Nope!
Load the 300 with 215, and you're golden. Don't overcomplicate it unnecessarily. The guide you said you trusted has even made it easier for you to decide.
Bullet selection is driving me nuts....
- Thread starter Colin78
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I do not know how long they have been out, but Midway is showing them as discontinued. However, I still see ammo on the shelves loaded with it. I have wanted to try them too, but I failed to acquire any.
Run the Berger 215 Hybrid, make sure the tips are good and you can even open them up some if need be. I'm working my 300 WSM with the 200.20x but it's a process I'm not done with yet. I also run the 144 Hybrid from my 65PRC which has performed perfectly out to 600 on game so far. Here's what I use to open tips and clean them up.
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I have two .300 WSM; one of them I settled with 215 Berger at 2850 FPS. I have 205s and 200.20x to try for the other one when I get the opportunity.
I am looking forward to what you come up with for the 200.20x.
I used Berger Classic Hunters with good success out of my 300WM with IMR4831 on Elk, Bear, Antelope and deer home here in MT.
My Barrett Fieldcraft in 6.5CM loved the Federal Factory Berger Hybrid Hunter in 135gr so I did a custom turret on the Leupold etc.
I went to a friends lease in GA and my first buck I shot was at 15yds… the bullet exploded, not a single drip of blood, found the deer 250yds away (dead) and it looked like it was not even shot. Second deer at 40 yards was a similar situation.
I went home and worked up a 127gr Barnes load…
Berger's are made to break up so I guess you could say the bullet did its job. I definitely think bergers are better for longer range (great BC's) performance hunting.
I stick with Nosler, swift and Barnes for hunting (I do want to try Hammers, so many good reviews) and keep the Berger's for F-class and target work.
Meat eater actually did a pretty good test video at various ranges. I believe it's called copper vs lead.
My Barrett Fieldcraft in 6.5CM loved the Federal Factory Berger Hybrid Hunter in 135gr so I did a custom turret on the Leupold etc.
I went to a friends lease in GA and my first buck I shot was at 15yds… the bullet exploded, not a single drip of blood, found the deer 250yds away (dead) and it looked like it was not even shot. Second deer at 40 yards was a similar situation.
I went home and worked up a 127gr Barnes load…
Berger's are made to break up so I guess you could say the bullet did its job. I definitely think bergers are better for longer range (great BC's) performance hunting.
I stick with Nosler, swift and Barnes for hunting (I do want to try Hammers, so many good reviews) and keep the Berger's for F-class and target work.
Meat eater actually did a pretty good test video at various ranges. I believe it's called copper vs lead.
Colin78
Well-Known Member
This is my plan for now. Someone is being very generous and sending me 20 of the 215's to try in my 300wm, to see how it shoots them. In the meantime I will keep looking for them in stock somewhere.
I already had a box of 7mm 180 hybrids and I loaded a ladder test last night and am headed to the range today to see how they do.
Hopefully, I'm almost positive they will, shoot great out of my rifles and I will try them out in pigs soon.
Colin78
Well-Known Member
This seems to be the case very often with the Berger HUNTING line of bullets which have a thinner jacket. Have you thought about trying the Berger TARGET bullets on game? They seem to hold up much better at close range.
Check your PM. 215s are out there, but they go quickly. I got lucky and secured a box of 250 counts for $179.99 (+$15.10 shipping) on 1/18/23 from Midway. If you cannot find any, a guy in LRO sells 400 for $100 for a pack of 100.
Ed
Grizz1148
Well-Known Member
I shot 2 whitetail bucks with hammers out of a 7mm mag. One approx 140 yds the other 175. Both were semi difficult to track because exit was small and not much blood on the ground. Used a thermal to find the second one. We would've found it but the thermal saved time. Both double lung broadside shots. Not sure if I'll try them again. Just my experience.
I stocked up on Partitions and Barnes for my close to mid range work. I will be working up a load for my 6.5-300 with 142gr ABLR's I have which worked well on Mule Deer out of my 6.5-284Norma from 100-500yds. I currently shoot the 130gr Scirocco factory options out of it and they shoot good but could be better. My friends son took his Bull with them this year at 400. They do offer a 156gr Berger option in factory and my buddy got his mule deer at about 460yds with that round this year and it dropped it on the spot. Trying to find Berger's in stock can be difficult at the moment and I've got about 250 142gr ABLRs on the shelf.
Colin78
Well-Known Member
The accubond long range is the other one I have really thought hard about. Here's my thoughts. The negative reviews I've read were mostly that they fragmented at extremely high velocity at close range. People were disappointed because they are bonded and not supposed to do that. But the comments were that even though they didn't stay together fully they did still penetrate. So maybe at close range they act like a ballistic tip and fragment but at long range they hold together and mushroom well???? But that also sounds like what the Berger Hybrid Target bullets do.
Usually hunted with 180 gr. Nosler Partitions in my 300 WM for Elk but could not find any. I located 100 190 gr. ABs. Load was right at 2950 and I have shot two Moose and 1Elk. 1st Moose 190 yrds ran 30 yrds. 2nd Moose 42 yrds took 3 steps. Elk 100 yrds DRT. I have had good luck with them.
