big 30 cal... Berger 230?

[JeffVN]

I'm in the process of building a custom 30 cal. cartridge w/ case capacity of roughly 95 gr. H2O (think 300 Normal Magnum but slightly slighly shorter) for use beyond 1,500 yards. Is there anyone out there shooting the Berger 230 gr. Hybred 30 Cals in something bigger than a 300 WM who can give me some feedback on how they are working.

The BC numbers of pretty amazing, but I'm intersted in hearing from folks who have actually shot them.

JeffVN

 

[Ethan21]

I'm in the process of building a custom 30 cal. cartridge w/ case capacity of roughly 95 gr. H2O (think 300 Normal Magnum but slightly slighly shorter) for use beyond 1,500 yards. Is there anyone out there shooting the Berger 230 gr. Hybred 30 Cals in something bigger than a 300 WM who can give me some feedback on how they are working.

The BC numbers of pretty amazing, but I'm intersted in hearing from folks who have actually shot them.

JeffVN

I have been trying to get some for my RUM but they are sold out along with the 215s I would like to see what you get for replies and what comes of this cartridge.

 

[MMERSS]

for use beyond 1,500 yards. Is there anyone out there shooting the Berger 230 gr. Hybred 30 Cals in something bigger than a 300 WM who can give me some feedback on how they are working.

What type of use and at what ranges? Hunting past 1500? Target past 1500? This may help.

 

[R.Morehouse]

I run the 230's through my RUM with 89.5 Retumbo doing 2950+. They shoot well being a little sensitive to seating depth. I usually shoot the 208 A-Max at 3100+ with 91.5 Retumbo. At 1/2 the price of the HyBreds they usually get the nod. I have a 300 Lapua here with a 34" Lilja that I will be working a load up for the 230's. If all goes well I will be running the rest of what I have through that crazy long gun....The 230's are most likely the best ELR 30cal slug out there right now....gun)

 

[TH]

Did you purchase your action yet? If so shat bolt face do you have?

 

[JeffVN]

Sorry for the missing information. The rifle is based on a 338LM boltface, and the barrel in the 28-30 inches. Currently the use will be primarily Target (steel Plate - out past 2,000 - depending upon the performance of the bullet), but I can't rule out use on game, most likely Deer and Elk out to roughly 1,000 yards (think ridge to ridge).

I'm sitting on a big stack of Berger 210s and 208 AMAX. If I go with the 230s, it changes the throating on the reamer pretty dramatically. If I throat the 230s, then the 208 AMAX and 210s better like to jump and I mean alot.

Jeffvn

 

[TH]

Jeff

I used to shoot 1000yd benchrrst with Tom Sarver he originally took the 338 Lapua case and shortened the case and necked it down to 30cal he called his case the 300 Hulk. When he shot the world 1000yd light gun record for group and score. Norma started producing 338 Norma mag brass. Which lead to the 300 Norma mag case. I did not want to do all the work if shortening 338 lapua cases so I built a 30-338 Norma improved. One of the most accurate long rang cartridges I ever used. I have also realized that there is still room to shorten the 300 Norma case and improve it but again I don't want to do all the brass work. Sounds like a great cartridge. If you build a repeater the 338 AI mag clips work perfect for seating the huge 230 and 240 grain bullets out. I have shot a lot of 230 and 240 grain bullets out of my rifle but my 2 favorite bullets to shoot is the 208 a max with 90 grains of H-1000 at 3278fps or the 215 Berger with 89 grns of H-1000 @ 3267. Good luck with your build hope this helps.

 

[Doublezranch]

Jeff,


I have shot the 230's out of a factory 300 RUM with incredible success. So much success that I am building a full custom 300 RUM throated just for the 230's. If your up in the air about 230 verses 215...split the dimentions in half on your reamer specs so you can have the best of both worlds. I might have the figures laying around if you want them. I will tell you this, the 230 bergers can be tricky to find the sweet spot when seating. Once you find it, its scary accurate. I shot a nice heavy bodied whitetail in ND last year with the 230. When I was able to get up to the deer it looked like a CSI crime scene.



Good luck to you on which ever bullet you decide on.

 

[MMERSS]

but I can't rule out use on game, most likely Deer and Elk out to roughly 1,000 yards (think ridge to ridge).

Jeffvn

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...arget-terminal-performance-124351/index2.html

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f116/mt-huntress-bags-1107-yard-6x6-bull-123872/index2.html

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/rl-33-first-blood-122542/

I used the 230 Berger Target on game this year. Overall good results except on one animal. Short soft tissue distance may not open up the bullet quick enough or at all.

 

[IdahoCTD]

Sorry for the missing information. The rifle is based on a 338LM boltface, and the barrel in the 28-30 inches. Currently the use will be primarily Target (steel Plate - out past 2,000 - depending upon the performance of the bullet), but I can't rule out use on game, most likely Deer and Elk out to roughly 1,000 yards (think ridge to ridge).

I'm sitting on a big stack of Berger 210s and 208 AMAX. If I go with the 230s, it changes the throating on the reamer pretty dramatically. If I throat the 230s, then the 208 AMAX and 210s better like to jump and I mean alot.

Jeffvn

I think you'll be surprised at how close the bearing surface measurement is between a 208 Amax and a 230 Berger. The Berger is a lot longer bullet but all the additional length is in the nose and boattail and not the bearing surface. I just measured them with a comparator and by my measurement the 208 Amax has a longer bearing surface than the 230 Berger by about .010".

 

[JeffVN]

Thanks for all the input. I'm getting more excited by the idea of this cartridge the more I read.

I looked at the 300 Norma Magnum and considered just pushing the shoulder back to get where I am on case capacity, but I really wanted to make use of 338 Lapua headstamp Brass that I have sitting in the parts bin.

I'll pull up the Berger tech data PDF and see what the Base to ogive specs are on the 215s versus the 230s. When I get a dummy round set up I'll take a picture and put it up for viewing....

Jeffvn

 

[IdahoCTD]

I just ordered a 30-338 Norma Imp. reamer from PTG with a .225 freebore. Dave said that they freebore usually runs .210-.220" for the 210gr vld's and .235-.250 for the 230-240gr bullets. I know I have to seat 208 Amax's deeper than 210 Matrix bullets so I went a bit longer on the throat and I might even push the freebore out to .235" so I have a little clearance. It will make it a good compromise between the two bullets IMO.

 

[B23]

My dad has one of Kirby's 300AX (30-338 Lapua imp.) the only bullet he has ever shot in it is the Berger 230 Hybrid target. His has a 28in Lilja 1-10tw #6 barrel and it also uses a Seekins DM system. If I remember correctly 3.850 OAL is just touching with the hybrid target 230's his load is 106gr of US869 and I can't remember his exact seating depth but I know it's somewhere between 10-20 thou off and I think he's closer to 10 than 20. Per two Magnetospeeds and one Oehler they are launching very consistently at 3250fps. He's only shot it out to 500yds, which I know is nothing for this setup, and has only banged steel with it but he is thrilled with how well it shoots.

 

[BCMAG2]

I use the Berger 230s almost exclusively in my custom built 300 RUM, with 28" Bartlein barrel. 89.5 grains of H1000 yields 3030 FPS mv. As others have said, it takes a while to find the ideal seating depth, but once you do, it is scary accurate and hits like a ton of bricks at all ranges. I've shot mine out to a full mile, which bottomed out my scope, and hit within a foot of point of aim. Shot a 3 shot group slightly over an inch at 1,000 yards. It doesn't get much better than that with any bullet that I know of.