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Lead free bullets for the .300 WSM

Fox Classic Hunter in the .300 Winchester Short Magnum, and the seating depth trade-off of a short action.

Last updated 28 July 2026

The .300 WSM offers close to .300 Winchester Magnum performance from a short action, which is its whole appeal. It fires the standard .308 inch bullet, so all three Fox Classic Hunter weights apply.

Which weight

The 165 grain pairs best with the cartridge's velocity and intent, giving the highest BC in the .30 calibre range along with the most retained weight. The 150 grain is the flatter, more versatile option and slightly easier to seat.

The short action trade-off

Check magazine length before you settle on a load
The short magnums buy compactness at the cost of room to seat long bullets out. A 34.6mm monolithic in a short action will intrude further into the powder space than the same bullet in a .30-06.

It is entirely workable — the .30 bore is tolerant and the WSM case is wide — but expect to spend more time on seating depth than you would with a long-action cartridge, and confirm the loaded round feeds properly from the magazine.

Twist rate

Standard 1:10, which handles all three Fox weights comfortably.

We do not publish load data
Velocities here are approximate and for orientation only. Always work from current published data for your cartridge, bullet weight and powder, and work up from the starting charge. See reloading Fox Classic Hunter.
Do .300 WSM and .308 Winchester use the same bullets?

Yes, both fire .308 inch bullets. The WSM case is larger and wider, and the load data is entirely different.

Is the .300 WSM awkward with long monolithic bullets?

It needs more care with seating depth than a long-action cartridge, because the short action limits how far a long bullet can be seated out. It is workable, just less forgiving.

Oxon Deer stocks the full Fox Classic Hunter range in 6mm, 6.5mm, .270 and .308, in boxes of 50. Browse the shop.