300 Rum elk rifle

[SnowbirdUT]

I have two 300 RUMs that I use for hunting and target. In fact, I am going out for cow elk today and tomorrow (in the Uinta mountains of Utah). Both actions are Remington 700. One is a stock Remington action and the other Defiance. I use Manners stocks on both rifles (same stock) and Jewel triggers. I have a Proof research barrel on the Defiance action and Krieger barrel on the stock action (both barrels are 29" and I shoot both rifles suppressed). Both barrels have a 1:10 twist which works well at the altitudes I shoot, however, when it is time to rebarrel, I will use a faster twist. Both rifles group well but the Defiance/Proof rifle is slightly better. I attribute the improved accuracy to the stiffness of the Defiance action (that action is awesome). In addition, I would rather hunt with the Defiance/Proof Research barrel for obvious reasons (it is a lighter rifle).

I run the same load in each rifle. My load is 230 gr Berger Target Hybrid with 88 grains of Retumbo. I like the Target Hybrid because it has a Hybrid ogive so it isn't as critical to seat the bullets so the ogive's are super close to the lands. The 230 grain bullets are so long that I need to seat them so they will fit in my magazines. To fit my magazines, I seat the bullets with the Ogive more than 0.050" from the lands. I run Norma brass in the Proof Research barrel and Nosler in the Krieger (I need to use different brass in each rifle to avoid mixing up the brass). I use Federal 215 GMM primers. I get 3005 fps from the Proof barrel and 2998 fps from the Krieger barrel.

I've killed a lot of animals with Berger Target Hybrids and Berger Elite Hunters (I use those in my daughter's 270 WSMs). I don't not see a difference in terminal performance between either the Target Hybrids or Elite Hunters. I use the 300 RUM rifles for Elk, Mule Deer and Antelope. My longest kills using the 230 grain Target Hybrids were; Elk 850 yards, Mule Deer 500 +/- yards and Antelope (a doe) 900 yards. In all cases, the shots were well placed and animals died quickly.

I also use the 300 RUM rifles to shoot steel (we also shoot 1 gallon milk jugs at that distance). I also have two 338 LM's and use 300 grain Bergers (MV of those rifles is around 2780 fps). At one mile targets, I have to dial in an additional 1.5 to 2 meters of drop on my 338 LMs than I do on my 300 RUMs. Said another way, the 230 grain bullets have a high enough BC relative to the 300 grain 338 Bergers that the 230 grain 30 cal bullets out perform the 300 grain 338 bullets.

I cannot recommend the 230 grain 30 cal Target Hybrid bullet enough in the 300 RUM for both hunting and target. I think the 300 RUM is the best chambering in 30 Cal for long range hunting (for Elk, Mule Deer or Antelope). I absolutely love my Defiance/Proof Research rifle.

I hope this helps.

I just wanted to add, that I have tried H1000 and 7977 in the 300 RUM with the 230 gr Target Hybrid bullets. Those powders worked well but had lower MV's than the Retumbo. I use the 7977 in my 2 270 WSMs (I use a 170 grain bullet in those rifles).

 

[Mram10us]

disregard. I should have read your op better. Nothing to add

 

[mtmuley]

Op says no Bergers, yet the Berger fans persist. mtmuley

 

[Ninefingers]

 

[Ninefingers]

Appreciate all the feed back. So many great resources around here, thanks all.
First pic is 91 of retumbo and 200AB
Second is 86 of retumbo/200LRX

 

[SnowbirdUT]

Op says no Bergers, yet the Berger fans persist. mtmuley

Sorry Ninefingers. Just went back to the original post and saw "No Bergers". I've taken animals with several different bullets including Accubond. With both Bergers and Accubond, I shoot the animal and it dies. It is true that when I open the animal, the Bergers are fragmented and the Accubond is generally in once piece (more or less). In either case, the bullet doesn't exit the animal (particularly if it is an Elk). That means that based upon fundamental physics, all the energy of both the Accubond and Berger is transferred into the animal's internal organs (in cannot go anywhere else). That is why the animals die so quick in both cases.

The Berger bullets have very high BC's relative to others and I like the performance in flight.

Whatever bullet you choose, I would choose the bullet that is closest to 230 grains. That is the optimal weight for a 30 cal bullet (see Bryan Litz's book on the optimal bullet weight by caliber) and the 300 RUM case has lots of capacity so you will still have very high MV. When I first started using a 300 RUM, I started with a 185 grain bullet. I kept increasing the weight and then I read Litz's book (and took his class) and decided to try the 230 grain bullets. I wish I had purchased so many lighter weight bullets.

I forgot to add in my original post. I use 88 grains of Retumbo for the 230 grain Berger in both of my 300 RUMs.

 

[Ninefingers]

Well been a bit but hunting season always takes so **** long to get here. Thought I put a follow up post with pics of terminal ballistics. Shot a decent size cow at 250 yards with the ABLR 210's. I know, not very long range-ish. I passed on some 450 yard shots with quartering presentations and wanted to build some confidence in the new rifle. So I snuck in a bit farther without getting busted.
Had a nice shooting lane with the cow feeding and broadside. Shot prone off the backpack in the snow. First shot hit double lung with a 3-4 inch exit wound. She spun and headed up the ridge away from me. I was able to put a second in her with a sharp quartering away shot. It traversed the chest cavity, hit the right shoulder, and exited thru the neck. It was difficult to identify the exit wound however it hit the thickest part of the front shoulder. Did not see blood until skinning. Now even with 420 grains of lead thru her she made it over the ridge to timber. Its was only 50-75 yards but after loosing a cow last year, it was a **** long walk to the animal. She piled up just on the other side of the ridge. Ok so not DRT but Pretty happy with the performance and blood trail. Elk are such amazing animals and incredibly tough. Glad to be throwing the heavies at them. I know smaller caliber/bullet will do the job, but personally will stick with the dedicated elk rifle and heavy bonded bullets. Might try the barnes 200 lrx on elk next year, just need some more retumbo
Side note, hiked back in the next day with a sled, half my elk was gone. The bear left me the blood shot front quarter and a rear quarter... he walked by the carcass and followed my tracks down the hill to my meat cache. Lucky I hiked the backstraps and tendies out with me the night before. Anybody wanna go bear hunting with me?

 

[Jcook02]

RUM 1- 200 accubond- 93 gr. Ramshot Magnum 3151 FPS 1-10 Twist .50 MOA Nosler Brass Fed 215m Great elk load. Bulls and cows.
I know, you said no Berger, but giving you info anyway.
Rum 2- 230 Berger- 86.5 H1000 Gunwerks brass Fed 215m 1-10, .50 MOA Fantastic load so far. Clean tips with .027-.040 Pin Vise. Havoc on Kansas Whitetails short and far. This load shoots better than .50 MOA with new, breaking in barrel.

 

[Ninefingers]

Check the scope!

It was the scope, just a bit more torque did the trick

 

[Blacktailer]

Bummer with the bear. FWIW I always used Barnes 180's in my RUM with no problems.

 

[Ninefingers]

Bummer with the bear. FWIW I always used Barnes 180's in my RUM with no problems.

The Barnes 190 LRX factory loads shot well while braking in the barrel. The 200 LRX group well too, about the same as AB200 and ABLR 210.
Figure since I haven't been chewed on yet, donating some meat to the bears should buy me a little more time. Saw more Griz tracks than deer yesterday.