208 Amax vs 225 BTHP in 300 Win Mag

[TJW]

Hi Guys,

So this is the problem I am having. I have loaded the hornady's 225's up to 75.0 gr of H1000 and had my groups stay under 0.5 MOA out to 1000m (last was at 1015m and 3-shot group was 4.75"). The problem is its slow, only around 2730 fps, and I am starting to have pressure signs on the brass (Norma). I am trying to get my gun to like 208 amaxs, but its being difficult. last load was 76gr of H1000 which shot 0.75 MOA at 100m and approx 2800 fps.

Is it worth pursuing the 208's or stick with the 225's? The rifle is a factory Remington milspec with 26" barrel. I know if the 208's can be made to go faster they will be better than my 225gr load out to 1600m.

 

[TH]

Ya gotta shoot what your gun likes...... It doesn't do you any good if you can't hit what you aim it!

 

[screech]

You could try 200grain nosler accubonds. I had an ultra mag that would shoot the 225 but not the 208 and I found it shot the accubonds we'll also. I had my dad use the 225 on elk and it worked but I don't think they act as well as the amaxs. Of course it may not have been a fair comparison with a odd angle or something maybe. It hit high in back as the bull was looking away so it had an entrance hole and about 2 inch by 3 inch blood shot spot and that was it. I think it just must of got in his back bone and ran up it I'm guessing. It was a quick 1 shot kill but autopsy just wasn't what I'm used to.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

What is your data?
COAL with 225s and distance to lands
COAL with 208s and distance to lands (mine all like -.010 from touching)

 

[dk17hmr]

I'm shooting the 220gr Custom Comp at about 2730fps from my 300wsm and it has been performing amazingly for me at 1000-1500 yards....I switched from the 208 A-max because I can get the 220s cheaper. If your just shooting targets shoot the BTHP if your hunting I would work with the 208 A-max more.

 

[TJW]

What is your data?
COAL with 225s and distance to lands
COAL with 208s and distance to lands (mine all like -.010 from touching)

I measured the 225's and realized that they are 0.008 jamed into the lands with COAL 3.924 and the lands being 3.916-17. The 208's are loaded at 3.906 so its pretty close at -0.011 off the lands. Should I back the 225's off a bit?

dk17hmr: I use it for hunting everything up to moose. The 225's are hard to find up here so if my rifle would just like the 208's it would make life easier.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I measured the 225's and realized that they are 0.008 jamed into the lands with COAL 3.924 and the lands being 3.916-17. The 208's are loaded at 3.906 so its pretty close at -0.011 off the lands. Should I back the 225's off a bit?

dk17hmr: I use it for hunting everything up to moose. The 225's are hard to find up here so if my rifle would just like the 208's it would make life easier.

The 208s seem fine. IIWM I'd see if I could go faster.

I believe the 225s are tangent or hybrid ogive. IIWM back off to -.020

 

[TJW]

I backed the 225's off -0.015 and increased the powder to 75.5gr of H1000. They chronoed at 2775 fps with less apparent pressure signs. I loaded up a few so I am about to go test them at 100m to see if accuracy is still there.

 

[TJW]

Just fired the 225's with a 4-shot group. 4-shot was 0.488" and the 3-shot 0.306"
My 1st, 3rd and 4th were all in a tiny group, but my 2nd shot opened it up to the 0.488"

I had a chronograph set up with the following: 2805, 2807, 2799, and 2797 fps
Avg=2802 fps
SD of 10 fps

From that I can see that I just needed to back them off the lands to decrease the pressure signs I was getting. That allowed me to stuff more powder in there and get a higher velocity.

Thanks jfseaman

 

[FEENIX]

I measured the 225's and realized that they are 0.008 jamed into the lands with COAL 3.924 and the lands being 3.916-17. The 208's are loaded at 3.906 so its pretty close at -0.011 off the lands.

WOW, those are long COALs for .300 Win Mags!

 

[TJW]

WOW, those are long COALs for .300 Win Mags!

I may be doing it wrong. I have the Sinclair comparator that attaches to a caliper
Not sure if I need to zero the caliper with the body and the .30 cal insert or not.

 

[FEENIX]

I may be doing it wrong. I have the Sinclair comparator that attaches to a caliper
Not sure if I need to zero the caliper with the body and the .30 cal insert or not.

.300 Win Mag 200 NAB for my SAKOM995 ...

Base to tip

Using Hornady LNL OAL gauge

Zeroed

Base to ogive

 

[steeltraps]

I have shot 208 a-maxs out to 1800 yards. Its subsonic and around 1075 fps at that range, but grouped well.

 

[johnnyk]

My .300WinMag loves H1000 with the 190gn but I have moved up to the 208gn A-Max and 210gn Berger and went with Retumbo & CCI250's. I am shooting Hodgdon's listed max load (81.0C), which is compressed, and getting 3072fps with the A-Max and 3073fps with the Berger's. Both loads print sub-1/2" at 100yds and are .010 off.
I shot a smallish (140lbs) 8 pt last Friday evening with the 208's. He was only 151yds away, not what any of us call Long Range, but I needed meat. At the shot he moved 2 feet, straight down. He didn't kick, wiggle or move at all afterwards. It snuffed him out. Very powerful load, especially at that distance!
JohnnyK.