For hunting; 285 Hornady or Elite Hunter 300

[bitbythebug]

I'm sure I'm plowing old ground, but I have built a 338 RUM and it shoots fabulously. I hunted with it last year and couldn't get anything to fall. I heard several of the shots hit but the animals ran off and I couldn't find the animals after much searching and no blood trails. I was using the Berger Elite Hunter 300gr. I reload them with 87 grains Retumbo and a coal of 3.77 with m/v of 2730 and they are very consistant and accurate but I was worried that they may have penciled through the game. Both Mule deer at 650 yds. Are the Berger's to hard to expand at that distance and velocity. I was wondering if the 285 Hornady's might be more lethal. I shoot the 208 A-max's in my 300 RUM and have been very pleased with their lethality. Anyone's experience with these bullets would be helpful, and please I am only deciding between these two bullets so opinions on other bullets will not be welcome, Thanks.

 

[ultraedge]

The 285 Amax bullets are excellent killers. They do not normally shoot as well at extended ranges as the Bergers. The hollow point on the Bergers needs to be checked to make sure that it is open all the way to the lead core.I use a pin vise holding a .029 drill bit. This greatly helps expansion. Before I learned to check the hollowpoint, I had several Berger 300 grains pencil through game, but none since. The 285 Amax has never let me down. Gary

 

[bitbythebug]

Thanks. Very helpful. I like the accuracy of the Berger's but couldn't get anything to fall dead last year. I missed out on a 180+ Muley that my friend(shooting a-max's) knocked down. I then shot at several other large bucks and none of them seemed to slow down much. They were both in the 650 range and should have been an easy shot as we practiced meticulously at those ranges and way beyond. I just felt like I was hitting but not hurting some of those. I have hunted for many years and would pass off one or two as bad shooting but I shot at 5 and got none. That began to make me suspicious. I am not that bad of a shot and I took my rifle out later and it hit what I aimed at. That is why I wondered about them. I will try your cure.

 

[D.Camilleri]

I have been shooting the 300 gr Berger OTM out of my 338 rum for the past 4 years with zero complaints. All of my shots, deer and elk have proved very lethal out to 760 yards. My barrel is a 9.3 twist however and I think that helps with expansion. Due to the massive expansion that I have seen in my rifle, I will not use the Hunter model of the Berger with it's thinner jacket.

 

[bitbythebug]

The Elite Hunter's expand too quickly? You hunt with the Tactical 300's? 1-10 twist in a Krieger barrel. I can push 2800 very easily but I got in a hurry last year and got a custom dial set for 2700fps so I have backed it off to close to that velocity. Maybe I need to bump it up some. I tried a new load with RL25 last saturday and it averaged 2785 with little pressure signs and very accurate.

 

[sp6x6]

Very interesting it is your experiance.Ive shot 300 OTM tact since 2010.Havent lost a animal,massive destruction, more than needed.Son took a 200 gross muley with my rifle this year at 502 yrds and he shot a speed goat close to 900.Ive taken bull elk and moose ,bears,deer.Broz took about 60-70 elk this year on damage hunts with Berger hunters in 300 win,7mm,and 338LA.My rifle 338 NM at 2740 v

 

[Cuz]

I shoot 300 otms exclusively in a pair of 338 norma mags and they are devastating. Good shot placement equals dead critter.