback on the bullets themselves and which one someone would choose over the other.


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[IrkedCitizen]

I personally wouldn't shoot any of the bullets you have listed. I would shoot the 178gr ELD-M, 208gr ELD-M, or a 215gr Berger hybrid target.

I would buy from Unknown Munitions because they are precision handloaded ammo with high quality components and they will reload your brass for you.

178gr ELD-M. $180/50ct. $3.60 each

300 Winchester Magnum 178 Hornady ELD-M - Unknown Munitions

CALIBER 300 WINCHESTER MAGNUM BULLET 178 HORNADY ELD-M BRASS HORNADY | NORMA | ADG | PETERSON POWDER H4831SC PRIMER FEDERAL 215 MATCH VELOCITY 3075 (ADG) G1 / G7 .547 / .275 COAL 3.400″ REC. TWIST 11 QUANTITY 50 Test Barrel- 26″ 1:10 Twist

www.unknownmunitions.com

208 ELD-M. $180/50ct. $3.60 each

300 Winchester Magnum 208 Hornady ELD-M - Unknown Munitions

CALIBER 300 WINCHESTER MAGNUM BULLET 208 HORNADY ELD-M BRASS HORNADY | NORMA | ADG | PETERSON POWDER H4831SC PRIMER FEDERAL 215 MATCH VELOCITY 2930 (HORNADY), 2970 (ADG) G1 / G7 .690 / .348 COAL 3.400″ REC. TWIST 10 QUANTITY 50 Test Barrel- 26″ 1:10 Twist

www.unknownmunitions.com

You might not be able to fit the 215 in your magazine but here they are anyway. $195/50ct. $3.90 each

MAYHEM- 300 Winchester Magnum 215 Berger Hybrid Target - Unknown Munitions

CALIBER 300 WINCHESTER MAGNUM BULLET 215 BERGER HYBRID TARGET BRASS ADG | PETERSON | LAPUA POWDER VIHTAVUORI N570 PRIMER FEDERAL 215 MATCH VELOCITY 2950 (LAPUA) G1 / G7 .691 / .354 COAL 3.585″ REC. TWIST 9 QUANTITY 50 Test Barrel- 26″ 1:10 Twist

www.unknownmunitions.com

 

[SPEDRAY]

Terminal ascents all day long. Scirocco a close second.

 

[BooneHunter]

Just out of curiosity what kind of accuracy are you seeing from those different rounds?

I’m doing the same thing now. The 200g terminal ascent is shooting right at 1 MOA at 100 and 200yds out of my 300 WM. Planning to try some others and hoping for a little better. The terminal ascent seems like the ideal elk bullet in terms of toughness and ballistics for me.

 

[SPEDRAY]

Hunting partner has a seekins ph2. Gun shoots terminal ascents and Hunter precision at 3/4 all day long. I shot a fierce in 7mm. It shot terminal ascents at 1/2" . I have shot 8 or so animals so far with them and all have been text book expansion. They also seem to have a lot less meat loss compared to the bergers vld and perisions.

 

[BooneHunter]

Hunting partner has a seekins ph2. Gun shoots terminal ascents and Hunter precision at 3/4 all day long. I shot a fierce in 7mm. It shot terminal ascents at 1/2" . I have shot 8 or so animals so far with them and all have been text book expansion. They also seem to have a lot less meat loss compared to the bergers vld and perisions.

Nice thanks, gonna be hard to beat that!

 

[Bluesman1148]

I second Terminal Ascent. I just put together a new Proof rifle and settled on the Terminal Ascent 200gr. I personally wanted a readily available factory ammo I could trust would do the trick in a pinch (for ex if I forget to pack my ammo which I’ve done…getting old sucks lol).

 

[mww982]

Just out of curiosity what kind of accuracy are you seeing from those different rounds?

I’m doing the same thing now. The 200g terminal ascent is shooting right at 1 MOA at 100 and 200yds out of my 300 WM. Planning to try some others and hoping for a little better. The terminal ascent seems like the ideal elk bullet in terms of toughness and ballistics for me.

I've only shot at 100 yards so far. They were different impact points from one another but grouped pretty equally. I won't dial in the scope until I settle on which I am going to shoot.

 

[mww982]

Just out of curiosity what kind of accuracy are you seeing from those different rounds?

I’m doing the same thing now. The 200g terminal ascent is shooting right at 1 MOA at 100 and 200yds out of my 300 WM. Planning to try some others and hoping for a little better. The terminal ascent seems like the ideal elk bullet in terms of toughness and ballistics for me.

So, the terminal ascents are the ones I’m gonna go with. The three that are touching are prior to making any adjustments to the scope. Lowest of the next three was after making a windage adjustment. The next two are moving the elevation a click on each round. This is at 100 yards.

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[swavescatter]

Sounds like a lot of rounds in one day. How hot was the barrel getting?

When testing multiple cartridges in one day I’ll shoot very slowly, and one cartridge at its own point of aim in series (ie not all your Corelokt at once, then all your terminal ascent, etc.) That way you don’t get your best group with the first ammo where the barrel was cool and assume the last cartridge was bad because the gun was heat soaked.

Might not matter with a heavy 223 but a lightweight 300WM will get HOT.

 

[mww982]

I am shooting at different spots for each different brand or bullet.

As far as barrel cooling, I’ll shoot 1 and check the barrel by resting my wrist on it. If I can hold it there for 20 seconds, I’ll shoot another. If not, I stop until I can. Rinse and repeat until I’m done.

It was a four hour range visit this morning for maybe 30 rounds total.


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[BooneHunter]

So, the terminal ascents are the ones I’m gonna go with. The three that are touching are prior to making any adjustments to the scope. Lowest of the next three was after making a windage adjustment. The next two are moving the elevation a click on each round. This is at 100 yards.

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That’s a no Brainer nice shooting

 

[BooneHunter]

Sounds like a lot of rounds in one day. How hot was the barrel getting?

When testing multiple cartridges in one day I’ll shoot very slowly, and one cartridge at its own point of aim in series (ie not all your Corelokt at once, then all your terminal ascent, etc.) That way you don’t get your best group with the first ammo where the barrel was cool and assume the last cartridge was bad because the gun was heat soaked.

Might not matter with a heavy 223 but a lightweight 300WM will get HOT.

How long do you wait or how cool do you look for between shots on a 300wm? What tends to happen when the barrel gets too hot?

 

[swavescatter]

Depends on the rifle and what I'm trying to do.

Plinking for fun? Send it.

Trying to shoot for groups? I'll wait as long as possible, but I'm usually limited by patience. You will notice that groups open up with heat usually, and also barrel fouling can change POI's, especially if the rifle was just cleaned.

This is why in the OPs scenario I would shoot one round of each cartridge sequentially, then repeat for groups. This would help to alleviate the effects of environment, heat, fouling, fatigue...

I never understood why people shooting for load development or groups shoot 3 rounds of one configuration then march onward for hours expecting the first 3 rounds to compare directly to the 70-73rd rounds...

 

[mww982]

This was me zeroing at 200 yards. I’ll take it for now but definite room for improvement as I’m a pretty novice rifle shooter.


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[IrkedCitizen]

That is likely due to recoil.

 

[jrgregoire]

My 300wm HC Speed loves the 165g TTSX Barnes vortex factory ammo. Shooting sub moa at 100 and 200. Haven’t tried anything heavier yet.