Ammunition question for you guys....

[MSBackwoodsBoy]

I shoot a browning 300wsm...last year while hunting whitetails i used 180gr. Winchester Supreme CXP3's...I saw that they came out with the XP3's....just wondering if anyone has any experience with the 300 short mag and what bullet you reccommend for blowing a nice hole in the whitetails!

[358wsm]

My dad shoots a .300 wsm. Last year he shot a nice buck with it. He was shooting a 180 grain barnes XLC. with his own recipe in a newly handloaded case. Of course the bullet wasn't recovered...and as for the deer, he went about 3 feet (straight down). If you want an exit hole for blood trailing I don't think you can beat a barnes...On sept.9, 2006 (I took my dad to newfoundland) I saw him shoot a lazered 227 yards into a 800 pound bull moose that was quartering strongly away, this time with a 180 grain barnes triple shock. The bullet entered the rear left ham, traveled forward through about a 55 gallon drum worth of intestine,liver and lung matter before exiting just behind the right shoulder...it's about the best steaks I've ever tasted! Now as for the other point...You don't get that kind of performance from any bullet if you can't place them accurately, for whitetails I'd shoot most any bullet that gave me the kind of accuracy that would allow me to place it confidently upon the spot I'm picking to shoot at. A 300wsm is a lot of gun for whitetails...!

[cuzins8]

I shoot a 300 win mag.What is the difference between the Short mag and the reg 300 win mag?

[KwackWacker]

I shoot a 300 win mag.What is the difference between the Short mag and the reg 300 win mag?

Length of the cartridge.

[progers]

Yup. And the short mag will be shorter!

[KwackWacker]

Cuz, in all seriousness I believe the advantage to a short magnum comes from the fact that the full load of powder is spread over a shorter area allowing it to burn more thoroughly and faster. When you have a longer cartridge like the normal .300 it takes longer for the powder to burn all the way down that long cartridge and it doesn't burn the full charge. So in short, the bullet gets a better push from the powder burn in a short magnum than it does in a normal .300 making for better trajectory and velocity. However, I don't study ballistics books so I can't quote any numbers. This is just how it was explained to me when I asked the question.

[cuzins8]

Thanks guys.../So the short mag has the same amount of powder but in a smaller casing?

[KwackWacker]

Well, maybe not smaller but shorter for sure. I believe (may be wrong) that the casing is thicker than a normal .300 casing. I think that is about it with the biggest difference being that all of the powder is burned and therefore gives the bullet a bigger push. At least that is what I have been told. If anybody knows any different then please set me straight.

The fellow who schooled me on it also told me that it probably isn't enough of a difference for the every day hunter to notice. His biggest advantage was when he was trying to shoot M.O.A. groups. And as I've said before, I've never seen a quarter of an inch make that much of a difference in the deer woods.