Used the dedicated 300 Savage SST for years, it was a very accurate bullet in the 308 M1A, and used as a midrange bullet. On game performance in the 300 Savage (30303) or 308 (30302) was about average for a common cup and core bullet, which is how they ended up in the M1As as target bullets. Used in the woods for deer and black bear, I much prefer the extreme terminal performance of a 300 Savage/308 loaded with 170 gr 30-30 bullet at 2300/2400 fps, or a 190 gr Hawk flat point. SST would be a decent pick if shooting out thru several hundred yards. If I was looking for the shock promised by the SST would go with a Nosler Ballistic tip.

 

I don’t. I also load the 150 Interlock in my old 760 pump. But, I recently ordered a couple boxes of the SST specific to the 300 Savage. They are on the way from Scheels, and they currently have them in stock. I’ll be following to see what results others have seen from them in the 300 Sav.

 

I seen about 5 boxes of the SST Hornady 300 Savage bullets today at Cabelas in Sun Prairie, WI. I'm still stuck on Sierra 150 grain bullets. Really wish someone would make .308 FP bullets again.

 

Graf and Sons has PPU 150 grain flat noses for .30-30 listed as in stock. 36 cents per bullet, about the average price these days. I filled my deer tag with a PPU bullet last November.

 

I have shot the 300 Savage specific SST bullets in my Model 99s but haven't taken any game with them. The SST accuracy is very good but no deer have ever showed up in my hunting area when carrying my 99s. I have heard some horror stories from my hunting buds about the SST bullet over expanding/fragmenting at shorter ranges, much like what I have experienced first hand with the FTX.

 

Based on what I observed, IMO they have basically identical terminal effect...believe the same hardness of lead core is used, same plastic tip, same thickness and type of jacket, the ogive (slight change to bullet shape) and location of cannelure are different. Have used them interchangeably between the 300 Savage and 308 with no issues. My hunting use of these bullets was when these bullets were new on the market, many years ago, and I thought they were harder than advertised. Hornady may have modified them for improved terminal performance since then. For example: Nosler toughened up the Ballistic Tip a bit, after it was first introduced, hunters having deemed the bullet too "explosive".

 

I have used the 150 SST in a .300 Bench Rest Magnum at about 2300 fps. Worked just dandy out to 200 yards on a number of whitetail, and super accurate in my Brown 97D rifle.

 

Have some, daughter shot a buck with one. Firat shot blew its jaw off and stunned it enough so that a second shot dropped it as it kind of staggered away. Shot through the shoulder and it dropped on the spot. I witnessed the second shot. Reloaded them for her to about 2550 fps. 4895 powder.
I am currently working on 300 Savage loads for a Remington 722. Another older rifle, but a bolt action. I have some of the Hornady's left.

this one was taken using a Speer Hot Core with one shot at about 90 yards at 2550 at the muzzle. She has taken a few deer with them.
There is debate about the use of boat tail bullets in the 300 S. Takes up more space in the case. The Hornady 300S bullets are boat tails. A flat base would be better as the boat tail does nothing at 300S ranges. I took out a nice doe with a 150 grain Hornady standard bullet. Interlock I think? Worked OK. Daughter has shot a couple of nice bucks with the 300 S. Both with the Speer. I think it was Barsness who liked the 300 and claimed that it was unnecessary to use premium bullets in it. The Nosler partition might work well as it has a very soft nose. Two powders that work well in the 300 are Varget and AA2520. The will give a little more velocity.
When mu daughter started hunting with the 300. I loaded some 30-30 bullets in it and they worked very well up closer. They were not hot loads. As the 300 is considered a 250 yard rilfe with the factory loads I feel that I would prefer to match them.

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Used collect and load for the Savage 99s in 300 Sav and 308 for that matter. I formed the idea that these Sav 99 rifles usually show there best accuracy with the 150 gr bullet, where more generally cartridges/rifles in this class usually provide best accuracy with a 165/168 gr or heavier bullet .

 

Hornady makes a bullet for the 300 savage.

 

That’s what the thread is about…..

 

I bought a bunch of 130gr TREX bullets from Maker Bullets and will be working up a load with leverlution hopefully this summer in a pre war 99R. There are some in stock now if people are looking for options. I've got 150gr and 168gr, too, but specifically got the 130gr for this Savage.

 

That's good information. Thanks,

 

For an old 99 the 30-30 170 grain bullets might be the ticket. As I stated before, I loaded some 150 grain 30-30 bullets for my daughter as I wanted to keep recoil down. The 170's for closer work might be pretty solid. Midway may still have some 160 grain FTX bullets which were designed for the 308 Marlin. Basically identical to the 300 Savage. As you do not need to crimp they could easily be loaded also. Look almost identical to the 150 grain Savage bullets. Thinking of using them for my 722. If you could get them the Speer 170 would be a very good bullet. Speer claims Re15 works well for the heavier bullets.

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I’ve had the best accuracy and game results using 150 SBT Sierras in a Savage 99EG at 2600+. I was not convince, at first, that the short little neck on the.300 Savage case would work with the boatail bullet. I first tried several brands of 150gr “flat base” bullets, but the Sierra SBT was more accurate than any of the others I tried. And, they worked great on deer! Go. figure? Sometimes you never know until you try.

 

I used to use Sierra 150 gr flat base in my pre war 99 before Ca. went nonleaded, and they worked great in front of Varget. Now using Hornady 140 grain 30-30 monoflex or the one for 308 Marlin, great accuracy and performance on a lot of hogs and our little coastal black tails with a near max book load of Varget.

 

Speer HCFN 150 is still made and available.

 

Looking through an older Speer catalog, they recommended their 150BT for the Savage as it is a little softer than the Hotcore. Midway had some available so I ordered some. Considered the 140 grain Hornady monolith that Rosco uses, and still am. I really like to break a shoulder to assist in tracking and the Barnes or Hornady monoliths worked great in my 6.5CM for that purpose. May still do so. Lyman manual shows Varget giving up to 100 fps over other powders in the 300 Savage.

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The only experience we have with SST bullets was a nilgai mature cow my son shot with and AR10 in 308. It was a 180 gr SST, and it was a one shot kill to the ribs. My understanding is that the SST will open up quicker than the interlock, and not penetrate as deep. True or not that is why I loaded the 308 with 180 grain bullets. For added penetration on a large antelope. Deer on the other hand, we have used a 243 with 100 grain interlocks and no problems dropping them. Again, one shot. I'm sure the 150 grain SST will work just fine.

 

The big advantage with a 99 is spire point bullets. That's not the case with 30-30 bullets, right?

 

That theory has been pushed. Those that look at energy tables love to quote down range differences. Many Spitzer bullets may be a bit tough for the 300. I have been checking them out as I have seen the 300 work but felt performance could be improved with softer bullets. Speer manual also suggested that.
30 30 using pointed bullets even when using just one in the chamber and one in magazine for safety, might not have the velocity to adequately handle some of the Spitzers well. 30 30 bullets are designed specifically for the 30 30. Hornady LEs are the exception and do work in the 30 30.

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I picked up a couple hundred Hornady round nose 165 grain bullets at an estate sale a couple of years ago and use them in both 300 savage and 308 and get pass through performance in both. They shoot 1 1/4” at 200 yards in the 308 and 2” in the 300 savage. Shoulder shots are DRT and do not cause a lot of meat loss.

 

The 308 bullets are mostly made to function in the 308 W, and on up. Speer recommended their round nose 180, and their softer jacketed spirtzer BT for the 300S. My 303 Brit is esentially the same in bullet weight and velocity to the 300S. The 300 S does not seem to perform like the 303 which uses bullets made for the 303.

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