300 PRC

[Gundog74]

So I haven't had much experience with this rifle yet, but what I've seen hasn't been to impressive. I know there's a lot of factors so I'd like to hear if any of you folks have run into what I've seen.
Myself and a couple buddies have been shooting out to 1000 yards with a Christensen Ridgeline and Mesa, also a Howa. We all shoot factory Hornady 212 ELD's. And they shoot very well. The problem is killing animals.
Shot a cow elk at 300 yards. The bullet went behind the shoulder, through one rib, but didn't make a pass through. She went 400 yards before she piled up. I chalked it up to a big mass animal. Then in WV's rifle deer season I sat with a buddy on our shooting bench on our property. A big fat doe walked out 600 yards broadside. We both were watching through our scopes and as he shot I watched the bullet hit her behind the shoulder but just a couple inches back from perfect. We tracked her through a thick clear cut about 300 yards and she only had blood coming out her entry hole. Again no pass through. We didn't find her. I saw that bullet knock her 2 steps back before she took off. I'm thinking these bullets are unloading all their energy when they impact and are not plowing through.
I'd just like to hear some opinions about what's going on. I have decided to try some reloads and see what happens. I bought some Berger 205 grain Elite hunters and Nosler 210 grain Accubond LR's. Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[LkeAF]

Were both animals shot with 212's? ELD-M's or ELD-X's? There are a lot more knowledgeable people here that will chime in, but I would suggest that the problem is with the bullet, vs. the caliber at those distances as long as the shot placement was sufficient.... I haven't shot any animals with ELD's, but I have with Accubonds and EH's and both were superbly deadly, but the Accubonds passed through more. I've killed a lot of animals with Bergers, but almost never get a pass through. But when it's DRT, I don't care much.....

 

[Gundog74]

Were both animals shot with 212's? ELD-M's or ELD-X's? There are a lot more knowledgeable people here that will chime in, but I would suggest that the problem is with the bullet, vs. the caliber at those distances as long as the shot placement was sufficient.... I haven't shot any animals with ELD's, but I have with Accubonds and EH's and both were superbly deadly, but the Accubonds passed through more. I've killed a lot of animals with Bergers, but almost never get a pass through. But when it's DRT, I don't care much.....

Yes both were shot with the 212 ELDX's.
Ok sounds good. Thanks for the info!

 

[Kmccord]

If you are looking for pass thru then take a look at Hammer Bullets, Berger's are not going to give you a complete pass thru on majority of your shots. However, on WT, shot placed in mid shoulder, they will drop as if they had been hit with lightning.

 

[FlyAV8R]

I agree with what is said above. The ELD-X bullets are hit and miss for a lot of hunters. I would recommend trying a different bullet before giving up on the cartridge. A few manufacturers are coming out with a variety of different offerings. Hornady is now selling the 300 PRC loaded 190 grain CX (copper) bullets, Berger has the 205 elite hunters loaded for 300 PRC coming out as well.
Or if you reload, there are a ton more options!

 

[Joefrazell]

yeah I'd be trying a different bullet after the doe. That's pretty bad. I've had good luck with Berger bullets. They make a 205 and a 245 eol hunting bullet. You should definitely get a pass through on a white tailed doe. I've also had good luck with 215 Berger hybrids if you can find any.

 

[Joefrazell]

I'm loading the 190 cx in my prc right now but accuracy isn't on par with bergers. The cx is around 3/4-1 moa which is ok for a hunting bullet but not what I typically am acceptable with.

 

[jraulsten]

Like Joe said, the 215 Hybrid is an awesome hunting bullet in the 300 PRC if you can find them........And stupid accurate with N570

 

[Calvin45]

225 eld m is honestly a deadlier projectile imo, though not a "hunting" bullet. The heavy eldx is kind of a turd in that it doesn't fragment violently for tons of damage or, in your experience, give deep enough penetration for reliable exit wounds. I kind of like to pick one or the other, they're two opposite ends of the spectrum that both do better imo than "the middle" where you can't count on penetration OR seriously violent upset and fast killing via a massive wound channel. My recommendation then is either a heavy true frangible bullet or a lighter monometal going as fast it can.

 

[112Savage]

In a recent interview on the backcountry hunting podcast, Seth Swerczek from Hornady said the 200gr ELD-X is a little better at penetration than the 212 ELD-X because they start similar in the back end but the longer (smaller diameter) ogive on the 212 makes is easier to expand than the 200 so you consequently see less penetration at all yardages because the increase in BC makes it keep velocity longer.

 

[Silent Hammer]

That's because you're using the wrong PRC!
You have to use the 6.5, everyone knows a 6.5 anything is way better.
Look, with the Elds it has 1500 ft-lbs at 500 yards, while the 300prc only does that at about 850 yards!

 

[sable tireur]

225 eld m is honestly a deadlier projectile imo, though not a "hunting" bullet. The heavy eldx is kind of a turd in that it doesn't fragment violently for tons of damage or, in your experience, give deep enough penetration for reliable exit wounds. I kind of like to pick one or the other, they're two opposite ends of the spectrum that both do better imo than "the middle" where you can't count on penetration OR seriously violent upset and fast killing via a massive wound channel. My recommendation then is either a heavy true frangible bullet or a lighter monometal going as fast it can.

The majority of the reasoning is sound and viable, I just don't agree with every tiny point made above. No biggie though.

It's certainly not the cartridge or the rifle being the fault. It's the bullet, plain and simple. Stop investing in that design and switch to a better bullet then practice shot placement. Pass through shots (entrance and exit) do not necessarily guarantee the quick dispatching of game nor does it guarantee an adequate blood trail. These are simple facts. I've helped trail both and some were unsuccessful after hours of tracking, especially when when one hole sealed up.

Shots which stop an animal quickly are the heart, neck or brain. Any others, whether an entrance alone or entrance and exit, can and will result in an animal running to escape. I'm a meat hunter so the head gear makes no difference to me at all. Quality of the meat is better when you don't watch them run off. Concentrate on making a killing shot. If you don't have that killing shot, pass on that shot period. Change position or look for another animal.

I've been using Badlands Precision and Hammer bullets with success. Badlands has a 195 Bulldozer which is stable in a standard 1:10" twist rate. This means many of the .300 Win. Mags. (belted 300 PRC) will handle this bullet without rebarreling. You may need the throat lengthened slightly.

Enjoy the search!

 

[XLR Industries]

I wouldn't blame the caliber for the bullet performance that you are seeing. Try running a 225 eldm and I bet you have different results! Or if you really want to put a hurting on something you could try the barnes! Switch that bullet up and I bet that you will like the overall caliber a lot more!

 

[Calvin45]

I wouldn't blame the caliber for the bullet performance that you are seeing. Try running a 225 eldm and I bet you have different results! Or if you really want to put a hurting on something you could try the barnes! Switch that bullet up and I bet that you will like the overall caliber a lot more!

Yep. Heavy and frangible or a light fast mono!

My two pet loads in .300 win mag are a 225 eld m at 2800 and a 120 Barnes tactx (originally a .300 blackout bullet) at 4060 fps. Totally different "ballistic philosophies", both incredibly emphatic as an "off switch".