300 PRC 215 VS 230 BERGER'S

[MCOBB2]

I hate to do this as I spent all of yesterday reading and searching on here and all over but the answers I'm seeing are pretty gray. Trying to compare the two as I have to start doing load tests. So the specs to be aware of this would be used for whitetail and eventually mule deer. In reality whitetail would be under 500 yards. My 300 is a Bergara Approach so its a 24" barrel and 1:9 twist. I'm hoping to use IMR 7977 for a powder but I do have access to some 8133 as well and 4955. I'm getting lost in confusion of best bets for both uses as I'm reading Broz posts that are referencing the 230's are a little better for closer range which would be the whitetail hunting but most of those are in reference to heavier game like elk. I was planning on just doing the 215 so I started using those first but as everyone knows obviously, they are about as rare as unicorn dung. Doing the little bit of tests I'm around 2930 or so with the 215's so I guess the questions I have are:

1) Which bullet is seeing better results for whitetails and muleys for the 100 yard to 800 yard?

2) I realize this is a shorter barrel and I'm fumbling through numbers but how much slower is everyone seeing the 230's from the 215's? I realize the 230's don't catch up to the 215's until a veryyyyy long ways but was hoping to punch some numbers to figure out the differences.

Thank you in advance and sorry for beating a dead horse.

 

[Jud96]

I would run the 215s. They'll have less recoil and are more than enough bullet on deer sized game. Both are excellent options but for your use I'd go with the 215s.

 

[MCOBB2]

Kind of what I was leaning towards but I have two boxes of the 230's so before I get too buried spent primers figured I'd do some more research.

 

[The Oregonian]

Either one is going to be more than enough for deer. If you wanted you could probably trade the 230s for 215s with someone on here.

 

[MCOBB2]

Either one is going to be more than enough for deer. If you wanted you could probably trade the 230s for 215s with someone on here.

That's what I had in mind once I decided the route I wanted to go.

 

[loonie]

I'd prefer 210 Nosler accubond Lr over either one of the Berger's for hunting. Close or far will put a hole thru both sides and not give you a bunch of bloodshot jello you will get with the 215!!

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Tag in hopes that someone with actual experience with both of these bullets in these scenarios with preferences replies

 

[Canadian Bushman]

215

Lower form factor. Lil flatter and lil quicker at the mid to long range shots. 215 will also have a lil higher mv at that range ensuring bullet expansion. 230's increase in wind cheating ability wont make up for the other factors.

1000-1800 id start looking at the 230 or 245.

 

[dtt0862]

Following

 

[Mike Matteson]

That's like using a freight train on a car in the tracks. A 115gr bullet will kill a deer at 500yd. So why would you even need a 230gr bullets. Not shooting elk at a 1000yds.

 

[RobMokry]

Roger on the 215's for deer. I use 230's on elk and if 500yds or so I lose a quarter but the animal drops about as fast as a prom dress.
I might have a couple of boxes of 215 to swap if you lean that way.

 

[MCOBB2]

That's like using a freight train on a car in the tracks. A 115gr bullet will kill a deer at 500yd. So why would you even need a 230gr bullets. Not shooting elk at a 1000yds.

Because I have 2 full boxes on my shelf and the 215's are about as rare as unicorn dung as I stated in the original post so instead of dinking around with trading I thought this would be a better idea to post for stats on people that have used both? And for me it seems silly to have 'x' bullets for whitetail and 'y' bullets for muley's... so why not use something that will cover bases the best?

 

[MCOBB2]

Roger on the 215's for deer. I use 230's on elk and if 500yds or so I lose a quarter but the animal drops about as fast as a prom dress.
I might have a couple of boxes of 215 to swap if you lean that way.

This was the direction I was leaning towards. Good to know.

 

[Slick8]

I didn't really have time to read the entire thread so I'll just add my experience.

I switched from 215s to 230s in a 30 nosler which is nearly a ballistic twin of the prc. I ran both to 3050 with H1k and no pressure signs. Both settled on 2950-75 for the best accuracy node. I feel they'll both run about the same speed due to similar bearing surface. It's only a 7% weight increase.

I switched to the 230s due to hearing about a slightly thicker jacket resulting in less blow ups.

I shot 5 animals with the 215 from 150-500 yards ranging from a cow elk to 150 pound white tail. No pass throughs.

I've shot 10 animals this year with the 230s from a red hind at 610 to white tail from 150-500 all pass throughs. The only one to stick was a a large hog at 325 weighing 200 pounds with a 1 inch thick shield. I've seen this type animal stop a 180 ttsx.

Both bullets are .5moa to 600 yards.

The chunk of lung was from a 180 wt buck at 250 yards.