.338 Berger 300 grain OTM Tactical bullet ??

[helidriver72]

So what's the deal, I know they came out with a generation II hybrid. Is this the same bullet? I only see the tactical listed on their website, is this the only .338 300 grain bullet now? How are they different? Or are they?
Thanks and my apologies if this has already been discussed, feel free to post some links.

 

[sp6x6]

Yes, Some one will post links. In short the target or tact., non hunting designated bullet. Has I believe a .005, thicker jacket, for fast target type strings. I calipered a piece of paper on my desk at .004. I read where Shawn C. and Kirby A. both pushed them hard, and they survived Several of us on here have been putting game in the dirt with them.

 

[BryanLitz]

The Gen II, thicker jacket has become the Tactical OTM, and is not recommended for hunting (although it's difficult for 300 grains of supersonic metal to not be lethal).

Nevertheless, we will be re-introducing the thinner jacket Gen I bullet with it's known upper pressure/velocity limit well understood and published, for those hunters who desire the rapid expansion characteristics of Berger Hunting bullets. These two bullets will be identical on the outside, the only difference being jacket thickness. Of course the hunting bullets will not be recommended for use in cartridges larger than .338 Lapua Mag because of the known structural limitations of that bullet.

0.005" isn't much, but considering the jacket is only ~0.025" thick; 0.005" is 20%. If I'm remembering my material-strength studies from college, structural integrety is proportional to the square (or cube...?) of thickness. In other words, the 20% thicker jacket could be more than 44% stronger which results in very significant differences in terminal performance.

In addition to the above two bullets, there will also soon be a .338 SAAMI length Hunting Hybrid which, as the name implies, will be better suited for loading to magazine length. This bullet will have a shorter nose, and hence more drag and lower BC than the 'Optimized' hybrids. Of course these are necessary concessions to make for the sake of practicality.

-Bryan

 

[helidriver72]

Thanks for the replies fellas!
BTW Brian I just downloaded "Shooter" to my iPhone and Love it!

 

[GNERGY]

Brian,
So are you saying that the 338 cal. 250 gr Hybrid OTM Tactical driven at 3100 to 3200 fps wouldn't be a good hunting bullet. I just tested those and really like them. A lot of guys hunt with only the target VLD's and have very good results. Michelle said a hunting version would be coming out. Do you know when and how much thinner is the jacket.
So you are saying the jacket on the 250 OTM is also .025 thick?
Just trying to get an idea if I can use the 250 Hybrid for hunting this fall.
Thank you
Tarey

 

[Broz]

Tarey, we hunted all last season with the 300 Berger OTM's and also the 230 OTM's. Many elk, deer and antelope were taken, over 11 animals total at all distances to 1000 yds. All DRT. Not trying to answer for Bryan. Just stating facts. If your rifle shoots them well, I would not have one worry.

Jeff

 

[GNERGY]

Thanks, Jeff
That's all I wanted to know.
I get 200 of the 250's free for doing the testing for Berger and wanted to use them for hunting. I just want to feel confident with the bullet I use.
Tarey

 

[MT4XFore]

Gnergy, I guess I can let the cat out of the bag now. I've been shooting the 250grn OTM all summer and fall out of my 338 Allen Xpress. I did not know the BC on these test bullets so I used .675 for one batch and .700 for another. They both fit my ballistic tables in Shooter almost exactly. They also matched up in the field on "terrorist" rocks.

I'm shooting them at 3214 fps. using 105.5 grs. of Retumbo and that load has an SD of 8. Now I've taken two nice mulie bucks at over 300 yds with them. The first one was standing and I pinned both shoulders. Looked kinda like this:

 

[sp6x6]

I am going to continue my hunting tests with the 300 OTM. I like that it is thicker jacket, so far I have not seen this a hinderance. But I did have a friend that was shooting speed goats between 1200-1400 yrds and said that bullet was at max for the 338 Norma type cartridge, so maybe thinner at long range. Shot a bull at 50 yrd and game out to 800 so far.

 

[whapaho]

I'm having a second 338 edge built and I want to know for sure vld or otm ???? I haven't shot any bergers through either gun yet but I'm going to start. Long-range hunting period.. so can anyone tell me for sure gen 1 or gen 2 ?? These are what I want to be the Bullitt of chose from now on.Whapahoe.

 

[whapaho]

Ppssttt!! I forgot... I also would like to buy some Berger 338 300 anybody have a hundred bullits for sale???? Well once I find out what color box to purchase.. yellow or orange.

 

[AZShooter]

I used the 300 gr OTM tactical (non hunting) version on this year's coues wt hunt. It is a long throated 338 RCM with a 1 in 9 twist 30" barrel. Starting velocity is a mundane 2550 fps. Impact vel was 2244 fps. He was bedded so I shot through him at an angle behind the shoulder and it exited between the thighs nicking one very slightly. He stood up after the shot and staggered downhill trying to make it to the bottom of the wash. This time he presented a broadside shot so I put the second behind the shoulders. He expired right away. I knew this bullet would kill such a small deer even if it didn't expand. Both bullets expanded slightly with approx triple caliber diameter exits. The best feature with this package is the low velocity not damaging the meat. All meat was clean with no blood shot areas. Can't say that for my 257 weatherby shooting 115 VLDs!

Now that the hunting version is available I will switch to it next year for more expansion.

 

[whapaho]

Very little help there for me.. were your versions gen 1 or gen2 ??? I'm only using my bullets for hunting but I want them to still ack like bench test bullets. I'm looking for no less than ,02 mos at 300 meters ... My Smith says he can do it.. well see.. so yellow or orange which one will expand for hunting better..

 

[jrivera1]

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