Berger 30 cal bullets

[freebird63]

Does anyone have any additional info on the differences between the 30 cal 185gr classic hunter bullet and the 30 cal 180 gr elite hunter bullet?
I shoot a 300 RUM with a factory 1-10 twist barrel. I generally don't like to go below a 200gr bullet in my RUM.
Thanks for any info

 

[MudRunner2005]

What info do you need to know?

They are both Hybrids, but the Classic Hunter is designed more like a rounded tangent ogive (traditional style boat tail bullet, like a Nosler Ballistic Tip), and the Elite Hunter is more of a VLD-style Hybrid with a sharper secant ogive to increase BC for reduced drag during longer range shots.

Personally, I'd go with the 215 Hybrid for your rifle, since you have a 1:10 twist.

Of the 2 you previously asked about, I'd jump to the 180 Elite Hunters.

And for any Berger bullet you choose, I recommend setting your seating depth at 0.015" off the lands, and adjusting your powder charge for your load workups.

 

[freebird63]

Thank you for that. Tried the 230's at 100 yards the groups were great. But out to 400 they opened up.

 

[Mike 338]

Classic Hunters, due to their hybrid shape, tend to be significantly less seating depth sensitive. They also have a very good BC. This is good news for guns with a long throat or a short magazine. You can often just seat them at about .070" jump, work up a load and go hunting.

 

[smoked]

I have to agree with the 215 hybrid comment. I believe they can be had with decent accuracy loaded to mag length. I used to run the 230 hybrid at 3.94 length but it was a single shot due to that. The RUM will shoot those 215s with retumbo faster than published velocity. 3150 is not a problem with a 26 inch barrel.

 

[freebird63]

With the 230's I had been using 88gr of VV N570, got really great groups at 100 yards. Then moved out to 400 yards and they opened up to 5-6 inches.
Guess I will get some 215's today. My muley hunt starts November 1st and have to get something to shoot out to 400 yards, I don't feel comfortable beyond that on an animal. I have plenty of retumbo powder.

 

[Gord0]

With the 230's I had been using 88gr of VV N570, got really great groups at 100 yards. Then moved out to 400 yards and they opened up to 5-6 inches.
Guess I will get some 215's today. My muley hunt starts November 1st and have to get something to shoot out to 400 yards, I don't feel comfortable beyond that on an animal. I have plenty of retumbo powder.

Was it vertical or horizontal spread? What was your ES on that load?

 

[FURMAN]

Pick a bullet and stay with it until you prove it will NOT work(most likely won't happen). I would suggest doing a ladder at 400 yards or an OCW at 100. This will give you a stable load for any condition you should encounter. I personally would use the 230 0r 215.

 

[freebird63]

Was it vertical or horizontal spread? What was your ES on that load?

I don't have a chrono. The spread kinda looked like an inverted V

 

[Gord0]

I don't have a chrono. The spread kinda looked like an inverted V

I would highly recommend getting a chrono. A few small tweaks may get your ES to an acceptable level and that should take care of a good majority of the vertical you're seeing. The rest is most likely wind. You won't really see any of that at 100.

 

[AZShooter]

I have had good shooting loads at 100 yds fall apart at 500 m where I test them. Twice when this happened it was the rifle and not the load. I like to shoot with a short harris bipod from the bench because I will be using a larger bipod in the field. I discovered that the barrel channels in those two suspect rifles needed to have the barrel channel opened up a bit more. Just saying it might be your rifle.