Recommendations for Deer Hunting with 300 Win mag

[BKS]

I bought an Encore in 300 Win Mag last year and want to hunt whitetails with it this year.  Can anyone here recommend a good factory load to use.



(P.S. I know it is probably too much gun to hunt whitetails with, but I like heavy barreled rifles and last year the fatory heavy barrels were only offered in 4 calibers-2 22's and 7mm and I already got a 7.)

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[BKS]

Nobody uses a 300 mag here??

[Redhawk1]

Go with a light 150 gr. bullet. Like you said it is a bit heavy, but dead is dead.  A lot of people use a 300 Win Mag for larger deer, but it will do the job.  I have a lot of rifles from .17HMR to 416 Rigby. But from 243 Win my next rifle is a 300 Win Mag. I don't have a cartridge in between. So I guess I would have to go with my 300 Win Mag also or use my 243.  

[Dave in WV]

I don't have a 300 mag but I'd use at least 180gr bullets. A fellow that hunts out of the same camp I do uses one with 150gr BTs and almost blew a deer's head off on a neck shot. What was left of the hide was what kept the head from being severed.

[BuckTrucker]

Ditto on Dave in WV's response. My hunting buddy uses a 300 WinMag and 180 BT's with great results.

[Robert]

I have no doubt that it can take a deer if you are careful.  I took one with my Ultra-mag a few years back, got lucky and didn't hit any bones except ribs.  My biggest concern with taking deer with magnums would be SAFETY.  What is behind the deer when you shoot it?  Could be one of your freinds or somebody's house.  I seriously doubt that a full load 338 will stay in the animal, and it has to go somewhere.......  Be carefull.

[Redhawk1]

I don't like the ballistic tips for deer. I used a 150 gr. ballistic tip on a deer hunt out of my 30-06 Encore pistol and the bullet exploded  in the deer and made a exit hole the size of my fist. Yes it killed the deer, but the damage was excessive in my opinion.  I like barnes bullets myself, but not ballistic tips. A 180 gr. bullet is not really needed for deer in my opinion. But it will do the job well

[Lawdog]

I don't like the ballistic tips for deer. I used a 150 gr. ballistic tip on a deer hunt out of my 30-06 Encore pistol and the bullet exploded  in the deer and made a exit hole the size of my fist. Yes it killed the deer, but the damage was excessive in my opinion.  I like barnes bullets myself, but not ballistic tips. A 180 gr. bullet is not really needed for deer in my opinion. But it will do the job well

I agree with "Redhawk1" about using Ballistic Tips and that also goes for any other non-bonded bullet(Hornady SST for example).  Way to much chance of bullet fragmention and way too much meat damage.  I shoot a .300 Weatherby and I now use 165 gr. Barnes TSX bullets.  The 150 gr. TSx may very well work but again it may also be too light.  A good factory load would be the Federal Premium Vital Shok #P300WP will work just great for most anything you want to hunt big game wise.  Lawdog
 

[147 Grain]

With 300 Win Mag velocities, I suggest 180-gr. Ballistic Tips or 165-gr. for most other less fragile projectiles.

[longwalker]

Find a larger bullet you won't have to worry about trajectory and you will have a big hole on both side of the deer. If it runs you will find it. Thats the reason to have a magnum. Big bullets that don't drop so fast!

longwalker

[texasdoc]

well this is my Deer.elk,Pronghorn,and exotic load for my 300 winny.

165gr XBT
over 78.0grs of H-4831sc
in a W&W case
set off by a WLR primer

I get 0.388" groups @100yds.

with Vel.of 3188Fps.


Doc

[Savage .250]

As you don`t say where you live it`s had to determine if that cannon is
   the right over all gun for your area. Bean fields, the open country in Wyoming, etc or just plain old woods hunting. Course it`s your gun but you asked so you get   comments.
  IMHO, that`s a lot of gun for just white-Tail but if you live where " all"
  that gun/cal can be utilized looks like you`ve got all your bases covered.
 Whe i said"cannon" above it was not ment as a negative but just in it`s alot of gun/cal.  

 " The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

[Eddie in Delta]

I'm also a .300 WM shooter.  Basically any good 150-180 grain bullet you shoot the deer with is going to kill it if you hit it in the right place.  Use what is most accurate in your gun.  

Eddie

[dukkillr]

i use 180 grain winchester fail-safes.  i use them because i sighted the rifle for elk hunting.  Don't listen to the people who tell you it destroys the deer.  Dead is good and damage is comparable to other calibers.  Some would give you the impression the entire far side of the deer will be missing.  It won't be.

[147 Grain]

Fail Safes won't destroy deer! In fact, they may not provide adequate expansion for a clean humane kill on light skinned animals.

Suggest you save the heavy bullets for tougher game and use the lighter stuff on frail animals like deer.

[147 Grain]

P.S.:

If you prefer to use one bullet for everything, then consider Nosler's 180-gr. AccuBond.

[dukkillr]

the .300 is far from my favorite deer gun.  Unfortunately sometimes other guns are being borrowed or are out of order.  Introducing others to deer hunting often taxes my equipment.

[BKS]

I appreciate the replies. I bought the gun in this caliber because it seemed like the best chambering in a heavey barrel at that time.
  I think if I use it it will be with something along the lines of a 150-165 gr, polymer tipped bullet from a factory load.