338 300 gr A-Max Bullets

[royinidaho]

Saw the Hornady 300 Amax mentioned on another thread. Is it true? I couldn't find it on their web site.

I am shooting a 338 RUM - 300 SMKs @ 2700 and a bit. I plan on shooting things larger and tougher than deer at long range. The SMKs shoot super well. Will the 300gr Amax stick w/the SMK BC wise. How about penetration around 1K? Shoulder or boiler room shot?

[screech]

not sure but will tell you if I could ever find any. I would love to have some to shoot out of my 338-378imp. I couldn't think of a better deer bullet. we'll see on elk also if they come out and have similar bc's.

[bailey1474]

[ QUOTE ]
Saw the Hornady 300 Amax mentioned on another thread. Is it true? I couldn't find it on their web site.


[/ QUOTE ]

I talk to Lonnie Hummel @ Hornady about once a month for die orders. I asked him about this bullet a few months back and he indicated to me that the 338 Amax was a year or two down the road. I think the new 250 gr HP was their big (or not so big) intro to the 338 match bullets. I really don't think they'll do a 300 gr either just because they would get into twist issues w/some factory rifles.

I'll call in the morning and check to see if they've made a run of prototype 338 amaxs.

Hmmmm, I wonder if they'll stand up to the 338 AM Lerch and I have coming!!

[royinidaho]

I tried the Hor 250 Match bullet. It was ok but not exceptional in that one rifle.

[jwp475]

Give the Wildcat 338 bullets a try I think that you will be pleased...

[bailey1474]

No 300 gr Amaxes. Lonnie said that the 338s are still a year or two down the road if @ all.

[Fiftydriver]

I have heard rumor of some 338 cal Hornady A-Max prototypes being handed out to some shooters at the big competitions but this may only be guys talking to much as well, not sure as I have only heard rumors.

To he honest, I would be very suprised if the new Hornady bullet will weigh much more the 270-275 grains. The reason is because a tipped bullet of the A-Max design will more then likely be longer then the 300 gr SMK.

Its BC should be higher as well, probably in the low to mid .8 range compared to .78 to .8 for the 300 gr SMK.

To be honest, Sierra could redesign their 300 gr SMK and use a more modern ogive design and get the same BC with less bullet weight.

Kind of like they did with their new 142 gr SMK to replace the older 155 gr SMK in 6.5mm.

Will they, probably not.

But another reason I feel Hornady will limit the new bullet weight to the 270 gr range is because they want every 338 factory rifle out there to be able to shoot these bullets. Right now, every 338 caliber round with a 1-10 twist can shoot the 300 gr SMK. Rounds like the 338 Win Mag are pretty small for this bullet weight but they will handle then and in most cases accuracy is quite good.

if Hornady sends out a 300 gr A-max with their current design, I suspect the smaller 338 rounds would have stability issues and Hornady is not going to release a bullet that does not work properly with the standard 1-10 twist, just not good for business even though in the larger wildcat chamberings 1-10 would be plenty.

Hornady honestly does not give wildcatters a care in the world, that is not where their real money is made so they have to cater to the factory rifles and that will limit the length of the bullet they can use and therefore the bullet weight in my opinion will be well off 300 gr.

Again, that is good, with modern design, there is no need for a 300 gr bullet if your looking for a BC of around .78. THis could be easily had with a bullet significantly lighter which would also offer a much higher velocity output as well.

I just tested a prototype 270 solid bullet for a company in my 338 AM. IT was similiar to the LRB J40 bullet. BC measured out to be around .860 and I was able to break 3600 fps with this bullet in a 40" 1-10 barrel.

Do not ask where to get them, they are not available to the public anyway but it goes to show what can be accomplished with a modern bullet design.

Wildcat Bullets is also working on some new 338 bullets that will do this same thing, drop bullet weight, increase bullet length to offer higher BC along with higher velocity potential!!! We should be getting results with those bullets by late spring and if all works out, there may be some chucks in trouble at 3000 yards this summer!!!!

Anyway, enough gossip for now!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

Sorry for got to answer your other questions, a 300 gr A-Max would not penetrate as deeply as a 300 gr SMK but it would open up ALOT better at long range and both would penetrate plenty well for any game on out half of the rock. A 300 gr 338 bullet is going to penetrate no matter what it hits!!! But yes a SMK would drive deeper on average simply because of the smaller frontal area after expansion and the higher weight retention.

I would guess a 300 gr A-Max would have a BC easily in the .85 range comfortably.