300 win mag bad hunting experiences

[Petar]

If you handload I would recommend a Barnes 168 TTSX with a
Due to the fact that hogs are able to absorb multiple bullets sometimes, is what leads me to try and make head shots on them if the opportunity presents itself. Some people frown and talk bad about the practice but it works best in my opinion on hogs.

Head shot is not an option here, we go in driven hunts, dogs are chasing the boar, usually in thick covers, you cant make a head shot, often you need to shot 1 yard before the boar so you can hit it somewhere in the chest
Thats why I went for 300winmag, its suppose to make a huge exit hole with soft points at ranges up to 200 yards
For example, mu father has mauzer in 7.9x57, he shot 300 pounds boar last year with a soft point, it went through both front shoulders, instant death, it made a big exit wound

 

[ResearchinStuff]

The cartridges your friends (30/06) and father (7.9x57) are using produce much lower velocities than the 300 win mag does. With cup and core bullets like you're using, the higher velocity of the 300 win mag will tend to make bullets "explode" on impact resulting in very poor penetration. This is the reason Nosler Partitions, swift A-frames, Nosler Accubonds, and the Barnes x-bullet series were created, these tougher bullets have various design features that help keep the bullet together during high velocity impacts, so they tend to hold together, penetrate deep, and kill animals.

It sounds like you have very limited options for ammunition, which is a challenge. I had a similar problem with 300 win mag when I was young, I couldn't afford premium ammo or even premium bullets to hand load, so I stepped way up in bullet weight (220 gr Sierra round nose), loaded them to the low end of what the reloading manual called for, and discovered the heavier bullet/lower impact velocity produced adequate results on whitetail deer.

You have a few options to get the game performance you are looking for:

1. Find factory ammunition with Nosler partition, accubond, swift a-frame bullets in 180 gr
2. Find factory ammunition with any ~220 gr bullet
3. Find factory ammunition with Barnes x-series bullets in the 150-180 gr range
4. Trade in the 300 win mag for a 30/06 or similar with "standard" velocities so you can use a standard cup and core bullet with adequate performance.
5. Start hand loading, if that's even an option in your country.

Best of luck!

 

[Petar]

The cartridges your friends (30/06) and father (7.9x57) are using produce much lower velocities than the 300 win mag does. With cup and core bullets like you're using, the higher velocity of the 300 win mag will tend to make bullets "explode" on impact resulting in very poor penetration. This is the reason Nosler Partitions, swift A-frames, Nosler Accubonds, and the Barnes x-bullet series were created, these tougher bullets have various design features that help keep the bullet together during high velocity impacts, so they tend to hold together, penetrate deep, and kill animals.

It sounds like you have very limited options for ammunition, which is a challenge. I had a similar problem with 300 win mag when I was young, I couldn't afford premium ammo or even premium bullets to hand load, so I stepped way up in bullet weight (220 gr Sierra round nose), loaded them to the low end of what the reloading manual called for, and discovered the heavier bullet/lower impact velocity produced adequate results on whitetail deer.

You have a few options to get the game performance you are looking for:

1. Find factory ammunition with Nosler partition, accubond, swift a-frame bullets in 180 gr
2. Find factory ammunition with any ~220 gr bullet
3. Find factory ammunition with Barnes x-series bullets in the 150-180 gr range
4. Trade in the 300 win mag for a 30/06 or similar with "standard" velocities so you can use a standard cup and core bullet with adequate performance.
5. Start hand loading, if that's even an option in your country.

Best of luck!

This is good advice, tnx
I will try 220 grains if I find here
Handloading is forbidden here, unfortunately, otherwise that is the best option, you know what your bullet is made of

 

[Wilderlife]

I normally don't like the copper bullets but in a .300WM I can imagine a good choice would be to go down to something in the 165gn weight as the extra velocity would help with expansion and they'll open up nicely.

The issues you are having are definitely with the projectiles, if everything you say about shot placement and distance is correct. The .300WM isn't a cartridge that gets spoken about often when people say they are having an issue with killing animals.

I've been loading 150gn Hornady Interlocks in mine and they've been spectacular killers on pigs and deer out to about 215 yards. Not the best bullet choice by any means but a friend gave them to me to try. Now, I'm moving to 180gn Woodleigh projectiles - an Australian made bullet. They are very tough. I've used them in my other rifles and they are effective killers and I believe they will be fantastic in the .300WM.

I have friends over here who have found Federal ammo loaded with 180gn Speer Hot Cores and they can't speak highly enough of this ammo. They regularly kill pigs, horses, and scrub bulls with this ammo. They also think ammo loaded by Highland is good with a tough bullet.

 

[Petar]

I normally don't like the copper bullets but in a .300WM I can imagine a good choice would be to go down to something in the 165gn weight as the extra velocity would help with expansion and they'll open up nicely.

The issues you are having are definitely with the projectiles, if everything you say about shot placement and distance is correct. The .300WM isn't a cartridge that gets spoken about often when people say they are having an issue with killing animals.

I've been loading 150gn Hornady Interlocks in mine and they've been spectacular killers on pigs and deer out to about 215 yards. Not the best bullet choice by any means but a friend gave them to me to try. Now, I'm moving to 180gn Woodleigh projectiles - an Australian made bullet. They are very tough. I've used them in my other rifles and they are effective killers and I believe they will be fantastic in the .300WM.

I have friends over here who have found Federal ammo loaded with 180gn Speer Hot Cores and they can't speak highly enough of this ammo. They regularly kill pigs, horses, and scrub bulls with this ammo. They also think ammo loaded by Highland is good with a tough bullet.

I went to ammo stores today looking for bullets
I found only sierra gameking sbt 200 grains from s&b
Does anyone had an experience with this bullets?

 

[pnw]

those should work like your friends 30/06 with 180 gr soft points's but their bigger brother

 

[Mike 338]

These are good quality bullets. Its hard to find better quality bullet here, they go 80$ per box

No they're not. They're just expensive. Your testing proves that. It's not a caliber problem, it's a bullet problem.

 

[RichP]

Nosler Partition is my vote. Some bullets will fragment upon impact and not deliver enough energy on the internals. I shot a bull moose at 127 yards and dropped him on the spot. If the Nosler Partition worked on a moose it will on a hog.

 

[Marble]

I've experienced this more on boars than sows. If it's a fairly large boar then it will have an armor plate starting just in front of the shoulder, extending to just to the edge if the rear ham. It goes from top to bottom too. The "armor plate" is made out of some sort of grisly material. I've seen it up to 2 inches thick and it is not pliable. They feel as stiff as ribs but are 2 to 3 times thicker.

My suggestion is to shoot a heavier bullet in an A frame configuration such as the Nosler partitions.

I have had 7 mag bullets hit and create baseball size holes on entry and then break apart never to hit anything else. These are bullets that normally would go through or nearly through mature bull elk.

 

[mooretitan]

It’s a bullet issue as others have said. One a side note hogs are the toughest animal I have hunted. A big boar can take a lot of punishment. We try for a high shoulder shot to break them down.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Not a hog on earth can go the distance against a 300WM with proper bullets. That being said mature boars are built like a tank, with thick skulls and side gristle plates covering their vitals. They take some hammering. Well constructed bullets built for penetration are in order here - would recommend Barnes TTSX, Woodleighs, TBBC, or Swift A-Frames. Recommend staying away from any cup & core, Bergers, or thin-jacketed/frangible/plinking ammo.

 

[Wapiti1]

Those Sierra Gamekings will work well for you. I shot a lot of elk and deer with those out of my .300 Win Mag. No issues breaking bones and killing elk.

Do you have access to any Norma ammo? Their Oryx is a very good bullet as well.

Jeremy

 

[zm378205]

I agree with everyone else the 300 WM should be sufficient and it sounds like the bullets are giving you trouble. Also you could try a heavy grain bullet ~200 for more knockdown power. With the close distances you're shooting these boars I think a heavy bullet might benefit you.

 

[JigStick]

If shot whitetail with 180g accubonds and barnes triple shocks out a few hundred yards and had them fall over dead. I agree its the terminal performance of the projectile being the problem. not the cartridge.

 

[Petar]

If shot whitetail with 180g accubonds and barnes triple shocks out a few hundred yards and had them fall over dead. I agree its the terminal performance of the projectile being the problem. not the cartridge.

We dont have this brands here
I found yesterday sako super hamerhead
Idk if they will do the job
Also tere is rws, but they are 164 grains

 

[FLAK]

Woodleigh Bullets are another option if you can find them.
I don't know if any mnf. load them or not.

 

[Iman]

Get those SAKO super hammerheads. They are bonded and should work similar to accu/ interbonds

 

[theleo91386]

You're shooting animals to close with to soft of bullet to do what you want. Bullets have a sweet spot for performance, to close (to much velocity) and they come apart, to far (not enough velocity) and they don't expand. What you're seeing from your bullets is exactly what I'd expect them to do on anything built tougher than a deer (think of anything smaller/lighter built than a red stag). I'd play with 165+gr bonded (the copper jacket is bonded to the lead core from various chemical or elecrtical means) or monolithic (the bullet is made from a solid jacket/copper material).

All the advice on here means you at least owe some pictures of the scenery you hunt in.

 

[16Bore]

Amazing, the OP has a handful of choices yet we have treads dedicated to worrying about 3” of “extra” drift at 500 yards.

Perspective...

 

[Petar]

Thats a goog idea I shoud post pistures
I killed that boar on the first picture above the small green three [/QUOTE]