Who shoots with more than one bullet for one rifle??

[BergerBoy]

Does anybody shoot with more than one bullet per riffle?
I have an issue.... I have a gun that shoots the Berger 215s and 230 OTMs great. (300 WM. 27 in 1-9 5R Bart.)

Berger 230 OTM
75 gr. 1000
Norma Brass
Fed 215
2844 fps.
SD ~ 7
Groups just under .5 MOA @100yds

Berger 215
76.5 gr H1000
Norma Brass
Fed 215
2908 fps
SD ~ 8
Also groups under .5 MOA

I can NOT tell one way or the other which bullets group better. I have no noticible POI shift from the 215s to the 230s. I do have noticible POI with other bullets but NOT between these two. I have got them to go faster but these two loads are the most accurate with the lowest ES and tightest groups.
When I run the numbers they are so close all the way out. The 230 has a little more energy on target so I am leaning that way.

What do you guys suggest? Thanks.

 

[HARPERC]

If they are as close as you say, go with what you have a good supply of. If the game got bigger, and the ranges further, at some point the 230's likely pull away slightly, but I haven't run any numbers.

 

[R.Morehouse]

If you can, take them both out to 500 and see how they group. Do 5 shot groups. I have 2 different 30cals that shoot 210JLK's, 230 HyBreds, and 208 A-Max's...All using Retumbo.... All of it will shoot 1/4ish at 100. the JLK's & 230 will hold that at range. Play with seating a bit and 1 of them might start to shine a bit over the other.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Yeah, I've got like 4 different proven loads for my .308 Win (my target rifle/range toy). It's a Rem 700 5R Milspec 24". I've got a Nosler Custom Comp 168 load, Nosler Custom Comp 175 load, Berger 168 VLD load, and Berger 210 VLD load.

The reason I am glad I spent that much time experimenting with that, is because now if I run out of 1 particular bullet, I still have 3 other types available on-hand.

I have a Berger 168 and 180 VLD, Berger 180 Hybrid, and Nosler 160 Accubond load for my 7mm STW (still haven't even pulled the trigger on the other STW yet).

I will be developing several loads for my newest range-only toy. It's also a Rem 700 5R MilSpec, but a 26" .300 WM. I plan on a Berger 210, Berger 215 Hybrid, and possibly a 230 OTM load... I might even mess around and develop a Berger 168 VLD load to see how flat and fast I can get it shooting for 1000 and under targets.

 

[KYpatriot]

On a limited barrel life chambering I don't do much load development- pick a suitable bullet and when it shoots I'm done. Something like a 308 is a lot different.

 

[BergerBoy]

Thanks for all the feed back.

At my altitude, at 1600 yds there is less than 10 fps between the two. I obviously have a little more energy with the 230 so I'm leaning that way...

Like Muddrunner said, It's good to have several different loads incase there is a shortage. However, I have several friends that just have and always have shoot one bullet for their rifle and life seems to be much easier for them

Thanks again.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

It is good to have your rifle able to eat more than one combo, but make darn sure you have your rifle sighted in for the ammo you bring with, especially hunting.

You seem to have a lucky draw with similar results with two bullets, but most aren't that lucky. Case in point; one year my Pops sighted his 7stw in for a 150 grain bullet then brought his old standard load with 140 sierra bullets out to play for deer hunting. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn at a couple of hundred yards. He needed to field sight in the rifle to draw blood.​

 

[MudRunner2005]

I only pick 1 load and shoot it...But I save my load data and components that work, just incase I need to or want to change up my loads and shoot a different one for a while.

 

[Greyfox]

I used to shoot two different loads in my 308 Milpec 700. One used a 168gr SMK for 200/300 yard egg shoots. The other was my hunting load, a 165gr Nosler Ballstic Tip. They were just about identical in accuracy, POI, wind dope, and drop out to 600 yards. The SMK's were less costly,buying them in 500 count boxes. The only difference other than the bullet was the weight of Varget used.

 

[gohring3006]

My rifle shoots several different loads sub moa.
I usually choose which one to shoot by component availability.

178 gr Amax- 178 gr bthp.- Both of these shoot the same up to 250 - 300 yrds, then the bthp pulls away due to the slightly higher BC.
200 smk
165 btsp
168 smk

And now 208 Amax, I have not loaded any yet but I have no reason to believe I won't find a accurate load for it.
24in 30-06..

 

[Bill Johnson]

Go with the load with the least wind drift. Anyone can laser a target but judging the wind is the most difficult part of long range shooting.

 

[lloydsmale]

kill some deer with one this year and the other next and see which works best. I like trying different bullets to get an honest opinion (non internet expert) idea how they work. that way I can shoot at least 10 deer with a bullet and throw out the odd occurrences and pretty much know if its a good deer bullet. I rotate guns every year and usually get 5 rifles ready and in probably 3 of them they will have a new load. couple old favorites stay the same but I like variety

 

[RT2506]

I have a 30x47 made on the 300 Savage case that will shoot exactly the same with same load and two different bullets out to 300 yards which is as far as I have shot with it. 125 Nosler ballistic tip for deer and 125 Speer TNT for ground hogs. Both run 2850 fps with 42 grs IMR 4895. This rifle is a dream rifle. It has shot about any bullet up to 168s into bug holes with a case full of IMR 4895. It was made back in the early 80s as a hunter class bench rifle. I picked it up for a song in an estate sale after the fellow died just shortly after having the rifle built. It is of all things built on a Ruger 77 action with an unknown maker chrome molly varmint barrel 24" long in a glass bedded factory Ruger wood stock and has a Canjar trigger. It is a shooter though.