300 Weatherby Magnum Ammo Recommendation for 0 - 200 Yards

[IsItBanded?]

Hi Everyone,

First post here. Our family is expecting our first Weatherby which is on its way to the FFL. It's a Vanguard First Lite in 300 Weatherby magnum. I'm looking for recommendations on ammunition for the taking of Whitetail deer. Typical shots are from 50 - 200 yards, however, we have taken quite a few deer within yards of the stand.

Obviously the rifle will tell us what it likes, however, I would like to have some insight from others on what would work well from 0 - 200 for Whitetail.

I see there are ballistic tip offerings which makes me curious about them. I have never used any such ammunition and am wondering what the community thinks about their use, mainly effectiveness, pros, cons, etc...

Thanks in advance!

[catskinner]

well, it's a 300 wby any of the factory ammo will work for deer, that's for sure. But it's the amount of meat damage, your willing to accept, that is the real question. The ballistic tip loads will be a bit messy, at the ranges you hunt. I would suggest the TTSX loads frist, and then any of the bonded bullet loads, to see which one your rifle likes, if you don't like  a lot of meat damage.

Rob

[Blackbear3]

Welcome and Congrats on the new addition to the family. I agree with Rob, I'd start with Barnes, Accubonds and Partitions. Probably 180 or 165 gr bullets, let your rifle tell you what it likes best.

[IsItBanded?]

Thanks, Rob & Doug!

[txaggie]

Ditto on above for deer I wouldn't advise ballistic tips at 200 probably not so bad, but inside 100 will make a pretty good mess. Unfortunately they are usually very dang accurate.

180's the barnes, accubonds and swift makes them with scirocco's - actually more expensive than wby ammo, but a fine bullet for all around hunting and hold together very well.

150's partitions will flat out knock the snot out of some whitetail and should hold up very well.

But I agree let your rifle tell you what's best and know any of the above mentioned will work great.

[eford]

Roy Weatherby designed the 300 Wby around the 180 grain bullet. Weatherby factory 180 grain spritzer bullets, made by Norma and by Hornady, are good bullets. My 300 likes the Hornady’s and my buddy has a 300 Wby that likes the Norma. With other rifles, anything I’ve hit with a Swift Scirocco II bullet has fallen over dead right there.
I think all this means is when you put a decent bullet into the right place, the bullet does the work. With a 300 Wby, have a good skinning knife because one good hit from the .30 cal bullet and the hunt part is over.

[IsItBanded?]

Thanks, eford and txaggie!

[PARA45]

My 300 likes 180 Accubonds.  I took those reloads to Africa and the Accubonds performed as advertised. 

[buffybr]

Like others have posted, at under 200 yards, just about any bullet from a .300 Weatherby put in the heart/lungs of a deer will easily kill it.  Accuracy is the key, and only your rifle will show you which bullet it will shoot the best.  Meat damage is another story.  Usually heavier and/or stouter bullets will cause less meat damage than lighter or more fragile bullets.

I only hunt with reloads and I have only hunted with Barnes bullets in my .300 Weatherby.  My .300 Bee likes Barnes bullets and I have worked up moa or better loads for it with 168 and 180 grain TSX and TTSX bullets.

I have never killed a deer with my .300 Bee, but I have killed a score of deer size critters with it on hunts in Texas, New Zealand, and Africa with 168 grain TSX and TTSX bullets.  Most were one shot kills and unless the bullet hit a major bone, most bullets were complete pass throughs with very little meat damage. 

I primarily bought my .300 Wby for an elk rifle, but so far I have only shot two bull elk with it.  Both were 5x5 bulls, shot at under 200 yards, and one shot kills.  I shot the first one when he was standing broadside to me and my 168 grain TSX went in behind one shoulder and exited behind his other shoulder.  He took 3 steps and fell dead.  I don't think I lost a pound of meat with that shot.

When I shot the second bull he was standing quartering me, facing and close to a fence on property that I didn't have permission to hunt.  So I broke my own rule of not shooting an elk in the shoulder, and put my 168 grain TTSX bullet on the tip of his shoulder.  Again it was a one shot kill and because he was on a steep hill, he rolled farther than he ran.  That bullet hit his shoulder bone just below it's junction with his shoulder blade, went almost completely through him and stopped just under his skin on his opposite ham.  At least half of his shoulder meat was bloodshot ruined.