Target bullets for hunting too?

I know this has been beat to death probably, but I'm getting back into rifle shooting and handloading. For a 300 Win Mag, things like the 208 Amax, 200/220 Matchkings, and the Berger Hybrids.

Do they only kill at long range because they dont explode? Say I had a 230 Berger hybrid, and a deer walks out at 90 yards, will the bullet make a pass through?

I figured we could get all the good target bullets mentioned in one thread for curious people like me in the future.

I used a 225 eldm on an elk last year at 830 yards and a bear this year at 530 and they were both destroyed. It didn't exit on the elk that I could find but there was shrapnel everywhere and the heart and lungs were mush. The bullet exited on the bear and was .308 going in and softball ish going out. The bear died basically instantly but the elk ran 15 yards then tipped over and rolled to the bottom. I cant speak for short range though. The impact velocity may be to high for any expansion at close range. With the bergers being a hollow point I would guess they would be more reliable at close range than the eldms. Just my think so.

I use 208 eldm in my 300 win for deer. These have very similar performance as the ol amax bullets. Every deer I have shot small entrance and massive exit I have also killed deer with 215 bergers hybrids and while not as destructive on exit as the eldm they do expand. I shot a 6x6 at 25 steps with a 7 RM with 168 VLD and it penciled, luckily I heard the crash or I would have had a very hard time as there was literally no blood. I have only shot deer sized game so can't comment on elk size with hybrids or eldm but I do know, 285 eldm will eat anything and yotes and pdogs don't like them! Lol

Berger Hybrid used to take the elk in my avatar. 650 yards and some change. Found under the hide on the opposite side of impact.

I have done some testing with the Amax bullets in ballistic gel and wouldn't be afraid to take light thin skinned game with them. I'd step up to a bonded, partition or all copper hunting bullet for heavier or dangerous game.

300 gr. Berger OTM
338 lapua improved @2986fps meets 6x6 elk @578 yards

Thanks to all of you. I'm really going to look into the ELDM. I used to load 200 Accubonds in this 300 Win Mag, I really like heavy for caliber bullets.

I'm not sure when I will be able to set up my reloading stuff again, so I'm going to be testing some of Bergers loaded ammo.

So has anyone else had a 215 hybrid blow up and fail to penetrate a rib cage? Not a shoulder shot but a straight up rib shot.

Here's a pic of the entrance wound on a doe antelope I shot last year at 200 yards. .300 Win Mag, MV 2950 FPS. She did not die and had to be shot in the head. Bullet did not exit.

Yes that's why I quit using them and went back to Barnes. But will be trying the hammers in a clients gun shortly.

jlreff said:

Yes that's why I quit using them and went back to Barnes. But will be trying the hammers in a clients gun shortly.

Click to expand...

Are the Hammers worth the redonkulous price tag?

I (or family/friends using my rifles) have used a bunch of different "match" bullets on game.
7RM w. 180 Hybrid @ 2996, from 65ish to 882.
.300RUM w. 175 SMK(3350), 210 SMK (3160), 215 Hybrid (3110), 230 Hybrid (3113) from 35 to 1365 on everything from coyotes to elk.
6.5SLR w. 140 Hybrid on deer and tons of coyotes/jackrabbits, from 15 to 804.
6CM w. 105 Hybrid just a single coyote at 35....so far.
6.5SS w. 142 & 150 SMKs on coyotes and a single pronghorn from 40 to 1181 (goat was 183)
.223 w. 69SMK @ 3033 on so many coyotes, jackrabbits, javalinas and cottontails from 8 to 650ish

Overkill338 said:

Are the Hammers worth the redonkulous price tag?

Click to expand...

They work very well in my experience. A 143 hammer hunter out of my 280AI at 3120 fps took easily a Cow elk at 75 yards and a nice bull at 330. Great hunting bullet

jlreff said:

Yes that's why I quit using them and went back to Barnes. But will be trying the hammers in a clients gun shortly.

Click to expand...

Ya after that experience I went back to accubonds and started playing with hammers. I haven't killed anything with a hammer yet but they are very accurate. I was playing with the 214 hammer hunters in my .300win mag on Saturday and with 15 rounds had a sub .5 MOA load.

Overkill338 said:

Are the Hammers worth the redonkulous price tag?

Click to expand...

Only time will tell. I have a CA Mesa in 300wm that has been the most finicky rifle I've ever shot. I have one load worked up that is sub MOA but it's a 3-5 MOA rifle with a few other bullet options. I was gifted a box of 181 hammer hunters by Elkeater to test out.

I loaded a velocity ladder to find the max charge weight. I found a flat spot in velocity at 77gr of h1000. I loaded up 5 rounds. 4 of them went into one ragged hole. The one that didn't, I would really like to believe that I just messed up and pulled it. I literally just purchased 2 more boxes to continue testing. I can hopefully post a follow up this weekend but so far, they're the most promising bullet I've tried in this rifle.