Lighter 180gr .30 cal bullets for a 1,000yd hunting gun

[Brightwhite]

I’m having Mike at HCA rebuild my 300wsm and it’s coming back with a 22” barrel. Goal is to develop a load to shoot ~2950 FPS with ~180’s for an all around 1000 yard big game gun.

I’ve shot several deer and a few elk with 180gr accubonds out of a 300wsm and had great luck with that bullet. I have also shot 5 animals with the ELDX and have had great luck with it, all 1 shot kills.

But, now I am looking at berger’s options, but I’ve got no experience.

For my goal above of a shorter barrel 30 cal, shooting the lighter 180 options out to 1k, what bullet would you look towards starting old development?

 

[deadwolf]

Why not look to the heavier 200eldx,208 eldm, or 212 eldx? Better BCs and you’ll be able to get close to 2950


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brightwhite]

Why not look to the heavier 200eldx,208 eldm, or 212 eldx? Better BCs and you’ll be able to get close to 2950


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was thinking that I would be sub 2900FPS with those heavies out of a 22" barrel. I don't know why I am hung up on the 2950-3000FPS velocity, its just sort of my goal, and figured that was totally achievable with the 180's.

 

[deadwolf]

I think you’d easily get 3000+ with the 180s, (I was at about 3150 with 178s) but if your rifle is gonna have room to run the big ones, I wouldn’t get too hung up on pushing them super fast. And I think you can do 2900 with them pretty easy with the right powder. I have a buddy that’s doing 2950 with 208s out of a 22” tikka.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BRTreedogs]

I have had great luck using bergers twist rate calculator.
Just input all the data you have and it kicks you out some kind of margin ratio thing.
Just chose the one that it says is best.

 

[Wrench]

See how far 100 fps gets you when you compare BC'S. A slick bullet going slow will have passed a chubby little bastard somewhere around the 700 mark.

2950 with an accubond at a grand turns in the same energy as my 260ai with a 140....but my ai has 200 fps on it at that range.

You gotta choose, is it the 300WSM, the bullet or the distance.

I'd stuff a 208 or a 215 in it and rock on.....or loose the 1000 in favor of 800 and sleep better.

 

[Formidilosus]

The Berger 185gr Juggernaut is what I would choose if I were doing a 180, and there are other 180 grainers that are good, they all are outdone by the higher BC of the 200+ grain VLD’s.

Muzzle velocity is nothing but the start and has little to do with ending velocity. The things that really matter are impact velocity and wind drift and the 180’s aren’t going to get you there.

 

[WeiserBucks]

My short barrel 300 WM sends 215s at 2800 fps and they're awesome on game . I shoot at a private range that has steel out to 1150 and 1st round hits are no problem unless the wind is excessive.

You don't need the wrong bullet going fast , you need the RIGHT bullet going fast enough.

 

[deadwolf]

If you are going to load the bigger bullets I would double check with Mike that you have the mag box space, and that he’s chambering your barrel to fit them. The last thing you want is to be taking up valuable powder space by stuffing the big bullets down in the case.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jruff002]

If you are going to load the bigger bullets I would double check with Mike that you have the mag box space, and that he’s chambering your barrel to fit them. The last thing you want is to be taking up valuable powder space by stuffing the big bullets down in the case.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

what he said...spot on...check with your builder. From my past experience with bergers they shoot best .005-.020 off the lands, which means more powder space for same pressures but more velocity. But if your mag won't allow the longer bullets you may be pissing in the wind w/them, every gun is diff but i would want to know your mag length is gonna allow you to run them significantly longer than SAAMI. also like most have said, go with the bigger bullets depending on your twist and you'll have a lot higher BC and energy downrange generally after 500-600 yds vs your lighter bullets, just my .02

 

[Brightwhite]

All good points and appreciate the feedback. I think what I am hearing is I just need to plan on testing a few loads and different bullets rather than buying one and trying to make it work.

Mike is putting in the Wyatts mag box (thanks for asking me about that Mike and pushing me in the that direction!), so I will have room.

 

[wind gypsy]

The berger 180 elite hunter is a slick 180 grainer.

I agree with the consensus, at that kind of distance BC trumps velocity. The guys wining benchrest comps with WSM's use 230s or 215. Hell, even in f-class shoots with 308's it seems the 200's or 215s are the most effective.

 

[jruff002]

I just ran quick math on the berger website, a 210 VLD even if your running at 3050fps your effective kill range is just shortly over 900 yds, berger suggest theyre VLD to expand down to 1800 fps, that's another thing to keep in mind. I know there are other bullet makers that offer lower velocity expansion. Not that you would ever take a kill shot over 900 but you did say 1k yard hunting rifle, so if you do go over that you better know your stuff and take the high shoulder road

 

[wind gypsy]

All good points and appreciate the feedback. I think what I am hearing is I just need to plan on testing a few loads and different bullets rather than buying one and trying to make it work.

Mike is putting in the Wyatts mag box (thanks for asking me about that Mike and pushing me in the that direction!), so I will have room.

Even with a Wyatts, there isn't ideal room for 215s if it's on a short action.

I'd consider the berger 200.20x.

 

[wind gypsy]

View attachment 102709I just ran quick math on the berger website, a 210 VLD even if your running at 3050fps your effective kill range is just shortly over 900 yds, berger suggest theyre VLD to expand down to 1800 fps, that's another thing to keep in mind. I know there are other bullet makers that offer lower velocity expansion. Not that you would ever take a kill shot over 900 but you did say 1k yard hunting rifle, so if you do go over that you better know your stuff and take the high shoulder road

Your point is valid. According to JBM, berger 215 @ 2850 MV and 4500' elevation is moving at 1819 FPS at 1k. The 215 has basically made the 210 obsolete.

 

[jruff002]

Your point is valid. According to JBM, berger 215 @ 2850 MV and 4500' elevation is moving at 1819 FPS at 1k. The 215 has basically made the 210 obsolete.

Exactly I guess my point I should have said was run the velocity he expects on the low side with the bullets he’s considering and the elevation to make sure he’s getting expansion at the ranges he could expect to shoot. A lot of people don’t understand how bc’s work and think a lighter, faster pill kills further than heavier.

 

[mtmuley]

Bump up to the 200 grain Accubond. mtmuley

 

[BJP]

Built one on a proof 24 in 10 twist tryed 180 accubonds and 185 berger classic hunters mine shot bergers 1/2 moa or better, accubonds around 3/4 moa, h4350 pushing them at 3100 fps

 

[Mosby]

I was once told to use 180 grain Nosler up to about 800 yds and go to heavier bullets over that distance but you have to consider bullet length in the short neck of the WSM.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I'm going to give the 190 gr long range accubonds a run in my 24" 1:11 twist 300 wsm. I'm hopeful for velocities around 2,950.