JARHEAD1371
Well-Known Member
Does anyone have any first hand experience with the 240 SMK? I'm looking at shooting them with a 300 Jazz or 300-338 Lapua. Any info, including effect on elk and smaller game, is appreciated. Thanks!
Anyone shooting the 240 SMK?
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jmden
Well-Known Member
There's a fair amount of info on this subject on lrh.com. Might have to do some serious data mining to find it, but there's alot of info from quite a few different folks.
I'll take a stab at it but there's many on this site with much more experience than I. Out of a 300RUM with MV's just under 3K with US869--wouldn't reccomend it. If I was to shoot this now, I'd used H50BMG and probalby be down around 2920... Two elk--cow at 450, spike at 60yds. One deer small 4x4 muley at about 100yds.
Cow was a (1stshot) rib shot--tween ribs on the way in and took out about 2-3 in section of rib/chest wall on exit. When I got back on her about 3 secs fter the muzzle flash and recoil from an unbraked 9 1/4 lb 300RUM in the predawn darkness, she was still upright and at a slow walk, although stumbling, so I held right in front of her chest as she walked and the quick second went into the neck/chest junciton...bang flop...w/ about 5-6 secs elapsed time from first shot.
Spike at ~60yds took over 4K ft. lbs of energy to the R shoulder/ chest in a shooting down, 1/4ering to shot. Broke the shoulder and made a mess of the chest cavity--he went probably under 15 yrds.
I took a bad angle shot at the buck--still relive that moment and not happy about it, but bullet went in R ham, broke femur and exited on the L flank leaving a 12 by 12 " hole and taking everything, and I mean everything, back of the diaphram out with it--gutting was easy, but the quarter was ruined. 'Bout made me cry to lose that meat and take a shot like that. Live and learn.
Some hear don't think the 240 performs as well as the 300 at longer ranges--tends to pencil through more. I can't say personally, but it has a pretty good rep (not as good as the 300) as a hunting bullet--it sure pack alot of wallop.
Shooting the 210 Berger now with 94.5g Retumbo at just under 3K MV and usually have sub 1/2 moa groups out to over 1/2 mile in good conditions out of a 1300+ round count barrel. Sticking with extreme powders at this point. US869 was way too temp sensitive in my rifle combo to be able to use the same load for early fall bear/high buck hunting and November elk hunting. Hope this helps...
I'll take a stab at it but there's many on this site with much more experience than I. Out of a 300RUM with MV's just under 3K with US869--wouldn't reccomend it. If I was to shoot this now, I'd used H50BMG and probalby be down around 2920... Two elk--cow at 450, spike at 60yds. One deer small 4x4 muley at about 100yds.
Cow was a (1stshot) rib shot--tween ribs on the way in and took out about 2-3 in section of rib/chest wall on exit. When I got back on her about 3 secs fter the muzzle flash and recoil from an unbraked 9 1/4 lb 300RUM in the predawn darkness, she was still upright and at a slow walk, although stumbling, so I held right in front of her chest as she walked and the quick second went into the neck/chest junciton...bang flop...w/ about 5-6 secs elapsed time from first shot.
Spike at ~60yds took over 4K ft. lbs of energy to the R shoulder/ chest in a shooting down, 1/4ering to shot. Broke the shoulder and made a mess of the chest cavity--he went probably under 15 yrds.
I took a bad angle shot at the buck--still relive that moment and not happy about it, but bullet went in R ham, broke femur and exited on the L flank leaving a 12 by 12 " hole and taking everything, and I mean everything, back of the diaphram out with it--gutting was easy, but the quarter was ruined. 'Bout made me cry to lose that meat and take a shot like that. Live and learn.
Some hear don't think the 240 performs as well as the 300 at longer ranges--tends to pencil through more. I can't say personally, but it has a pretty good rep (not as good as the 300) as a hunting bullet--it sure pack alot of wallop.
Shooting the 210 Berger now with 94.5g Retumbo at just under 3K MV and usually have sub 1/2 moa groups out to over 1/2 mile in good conditions out of a 1300+ round count barrel. Sticking with extreme powders at this point. US869 was way too temp sensitive in my rifle combo to be able to use the same load for early fall bear/high buck hunting and November elk hunting. Hope this helps...
JARHEAD1371
Well-Known Member
I tried to search as much as I could but it kept saying there were no matches.
Thanks a ton for the info.
If you were to build a 30 cal would you choose the 240 SMK or 210 Berger? Assuming with the 300 Jazz or 30-338 Lapua.
jmden
Well-Known Member
This probably ended up being one of the better 240 threads in the last couple 2-3 years that I recall anyway: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/240-sierra-match-king-33805/
Some info from Kirby and I think I found a link (on page 4 or 5) to some close range testing. Food for thought anyway. Funny how opinionated I was about the 240 at that time and now I'm using the 210. Tried the 210 and Retumbo and just seemed to have measureably better consistency, which is what it's all about. Very likely I could go back and do the same with the 240 now, knowing what I've learned in the past couple of years...always learning... Good luck!
Oh and do a search with "240g SMK" and you should pick up a few more threads.
Some info from Kirby and I think I found a link (on page 4 or 5) to some close range testing. Food for thought anyway. Funny how opinionated I was about the 240 at that time and now I'm using the 210. Tried the 210 and Retumbo and just seemed to have measureably better consistency, which is what it's all about. Very likely I could go back and do the same with the 240 now, knowing what I've learned in the past couple of years...always learning... Good luck!
Oh and do a search with "240g SMK" and you should pick up a few more threads.
I have a 300 JAZZ built by SSG
I am shooting 83gr Retumbo as my accuracy load and getting 2830fps, 28" barrel. You can push these to over 2900 fps. The 210 gr Berger are running at 3150 with 88.5gr Retumbo. I have brass with 15 reloads on these loads without primer pocket failure, so I know this cartridge can be pushed harder than what I am .
I am shooting 83gr Retumbo as my accuracy load and getting 2830fps, 28" barrel. You can push these to over 2900 fps. The 210 gr Berger are running at 3150 with 88.5gr Retumbo. I have brass with 15 reloads on these loads without primer pocket failure, so I know this cartridge can be pushed harder than what I am .
