300 win mag bullet
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HARPERC
Well-Known Member
The 200 grain Nosler Accubond.
Broz
Well-Known Member
Some things one needs to consider, to get an accurate answer to this question is, how far are your average shots? The same bullet may or may not hold together at a longer distance, or simply using a heavier offering of the Sierra may also do it.
So what weight did you shoot and how far?
Also as far as will another bullet shoot 1/2" in your rifle? That will be an educated guess at best. Each rifle tends to have different cravings for bullet type and design. But we can offer what works in our rifles to give an idea of what to expect. My main hunting rifle is a 300 win.
I understand your preferences. Even though mine differ a little. I use fragmenting bullets for elk and take several each year. Under 500 yards they do not usually exit. Instead they expel all of their energy in the animal as they fragment, produce a large wound channel, and damage vital organs. Yet at longer distances with slowed impact velocities they expand less and usually exit. A harder bullet will usually not expand as much at long range and depending on cercumstances this could be a problem with terminal performance as well.
You are probably going to want to go to a bonded core bullet to keep the back 1/2 in tact. But first lets hear what weight you are currently shooting and the distance of that shot. Also what your longest perceived shot would be.
Jeff
So what weight did you shoot and how far?
Also as far as will another bullet shoot 1/2" in your rifle? That will be an educated guess at best. Each rifle tends to have different cravings for bullet type and design. But we can offer what works in our rifles to give an idea of what to expect. My main hunting rifle is a 300 win.
I understand your preferences. Even though mine differ a little. I use fragmenting bullets for elk and take several each year. Under 500 yards they do not usually exit. Instead they expel all of their energy in the animal as they fragment, produce a large wound channel, and damage vital organs. Yet at longer distances with slowed impact velocities they expand less and usually exit. A harder bullet will usually not expand as much at long range and depending on cercumstances this could be a problem with terminal performance as well.
You are probably going to want to go to a bonded core bullet to keep the back 1/2 in tact. But first lets hear what weight you are currently shooting and the distance of that shot. Also what your longest perceived shot would be.
Jeff
180 grn bullet @ 380 yards, down hill- spine and off side lung. looking for accuracy suggestions so maybe won't have to try so many to find a good load
snox801
Well-Known Member
Nosler accubond.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
There are a lot of good choices.
Personally under 600yds I think the Hornady Interlock and Interbond are impossible to beat on heavy, thick bodied critters.
Beyond that range the Hornady SST is a very good choice and the Nosler Accubond is a bullet I've had perform well for me on several dozen critters.
The Swift Sicrocco II in 180gr has performed extremely well for me from 100yds to 900yds on a dozen deer and big hogs but I've got less experience with it than the rest.
At close range the Sicoccos will do some wierd stuff. I haven't had any blow up but I have had them flatten out completely and go flipping off literally on a tangent through the chest cavity instead of passing through or following a logical path. The four deer I've shot with them never took a step. The one really big boar I shot with them was shot at 920yds if I remember right and the shot entered the first shoulder, passed through the spine, through the off shoulder and was buried up between the shield and skin. I couldn't ask for better performance.
The SST can be pretty explosive at under 300yds with 300wm velocities even if you don't strike the shoulder or leg bones. It will kill the hell out of them but you can waste a great deal of meat in doing so.
Of the interlock and interbonds that I've taken game with the performance has always been excellent. The only time I've ever failed to get a complete pass through with them was on straight on squared up chest shots in which case I've always found the bullet somewhere close to the pelvis, again, even on large hogs.
At 600yds plus, it's very hard to beat the performance of the SST's and Siroccos and both have very sound ballistic profiles.
Pick any of the above and put together a load that you can shoot well and you'll be in good shape.
squirrelduster
Well-Known Member
I'm a fan of the accubond for closer range and the Bergers for longer range. I sight in for the Bergers at 200 but when hunting have the accubond first up.
Normally for a longer shot I have time to switch to the Berger 190 load.
Normally for a longer shot I have time to switch to the Berger 190 load.
Some things ive learned after 40 years of shooting:
You never know what combination of bullet and gun will work till you try it.
I just got a new remington long range 5R in 300 win mag. Took it out with premium remington ammo, a box of federal fusion nosler partitions and 2 boxes of privi partizan ammo in 180 and 165 gr. Guess which was most accurate? The privi Partizan 180 gr with cannelure and crimped lead tip hunting bullet shot a 3/4" 4 shot group at 100 yds. See photo. And i probably ruined that group with the 4th shot. I also have numerous other calibers that shoot unexpected cartridge bullet combinations exceptionally well. A 25-45 sharps factory ammo shoots an 87 gr speer hot core bullet into 1/4" 5 shot groups from an AR.
Im telling you all, its repeatability of your hold on the rifle, harmonics node and having a clean, uniform crown and reasonable barrel that doesnt distort the bullet. Photos.. target 3 is a 22250 with remi gton 55 gr psp lead tip bullet. A 17hmr at 100 yards. And #8 is a 220 swift handloaded 40 gr. Ballistic tip at over 4100 fps .306 group...not supposed to be accurate!
So...you have to try different things for yourself.
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Highvoltage
Well-Known Member
165 Sierra gamechanger might be the ticket. I'm having excellent accuracy results with their 140gr .277 bullet. Sierras flat out shoot. Again as stated earlier since you found a separated core you have a dead elk. My buddy shoots the 165 hpbt from his 06 and will not change for anything because it effectively kills bulls every Year. They pass through turning the heart and lungs into soup. Best wishes
Try the Barnes 180 TTSX. Use your same powder, primer, cases just start a few grains below your Sierra load. Make sure you start out with them a full .10" off the lands. You can always seat them in closer if you need to teak your load. Myself, I have been using Barnes since the 80's, and shot them close, touching, way off, but now have found that "almost always" you can get good accuracy starting out .10" off the lands. In 1996 (by myself) in 1998 and in 2002,we used a 300WM as a spare (we ha other calibers, just switched rifles a lot, ha) to hunt in South Africa and Namibia. We used the then available Barnes 180 XBT over 76gr R22. We killed zebra, blue wildebeest, Blesbuk, Impala, Wart Hog, Hartebeast, in Namibia we shot the little Springbuk and the big type Gemsbuk, many animals between us all (5 of us) What I liked about that Barnes 180 is it worked "from any angle"! Good luck to you Pard!
Coyote_Hunter
Well-Known Member
logguy -
As someone else pointed out, there are lots of good options. For my hunting, I prefer a bullet that holds together and provides rapid but controlled and limited expansion at any range I'm likely to take a shot. For my .300WM, that means from the muzzle to 600 yards, the limit of my practice.
North Fork was a favorite, and still is (I have a bunch), but they are no longer made. Barnes 180g TTSX and the MRX predecessor have performed flawlessly for me in my .300WM, with my longest shot on elk at 400 yards, give or take a couple yards (per Google Earth). Now I'm using the Barnes 175g LRX. Barnes bullets have been accurate in every rifle we've tried them in, including .257 Roberts, 6.5 CM, ,280 Rem, 7mm RM, multiple .308 Win, multiple .30-06, .300WSM and .300WM.
AccuBond bullets are another bullet I trust. While we don't use them in a .300WM, we do use them in .257 Roberts, .270 Win, .280 Rem, .30-06 and .338WM.
Partitions, A-Frame and Scirocco II are good choices if they shoot in your rifle. The Federal Edge TLR is, from a design standpoint, possibly the best hunting bullet ever made. Have not had a chance to test them but plan to do so.
At the end of the day, a bullet that doesn't shoot well in your rifle isn't worth your time.
As someone else pointed out, there are lots of good options. For my hunting, I prefer a bullet that holds together and provides rapid but controlled and limited expansion at any range I'm likely to take a shot. For my .300WM, that means from the muzzle to 600 yards, the limit of my practice.
North Fork was a favorite, and still is (I have a bunch), but they are no longer made. Barnes 180g TTSX and the MRX predecessor have performed flawlessly for me in my .300WM, with my longest shot on elk at 400 yards, give or take a couple yards (per Google Earth). Now I'm using the Barnes 175g LRX. Barnes bullets have been accurate in every rifle we've tried them in, including .257 Roberts, 6.5 CM, ,280 Rem, 7mm RM, multiple .308 Win, multiple .30-06, .300WSM and .300WM.
AccuBond bullets are another bullet I trust. While we don't use them in a .300WM, we do use them in .257 Roberts, .270 Win, .280 Rem, .30-06 and .338WM.
Partitions, A-Frame and Scirocco II are good choices if they shoot in your rifle. The Federal Edge TLR is, from a design standpoint, possibly the best hunting bullet ever made. Have not had a chance to test them but plan to do so.
At the end of the day, a bullet that doesn't shoot well in your rifle isn't worth your time.
"The SST can be pretty explosive at under 300yds with 300wm velocities even if you don't strike the shoulder or leg bones. It will kill the hell out of them but you can waste a great deal of meat in doing so."
And if you do hit an elk in the front shoulder it is most likely going to die in a week or two.
Sorry not a fan of SST's or other ballistic tips. Slip them between the ribs and they are really impressive. Hit a front shoulder and I've seldom seen them penetrate on elk. I've used SST's in particular myself with very unsatisfactory results, and as a guide I've seen a lot of elk shot with various bullets. I don't always remember what each hunter was using, but EVERY SINGLE TIME I have an elk hit in a large bone (almost always front shoulder, but can remember two straight away shots where hunters hit in the ball joint pelvis area with no further penetration) where the bullet blows up and fails to penetrate through to the vitals, it has been a ballistic tip.
The cheap old plain jane factory ammo like Core-loks or Silvertips work reliably, but hunters will spend much more on fancy off the shelf designer ammo that fails to perform satisfactorily.
As a reloader your choices are practically infinite. I had poor luck with accuracy with Interbonds in the one gun I tried them in, but they have an excellent reputation for reliability on game. Accubonds and Scirroco also have a good rep and they are plastic tipped bullets if you prefer that. The old Nosler partition has been around forever and is still popular because it reliably works. Sierra Grand Slams are both devastating on game and very accurate in the guns I've tried them in. There are many more but I don't have enough experience to recommend or disrecommend a lot of them.
And if you do hit an elk in the front shoulder it is most likely going to die in a week or two.
Sorry not a fan of SST's or other ballistic tips. Slip them between the ribs and they are really impressive. Hit a front shoulder and I've seldom seen them penetrate on elk. I've used SST's in particular myself with very unsatisfactory results, and as a guide I've seen a lot of elk shot with various bullets. I don't always remember what each hunter was using, but EVERY SINGLE TIME I have an elk hit in a large bone (almost always front shoulder, but can remember two straight away shots where hunters hit in the ball joint pelvis area with no further penetration) where the bullet blows up and fails to penetrate through to the vitals, it has been a ballistic tip.
The cheap old plain jane factory ammo like Core-loks or Silvertips work reliably, but hunters will spend much more on fancy off the shelf designer ammo that fails to perform satisfactorily.
As a reloader your choices are practically infinite. I had poor luck with accuracy with Interbonds in the one gun I tried them in, but they have an excellent reputation for reliability on game. Accubonds and Scirroco also have a good rep and they are plastic tipped bullets if you prefer that. The old Nosler partition has been around forever and is still popular because it reliably works. Sierra Grand Slams are both devastating on game and very accurate in the guns I've tried them in. There are many more but I don't have enough experience to recommend or disrecommend a lot of them.
