30 Cal 240gr SMK's for Hunting

[.300 RUM Guy]

Hi Guys. Just released episode 2 of my Sierra 240 grain SMK's for hunting video, and thought I'd share it with you. Thanks.

[ame]https://youtu.be/o41wRQ1WqLI[/ame]

 

[Trnelson]

Thank you for sharing your results. I think you have developed a fair and factually supported assessment of the 240SMK. The results I had are very similar, I would wager that bullet flipped and exited base first. I appreciate that you realize the limitations they present, as well as what the criteria you need to achieve to make them fit your situation.
I just received 200 of the 225ELDM I started a thread on them and will document my findings there. I should end up with a muzzle velocity of 2,800-2,850 fps and will be testing accuracy and expansion. Nice work on the video again as well!

 

[.300 RUM Guy]

Thank you for sharing your results. I think you have developed a fair and factually supported assessment of the 240SMK. The results I had are very similar, I would wager that bullet flipped and exited base first. I appreciate that you realize the limitations they present, as well as what the criteria you need to achieve to make them fit your situation.
I just received 200 of the 225ELDM I started a thread on them and will document my findings there. I should end up with a muzzle velocity of 2,800-2,850 fps and will be testing accuracy and expansion. Nice work on the video again as well!

Thanks Tr.
What's the link to your ELD-M thread, for I too have just acquired 200 of the same, loaded some, but haven't yet had the chance yet to try them.

My 240 SMK's are doing 3,065fps, and I'd imagine I'd get the 225 ELD-M's doing around that or slightly faster.

Also, do you intend using the ELD-Ms on deer?

 

[Trnelson]

Thanks Tr.
What's the link to your ELD-M thread, for I too have just acquired 200 of the same, loaded some, but haven't yet had the chance yet to try them.

My 240 SMK's are doing 3,065fps, and I'd imagine I'd get the 225 ELD-M's doing around that or slightly faster.

Also, do you intend using the ELD-Ms on deer?

I just received mine on Wednesday I have sorted them for weight and loaded 7 with the same bearing surface length to get some rough data and foul in the barrel with this bullet, get my optic roughly in synch with the POI and get some baseline velocity across the magnetospeed to be sure of where I'm at.
I'll shoot them in the morning and post what I find. I intend to test their expansion at some point (if they shoot well in my rig) and see what kind of terminal performance they deliver. Here's a link to that thread, I won't muddy up yours with my junk...http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/225-eldm-186482/

 

[.300 RUM Guy]

I just received mine on Wednesday I have sorted them for weight and loaded 7 with the same bearing surface length to get some rough data and foul in the barrel with this bullet, get my optic roughly in synch with the POI and get some baseline velocity across the magnetospeed to be sure of where I'm at.
I'll shoot them in the morning and post what I find. I intend to test their expansion at some point (if they shoot well in my rig) and see what kind of terminal performance they deliver. Here's a link to that thread, I won't muddy up yours with my junk...http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/225-eldm-186482/

I wouldn't say it will be junk, it'll be interesting to see how they'll go. I believe the ELD-Ms are supposed to be the modern 'non-melt tip' form of A-Max, and the A-Max bullets were very taxing on meat (as seen in my vids) Anyway, all the best and I look forward to the results.

 

[TH]

The new Hornady bullets are awesome. Just when I thought it wasn't possible to make a bullet any better they did. You guys will be impressed! I just started Shooting them in my .260 and they are lights out. I won't be buying anymore burgers.

 

[Trnelson]

The new Hornady bullets are awesome. Just when I thought it wasn't possible to make a bullet any better they did. You guys will be impressed! I just started Shooting them in my .260 and they are lights out. I won't be buying anymore burgers.

Interesting. Which 6.5 ELD are you shooting? What type of rifling does your rifle have? I have been finishing off a 264 win mag and a 6.5/06 and have mixed feelings regarding the 143 (ish) ELDX. After some development they will shoot .3MOA. That I won't complain about. My biggest gripe is copper fouling. I have to remove copper every 40 rounds to maintain .5MOA. I'm real close to 3,000 fps in the 6.5/06 and a little over 3,150 in the 264. I **think** I'm skeiving the jacket as it engraves, after 3" it pretty well clears up completely. I haven't captured one from far enough away to be able to have a bullet that still retains enough of its original shape to be absolutely certain of that, yet.
I know several guys that shoot that bullet at <2,750 fps from Creedmoors, 260 rems, and 6.5x55 that aren't seeing near the copper fouling I am and are quite pleased with them. The majority of them are shooting from 5r style barrels.

 

[TH]

I'm shooting the 140grn ELD Match out of my 260. It has a 4 grove Kreiger barrel. I bought some of the 143s but haven't tried them yet. I'm shooting them 2873fps. Alls I can tell you is every barrel is different. I had the same issue with my 34 inch pac-nor barrel on my 408 ended up scrapping it.

The good news is there are several bullet makers out there. I would try the 142 SMK. How many rounds do you have down your barrel sometimes they take 300 plus rounds to break in. I have 700 rounds down the tube of my 260 it shot ok .5 inch groups with the 140 Berger hybrids until it hit around 400 rounds then my gun just started shooting .3 inch groups. I picked up a box of the 140 ELDs at the local store to try. I shot the same load same seating depth just switched bullets. Now I'm shooting .1s and .2s . Be patient and keep scrubbing the copper out don't be afraid to try new things.

 

[Trnelson]

I'm shooting the 140grn ELD Match out of my 260. It has a 4 grove Kreiger barrel. I bought some of the 143s but haven't tried them yet. I'm shooting them 2873fps. Alls I can tell you is every barrel is different. I had the same issue with my 34 inch pac-nor barrel on my 408 ended up scrapping it.

The good news is there are several bullet makers out there. I would try the 142 SMK. How many rounds do you have down your barrel sometimes they take 300 plus rounds to break in. I have 700 rounds down the tube of my 260 it shot ok .5 inch groups with the 140 Berger hybrids until it hit around 400 rounds then my gun just started shooting .3 inch groups. I picked up a box of the 140 ELDs at the local store to try. I shot the same load same seating depth just switched bullets. Now I'm shooting .1s and .2s . Be patient and keep scrubbing the copper out don't be afraid to try new things.

Interesting, that isn't a whole lot slower than I'm sending them from my 6.5/06, and a fair piece quicker than my friends are shooting them in their Creedmoors and 260's. had mixed results with the 142 SMK in testing and settled on the 140 Berger hybrid for my other 6.5/06 rifles. Thank you for the information!