300 SMK expansion and performance on game??

[Varminator 911]

OK guys, just when I was about to think the 300 SMK was good on game, 338 bruce on another thread says he's shot 7 elk with them and they won't open at 100 to 600 yds. At least his didn't except when he hit the spine. He listed about three other bullets that did well for him.

So my questions are: Is this your experience? What is the top and bottom end of velocity that they have expanded and performed well on game for you? If they won't expand at 100 to 600 yds how are they going to farther out?

Thanks!!

 

[jwp475]

Here's one that I recovered at 1036 yards from the dirt bank

Here is a picture of one recovered from goodgroopers Moose at 980 or yards

Here is the link to good groopers Moose

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/2-moose-over-900-yards-24248/

 

[Black Diamond 408]

Here is a picture a customer sent me of his Elk last season in Wyo. He shot it a little over 400yds with a 338 Snipetac, 300grn Sierra MK, 3250fps. Entrance hole was about 1", exit hole 5", Heart and lungs were vaporized. It took about 3 steps he said and dropped. There was itty bitty pieces of red leftovers scattered throughout the sage brush. He found a couple small pieces of jacket in the cavity, but no bullet. On the same hunt he shot a Pronghorn past 700 yards with it and hit it in the neck area, the skin was the only thing holding the head to the body.

 

[338 bruce]

to be fair to the bullet I placed my shots to miss large bone to not ruin large meat. I was hunting cow elk to feed my family.

 

[Varminator 911]

338 bruce:

Thanks for the clarification. I assume you took all 7 elk. Did they travel far? What size exit hole was there?

 

[338 bruce]

I my friend killed one of them with 338 win and 200 bal tip. 300 smk no expansion. tracked 5 of them in snow till the blood stopped and then for an other mile after that. Two days of hunting. Thats when I decided that I would have to break the elks back.

 

[Varminator 911]

Thanks for both the positive and negative answers to my question. Was thinking the 300 SMK might be my best choice for a build. But Sierra says they're not hunting bullets. And I don't have any reason to not believe a man who has shot as many elk as 338 bruce.

Guess I'll be waiting for something better.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Sierra has to say that and it is $$$$$$$$$$$ driven (see my post of the JAG Opinion)----one of my very good friends and a fellow competitor who is a ballistican with Sierra will tell you the real truth about that if you get to know him!! I use SMK's for everything and never had a failure well over 100 kills of large game over the last 15 years.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Varminator, what range are you looking at shooting and what kind of rifle? There are a lot of good 338 bullets. Let me know what your hunting intentions are and I will be glad to help you.

 

[jwp475]

I my friend killed one of them with 338 win and 200 bal tip. 300 smk no expansion. tracked 5 of them in snow till the blood stopped and then for an other mile after that. Two days of hunting. Thats when I decided that I would have to break the elks back.

How did you determine that there was no expansion? Did you recover the bullet?

 

[Varminator 911]

long time lone ranger:

I'm wanting a gun to take pigs and auodad sheep to at least 1000 yds. It is windy here so need high bc, well maybe I just want it. Right now I have a remmy 700 in 300 Jarrett. But it is a 12 twist. So I want to have it rebarreled in a fast twist. Have been watching the Henson and Wildcat Al tipped bullets. But they are unproven or unavaliable so far. Just cann't get excited about the accubonds for really long range even thou they are great bullets. 308 Bergers aren't that much bc. Need something with a better bc to get me excited about making a commitment to 7mm, 308, or 338. 300 SMK is the best out there right now, but still the questions.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Varminator,

These are my first thoughts on what you have and what you want to do. Using a 700 action in high wind with pigs in the equation and 1000 yard capability. Pigs to me immediately put me up to at least 30 caliber because I expect you will be shooting a lot. The hot 7mm's are great as a LR big game rifle where you get your load worked and then shelve it for limited duty on big game hunts. You need a lot of gun in 7mm to compete with the big boys at long range with a lot of wind. When pig hunting is thrown in doing a lot of shooting the big hot barrel burners are out and about the best you could do would be the 7mm STW in this caliber and still get enough barrel life to enjoy a lot of pig shooting.

The 300 and 338-300 ultramag would outperform the STW just a bit and shoot pigs a lot of years. I doubt you would ever wear out the 338-300 barrel. Considering a lot of wind and shooting a lot at pigs at extreme range with your action I think this is where you are. For comparison you can run say a 208 Amax with a .648 BC right at 3200 fps with the 300 ultra and get a lot of shooting out of that barrel. With the 338-300 ultra you could get the 250 Amax with a .675 BC rolling at 3100 fps or the 300 matchking up around 2800 fps. Run these numbers on a ballistic program and I think with a lot of wind and shooting this is about where you are going to end up.

I agree with boss hoss and would not hesitate to use the matchking. He, me and a bunch of other guys together have seen hundreds of animals fall to these. I pretty much stick to the top bullet companies because you can usually depend on your bullet being available when you need it with no excuses or delays. The large companies have a tremendous reputation to uphold and typically will not release any unproven junk.

Considering high wind and long range the heavy match bullets are where you are headed instead of the typical hunting bullets. I don't think you will have a problem with pigs and Audad using match bullets.

 

[Varminator 911]

Thanks long ranger. I didn't realize Hornady made a 250 Amax. I'll check that one out. I'm still tantilized by the 220 Henson 308 and it's 0.9+ bc. That would be deadly in a 300 RUM if it performs on game. Also looking at Bergers 338s when they come out.

I agree that the 300 RUM or 338 Edge are my best bets. Hard to go wrong on the Edge and a little extra barrel life to boot. That's why I was about settled on an Edge and the 300 SMK.

Thanks again!!

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I think you made a good choice. That 250 is actually a hollow point match and doesn't have the pretty little red amax tip. With that BC it looks really good at about 300 fps faster than the 300 mk in the 338-300 ultra. If I had a good consistent supply of quality .308 bullets with a +.9 BC I would love them in my 300 ultramag. I have built and shot hundreds of factory and wildcat cartridges for 35 years and you find a few you can count on to be just flat out inherently accurate good shooters. The 300 ultramag is one of those I have found. Mine shoot really good! I couldn't imagine stretching it out there with a .9 BC. Both my 300 ultra hunting rifles weigh in at 9 pounds scoped out and will shoot 3" groups at the 600 yard target in a simulated hunt off a bipod in the prone position. On one elk hunt we got a kick out of bursting 12 oz. pop cans full of water at a lazered 500 yards with one of these. Deer and elk really just don't have a sporting chance inside a half mile.