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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Reloading
300wm. What bullets should I shoot?
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<blockquote data-quote="Pdvdh" data-source="post: 1084067" data-attributes="member: 4191"><p>When using a controlled expansion design bullet, it isn't nearly as important to shoot the heaviest bullet available. These bullets will typically retain their rear sections intact, even at high impact velocities. This helps ensure adequate penetration, without as much meat shredding, at high velocity impacts.</p><p></p><p>The VLD/OTMs are not controlled expansion design bullets, which is why the best thing one can do if planting them into game at high impact velocity is to start out with the heaviest bullet available. Then hope there's enough remaining bullet core to provide sufficient penetration on less than ideal shot presentations. </p><p></p><p>500yds is starting to get out their range-wise. If most of your shots were past 350-400yds, well that's the range where I start to prefer higher BC bullets. But there are still plenty of relatively high BC controlled expansion bullets that will perform splendidly out to 500yds. Anything under 300yds I'll use a controlled expansion bullet to minimize bullet splatter and meat damage, and to ensure good penetration. I'm not concerned about BC value under 300yds. Anything over 400yds, I'll be shooting a bullet with a reasonably high BC value.</p><p></p><p>I get the idea the majority of the game animals you shoot are less than 275yds. Very few exceeding 275yds, and you don't shoot if the animal is more than 500yds. If I were only going to load and shoot a single bullet within those conditions of use, I would not select the VLD/OTM style bullets. I would shoot 180-210gr relatively high BC controlled expansion bullets such as the Nosler Ballistic Tips, Nosler Accubonds, Swift Sciroccos, Sierra Game Kings... The BC values on these bullets is more than adequate to reach out to 500yds for the occasional longer shot. And these bullets will all normally together quite well at point blank range.</p><p></p><p>I prepare to hunt and shoot out to ~1000yds. I reload and carry two separate bullets. I'm currently loading and shooting heavy for caliber Hornady A-Max and Berger VLD/OTM bullets for use from 400-1000yds in 7mm and .308 caliber rifles. For shots under 300yds in my .300 Win Mag, I've loaded and used 180 and 200gr Nosler Accubonds, 180gr Swift A-Frames, and 200gr Speer Trophy Bonded Bear Claws. For shots under 300yds in my .280AI and 7mm Rem Mags, I load and use 160gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, 160gr Speer Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, and 160gr Barnes TSX bullets. I spend little time developing these "closer" range loads. They're all plenty accurate for their intended closer range use. I invest a lot more time developing the long range loads, trying to eek out very good accuracy.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pdvdh, post: 1084067, member: 4191"] When using a controlled expansion design bullet, it isn't nearly as important to shoot the heaviest bullet available. These bullets will typically retain their rear sections intact, even at high impact velocities. This helps ensure adequate penetration, without as much meat shredding, at high velocity impacts. The VLD/OTMs are not controlled expansion design bullets, which is why the best thing one can do if planting them into game at high impact velocity is to start out with the heaviest bullet available. Then hope there's enough remaining bullet core to provide sufficient penetration on less than ideal shot presentations. 500yds is starting to get out their range-wise. If most of your shots were past 350-400yds, well that's the range where I start to prefer higher BC bullets. But there are still plenty of relatively high BC controlled expansion bullets that will perform splendidly out to 500yds. Anything under 300yds I'll use a controlled expansion bullet to minimize bullet splatter and meat damage, and to ensure good penetration. I'm not concerned about BC value under 300yds. Anything over 400yds, I'll be shooting a bullet with a reasonably high BC value. I get the idea the majority of the game animals you shoot are less than 275yds. Very few exceeding 275yds, and you don't shoot if the animal is more than 500yds. If I were only going to load and shoot a single bullet within those conditions of use, I would not select the VLD/OTM style bullets. I would shoot 180-210gr relatively high BC controlled expansion bullets such as the Nosler Ballistic Tips, Nosler Accubonds, Swift Sciroccos, Sierra Game Kings... The BC values on these bullets is more than adequate to reach out to 500yds for the occasional longer shot. And these bullets will all normally together quite well at point blank range. I prepare to hunt and shoot out to ~1000yds. I reload and carry two separate bullets. I'm currently loading and shooting heavy for caliber Hornady A-Max and Berger VLD/OTM bullets for use from 400-1000yds in 7mm and .308 caliber rifles. For shots under 300yds in my .300 Win Mag, I've loaded and used 180 and 200gr Nosler Accubonds, 180gr Swift A-Frames, and 200gr Speer Trophy Bonded Bear Claws. For shots under 300yds in my .280AI and 7mm Rem Mags, I load and use 160gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, 160gr Speer Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, and 160gr Barnes TSX bullets. I spend little time developing these "closer" range loads. They're all plenty accurate for their intended closer range use. I invest a lot more time developing the long range loads, trying to eek out very good accuracy. [/QUOTE]
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300wm. What bullets should I shoot?
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