? about .300WM ammo penetration

[coosbaycreep]

I just got a winchester model 70, and I was wondering what ammo penetrates the best. I don't hunt anything bigger than jack rabbits, so it's basically just a high-power SHTF/abandoned car killing gun for me. I did a penetration test with the .300 using 150gr. bullets against a .338WM and a .30-06 (don't know what brand/weight of bullets they were using), but the .300 penetrated almost twice as far into steel as the .338 or .30-06.

Midway sells fmj bullets, but I don't reload, and I didn't see any factory fmj for .300 anywhere. What grain of bullet penetrates the best? Is a certain brand better than others for penetration? Are AP bullets available for this caliber? I've found wolf brand ammo for as cheap as $17 per box, which is the cheapest .300 ammo I've found so far. Is wolf any good in this caliber? It's brass case, but I'm still kinda uncertain on shooting commie bullets in a U.S. hunting rifle. Wolf's all I shoot in my ak, but you could shoot mud bullets through that thing with no worries. Remington sells ammo for just a few bucks more a box, so I'd probably just plink with that anyhow, since it's american made. (I try to buy american whenever I can afford it and it's practical).

Also, will a .300wm penetrate more than a .45-70? One of my dad's friends has a .45-70, and he's trying to bet me that it'll bust a 350 sbc engine block, and a .300 will just bounce off. I think the guy's full of crap. I've never shot a sbc, but even an ak will punch through aluminum engine blocks, and I also shot a olds 260 v8, and it looked like it knocked a hole in the side of that as well, after it went through the quarter panel. I don't expect this guy to ever actually put his money where his mouth is, and we need to find a car or an engine before we can settle our bet anyhow, but I still think .300 should be close to a 45-70 against steel. I have read on various websites that 45-70 will go through a helluva lot though because of it's low velocity, so I don't want to get embarrassed by some loudmouth with his antique grandpa gun. (That's a joke, don't get offended. I know how rabid 45-70 fans are, and eventually I'd like to get a marlin guide gun in that caliber myself).

 

[Zak Smith]

Steel penetration is mostly a function of impact velocity.

 

[Matt304]

The 45-70 won't do a thing to steel. It will leave a shallow crater. Lead will just splatter. Copper displaces steel well when it strikes at velocity due to its malleability and yield strength combined. This is why it is used as shaped charge liners and as the projectile material in EFPs (explosively formed projectiles). But at less than hyper-velocities, hardened metals work best such as tungsten alloys.

300 will penetrate much more than it. Even has more energy than the 45-70. So yes, he is full of crap.

But I don't know where to find FMJ factory loaded 300. Might have to reload for this one. It's a useful investment when you want the ammo you want to shoot.

 

[slzy]

i suspect you can break an iron block with a sledge hammer. they are cast iron,i reckon,and are brittle.

 

[db_tanker]

IF you wish to you can find some steel core .308 dia bullet pulls...what you do with them is on you and yours.
I am sure there are some AMU or MMU guys that have some AP ammo loaded for the ones that shoot 300 WM just for getting through those extra tough targets.


Now...the 45-70 penetration statement is pure hogwash...using standard cast boolits or jacketed soft points. I have not had any experience with the high dollar FMJ penetrator slugs that they use in Africa like the AGS and Tungsten solids.

Now...here is the rub...when it comes to soft tissue penetration I am going to go with the 45-70 for penetration....more real world studies have been made on this and the 45-70 can and will penetrate more and deeper from the stuff I have read in the past. something to do with the size of bullet plus slower velocity IIRC....

YMMV