300 wsm which bullet for elk and deer

[Smokey12]

Ok here is the question, I have a 300 wsm and have a load worked up for the 166 Hammers going about 3050 fps. Got the idea I was going to use Berger 175 vld instead. Then I started thinking maybe it was too light and was going to use 190 Vld. I know the hammers hold together better than a vld but vld I feel gives a better transfer of energy due its violent expansion. So long story short, if I use the 175 is it heavy enough for elk and deer or just stick with the hammer load? Let me know what you think.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Either will work fine for elk. I've taken elk with a variety of bullets out if the 300 wsm. None of them lived to tell about it.

 

[Smokey12]

Thanks

 

[sndmn11]

Is 3050 near the tip end for the 166 hammers? That seems a scoosh slow.

 

[Smokey12]

I hit pressure beyond that. I was using h4350. I did a quick work up load. I have heard they attain high FPS but I haven’t been able to achieve that yet even in my 7 mag. If powder was easier to find I would try faster burning powder. Any suggestions @sndmn11?

 

[sndmn11]

I hit pressure beyond that. I was using h4350. I did a quick work up load. I have heard they attain high FPS but I haven’t been able to achieve that yet even in my 7 mag. If powder was easier to find I would try faster burning powder. Any suggestions @sndmn11?

No, I have only tried one bullet in 300wsm, 175LRX and it hit 3100. My 30-06 with 168TTSX is 2990, so I just would have expected more gittyup out of ten more grains of powder.
Both of those are with Staball, and it hasn't been hard to find. The 8lb buckets have been in and out of stock the past week here as well. https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....inchester-staball-6half-smokeless-powder-1-lb

 

[ndlawrence]

Interesting. I am working up a load with the 199gr HH in my 300 wsm w/ H3450. I'm running them in a sweet spot at 2,892, but worked up to 2,950 without excessive pressure. H4350 is not the best choice if you're chasing speed, but it has been very consistent for me.

 

[tdhanses]

My 300wsm is slinging 215 bergers at 2963ft/s so yeah I would of expected more giddy up but maybe the hammers have a very wide bearing surface hindering them in velocity.

 

[Stalker69]

Don’t over think it, Ive killed elk with a 100 grain partition out of a 243.

 

[Smokey12]

Ya the only other thing I could think of is since I have to seat the bullet so far in due to the CA ridgeline mag box length it was giving me pressure earlier than expected. I may have to try out that staball powder.

 

[tdot]

Hammer Hunter Load Data, (See page 1, Post 8)

OK, folks. Steve at Hammer Bullets has been getting requests for load data on Hammer Hunter bullets. There is an extensive spreadsheet for Absolute Hammer Load Data developed and shared by members on this Forum. Data for Hammer Hunters is on the Hammertime Forum, but it has not been placed...

www.longrangehunting.com

Lots of Hammers load data in post #8 of this thread. The 166 or 152 would both be more then sufficient for elk.

 

[PathFinder]

Berger 200.20x, 215s, or 208 ELD M. All will make monos look absolutely silly in terms of lethality.

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[Joseph Floerke]

The 215 bergers are great.

 

[sneaky]

Try some absolute Hammers. 215 Bergers have been unobtainable for a year. Any bullet you hit a deer or elk in the vitals out of that WSM will work.

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[MrTim]

I’m currently working on 2 loads with the 166hh in a 300wsm. My goal is to get to 3200fps. Staball shoots well but seems to be hitting pressure too soon. RL17 is giving me great results and takes up much less room in the case. I am limited by saami mag length as well.

 

[Sykes]

Have any RL26 you could try with the 166 Hammer? Steve says it works really well. I'm using RL16 with the 152 hammer hunter in my Kimber Montana and hit pressure at 3375 fps. I backed it off a grain and am around 3330-3350 fps. Works very well on elk

 

[IrkedCitizen]

@Smokey12 What twist is your barrel?

 

[Smokey12]

Twist is 1-10. Have you chrono’d your load @MrTim? I don’t have RL 26 either.

 

[MrTim]

No. Will post results when I do

 

[Justin Crossley]

I shoot 215 Bergers in mine with R26 and a velocity of around 2950 fps.