.300 Savage 180gr

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44 AMP

Staff
I'm looking for a bullet that will give proper controlled expansion at .300 Savage velocities. 300yds or less.

The Remington Core-lokt loaded in the .300 Savage would be fine, but no one seems to have any in stock.

Not interested in high cost "premium" bullets, and don't want ones designed to handle the big.300 magnums speeds.

I want something that will open up decently at 2300fps or so, and I don't want a flat point .30-30 bullet.

Ideas?
 
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Paul B.

New member
The 180 gr. Sierra Pro-hunter spitzer should do the trick. The 180 gr. Hornady Interlock probably would work but may not open up quite as much as the Sierra.
Just a suggestion though if I may. Take a look at the Speer 165 gr. Hot-Core.
One of my .308 rifls is a Ruger M77 RSI, the one with the stock out to the muzzle. It took me two years to find a load that would do 1.50" or better at 100 yards. If that rifle hadn't felt like it was a part of me when I aimed it, it would have been long gone. I ended up using an "improper" powder to finally reach my goal of of 1.5" or better. Turns out better was 1.25". The improper powder was W760 and the velocity only 2550 FPS from that short 18.5" barrel but that load has killed der from 6 feet to 250 yards laser measured. On the long shot the der was facing me and I recovered the bullet in one of the back legs high up. The latest Sper manual shows 44.0 gr. compressed of Re15 for 2614 FPS in a .300 Sav. and that should reach out to 300 yards without too much problem. That's my go to bullet in that particular .308 and performance has been excellent. I'd even consider using that load for elk should the occasion arise.
Paul B.
 
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William T. Watts

New member
I think the Nosler 170gr partition designed for the 30/30 would be ideal for what you want, if your concerned with cost then it wouldn't work for you. I intend to use this bullet in a 307 Winchester lever gun essentially a loaded down 308 Win with a rim designed for lever guns that has 300 Savage velocity (2400FPS). Works very well on deer size game, this bullet does have a round nose.. BTW asking a 180SP bullet to expand out to 300yds with 300 savage velocities is asking an awful lot from a bullet, I do not know of anybody's 180gr SP that will do that! William
 
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44 AMP

Staff
Thanks for the advice so far! I am asking this for a friend, and its a nostalgia thing. He's well experienced with dozen of calibers, and wants this hunt to be a .300 Savage, at the load level that made the cartridge its reputation.

There is no desire to turn it up to what it might be, and the rifles will be a 1952 Savage 99EG and, or a Savage Model 1920.

300yds will be the extreme possibility, and unlikely. 200 is a more reasonable estimate of the longest ranges likely.

We're just looking for the best 180gr for the lower speed (2400ish minus range to target velocity loss). Not looking for a bullet to work at magnum speeds, and spritzer/spire point would be preferred if practical.

I've got experience with the .308 (and in a carbine velocity is .300Savage), I know what the usual 180s will do, I am wondering if any of you have some specific recommendations on what to use, or what not to?
 
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HiBC

New member
Given your situation,I suggest:

If you have time,contact the bullet mfgrs.Ask for a tech rep,they may have a chat line.

Ask their recommendation.

Another question might be "What is the velocity low limit of this bullet regarding reliable expansion"

IIRC,Nosler used to advertise the lower end of expansion vel at about 1900 fps for Ballistic Tips.
The 180 gr BT has a BC of about .507.If you launch it at 2400 you will have about 1900 at 300 yds.

Point:I think the upper end of velocity loads can push a 180 bullet with decent BC to 300 yds and retain enough velocity to expand a relatively easily expanded bullet.
You might check ogive lengths vs seating depth and mag length.
It was either Speer or Hornady that had a semi-spritzer with a BC of around .300.It would only have 1660 at 300,but it likely would suit the mag,it would look "old",and with the semi-round nose,it likely would perform.I doubt a lower demand bullet like that has been run in a long time.
If you can find some old dusty boxes of 180 gr Speer Mag Tips at the LGS,the might work real well.
 
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Tom Matiska

New member
Hornady lists a 150gr/300 Savage offering, but it reads to me like it favors penetration. If you want reliable expansion at modest velocities then go for their 140gr Monoflex or 165gr FTX. They aren't just for tube feeds. They work at modest 30-30 velocities, but have the tip to get you out to the 300 yard potential of the 300 Sav.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"wants this hunt to be a .300 Savage, at the load level that made the cartridge its reputation."

The original bullet weight for the .300 Savage was 150-grains, and it's that weight that made the round's reputation. .

Savage offered a 180-gr. loading, but from what I've been able to determine, it was not a particularly good seller, nor was it carried for the entire run of Savage's foray into the ammunition business.

180 is pushing the upper envelope of what is realistic with the short neck and limited case volume of the Savage.

My experience is that the best balance between velocity, bullet weight, and powder capacity is a flat-base 165-gr. bullet.
 
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trixter

New member
All of the above is good information, but things change a little when you run 300 Savage rounds through a bolt action such as my Remington 700. I have been loading 150gr RFN with 13gr of Unique and getting the size of my groups to shrink as I practice. What is amazing is when I shoot the same boolit through my A3-03, 30-06; 17gr of Unique is the magic potion. Fun stuff.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"but things change a little when you run 300 Savage rounds through a bolt action such as my Remington 700."

Uhm... how so?

You're not limited to flatpoint bullets in the 99's rotary magazine, so the exact same loads that work in that gun will work in a bolt action, a slide action, or a semi-auto.

I, too, have pushed a lot of lead bullets through my 99 and my Remington 722, only I've used Red Dot.
 
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HiBC

New member
I was accepting 44AMP's decision on the 180's.I did not try to steer him in another direction.

I do agree that 150's and 165's are better suited to the Savage case.

Hornady makes a 150 gr bullet specifically designed for the .300 Savage.

There are a lot of good 165 gr choices.

The slight increase in velocity may increase reliability of bullet performance.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"I was accepting 44AMP's decision on the 180's."

And there's where ya went off track.

NEVER accept anything that 44AMP says... :D:D
 
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Barnacle Brad

New member
Loaded with 180 grain bullets driven at 2300-2400fps, the Savage produces adequate penetration on large bodied medium game but cannot be expected to produce widely diffused wounding in comparison to modern .30 caliber cartridge designs if a stout bullet is used. Historically, ammunition manufacturers must have understood this as there many examples of highly frangible heavy bullet designs which utilized mechanical, rather than disproportionate to caliber (high velocity) wounding.

Again, construction of 180 grain bullets has an immense effect on performance. When a heavy but frangible projectile is driven slowly, in many instances, there is little detrimental effect on penetration. With stout 180 grain projectiles, the .300 Savage produces best performance at close bush/woods type ranges, losing the ability to render fast killing wounds well within 150 yards. With soft, frangible 180 grain bullets, this range can be extended to 300 yards, an immense difference.
Click to expand...

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.300+Savage.html

If you scroll to the bottom of the Hand Loading section of that page (link above), you will find information on the 180 bullets applicable to your hunting needs. I hope it helps.

I only shoot 150gr in my 99 so have no frame of reference regarding the 180grs. Good luck!!
 
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HiBC

New member
Barnacle Brad,great article!
The info on the frangibility at low vels beats hunch and guess! Thanks.
 
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oneoldsap

New member
My favorite .300 Savage bullet is Speer's 150 RN Hot-Core . It performs perfectly on Whitetails at 2600 FPS . The little .300 is ill suited for 180 gr. bullets . Not enough powder capacity to generate the velocity needed to open up a 180 , of any design . With that short neck if really wastes a chunk of the powder capacity , by intruding into the boiler room . I only shoot 150s in mine , 165s in the .308 , and If I'm shooting 180s , the 30-06 or .300 Win, Mag would be my choice ! IMR-4064 is a super .300 Savage powder .
 
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