338 Lapua Imp. 40 degree Loads

[backyardsniper]

I'm taking this one to Wyoming this fall if I get it running right. Hoping to get a shot at an Elk with it.

 

[Marine sniper]

I have been wondering about the 250 Berger and performance on game. I ended up finding these at Graffs the other day it took the better part of a month to show up but they were finally on my doorstep t

 

[Marine sniper]

Deer are so easy to kill that I don't think you could shoot one with any .338 caliber bullet and have it not die. The issue with Berger's is their ability to break heavy bones at long distance. If you put a Berger into the ribs it is going to have terrific results. IMO you run a risk if you hit an elk in the front shoulders and don't break both of them. The most penetration I have ever gotten with a .30 caliber 210 Berger was about 12 inches. As far as I know they always explode- that is not always the best scenario.

 

[backyardsniper]

Have any of y'all hunted with a 250 scenar? I've got a boat load of those.

 

[cjuve]

Deer are so easy to kill that I don't think you could shoot one with any .338 caliber bullet. The issue with Berger's and their ability to break heavy bones at long distance. If you put a Berger into the ribs it is going to have terrific results. IMO you run a risk if you hit an elk in the front shoulders and don't break both of them. The most penetration I have ever gotten with a .30 caliber 210 Berger was about 12 inches. As far as I know they always explode- that is not always the best scenario.

I shot a bull at 796 with a 210 Berger out of a 300 RUM with a MV of 2925 the bullet passed between the ribs on the entrance and then proceeded to destroy both lungs there were pieces of shrapnel in the offside but nothing that penetrated the rib cage on the off side. I am not sure how things would have ended up had I put it through the shoulders. That is about the time I started thinking of the 338's for hunting elk. I hear of people getting pass throughs on elk with the Berger bullets but I have yet to do it myself.

 

[skipglo]

I've got a bunch of lapua 250 scenar and several 285 eld-m. I'm kind of up in the air on which one to start with.

I haven't had great or even good luck which was disappointing with the 285 m's... could just be me..but the 300 SMKS...yo man...night and day!

 

[backyardsniper]

I also have a supply of Noer Custom Comp 300gr which are essentially a SMK clone and I have had good luck with those. I may run them. Killed a bear with them last spring.

 

[Marine sniper]

I shot a bull at 796 with a 210 Berger out of a 300 RUM with a MV of 2925 the bullet passed between the ribs on the entrance and then proceeded to destroy both lungs there were pieces of shrapnel in the offside but nothing that penetrated the rib cage on the off side. I am not sure how things would have ended up had I put it through the shoulders. That is about the time I started thinking of the 338's for hunting elk. I hear of people getting pass throughs on elk with the Berger bullets but I have yet to do it myself.

I have personally never had it happen, but I have seen numerous pics of pass throughs and poor penetration.

 

[338 dude]

I have personally never had it happen, but I have seen numerous pics of pass throughs and poor penetration.

Isn't that how bergers were designed to function I've always thought their hunting bullets were meant to fragment or grenade destroying they organs once inside but as mentioned earlier I have never recovered a bullet yet I have had complete pass-through's every time

 

[cjuve]

Isn't that how bergers were designed to function I've always thought their hunting bullets were meant to fragment or grenade destroying they organs once inside but as mentioned earlier I have never recovered a bullet yet I have had complete pass-through's every time

Yes, I think that is the intent, my hope was with a big 338 that I would start getting the expansion and a pass through similar to what others have reported. I like having a hole in the opposite side after some tough tracking jobs on elk with the accubond. The only marginal performance I have had was on a deer at 454 yds with a 195 which failed to expand until into the second lung, made for a long tracking job but the exit hole was big enough to stick my fist through. I have just never been able to get one through an elk.

 

[338 dude]

Yes, I think that is the intent, my hope was with a big 338 that I would start getting the expansion and a pass through similar to what others have reported. I like having a hole in the opposite side after some tough tracking jobs on elk with the accubond. The only marginal performance I have had was on a deer at 454 yds with a 195 which failed to expand until into the second lung, made for a long tracking job but the exit hole was big enough to stick my fist through. I have just never been able to get one through an elk.

Yeah an elk is a big animal and a long ways to travel, I too prefer an exit wound my eyesight is not what it used to be and I'm not the best tracker but when in doubt I have a couple good dogs!

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

@338 dude Do you have any photos of lung hits with your 250 bergers? I had two instances this past year where there wasnt much for expansion with the 300 grain bergers, nonetheless they still died quickly. i will note, both instances no rib was hit, both elk the shots were right between ribs on both entrance and exit, so virtually no bone was encountered.

 

[Marine sniper]

Isn't that how bergers were designed to function I've always thought their hunting bullets were meant to fragment or grenade destroying they organs once inside but as mentioned earlier I have never recovered a bullet yet I have had complete pass-through's every time

Yes, but you have to ask- what if you hit the elk in the front shoulder and the bullet blows up without getting into the lungs or breaks both front shoulders? Anyone who has hunted 4 legged animals knows they run almost as well on 3 legs as 4.

Of course shot placement is the #1 factor and just about any bullet that goes through both lungs is going to result in a pretty quick death, but it is those less than ideal shots that make me want a little insurance. That is why I hunt elk with a .338 Lapua improved and a good bullet.

 

[cjuve]

@338 dude Do you have any photos of lung hits with your 250 bergers? I had two instances this past year where there wasnt much for expansion with the 300 grain bergers, nonetheless they still died quickly. i will note, both instances no rib was hit, both elk the shots were right between ribs on both entrance and exit, so virtually no bone was encountered.

I wish I would have taken pics of the 1 lunged deer with the 195 it was literally 1 .284 caliber pin hole in 1 lung the other had about a silver dollar sized hole and the exit was substantial. That deer went 500 yds