300 Win Mag Close Range

[119bowhunter]

Looking for suggestions for a good factory load for my 300 win mag for whitetails, with a lot of my shots being under 100 yards...I am concerned about either pencil holing a deer at that range, or having a bullet blow up and damage a lot of meat. I bought a box of the Remington managed recoil loads (150 grain core-lokt) to try but have not shot them yet, but I would prefer a full power load so mainly interested in bullet constructions that will give good expansion but not zip through and leave a poor blood trail. Thanks!

 

[Redman]

I shot a buck at 40 yds with a 150 grain Nosler Accubond from my .300 WSM. I recovered a perfectly mushroom shaped bullet just under his skin on the opposite side. Had it been some other bullet I think it would have been a mess. I have shot deer at close range with a 125gr Nosler Ballistic Tip out of a .308 Win handgun. Let's just say you could fit a football in the exit hole.

 

[MKotur325]

If you really want to hammer a whitetail without blowing up a bullet, I'd go to a heavy bullet at moderate velocity. Back in 2007 I shot an Antelope doe at about 35yds with a .325WSM and a 200Gr Nosler Accubond, she didn't take a step. She just folded. If I were in your shoes I'd probably shoot either a 180gr (or heavier) Accubond with a velocity UNDER 3100FPS or a 180gr (or heavier) Partition. Neither of those bullets are going to pencil on you, or detonate. Plus, you'd be set for bears, elk or any other North american opportunities that may come up. The big key, in my mind, to keeping bullets from coming apart... keep that velocity down! Most lead core bullets are not designed for impact velocities over about 3000-3100fps. If you can keep your velocity south of that, you will be golden!

 

[Sask hunter]

Only time I use factories is in the bush cause my handloads would be a little hot for thirty yard shots. I just used the cheap Winchester 180's worked fine on the 400# bear I shot

 

[406LIFE]

I'd say try the 150 Accubonds. I think, however, that at that range with a magnum, you might not have much success at what you want. Definitely don't use 180g Accubonds at 3200fps, at 80 yards they leave a hole in the ribcage, but the deer dont go nowhere.

 

[mtmuley]

Use the 180 Accubond. I've killed a bunch of critters at close range with the 200 grain at 3200 fps muzzle. One bull at 42 yards. Accubonds are one bullet I trust at any range. mtmuley

 

[mconway951]

I shot a deer last fall in black hills of SD at around 60 yds with my 300 mag. I was shooting Winchester deer season xp as they shot the best groups. It did a great job. Clean pass through behind the shoulder. massive organ damage and very little meat damage

 

[belly-deep]

You're going to ruin some meat on whitetails at 100 yards with a 300 mag.

Even a tough bullet like a Partition is going to create a lot of damage.

 

[elkaholic06]

I'd suggest a heavy, tougher bullet to help keep velocity and fragmentation down. Something like a 180 Partition maybe?

I've never shot a whitetail, but I shot a cow elk at 25-30 yards with a 180 grain Partition out of a .300 WM. There wasn't any excessive damage and no pencil-holing either.

I would shy away from anything 150 grain or fast expanding/weak construction. And don't shoot in the shoulder (I don't know why people purposefully do that...).


NB: We shoot heavy and tough for antelope too and don't have any problems around 200 yards, so you should be fine with whitetail.

 

[mtmuley]

You're going to ruin some meat on whitetails at 100 yards with a 300 mag.

Even a tough bullet like a Partition is going to create a lot of damage.

The bullet will only ruin meat if you shoot where the meat is. mtmuley

 

[Redman]

Here you go. The bullet taken from my buck I shot at 40yds.

 

[belly-deep]

The bullet will only ruin meat if you shoot where the meat is. mtmuley

I've seen bloodshot up into the shoulder with lung shots. Also, the only way to not hit meat is a perfect broadside shot.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Hornady American whitetail. I use the 180 grn bullets just because my 300wm likes them a little better than the 165grns. They've been great for me and Holly at pretty moderate ranges on deer.

 

[p_ham]

I really like 200gr and 180gr out of my 300wm. Federal premium offers them with noslers and I believe sierra's but I could be mistaken.

 

[Don Fischer]

Magnum and close range and light bullet's should not all be in the same sentence together. For me, the only reason to use any magnum is to use heavy for caliber bullet's. Magnum's handle them much better than standard case's. In a 300 mag I wouldn't even consider a bullet less than 200grs for anything. Bad thing about magnum's s with med weight bullet's at close range magnum's can easily turn the bullet into a small bomb. You don't need a lot of bullet to kill a deer but if you launch that light bullet a magnum velocities, it just might explode on the deer rather than deep inside the deer.

 

[MKotur325]

If you want something for short range only, but could really pack a punch, a round nose, or protected point bullet will begin energy transfer a bit faster than a spitzer. You could always take a look at something like a 240gr Woodleigh weldcore, a 200gr Lapua mega, 220 Gr Nosler Partition semi-spitzer or others like that. Nosler also makes a 220gr Round Nose Ballistic tip. That could be another really interesting bullet for a short range .300WM. Hard to say how well it would hold up, but I'd bet dollars to dimes that the energy transfer on that is going to be................... Immediate.

 

[mtmuley]

That 220 RN Ballistic Tip is an interesting bullet. Be quite a hammer in a RUM I bet. Anybody here ever use them? mtmuley

 

[belly-deep]

That 220 RN Ballistic Tip is an interesting bullet. Be quite a hammer in a RUM I bet. Anybody here ever use them? mtmuley

I've seen those but can't figure out what they were developed for. Must be an old high SD/low velocity round? 30-40 Krag maybe?

 

[mtmuley]

Be interesting to see some results of it shot into game or at least a test medium. Might work well in a .30-.30 at close ranges. mtmuley

 

[Millsworks]

I flat out love my .300 win. mag. and love to hunt and take game with it even more every year. But I only use it if I expect the need of 200+ yrd. work.
I think a man needs to use the right tool for the job at hand, if at all possible. It seems a shame to load down a magnum, but if you only have one rifle, the 300 is certainly capable.

You will need to reload to really slow it up enouph to make it do what you want in my opinion.
I am unaware of a factory loading that will be what it seems you are looking for.

I have never loaded anything smaller than 165gr. in my 300 and that was mostly for target shooting. But the few deer I shot with the Hornady A-Max match bullets performed very well and with little damage to the tissue.
I think match ammo might be worth your time to try.

Unless you have something in a non Magnum color to put on.

If I were shooting 100yrds. or less and wanted power, a muzzleloader or a good rifled slug gun would be more fun.

But, hey you use what makes you happy.
I hunt with a .308 or a Rem. 260 in our deer woods when shots will be 200yrds. Or less.