165 or 200 grain load for 300WM?

[Kudurifle]

I am hunting plains game this fall in Limpopo, SA. I plant to hunt kudu, blue wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra and impala. I am leaning toward taking my 300WM, but it does not shoot 180s well. It shoots 165 grain Barnes TSX and Nosler Partitions well. It also likes Nosler Accubond 200 grain bullets very well. My PH advises that we may have some long shots (300+). I am looking for informed opinions on the viability of high quality 165 grain bullets from 300WM (3100+fps) on heavy plains game like wildebeest and zebra and whether the 200 grain Accubonds (2910 fps) would be a better all around choice. Thanks in advance. Mike

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

The 165gr Barnes would be my choice over the Partition of the same weight due to the high velocity. The Partition will want to shed it's frontal portion quite quickly with the high speed if the shot is close. My son killed a zebra at 125 yards with a frontal quartering shot using his 7x57 shooting a 140gr North Fork "screaming" out of the muzzle at about 2800fps. The 165gr Barnes will have no problem in my opinion.

The 200gr AB is not a bad choice either. 300 yards with a 2910fps MV and the high BC of the AB, you won't have to compensate very much for the longer shots.

So I'd say it's a choice between the 165gr Barnes or the 200gr AB......flip a coin, either should get the job done.

 

[enysse]

I agree with Phil, +1

 

[gizmo]

I agree with Phil also. 165's all the way. I hunted with 165 grain hand loads out of my 300 mag for several years. I also took my whitebearded gnu with that rifle/load. The only difference being the bullet was a 165 Hornady spire point boat tail. The Barnes I think is a better bullet and is the best choice of bullet for that purpose though.

 

[Odinsraven]

Cull everything with 170gr out of the 8mm remington slightly faster than the win however . ...you do not need to go to 200 gr place the shot and dead will be dead .......

 

[BRICKBURN]

Before last year I would have been slightly suspect on the 165's as I use 180's.
However, after having borrowed Buffybears rifle to take my Sable loaded with a 165 grain Barnes coming out of a 300 Weatherby Mag at the suggested speeds I no longer have any qualms with that weight.
Accuracy was incredible and all the penetration required for a one shot kill.

 

[Code4]

Any of those 165's will do well for the game you listed. Stick with the most accurate and practise, practise, practise at all ranges.
300+ is a long shot in the Limpopo. What will you be doing:
1) shooting from kopje to kopje ?
2) shooting at disturbed game ?
I'd be asking why 300 and why not closer ?

 

[Divernhunter]

I would use 165gr Barnes TTSX(not TSX) or 165gr Swift A-Frames myself. I will be using Swift A-Frames in my 338win mag again(225gr) and A-Frames in my 264win mag(120 or 140gr) or 257Weatherby(120gr) on my next trip. I had many 300+ yard shots and all were one shot kills.

 

[gizmo]

A frames are good bullets too. I saw what the Barnes can do at the beginning of the season as that is what @ActionBob was shooting out of his 6.5 Creedmore if I remember correctly. I was very impressed. As soon as I'm finished rebuilding my 300 mag I plan on getting a few boxes of the Barnes and giving them a whirl.

 

[Bruce]

Any of those 165's will do well for the game you listed. Stick with the most accurate and practise, practise, practise at all ranges.
300+ is a long shot in the Limpopo. What will you be doing:
1) shooting from kopje to kopje ?
2) shooting at disturbed game ?
I'd be asking why 300 and why not closer ?

Agree... very strange to get 300+ shots in Limpopo area???
I use ONLY 180gr factory ammo in my 300 WM and have never had issues... longest shot taken in Tanzania on Grant's gazelle at 383m.
maybe I need to experiment with some 165gr ammo?
I also, incidentally, only use 180gr in my 30-06 for bush veld hunting...

 

[Bruce]

A frames are good bullets too. I saw what the Barnes can do at the beginning of the season as that is what @ActionBob was shooting out of his 6.5 Creedmore if I remember correctly. I was very impressed. As soon as I'm finished rebuilding my 300 mag I plan on getting a few boxes of the Barnes and giving them a whirl.

Sounds good... let us know how this pans out with the "new"300W

 

[Grumulkin]

I am hunting plains game this fall in Limpopo, SA. I plant to hunt kudu, blue wildebeest, waterbuck, zebra and impala. I am leaning toward taking my 300WM, but it does not shoot 180s well. It shoots 165 grain Barnes TSX and Nosler Partitions well. It also likes Nosler Accubond 200 grain bullets very well. My PH advises that we may have some long shots (300+). I am looking for informed opinions on the viability of high quality 165 grain bullets from 300WM (3100+fps) on heavy plains game like wildebeest and zebra and whether the 200 grain Accubonds (2910 fps) would be a better all around choice. Thanks in advance. Mike

I have two rifles chambered in "300 WM;" a 300 Winchester Magnum and a 300 Weatherby Magnum. In both, I've settled on the 200 gr. Nosler Accubond. The 300 Weatherby Magnum went to Africal with me last time and I used it to swat 16 Springbok; a number over 300 yards away and also swatted a Gemsbok with it at about 400 yards. It shoots plenty fast and flat with 200 grain bullets.

I also used the same rifle with 168 grain Berger VLDs on Pronghorn Antelope. They worked just fine.

In the 300 Winchester Magnum, the only thing I took with the 200 grain Accubonds was a Whitetail Deer with a neck shot; it was DRT.

 

[CAustin]

I use 180 gr factory in mine as well. When you say your 300 win mag doesn't shoot 180 s well what does that mean? Your off an inch at 300 yards? Shot this guy with Winchester Ballistic Silvertips 180 gr at 150 yards and hit him exactly where I wanted!

 

[enysse]

I agree Swift A-frame and TTSX are terrific too. I like heavy bullets too, with Barnes you can go lighter. Eland, zebra and sable are not small and weak, wildebeest can run a long way if not hit good and proper.

 

[johnnyblues]

I shoot a 300 wsm with 180 gr Barnes TSX ammo ,that being said if your gun does not shoot well with them I would be more than comfortable with the 165 gr TSX. Those bullets are more than deadly. I was in Namibia this year and shot 5 animals with the Barnes ammo ranges from 100 yds to 325 yds. I have 5 dead animals......

 

[tarbe]

All good choices. Only thing to do is put one where it matters!

I used the Barnes 180gr TTSX on 15 animals last May and got superb performance on everything from Jackal to Eland.

A 200gr Partition or Accubond would likely give very similar results.

I'd choose the one that shoots the most consistently. My No 1 loved the Barnes, but not the Partition...so easy choice for me.

 

[johnnyblues]

All good choices. Only thing to do is put one where it matters!

I used the Barnes 180gr TTSX on 15 animals last May and got superb performance on everything from Jackal to Eland.

A 200gr Partition or Accubond would likely give very similar results.

I'd choose the one that shoots the most consistently. My No 1 loved the Barnes, but not the Partition...so easy choice for me.

 

[johnnyblues]

Completely agree

 

[Buckdog]

i have killed many many animals with various 300 mags from prong horn to moose and bear. and I would never use a 165gr bullet just too light to penetrate as much as hevier bullets if you dont get an ideal presentation shot on a big animal, which is most of the time. I only shoot 180's and 200's and any premium bullet will get er done as in the end its all about shot placement and the bullet your guns like the best. so find something your gun likes to eat and practice, practice is the key. where the 200gr premium bullet win eveytime is on big animals quartering or trying to break a shoulder on big ones and punch thru. thats my field tested opinion. the stag in my avatar tokk a 200 gr accubond broadside right behind the shoulder at 200 yds and stubled and staggered until he got a second. both were just under the skin on the far side perfect mushrooms. enough said go 200gr if your gun shoots them you will never worry if you got enough bullet. and yes i have shot 165s they just dont penetrate as much.

 

[Kudurifle]

We'll be hunting outside of Kruger as well as Komati River in Swaziland. Perhaps that is where the longer shots will be? I don't know, first hunt in Africa. That is what PH told me. So the consensus is that the 165 is plenty. Even for Zebra and Blue Wildebeest? I hear they are tough critters!