300 Win Mag hunting loads

[PRDATR]

2 hours ago, rossislider said:

Talk to me a little about the hybrids. It has been my understanding that they are not recommended for hunting due to a thicker jacket and thus a smaller wound channel. Why have you guys opted to use them?

Thanks

I will say that the 168 HVLD in my 7Mag put a fist sized whole in the neck of a Coues I shot in January at 225 yards. So I would almost welcome a bullet with a thicker jacket. The same load Goldfinger used on his Elk at almost 3X's the distance also was pretty explosive.

[SHOOTER]

+1 for the 215gr Bergers and H1000 

 

[Hoss50]

Berger hunting bullets tend to open up aggressively. A thicker jacket probably isn't an issue. 

My 6.5x55 didn't exit at 250yrds on my mule deer. 135gr Classic hunters. They left this exit in my buddies forkie mulie @ 45 yards. It entered the chest and exited behind the front shoulder. 

 

[Hoss50]

[lancetkenyon]

.308 215 Hyb @ 3100mv, 432 yards, bull elk.  Weighed 88.5gr

6mm 105 Hybrid, 3101mv, 445 yards, pronghorn buck.  Weighed 51.9gr.

 

[L Cazador]

22 hours ago, rossislider said:

To build onto this, I am getting ready to start loading some rounds for a new Tikka T3x in 300 Win Mag. I am probably going to start my loads with 180 grain Berger VLDs and might also try the 178 grain Hornady ELD-Xs. I have a lot of Retumbo powder, so plan to start with that.

I have the load data from Berger and Hornady already. Just curious if anyone shooting a Tikka (I find that while they do differ a bit from rifle to rifle, they do have a lot of similarities with how they shoot different recipes) has a good round using these components as a starting point for me?

Thanks

Your Tikka has a very long throat so shooting VLD's is not a good match. Hybrids or a bullet with a tangent ogive will get you closer to the lands while still staying within magazine length. This is why hybrids are less sensitive to load for guns with long throats. Hybrids will also be less sensitive to load changes and environmental changes, ie; they are much easier to keep in tune. Hybrids are a compromise between a VLD with a pointy secant ogive and a less pointed bullet like an Accubond with a tangent ogive. 

[rossislider]

Great information guys. Thank you

[Red Rabbit]

Of the images I have seen of recovered bullets, I have been impressed with the Trophy Bonded Tipped in regards to a nice mushroom and higher weight retention. It would be one of my choices if elk were on the receiving end.  It is available in loaded ammo and as a component.  Another bullet that looks intriguing is the Federal Edge TLR.  From my 300WSM and 300WM, I have used 180 and 200 Nosler Accubonds successfully on bull and cow elk.

[PRDATR]

46 minutes ago, Red Rabbit said:

Of the images I have seen of recovered bullets, I have been impressed with the Trophy Bonded Tipped in regards to a nice mushroom and higher weight retention. It would be one of my choices if elk were on the receiving end.  It is available in loaded ammo and as a component.  Another bullet that looks intriguing is the Federal Edge TLR.  From my 300WSM and 300WM, I have used 180 and 200 Nosler Accubonds successfully on bull and cow elk.

I used the Trophy Bonded in my 22-250 and they worked great at 30 yards and 225 yards on a doe hunt with my two kids around 2000.

[no worries]

Lots of good info and advice.  

I ordered 3 boxes of loaded Berger ammo last night.  It’s the 215 hybrid.  I believe Berger uses Nosler brass which I need anyway.   

Thanks Jim

[lancetkenyon]

I can't tell you what the 30+ other Hybrids and other "Match" bullets looked like or weighed after killing our big game....because they all exited.  

Except this .308 175 SMK @ 3300mv @ 160 yards from a bull elk. 

 

[oz31p]

12 minutes ago, lancetkenyon said:

I can't tell you what the 30+ other Hybrids and other "Match" bullets looked like or weighed after killing our big game....because they all exited.  

Except this .308 175 SMK @ 3300mv @ 160 yards from a bull elk. 

 

You didn’t even post the pictures of the big exit holes