300 PRC Dual load results Berger/Hammer

[lhp63190]

Guys — thought I'd share this in case any other guys are interested in dual loading for the 300 PRC.

I'm headed to Africa next month and have been playing with dual loading my 300 PRC with 215 Berger and 214 Hammer. My intention is to use hammers inside 400 and Bergers on any potential longer shots. Attached are some pics of my bench work today. Both loads shoot sub 1/2 MOA (pics are the best groups). Using 78.0 gr of H1000 and the Hammer shoots 50 FPS faster than Berger's. There is only a 1/2 MOA POI difference between the two (this isn't shown in pics as I was still tweaking windage). I'm really happy with the results.

Im also working on a dual load using 180 Berger's and 169 Hammers. Getting close there but not yet as good as the 300 PRC.

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

Update after the hunt with results!!!

 

[AJPERALTA]

That is awesome!! I have wanted to do this with a couple of my rifles but I don't have the experience or know how. Let us know how the hunt goes!!

 

[Doozy]

I'm jealous. I'm low on my factory ammo but can't find reloading supplies, and when I can find factory ELD-X, it costs $80/box. Ugh!

Thanks for the info though.

 

[littlebighorn]

Impressive groups, although I don't know why you would need to limit the Hammers to close range. I'm shooting them out to 700 without any problems and their terminal performance is as good as it gets in my book.

 

[scdogman]

What twist? Looking to use 208 eldm and a hammer combo in a 300 win mag.

Did the same thing with 180 eldm and 177 hammer hunter in a 28 nosler. Hammer limit was 600, bull appeared at 602 and got the eldm.

 

[CA48]

Guys — thought I'd share this in case any other guys are interested in dual loading for the 300 PRC.

I'm headed to Africa next month and have been playing with dual loading my 300 PRC with 215 Berger and 214 Hammer. My intention is to use hammers inside 400 and Bergers on any potential longer shots. Attached are some pics of my bench work today. Both loads shoot sub 1/2 MOA (pics are the best groups). Using 78.0 gr of H1000 and the Hammer shoots 50 FPS faster than Berger's. There is only a 1/2 MOA POI difference between the two (this isn't shown in pics as I was still tweaking windage). I'm really happy with the results.

Im also working on a dual load using 180 Berger's and 169 Hammers. Getting close there but not yet as good as the 300 PRC. View attachment 280473View attachment 280472

Glad to see your gun is shooting both bullets well. I'm running 215 bergers in my 30 Sherman Mag. For hunting I think you will be fine at short or long range with just the hammers. I'm running the berger at 2950 and I should be able to run the 214s at 3000. I'm going to test the hammers in my rifle at some point side by side with the Berger. My guess is that there will be less than .25MOA difference in wind drift at 1000 yards. That being said I've had great results with the bergers in various calibers as long as the tips were cleaned out and velocitys were under 3250. I had blow ups with Bergers that had muzzle velocitys over 3300 at less than 250 yards. The biggest complaint I've noticed from people with the heavy for caliber hammers is the lower bc but in reality even at 1000 yards I feel the wind drift will be very similar.

 

[orifdoc]

Well, cool idea, but if you want true long-range shooting in Africa you'll need a PH who is a true believer. Most of them work hard to keep stuff inside of 200 yards, maybe 300. They get real frustrated tracking wounded stuff all over the continent.

I wouldn't try to mess with anything fancy. Pick a bullet you like and don't use up too much headspace on trying to keep track of two different loads. I've only been there a few times, but keep it simple and just concentrate on making a clean shot. I've probably killed 50 animals there and I have yet to turn a turret.

 

[Oldenglishbulldogge]

Have you tried your results at 500 yards or so?
I think your going to have much different results than at 100 yards. I find it very hard to test long range bullets at 100 yards. Some bullets don't even go to sleep till well beyond 300 yards

 

[HunterMann]

Well, cool idea, but if you want true long-range shooting in Africa you'll need a PH who is a true believer. Most of them work hard to keep stuff inside of 200 yards, maybe 300. They get real frustrated tracking wounded stuff all over the continent.

I wouldn't try to mess with anything fancy. Pick a bullet you like and don't use up too much headspace on trying to keep track of two different loads. I've only been there a few times, but keep it simple and just concentrate on making a clean shot. I've probably killed 50 animals there and I have yet to turn a turret.

I fully agree. You have two good loads so pick one and go hunting. KISS principle applies. Have a great hunt.

 

[cjl2010]

Some bullets don't even go to sleep till well beyond 300 yards

What have you seen that makes you think this?

 

[HunterMann]

Have you tried your results at 500 yards or so?
I think your going to have much different results than at 100 yards. I find it very hard to test long range bullets at 100 yards. Some bullets don't even go to sleep till well beyond 300 yards

It's best to shoot at the longest range you have available to test accuracy and group size. When hunting the, game deserves an that only an ethical and competent shot be taken.

 

[Oldenglishbulldogge]

What have you seen that makes you think this?

There are a lot of long range bullets that take a little while to settle down. For example back in my old camp perry days, shootin 308 Winchester I had 175 grn match kings over Varget. My particular load would shoot approximately one or even one and a quarter MOA at 100 yards. But that very same load would be 1/2 MOA at 1000 yards. For targets that were under 400 yards I would run 155 Scenars and switch to the 175 farther out.
I pretty much have the same thing going with my 300 WinMag. I am only about 12 rounds into my new 300 PRC so we will see how that goes.

 

[Doozy]

What twist? Looking to use 208 eldm and a hammer combo in a 300 win mag.

Did the same thing with 180 eldm and 177 hammer hunter in a 28 nosler. Hammer limit was 600, bull appeared at 602 and got the eldm.

I'm also wondering what your twist rate is.

Also, what neck bushing did you use? I'm trying to start reloading for my first time, and I'm overwhelmed at how many options there are to all of this.