.300 H&H Magnum

[lgm270]

This month's Petersen's Rifle Shooter has a Craig Boddington piece about the .300 H&H and how wonderful and overlooked it is.  One of those nostalgic pieces about obsolete, has been cartridges  (.250 Savage: .32 Win Special; .30-40 Krag, etc.)  that so many of us seem to enjoy notwithstanding that we have no particular use for the caliber in question.   Boddington says he never had any use for the .300 H&H but his friend, Geoff Miller of Rigby Gun works, is a big affictionado of that caliber and persuaded him to take it hunting.

Boddington said the .300 H&H had the smoothest  feeding of any other cartridge  and that it had less felt recoil than other .300's of similar power.  

Is this really true?  Does the .300 H&H have less felt recoil than other comparable .300's?

Hmmmmmm.....   Now, I feel a strong urge coming on to have a .300 H&H.  I lay awake last night thinking of a new one and this morning I'm  still obsessed with the idea of getting one.      

Would love to hear from you .300 H&H affictionados out there.  Is this an itch I should scratch and get a rifle chambered for this old venerable classic?

[mcwoodduck]

It is a neat round and I have shot a couple of them.
Speed wise it is slightly faster than 30-06 by about 100 to 150 FPS Hand loading can add to this.
300 Win Mag is about 50 to 100 FPS faster than the 300H&H.
The 300 WBY is a 300 H&H with a blown out shoulder with the Wby shoulder and adding 200 to 250 FPS faster than the 300 H&H
With the long tapered shoulder it makes for a smooth loading.
I found a pre 64 Winchester M70 in it one day and went home to think about it and the price and the next day Win announced the end of the M70 line and went back to the shop to fing it went up by $600.  taking it out of my price range.
If another one comes along I will think long and hard about it and get rid of my 06 for one.
But with new bullet technoligy, factory loadings like the light mag, and hand loading with new powders there really is nothing that the old 30-06 can not do that the 300H&H can do.  Adding the same componets there is nothing the 300H&H can do that the other 300 Mags can not.

[lgm270]

It is a neat round and I have shot a couple of them.
Speed wise it is slightly faster than 30-06 by about 100 to 150 FPS Hand loading can add to this.
300 Win Mag is about 50 to 100 FPS faster than the 300H&H.
The 300 WBY is a 300 H&H with a blown out shoulder with the Wby shoulder and adding 200 to 250 FPS faster than the 300 H&H
With the long tapered shoulder it makes for a smooth loading.
I found a pre 64 Winchester M70 in it one day and went home to think about it and the price and the next day Win announced the end of the M70 line and went back to the shop to fing it went up by $600.  taking it out of my price range.
If another one comes along I will think long and hard about it and get rid of my 06 for one.
But with new bullet technoligy, factory loadings like the light mag, and hand loading with new powders there really is nothing that the old 30-06 can not do that the 300H&H can do.  Adding the same componets there is nothing the 300H&H can do that the other 300 Mags can not.

McWoodduck:  Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful reply.    I've stopped perspiring and trembling.   I would still like to handle a .300 H&H  and feed rounds from the magazine into the chamber to experience personally  that wonderful smooth feeding. In the mean time, however,  I'll probably stay with my  old standbys.  

[mauser98us]

I have one in a Rem 721. great round. Get one

[300HH]

I have one in a 700 remington recoil IMO less than 30-06 my daughter 100lbs and  5foot nothing shoots it without a problem. I handload 180gr Accubonds, deadly accurate 1/2 inch groups at 100yds 3000fps by my chrony, and yes I am a little bias. I also shoot 7mm rem mag an although I think it is also a good caliber it's not in the same league as the 300HH.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  While MC feels it is just slightly faster than an old o6 the one load I cronied was slightly faster, it pushed a 150 grain at just over 3400fps.. that load may have been a bit hot I haven't had time to determine that yet...but look at the record..in the 30's the .300 h & h won the cup at camp perry, the 06 has not won the cup since that win by the h & h...I have heard this all my life, it was started you .270 O'Connor that the H & H was just a bit more than the 06... Even O"Connors life long pal John Jobson another .270 lover, finally bought a 300 H & H AND SHOT IT...I will always remember his comment about the 06 and the .300 ...it was to the effect the .300 out performs the 06, like a jaguar goes around a dump truck.... Boddington took a custom 300 on a desert sheephunt several years ago..the handloads kicked along a 150 grain serria at over 3400 fps...no 06 can do that..I had another pal who loved the H & H his would also kick along the 150 at 3400 fps.+ So until you try something, don't believe all the stories out there by folks who never shot anything extensively but an 06....There are dozens of better rounds out there than it...I had a .300 rebarreled this fall and shot one antelope and one whitetail with it.. both were at longer distances over 300 yards, and in both cases the animals did true bang flops, they fell on the spot...I will not say this happens everytime, but it is a deadly round...More testing will be required to find just how fast it can safely be loaded for my rifle...I like all .300's the only one I haven't had is the .30-378. Maybe someday, but they all are step above the 06 like it is a step above the 30-30...while new loads have improved the 06's performance some, they have also been a[pplied to the 300's so there is still the gap in performance...not everone has the need, desire, or interest to shoot a .300 but as far as performance, if you can shoot them it is noticable...I was told that 50 years ago by my neighbor who was an old Camp Perry shooter...He liked the 06 and .270 also, but when I quoted O.Connors remark about the .300 being just a bit better, he said He had SHOT one and it was noticably better..my first hin t old Jack was not alwaysright...One final thing several times when I was teaching and elk were important to the meat supply we hunted a big open mt. were they came out to feed late in the eve. the shots were always long, but at standing animals, and when hit they rolled DOWN HILL making getting them out easier...Several times I had a friend with me when the elk came out...He just shook his head and said too far for my 06, for my 300 it was an easy shot.....we ate elk, he ate beans.....

[rhood34]

I have Win model 70 in 300h&h. Great round, kick is more long push than kick. Killed many coyotes, deer and an elk (2 hits at 500yds). I would buy another.

[lgm270]

Great post wyo.  Your stuff is always good. When do you plan to publish your book? 

What is the barrel length of  your .300 H&H?

[mcwoodduck]

While MC feels it is just slightly faster than an old o6 the one load I cronied was slightly faster, it pushed a 150 grain at just over 3400fps..

Wait I said Factory Loads are just a little faster but you can add to that with hand loads.     And I was comparing printed tables to printed tables.
The 300 H&H, 300 Win, 300 WSM, 308 Norma, and 300 Wby all are very similar and can be tuned to do the same + or - 100 FPS to each other.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  270, thanks for the kind remarks..I am in Az. now and do not have that H & H with me, BIG MISTAKE, but on all magnum rifles, except my .375 I get at least a 26 inch barrel...most are right near that length maybe a 1/2 " to and inch longer...Except my coyote rifle I chamber for the Win. it has a 5A douglas that is 28.5 inches...I would go to a bull barrel if I were doing it over, but this works fine...You can get good speeds with a 24 in some mag.s but you have to use top end loads, with a longer barrel med. to max loads preform extremely well...As far as the longer barrel, unless one is in extremely heavy brush, I find they are just as easy to handle as the 22=24 inch models, BUT it does take some getting used too... The 28.5 in rifle is a bit awkward, but it is designed to shoot from a stand, or carried in the vehicle...I usually do not sling my hunting rifles unless, I am in very rough country, because that is where it will be when one needs it on your back instead of your hand...I carry a sling in my gear to attach in rough ground or if I take game and am finished hunting....When we talk about barrel length and rifle weight, as often comes upwith mag. rifles, I always get a laugh at folks who complain about a heavy rifle...I remember reading an order and old timer made for a rifle, I believe a Sharps...He wanted a 34" heavy barrel, NOT to heavy he said, 15 or 16 pounds ought to be about right he said.....WOW  what would he think of todays hunters who complain about a 9 pound rifle they carry a quarter mile to a deer stand......take care and good shooting.

[mauser98us]

270, thanks for the kind remarks..I am in Az. now and do not have that H & H with me, BIG MISTAKE, but on all magnum rifles, except my .375 I get at least a 26 inch barrel...most are right near that length maybe a 1/2 " to and inch longer...Except my coyote rifle I chamber for the Win. it has a 5A douglas that is 28.5 inches...I would go to a bull barrel if I were doing it over, but this works fine...You can get good speeds with a 24 in some mag.s but you have to use top end loads, with a longer barrel med. to max loads preform extremely well...As far as the longer barrel, unless one is in extremely heavy brush, I find they are just as easy to handle as the 22=24 inch models, BUT it does take some getting used too... The 28.5 in rifle is a bit awkward, but it is designed to shoot from a stand, or carried in the vehicle...I usually do not sling my hunting rifles unless, I am in very rough country, because that is where it will be when one needs it on your back instead of your hand...I carry a sling in my gear to attach in rough ground or if I take game and am finished hunting....When we talk about barrel length and rifle weight, as often comes upwith mag. rifles, I always get a laugh at folks who complain about a heavy rifle...I remember reading an order and old timer made for a rifle, I believe a Sharps...He wanted a 34" heavy barrel, NOT to heavy he said, 15 or 16 pounds ought to be about right he said.....WOW  what would he think of todays hunters who complain about a 9 pound rifle they carry a quarter mile to a deer stand......take care and good shooting.

  Are you here in AZ for good,or just visiting?

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  98, we are just visiting...Usually, we come down for a while in the winter to hunt quail..pretty slow this season...we got here just when all the rain hit...I was not happy, but Az. surely need the rain..should help the quail for next season..beautiful state, but Ido  like winter so will return to Wy. soon......

[Grizz66]

lgm270 as far as less felt recoil than the other 300's I would say it's more like a push than the the snap of a 300 win or 300 weeby, but she is a grand ole round. I bet she would come close to the newer mags if you wanted to push it. I beleive the 300H&H is the original mag and all the others are kinda it's offspring. The rifle I have is a winchester M70 xtr push feed and it does feed smooth, and the the darn gun is very accurate with my handloads. Just need some 180's some h4831sc and you can hunt about 95% of the animals in N.A. IMHO, the other 5% get it's big bother the 375 and off you go.

[pastorp]

The 300 H&H does feed really good. Look at the tapered profile and its easy to see why. I do believe some rounds are less punishing than others, must be the powders used and the burn rates combined with the shape of the round. I believe the 300 H&H does push instead of jab. However I also think the older guns you usually find it chambered in also have stock dimensions that handle recoil better than the newer stocks. JMO

Regards,