300 savage 125 gr. ballistic tip loads

[tkeveney]

Howdy folks,

I am new to the 300 savage in terms of reloading. I have seen impressive results with 150 grain bullets and am interested in exploring 125 gr. loads. If any of y'all have some reloading experiences and hunting experiences with this round you would like to share, please chime in.

Thanks

TIM

[dfrosch]

Hi Tim. Welcome to the forum.

I don't have any experience with the round or the bullet. Have heard that the 125 grain Ballistic Tip is constructed kinda light. It may work okay at 300 Savage velocities. What are you planning to hunt with it?

Here's a couple links for reloading data:

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/node

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=53

Best of luck to you,
Dana

[JASmith]

That bullet should make an excellent deer harvester in the 300 Savage!

[tkeveney]

I have used the 125's in my 30-06. At THOSE kinda speeds, the ballistic tip expands way too explosively.

At 2800 to 2900 FPS, I am hearing that the 125 ballistic tip is well suited for deer - certainly no worse than a 120 grain in a 7mm 08 or a 130 grain in a 270.

Nosler makes an accubond version that is even heavier constructed - it might be a bit better choice for deer.

My goal is to make a flatter shooting, lower recoil load that is suitable for two young nephews to use for hunting whitetails.

[JASmith]

...At 2800 to 2900 FPS, I am hearing that the 125 ballistic tip is well suited for deer...

...My goal is to make a flatter shooting, lower recoil load that is suitable for two young nephews to use for hunting whitetails.

The top end of "nice" expansion for this class of bullet is 2800 to 2900 fps. The bullet is likely to expand reasonably well about 1000 fps below that velocity.

Recoil at 2850 fps should be comparatively mild.

"Flatter Shooting" is another matter, however. They will stay within a deer's vital zone out to past 250 yards when sighted in 1.5 inches high at 100 yards. That may be good enough.

If not, there may be some value in looking at 100 gr class lead free bullets. One can push 3,200 fps with one of these with even less recoil. The same sight-in will keep the bullet inside a deer's vital zone out to 300 yard. Further, the wound channel area will be more like one would see with a 150 grain ballistic tip launched at 2900 fps.