Thread: 300wsm heavies

300WSM is a bit like 284 in the sense that it's designed to work in a short action but it really comes alive when you can seat the bullets back out towards long action lengths.

With that in mind, I grabbed a 28" 1:9 barrel and had it throated long for the heavies. The factory 24" 1:11 Tikka barrel will also stabilise most 30 cal pills advertised as needing a 1:10, thanks to the extra speed over a 308... Out to 1000m at least.

My load until recently has been a 208 ELD-M, 3.115" OAL, and anywhere where up to around 70gr of RL26, depending on how long I want the brass to last. It'll crack 3000fps.

On that point about brass life... Norma WSM brass is soft as shit and I fuckin wish Lapua would step in and do it properly for them. You'll get ejector stamps the moment you even think about using Norma for a warm load.

Anyway... the longer 1:9 barrel doesn't get me much more speed over the shorter 1:11 because it hits pressure a bit faster, I presume because of the increased twist rate. I tried up to 71gr of 2217 and got 2930fps. I reckon 2213SC would be the best bet if using ADI powder in a 24" barrel but could still seat long, and 2209 if also restricted to SA mag length.

New load is a 200gr SMK's but these want a 1:9 so I wouldn't try them in a 1:11. And no way in hell are you going to get them in a SA mag without the ogive halfway down the case neck. I'm seating them out to 3.200" and they're still much further from the rifling than the ELD's.

I'd find out what mag/throat length will allow you to get away with without eating too far into case capacity, before deciding on projectiles.