338 Bullets

[J E Custom]

I am in the process of testing my 338 Super and just picked up some bullets and wanted any
experience with these bullets .

I will start with the 300 grain SMK. I have used these and was looking for a comparison
with/against them.

I found some 300 grain Berger match grade bullets with a claimed BC of .818 G1 they appear
to be approximately .125 longer than the 300gr SMK.

Also I found some Hornady 285 grain match that are reported to have a BC of .720 and are
physically almost identical to the 300 grain SMK in length.

Any one with experance with any or all of these bullets ? any comments,criticisms or observations
on them would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

 

[tillroot1]

I am in the process of testing my 338 Super and just picked up some bullets and wanted any
experience with these bullets .

I will start with the 300 grain SMK. I have used these and was looking for a comparison
with/against them.

I found some 300 grain Berger match grade bullets with a claimed BC of .818 G1 they appear
to be approximately .125 longer than the 300gr SMK.

Also I found some Hornady 285 grain match that are reported to have a BC of .720 and are
physically almost identical to the 300 grain SMK in length.

Any one with experance with any or all of these bullets ? any comments,criticisms or observations
on them would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

I have been using the SMK bullets in my .338 RUM, they are great, seating depth not a issue and they perform flawlessly. Ron Tilley


Going to try the new Bergers, have been told, less drop for the same velocity, that has got to be good,if they shoot in my gun. Ron Tilley

 

[J E Custom]

I have been using the SMK bullets in my .338 RUM, they are great, seating depth not a issue and they perform flawlessly. Ron Tilley


Going to try the new Bergers, have been told, less drop for the same velocity, that has got to be good,if they shoot in my gun. Ron Tilley

They look great Ron, I hope they will shoot as good as they look.

J E CUSTOM

 

[kiwi3006]

Here's a report on the Berger 300gr Gen II

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...y-hunting-terminal-performance-results-76199/

Stu.

 

[CA48]

Did some slight testing with 285s back when they were released.

After some quick pressure testing and some rounds through the chrono
I ended up with going with 93gr of H-1000 .065 off the lands which gave
me 2825 fps.

This shot right at half MOA at 400. Then I stepped back to 964yds. First
shot was 3 MOA left, adjusted then sent 3 more. The first two shots were
3in apart then the last shot put the group at 10in. Goods news, the group
was mostly horizontal, the vertical spread was 2in.

The next outing was at 1707 yds with the wind switching 5-10mph. The
target was a 20in gong. After shooting two 3 shot strings, 6 shots total,
ended up with 1 on steel.

Rifle is a 338 EDGE AI 30in bbl. I am happy so far with the slight amount of
testing and load development done. Also like the uniform meplats. Other
than that I have only shot about 6 more 285s at range and it was way to
windy to gather any useful information. The new berger 300s seem to keep
having good reports, will try them out eventually.

Good luck on the project.

 

[J E Custom]

Thanks Ron, Kiwi and CA48 that will help a lot.

At least they don't seem to be bad or overrated bullets.

I realy enjoyed your hunt and see that you decided on velocity, and after seeing the terrain,
I dont blame you.

Any more Input would be appreciated.

J E CUSTOM

 

[D.ID]

I run an edge with a 24" tube 300 Smk typically shoot .3 to .4 moa with a few in the .2 range. They are great and what I usually shoot but the bergers run .2 to .3 with a few in the .1 and run about 30-40 fps faster from the muzzle, They are prettier also........Hornady's cost so much I have not bothered to try them.........Good luck

 

[Topshot]

I run an edge with a 24" tube 300 Smk typically shoot .3 to .4 moa with a few in the .2 range. They are great and what I usually shoot but the bergers run .2 to .3 with a few in the .1 and run about 30-40 fps faster from the muzzle, They are prettier also........Hornady's cost so much I have not bothered to try them.........Good luck

I have also found with the Bergers that they run 30 to 40 fps faster than the SMK's with the same powder charge.
When pushed at the same velocity they shoot a bit flatter but have way too much vertical in my rifle. If I can ever get this sorted out I will switch to them.

 

[royinidaho]

J E,

No specific details that I think will help . . . for what it's worth . . . as I'm a bit outside the box from time to time.

Shooting a 338 RUM Rem 700 Sporter, braked.

Been through all kinds of bullets. Liked 262 Wildcats best. Not a great bc. Ran out....

Went to 300 SMKs. shot lights out. Very impressive. MV = 2735.

Got some Berger Gen I. Shot even better again @ 2735.

Figure Gen IIs will do likewise.

The interesting thing was that the load I ended up settling on is a case full of 50 BMG and the Berger jammed way hard into the rifling.

 

[Broz]

JE, I have shot 8 to 900 of the 300 SMK's and 3 to 400 of the 300 Bergers from my .338 LM. I have nothing bad to say about the SMK's. They shoot good and using the .768 G1 BC had good luck with drops to 1000 or 1200. Also they killed everything well. But the Bergers simply are more accurate especially at distance in my rifle. My 1000 yard groups are much better now as well as 1500 and 1700 yard groups. Plus the Bergers seem to pass int subsonic velocities a lot better than the SMK's. I also start the Bergers off with .818 BC but step the BC with velocity limits out to 2000 yards.

I use CCI 250's and H-1000 and seat the SMK's .062" off the lands and the Bergers .015" OTL.

We hunted with the 300 OTM Gen 2 hybrids this season and were very pleased. We started with antelope and moved on to elk. We took 3 Elk and a good sized Muley at distances of 675, 816, 400 and 767 yards. All one shot and down.

If there is any other info I can help you with please ask away.

Jeff

 

[SHRTSHTR]

I have 750, 300gn Bergers sitting on the shelf. For some reason I have not been able to find a load that shoots consistent. It seems I get two shots very close and one flier.

I started out a grain lower than I shoot the 300 smk's and worked up. I use a 100 grains Retumbo for my 338 LAI and they shoot great. I had some real promise using H1000 with the Bergers but can't seem to loose that one flyer. Seating depths from .015 to touching the lands and still no success.

I can tell you that with a confirmed 300 yard zero, the Bergers shoot flatter. In my rifle it takes 17 moa up at 1k. MV at 2955fps. With the smk's it takes 18.1 moa up at 1k. Same velocity.

Would sure like to get these Bergers to work. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. I am sure I am doing something wrong and hopefully this winter I can try to find a good load. Sorry I did not have better news about Bergers in my rifle.

 

[J E Custom]

Thanks again guys. Any information on these bullets will help me and other guys that are
using these bullets or want to use them.

keep it coming ! I will post my findings as well when test are complete.

Thanks
J E CUSTOM

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Check the ballistics on the 225 grain .64 bc cutting edge bullet. You will be surprised out to 1200 yards. I think that is where the 300 grain catches the 225 in a ten mph wind out of my 338-378 wby. However the 225 is way flatter and stays in the kill zone several more yards at long range. Most of my hunting is well inside 1200 yards. It has great peformance on game.

I just checked JBM and at 1200 yards the 300 smk drifts 48.3" and the 225 cutting edge 49.7 inches in a 10 mph wind, negligible. However the 225 drops about 80 less inches and remains in the kill zone for several more yards giving you a better opportunity for a kill. If your hunting is primarily under 1200 yards and I think 1200 about covers it for everybody you may not want the 300's knocking the snot out of you in a hunting weight rifle and try the 225's. Way more pleasurable to shoot and they are a top hunting bullet and not a match bullet. I try a bunch of stuff refining my hunting weapons and this is what I found this year so thought I would pass it on.

 

[Fiftydriver]

I have found that the Hornady 285 gr produces very similiar velocity to the 300 gr SMK inspite of its lighter weight. Main reason for this I believe is because the baring surface of the two are very similiar which result in similiar velocity potential.

It seems BC is slightly higher then their listed .720 but not much. I do not see much advantage going with that bullet over the 300 gr SMK but it is an accurate bullet and shoots well so its another viable long range choice. Just not a huge advantage over the old standby.

The 300 gr Berger Gen 2 is bullet with much higher BC. It also has a significantly smaller baring surface then the Hornady or SMK so velocity potential tends to run a bit higher. BC is certainly higher, easily in the .820 range in my ballistic testing out to 1200 yards or so going off bullet drop numbers. IT has been interesting to see that out of my 338 Allen Xpress loaded to around 3000 fps, I had to use .840 for a BC but out of my 338 Allen Magnum loaded to 3380 fps, BC was much closer to .810 to get trajectory to match up over 1200 yards. Most likely this is because I am using a 1-10 twist and with the near 3400 fps velocity, its just way more RPMs then needed for this bullet. A 1-11 would likely be a much better choice for this bullet.

I have also been extremely impressed with the 265 gr TTSX which I think they label as the LRX or something like that. BC is in the .650 range, not great compared to the match bullets but it can be drive to very high speeds. Testing in my 338 Allen Magnum I was driving it to 3550 fps easily with comfortable loads and expansion was good from 500 to 1500 yards and to my surpise, it shot to nearly the same point of aim as my 300 gr SMK load out to 1500 yards in the Allen Magnum.

I do not know how expansion at long range would be with lesser chamberings but I was impressed with it in my Allen Magnum.

The new 300 gr Nosler Accubond may also be a great all around choice if it actually does reach its .720 BC. So far, Nosler has been pretty good with BC predictions, I hope they are in this case as well but it would be a HUGE jump over their 250 gr version.