338 Lapua with 300 gr Berger OTMs big game performance?

[coych]

I will come out and say it right off the bat, I'm green to long range shooting. I have a savage 111 in 338 lapua fitted with a Night force NXS 8x32x56. I am considering loading some Berger 300 gr Hybrid OTM Tactical pills for it due to their energy and high BC. I use this rifle to hunt anything from coyotes and wolves to elk and black bear. I am wanting to know if those bullets will be reliable for any game animal as far as penetration and expansion. The setup shoots much farther than I can but I'd like to build a load I can keep the same forever and have faith in it for any game animal in North America.

Your knowledge is greatly appreciated.

 

[Broz]

Here ya go. We have taken scads of elk with them and many from a 338 Lapua.


http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...otm-hybrid-terminal-results-80283/index3.html

Jeff

 

[coych]

Very impressive, Jeff! The penetration is unbelievable! Thank you for sharing. I greatly appreciate it. Happy hunting!

 

[338edge]

I'm wondering if you would get some one shot drops with a high shoulder shot as I do with my 7mmstw 180gr berger vlds?

 

[Kiwi Greg]

I would suggest you look at the 300 Elite Hunter rather than the OTM in a 1-10 twist Lapua Mag.

They have a thinner jacket & are more aggressive than the OTM.

I have found the OTMs a little hard & lacking in expansion especially at Lapua Mag speeds on smaller game.

 

[HuntFarther]

I will not start any fight by saying this but I think the 300 otms are too hard. Not saying I would not use them but I for sure will use the elite hunters. I shot a bull at 1435 yards and he was as dead as any one shot kill. But the biggest thing was I wish I did not find the bullet. Because if I didn't find the bullet I would never know what to think other than perfect happened.

 

[338edge]

Thanks on that. I'm going to start off with the 300gr otms in my 338edge because I couldn't find any of the elite hunters. If I do a high shoulder shot will I be fine?

 

[Broz]

Thanks on that. I'm going to start off with the 300gr otms in my 338edge because I couldn't find any of the elite hunters. If I do a high shoulder shot will I be fine?

If you stay above the recommended 1800 fps impact velocity I feel confident you will be fine. In your 338 Lm that will be somewhere around 1100 yards. I see no need to place them in the shoulder. I always shoot for the crease behind the shoulder. Your biggest challenge will be wind. The crease shot gives you the widest margin left and right to still anchor any animal if you are off on your wind call. Why lessen your kill zone going for a high shoulder? To answer your question look at that thread I posted earlier. I believe there is an elk in it taken at 816 yrds where the 300 OTM exited far side taking out a shoulder (page 3 pic #2). The 1 1/4 to 1 1/2" exit hole shows many small bone fragments around the exit hole.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...otm-hybrid-terminal-results-80283/index3.html

Page one shows what they do to small soft little antelope at 550.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/berger-230-300-otm-hybrid-terminal-results-80283/



Jeff

 

[RLA]

I will not start any fight by saying this but I think the 300 otms are too hard. Not saying I would not use them but I for sure will use the elite hunters. I shot a bull at 1435 yards and he was as dead as any one shot kill. But the biggest thing was I wish I did not find the bullet. Because if I didn't find the bullet I would never know what to think other than perfect happened.

I am also not trying to start a fight, but are you basing this off of one Animal? I had the same problem on my first elk with the 230 OTM's. I have since had many 230's open up much like the VLD's.

 

[HuntFarther]

One elk and two deer and two bears this year is all I took with them. The deer were closer though one at 800 area and one at four hundred twice. All though they all died not much exit and the bullets blew through so fast. Fast enough at the trip of the trigger all you see is could of dust behind them. I still use and will until I find something else. And as soon as I can find the elite hunter I will use them and see what happens. If I only hunted to 1000 yards I know I would try the new 285 amax. But after that the wind pushes it quite a bit more.