A better bullet for my 300 WSM

[camping1601]

Tried the Barnes Tipped TSX bullets for deer and like others have said about solid copper bullets I get a small entrance and equally small exit hole with little to no blood. I'm thinking about the 150 grn Accubonds? And thoughts or other suggestions?

This is strictly for NE whietails at less than 500 yrds. FWIW I'm used to the results of 140 grn Ballistic out of my STW. I'd like a compromise between the serious damage of the ballistic tip and the meat saving copper solid.

Thanks in advance.

 

[HuntHarder]

I load a 185 gr. Berger VLD in mine. I too tried the barnes, but accuracy was never where I wanted it, so I switched to the VLDs. So far I have taken 3 bull elk and 2 whitetail with it with great success.

 

[AK Troutbum]

How about a Nosler Partition?

 

[HOT ROD]

Cant go wrong with the accubond or partition

 

[6mm Remington]

My son uses the 180 gr. Accubond in his 300 WSM and that bullet penetrates, holds together, and is very accurate. It is a great bullet. A 165 gr. Accubond or Partition would sure work well for you I believe. I would choose that weight over a 150 grain bullet. A 180 gr. bullet would be a better choice also in my opinion. Good luck.

David

Here is a 165 gr. Accubond out of my 30-06 into water jugs at 25 yards. Pretty brutal test.

 

[Silentstalker]

I am a huge Nosler fan. I would look at the BT, AB, or PT. All 3 will cleanly kill any deer you shoot with them while expanding consistently.

That said, my buddy shoots the 150 gr. Federal Fusion out of his 300 WSM and it is a hammer. He has killed everything up to a 370" bull elk with it.

 

[hodgeman]

I've used the 180 AB in my .300WSM since 2006...something like 25 animals from 20' to 350 yds. I get great performance on critters so I've been reluctant to try anything else.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Nosler Partition or Swift A-Frame

 

[Justin Crossley]

For what you're describing, I would use 180 AccuBonds, or 185 Berger Classic hunters.

For longer stuff, I would go bigger.

 

[PathFinder]

I really don't see the need to shoot heavily constructed bullets at deer, especially out of a 30 cal. magnum. SSTs, VLDs, and similar bullets will make the holes and blood trails you are looking for. I shot 4 deer (and was present for 3 more) shot with rapidly fragmenting match bullets, and I was blown away at the mess they made. Three were from a 300 WM (Berger 215 hybrid, Hornady 208 BTHP) and two with a 25 WSSM (100 SMK). I like the Barnes bullets but the match bullets make an impressive mess.

 

[mtluckydan]

Is the issue with the barnes ttsx a velocity issue. I have used them for years out of multiple 308's and my wife shoots them in her 7-08. I have killed dozen's of deer and never had any issue with no expansion. Two holes and a good blood trail. In most of my rifles, I can get them to shoot very well. I shoot primarily 150's. Most of the issues I've heard about are with more powerful rifles like you use. I am shooting in the range of 2800-2975 fps in the 308. The loads I produce for the 7-08 are 2600+. The following link has some interesting information: http://www.eabco.com/Reports/report05.htm

 

[BrentH]

180 grain Accubonds work great out of my .300 WSM. FWIW, I am shooting the Nosler factory loads until I am able to work up my own load.

 

[LazyV]

Cant go wrong with the accubond or partition

Agreed. I'm currently running 180gr Accubonds in a 300wsm and won't be changing any time soon.

 

[belly-deep]

I think you'll be happy with the Accubonds. I haven't shot the 150/.308's but for deer, I would have no hesitation. I've used them mostly in 180/.308 and 160/7mm and they have worked really well from antelope to elk.

Another good bullet is the 168/.308 Ballistic Tip. It is a little beefier than the 150 BT and cheaper too.

 

[camping1601]

Thanks again for the input.

I think I'll go with the AB's and give them a try. I don't wanna go back to ballistic tips as they caused to much meat loss out of my STW. I was happy with the way the Barnes shot but just not the way they killed. I've got 6 deer kills with them and a couple would have been a pita to find without snow. Fwiw I was shooting 67 grns of H4350 with a Fed primer.

Thanks again.

 

[belly-deep]

FYI every once in a while you will get a nasty entrance wound with an Accubond, especially if it is a quartering shot.

 

[Lindley]

Not cheap, but amazing bullets.

I use them in 7mm and .416 Rigby.

http://www.northforkbullets.com/magento/products/bullets/?bweight=11

 

[usmc99]

I use 180 grn accubonds in my 300 wsm and they are HAMMERS!

 

[hunting1]

Another 300wsm 180 NAB user here. I load them at 2900fps with 4350. Only thing shot since buying last year was an antelope.

 

[4ester]

I have seen issues with bonded bullets not performing well on smaller game animals. In fact Ive seen partitions pencil through an elk only to chase them miles and miles trying to recover. I think they perform best if you put them through bone. The Accubond seems to do a little better as the BT helps to open it up. Not a barnes fanboy, and I dont like cleaning copper.

For whitetail I would shy away from these bullets, and look at something like the Berger, A-max, Nosler BT (or Combined Technologies). I like to dump all the energy into the animal and create hydrostatic shock.