good load for plains game for a .300wby

[.300wby]

What is s good bullet for the .300 weatherby on plains game? I have used 180 gr partitions on big elk in Wyoming. Is that sufficient? And has anyone worked up a good hand load for the .300?

 

[Buff-Buster]

Welcome .300wby! If your gun shoots the 180 Partitions well....by all means, use them. This caliber and bullet will take care of any of the plains game you might want to hunt with authority! Just as important, take the time to study shot placement on the animals you plan to take and all that you MIGHT take. (We all bring home more than we planned on!!) There are a lot of good softpoint bullets out there, Swift, Barnes, Hornady, etc.... Stick with the premium ones, and practice, practice, practice. Be ready to never be the same after you taste what Africa has to offer!

 

[redriver]

I have shot more game with this caliber than any other gun using 200 grain swift A-frames, My
Mark V loves that bullet and I have shot 25+ plainsgame plus grizzly, elk, caribou etc. with the same load.
I would also practice shooting off of shooting sticks. I have my loads made by Safari Arms out of NY.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Welcome .300wby! If your gun shoots the 180 Partitions well....by all means, use them.

Elk medicine will work for everything on your list 300wby.
You will read it again and again.
Bullet placement, quality bullets, practice shooting from every position you can think of except the bench.
Look up the posts on "sticks" and read them. Make or buy a set and practice.

Good luck.

 

[ThomasBeaham]

Hi .300wby !
The Federal Premium Vital-Shok in .300 Weatherby mag, tipped with 180 grain Nosler Partitions worked for me.
Impala,Cape Eland,Blue Wildebeest,Zebra, and Giraffe.
My PH and I went over and over the shot placement guide (especially the Giraffe) before and during the hunt.
I'm sorry I can't provide you with a favorite hand load , as the rifle and ammo were provided by the PH.
Pretty sure one of our members here will be able to recommend one though.

Ty

 

[Highland]

Weatherby cases
Federal Large Rifle Mag primers
88 grains H1000
180 Swift A-Frame
3200ish FPS out of a 26 inch factory Winchester tube
Partitions shot "OK" with that same load and probably could be improved, but since the Swifts are my favorite, I didn't pursue it.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

If you're hunting in heavier cover where the brush will make for shorter shots, I'd lean towards using the WBY's case capacity to push a heavier bullet and go with the 200gr. You should still be in the 2900fps range which isn't exactly slow. If you're going to be in more open country where the shots are longer than stick with the 180gr to take advantage of that extra speed.

But Partion, A-Frame, TSX/TTSX should all work fine. Pick the one that shoots most accurately.

 

[WST416]

My 300wby with 180 accubonds likes the IMR7828 the best and shots sub moa groups out of my ruger #1. I have taken most of my plains game with this combo.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

My 300wby with 180 accubonds likes the IMR7828 the best and shots sub moa groups out of my ruger #1. I have taken most of my plains game with this combo.

Sorry for the thread drift, but have you used the AB's on Eland?

 

[WST416]

Phil I have not shot an Eland with the AB but would with out any hesitation. I have shot really big moose with them and never had any issues.

 

[buffybr]

After many years of wanting a .300 Weatherby, a few years ago I finally built one (Vanguard). I only shoot handloads, and my .300 Wby likes both 168 and 180 gr TSX bullets, and shoots 3-shot sub moa groups with each. So far I've only used this rifle on two hunts (3 Texas exotics and a Montana elk), and all were one shot kills with the 168 gr TSX handloads. The elk was a 5 point bull that when the bullet hit him, he turned, took two steps and fell dead. The shot was about 100 yds hitting him tight behind one shoulder, went through both lungs, and exited behind his other shoulder.

168 gr TSX, R-P cases, 78.5 grs IMR 4350, CCI 250 primers, 3290 fps
180 gr TSX, R-P cases, 84.0 grs IMR 7828, CCI 250 primers, 3191 fps

This July, I'll be taking this .300 Wby and my 168 gr TSX loads to South Africa to hunt Sable, Warthog, Klipspringer, and some other small antelope. Although this TSX load did not make large exit wounds in any of the animals that I have shot with it, I'm developing a load with Hornady 150 gr FMJ bullets to minimize cape damage.

Like others have written, a good elk load will work fine for African plains game. Shot placement and familiarization with your rifle are more important than caliber or type of bullet. The 180 gr Nosler Partition has a long record of being a top performing bullet on both North American and African game animals.