.300 WM Varmint Round...

kachingchingpow · 11-06-2006, 19:23

I know, it's somewhat of an oxymoronic suggestion. Last weekend I was hunting out of a ground blind on a 100ac peanut field that offers some rather long shots. I've haven't taken many "long" ones... mostly due to the fact that I've shot enough deer inside 300yds that have run into various thicknesses of cover that ultimatetly required a lengthy tracking session in the dark. I prefer a clean kill.

Anyhow, to the matter at hand. I'm relaxing in my chair in the blind, as the sun falls below the trees. Hunting was just about to get good. Then about 75 yards from me, a large gray fox walked onto the field and began feasting on the peanuts. Being a quail and turkey hunter at heart, I thought the old fox would make a great addition to the trophy room, and protect a few juvenile quail and turkey in the same stroke. I didn't shoot it due to the large caliber I was using, and thought it would destroy it. So question is... what round might do the trick? I'm thinking that a 180gr FMJ (perferablly smaller) would be the round I could carry with me in the event of a varmint opportunity. The Remington Premier Partition's I'm using for deer do a lot of damage... too much really even for whitetails (exit wounds are the size of a softball). I could just keep a few in my pocke for "just such an occasion."

FWIW, the rifle is a Rem 700 Sendero .300 WM with the heavy fiberglass stock, topped with a Leopold VXIII Long Range w/ Varmint Reticle, trigger worked down to 2lbs, and smooth. (the club I belong to has a 600yd range with pits, so the gun is dual purpose)

BTW: I'm a lefty, and the scope has the side parallax adjustment (left side of the scope). Don't get one of those if you're left handed, and intend to hunt. It's tough to adjust in the field... impossible without some sort of rest.

Gene Econ · 11-07-2006, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by kachingchingpow

FWIW, the rifle is a Rem 700 Sendero .300 WM with the heavy fiberglass stock, topped with a Leopold VXIII Long Range w/ Varmint Reticle, trigger worked down to 2lbs, and smooth. (the club I belong to has a 600yd range with pits, so the gun is dual purpose)

KCP:

The problem is the cartridge, not the bullet. The 300 WM simply has too much power for your purposes. Use a lighter bullet an you will destroy a small animal or maybe the bullet will blow up in flight due to an exceptionally high velocity. Use a heavier bullet and chances are the bullet punches a neat .30 caliber hole through the small animal and it keeps on moving. Downloading the 300 WM has its own set of problems.

Bring a rifle that uses a cartridge based on the .308 and you won't have these problems. Barrel life will be significantly higher and your shoulder will thank you as well.

Gene

kachingchingpow · 11-08-2006, 10:31

I realize I'm in one of those "using a sledge when a hammer will do" scenario's. The rifle kinda found me, I didn't find it. I was looking for a flat shooting rifle at a gunshow a few years ago, and had pretty much picked the place apart. I've had good luck with 7-mags, and was leaning that way, but also was looking hard at the new .270 short mag. I decided to think about it close to the front door while I watched what merchandise was being walked in. A LEO walked by with the .300 draped over his shoulder. I guess he didn't feel like carrying it around all day, because I got it for less than half of it's book value, plus it had a POS Simmons scope and Leupold base and rings on it. The Simmons quickly sold on e-bay for $40. So after a trigger job I was still into this rifle for under $450.

I'm thinking just an FMJ might at least provide a "pencil hole" vs destroying the animal... of course with ample backstop (don't ever take shots where that's in question). Of course this could be just the excuse I need to get my son his first rifle

I'm thinking he needs a 6.5 swede or a 7mm-08.

**The Reaper** · 11-08-2006, 10:59

You know, a .22LR pistol might be handy for just such an occasion, as well as not attracting as much attention if you left your fox hunting license in your other pants.

If you have to use the .300 WM, and I have one myself, you might consider looking for a chamber insert. IIRC you can get them for .308 and .30-'06 to use .30 Carbine or .32 ACP ammo in those rifles. You might find one for .300 WM.

If you can put the bullet where you want it for a rifle normally zeroed for several hundred meters, the pencil hole should work, but after you shoot, I wouldn't count on finding a deer coming by that day.

TR

tugboat · 11-08-2006, 18:56

I shoot alot of fox, coon and coyote. .22 LR. will do the job with very careful shot placement. But the .22mag Ruger Single Six is a better gamegetter.When using .22LR to shoot larger critters, it is best to avoid shooting through the shoulder. Wait until the animal is quartering away from you. Place your shot just behind the shoulder at an angle that has a good chance of striking both heart and lung.

kachingchingpow · 11-08-2006, 21:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

You know, a .22LR pistol might be handy for just such an occasion, as well as not attracting as much attention if you left your fox hunting license in your other pants.

If you have to use the .300 WM, and I have one myself, you might consider looking for a chamber insert. IIRC you can get them for .308 and .30-'06 to use .30 Carbine or .32 ACP ammo in those rifles. You might find one for .300 WM.

If you can put the bullet where you want it for a rifle normally zeroed for several hundred meters, the pencil hole should work, but after you shoot, I wouldn't count on finding a deer coming by that day.

TR

Yessir, I agree on the .22 pistol. I just recently sold my Ruger. All I was using it for was to sit at my basement bar shooting out the window at a little range I have set up. CB Caps made a fun little plinker... and no ear plugs necessary.

Does are pretty stupid, and will often walk back onto a field 15 minutes after a round is touched off. I've shot them literally sniffing the nose of one I just shot 20 minutes prior. They'll spook and be gone if even a faint noise of an ATV or a truck is heard though. Bucks, on the other hand usually won't ever hit our field unless it's pitch black or smack in the middle of the rut. I've never seen one after squeezing the trigger on a doe, that's for certain.

I'm going to bring a few FMJ's to the field and let you know how much damage they do. I'm crossing my fingers. It's a large fox and is beautifully marked.

Tug, have you shot the .17HMR yet? How does it stack against the .22 mag? I've heard great things about it, not to mention the BSA drop compensating scope that you can hang on one for cheap.

HOLLiS · 11-09-2006, 15:44

FMJs as a hunting round? Last time I checked Fish and Game would not be very happy with you.

The right tool for the right job, no rifle does it all. I had a sweat 270 that I loaded some 90 grain HP for, book speed 3,400-3,500 FPS (if memory was right, this was about 30 years ago). I has using a 22 LR HP to kill coyotes, sun dried pelts were worth about $50.00.

I was pretty proud of my 270 wizz kids, so I decided to try them on a coyote. On the way out I spotted a good size Jack rabbit.

He was about 50 yards away, back facing me. It seemed, as just as I started to touch the trigger, there was a 10 ft radius of grey.

I walked over to the Jack, all there was, was his head and duster (tail). A flash of brilliance came to my mind, this round was NO coyote round.

My other favorite coyote round was the 256 Win Mag. In heavy brush country with limited visibility, a 20 guage.

**The Reaper** · 11-09-2006, 16:41

I do not think that anyone loads commercial .300 WM with FMJ bullets.

If you are going to work up some hand loads, you might try something in the 145-168 grain range, and FMJs are available there, but as noted, you do not want to shoot reduced powder loads. You will also have a significantly different zero with that round.

Good luck.

TR

Air.177 · 11-09-2006, 16:53

Have you considered taking a page out of NDD's book and going to a board with a nail in it?

kachingchingpow · 11-09-2006, 18:33

Yeah, this is probably an effort in futility. I've got some FMJ's that I loaded up last spring, we'll see how it does on a fox squirrel before I tear up the fox.

Honestly I forget if GA has a ban on FMJ's. Seems like I read it somewhere, but I've lived and hunted in several states and frankly can't recall. Anyhow, I'm no poacher, but the area that I hunt is so rural that the owls don't say "who" they say "where." Being busted for having a couple FMJ's in my pocket is the least of my worries.

I talked it over with a close friend today (he works for SWC at one of the CQB ranges). He lit a $300 light bulb in my head. Taurus Tracker 6.5" revolver in .17hmr, topped with a small scope. Great idea. Now I've got to get it past the wife.

**The Reaper** · 11-09-2006, 19:29

I like an old S&W 41 with a 1.5-5x EER on top for squirrels and rabbits, but that is your call.

TR

HOLLiS · 11-09-2006, 20:13

One other bullet choice, is to make hard cast bullets. Loads on lead bullets are substancially less and on critters they act similar to FMJs. Linotype is used in the lead mix.

I am not sure if there is any developed loads for the 300WM. I have not done much with that round in a long time and never with reduced loads.

kachingchingpow · 11-09-2006, 21:00

S&W M41... man, that's like comparing an Escalade to an S-10.

I've owned a bunch of other Smiths, and a few Hi Standards. The 41's a very nice shootin iron.

Gene Econ · 11-10-2006, 19:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOLLiS

One other bullet choice, is to make hard cast bullets. Loads on lead bullets are substancially less and on critters they act similar to FMJs. Linotype is used in the lead mix. I am not sure if there is any developed loads for the 300WM. I have not done much with that round in a long time and never with reduced loads.

Hollis:

I haven't seen linotype for twenty years. I am sure some place has an equivalent and will bet the cost is $2.00 plus per pound.

Just took a look in my Lyman Cast Bullet handbook and sure enough. one can blast with the .300 WM using cast bullets. They even show velocities up to 2700 fps. They say Lyman #2 alloy but at those speeds one better use straight linotype and then heat treat the cast bullets. I would bet that even when using a gas check and the best lube made today, these cast bullets would still lead the crap out of a barrel if shot at anything over 2200 fps.

The zero and trajectory would be radically different than a factory load.

Gene

HOLLiS · 11-10-2006, 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gene Econ

Hollis:

I haven't seen linotype for twenty years. I am sure some place has an equivalent and will bet the cost is $2.00 plus per pound.

Just took a look in my Lyman Cast Bullet handbook and sure enough. one can blast with the .300 WM using cast bullets. They even show velocities up to 2700 fps. They say Lyman #2 alloy but at those speeds one better use straight linotype and then heat treat the cast bullets. I would bet that even when using a gas check and the best lube made today, these cast bullets would still lead the crap out of a barrel if shot at anything over 2200 fps.

The zero and trajectory would be radically different than a factory load.

Gene

Gene:

I still have about 50 lbs of linotype. I need to check my old supplier to see if it is even available. As I mention, I never played with the 300WM in a reduced load. I always had something more appropriate to shoot.

The other thought was using a filler with a reduce load, But!! I am not sure how that would work out or how deadly to the shooter it would be. I have done that for my Trapdoor Springfield (45/70) and used a smokeless powder with reasonable accuracy. (Also for BP loads)

Those 17 HMR are pretty interesting. I bought barrel for the Thompson Contender in 17 HMR. I had not had much time to play with it.

Hollis