Home › Browse Calibers › .300 Wby. Mag.
Common uses: Hunting, Big Game, Long Range
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 180gr Norma Oryx |
| Muzzle velocity | 3248 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 4218 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.354 |
| Case length | 71.8 mm |
| Overall length | 90.5 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 65000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:10" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3248 | 4216 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2962 | 3505 | 0 |
| 200 | 2694 | 2901 | -2.5 |
| 300 | 2442 | 2383 | -9.8 |
| 400 | 2203 | 1940 | -22.9 |
| 500 | 1978 | 1563 | -43.3 |
At 1,000 yards, .300 Wby. Mag. (180gr at 3248 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 31.9 MOA / 9.3 MIL, retaining 1137 fps (transonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2442 | Supersonic | -9.8 | 3.1 | 0.90 |
| 400 | 2203 | Supersonic | -22.9 | 5.5 | 1.59 |
| 500 | 1978 | Supersonic | -43.3 | 8.3 | 2.41 |
| 600 | 1768 | Supersonic | -72.6 | 11.6 | 3.36 |
| 700 | 1575 | Supersonic | -112.9 | 15.4 | 4.48 |
| 800 | 1402 | Supersonic | -167.4 | 20.0 | 5.81 |
| 900 | 1254 | Transonic | -239.8 | 25.5 | 7.40 |
| 1000 | 1137 | Transonic | -334.2 | 31.9 | 9.28 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .300 Weatherby Magnum is a hard-hitting, flat-shooting magnum prized by hunters who want maximum reach and terminal energy on large or distant game. It is a favorite for open-country and mountain hunts on animals from deer and sheep to elk, moose, and African plains game, where its high velocity flattens trajectory and extends effective range. That performance comes at a cost: stout recoil, muzzle blast, and accelerated barrel throat wear compared with milder .30-caliber options. It has long been offered in Weatherby's Mark V rifles and is also loaded and chambered by other makers, giving it wider availability than most proprietary Weatherby rounds. For shooters who can manage the recoil, it remains one of the benchmark high-velocity .30-caliber hunting cartridges.
The .300 Weatherby Magnum was designed by Roy Weatherby in the mid-1940s, formed by blowing out the .300 H&H Magnum case and removing much of its body taper to boost powder capacity. It carries Weatherby's signature double-radius shoulder and was built to push standard .30-caliber bullets to velocities well beyond anything then available in a factory belted magnum. It went on to become the most popular and enduring cartridge in the Weatherby lineup.
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