Handloads: .300 Winchester Magnum

posted on April 28, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
hand300.jpg

.300 Winchester Magnum specsThe folks at Cooper Firearms of Montana commonly shoot Barnes Triple Shock X (TSX) and Tipped Triple Shock X (TTSX) bullets to test the accuracy of their rifles. That’s a good recommendation for a bullet, as Cooper guarantees its rifles to shoot 1/2-minute-of-angle groups at 100 yds.

I’ve been shooting a Cooper Open Country Long Range rifle chambered in .300 Win. Mag. loaded with Barnes 165-gr. TTSX bullets, and am pleased with the accuracy. The target included with the Open Country rifle noted that the Barnes bullet was handloaded with Ramshot Magnum. Magnum has provided good accuracy for me in several other .300 magnums. This trend continued with the Open Country, shooting five, three-shot groups that ranged from 0.31" to 0.95" and averaged 0.63", with a standard deviation of velocity of 16 f.p.s. throughout 12 shots. The Barnes Reloading Manual Number Four specifies two additional grains of Magnum than is listed in the recipe as the maximum propellant charge for the TTSX bullet, so velocity could be increased somewhat beyond the 3046 f.p.s. that the Open Country had produced. The load’s great accuracy, though, presented a good place to stop load development.

Notice that the cartridge overall length of 3.520" is longer than the .300 Win. Mag.’s established maximum of 3.340". That extra length still positioned Barnes bullets well short of contacting the start of the rifling in the Open Country—a critical point to check for each specific rifle. To remove the chance such a jump might be detrimental to accuracy, cartridges were gauged on a Hornady Lock-N-Load Concentricity Tool to ensure the bullets were seated straight in the cases so that, upon firing, they squarely contacted the rifling and made a beeline to the target.

Latest

Tisas Px 57 Fo Raptor Web Gotw
Tisas Px 57 Fo Raptor Web Gotw

Gun Of The Week: Tisas PX-57 FO Raptor

Chambered for the unique 5.7x28 mm FN cartridge, the Tisas PX-57 FO Raptor is a polymer-frame handgun that provides a lot of capability in an affordable package.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 10, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: Smith & Wesson Spec Series V M&P 9 Metal HD

This latest enhancement from Smith & Wesson proves that good things can come from heavier, steel-framed packages.

Old Glory Bank, NRA Partner To Provide Banking Benefits To Members

Old Glory Bank and the National Rifle Association (NRA) recently entered into a joint marketing relationship to provide banking benefits to members of the NRA Business Alliance and NRA-affiliated clubs and associations.

Rifleman Review: Taurus Expedition

Taurus entered the bolt-action rifle market with its Expedition, a Remington 700-pattern design that's built to be versatile and affordable.

New For 2025: Charter Arms Pathfinder II

Charter Arms updated one of the oldest models in its lineup with the new Pathfinder II, which features a lightweight 7075 aluminum frame, making it more well-balanced and easier to carry.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.