180's vs 200's for a 300 WM??

[ReddingArcher]

I've got a question for you guys that have more experience with the 300 win mag. I have a tikka t3x superlite and broke it in with 200 grain eld-x factory ammo. It shoots great right off the bat and should get better with a few more rounds through the barrel and with handloads.
My question is, do you think there is any advantage to trying some 180 grain accubonds or just leave well enough alone? This rifle will be pretty much used for my out of state hunts for anything from antelope to, hopefully one day, elk if I can talk my buddies into elk hunting. I also dont plan on shooting past 600 yards and more likely inside 400. Thanks for any opinions!

 

[mt100gr.]

I would shoot some more eldx ammo to make sure and if it continues todo well, stick with that. What kind of accuracy was it showing during break in?

 

[Beastmode]

Either bullet would be fine for what you are wanting it to do. I would try both and see what one the gun likes. The accubonds would probably be easier to find in a factory round. Getting out to the 600 yard ballpark I would recommend the 215 hybrid. But I am a little Bias towards that bullet


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[GKPrice]

We've had outstanding performance all around from Nosler 200 gr Accubonds - the latest superlight really shines shooting these - hoping to chronograph them asap but they fly pretty much side by side with 180's from my '06 AI, both lethal out in 500 country

 

[280twoeighty]

I have always thought. No evidence other than my own experience, that the 180gr worked very well in a 300wm. I have not felt the need to shoot a 200gr projectile. I do have some handloads with a 200 gr sierra game king but have not shot them. I am sure they would be really good too. It is a preference thing. If you like them. You are good.

 

[GKPrice]

I have always thought. No evidence other than my own experience, that the 180gr worked very well in a 300wm. I have not felt the need to shoot a 200gr projectile. I do have some handloads with a 200 gr sierra game king but have not shot them. I am sure they would be really good too. It is a preference thing. If you like them. You are good.

true, especially up to and including elk - I will say that when my son's 200 Accubond hit his 330 class bull at around 275 it looked like someone pulled a rug out from under him ... dramatic and not a spine shot, never twitched - I've seen premium 165's do similar too though - there's a lot more to killing an elk than bullet weight, that's for sure

 

[hodgeman]

WIth modern bullets, the 200+gr .308 bullets are something of an anachronism...if the gun shoots them, great but I'd try 180s just to see what they'd do. I've taken a bunch of game up to moose with 180s and have never recovered a bullet.

 

[ReddingArcher]

Thanks for the replies, the gun is shooting the eldx really well. My first trip to the range I shot a group just a little over a quarter inch at 100, the next trip out groups right around 3/4 moa and just for my own curiosity after ready about guys shooting 10 shot groups I went out and shot a 1.6 inch group, it should have been tighter cause I know I pulled the furthest outside shot when the trigger broke. I will probably pick up some 180 accubonds just to try out and see what happens.

 

[GKPrice]

Thanks for the replies, the gun is shooting the eldx really well. My first trip to the range I shot a group just a little over a quarter inch at 100, the next trip out groups right around 3/4 moa and just for my own curiosity after ready about guys shooting 10 shot groups I went out and shot a 1.6 inch group, it should have been tighter cause I know I pulled the furthest outside shot when the trigger broke. I will probably pick up some 180 accubonds just to try out and see what happens.

in a superlight I will say that you'll notice a wee bit less recoil with 180's (but with recoil, every ft/lb counts for something)

 

[thopkins22]

With bullets like the ELD-X, there's zero reason to go lighter. The max point blank range does not change appreciably with slightly lighter and faster bullets, but you do lose the high BC that is essentially the whole point. Remember that while the BC does allow it to retain velocity at distance, what it really does is dampen the ability of the wind to push your bullet over the same distances. The distances you have decided to shoot at determines whether or not that's important to you.

The only reason I can see to go to lighter bullets has much more to do with the design of the bullet and intended use. If you've decided that penetration and weight retention is the most important aspect, then you're probably looking at a mono metal bullet like the TTX. These bullets REQUIRE high velocities to function...and at slower velocities will not expand. So you drive them faster by making them lighter. They are also less dense, which means that to be the same weight, they have to be much longer.

The issue with bullet length brings us to the twist rate of your barrel. Your Tikka actually has a rather slow advertised twist rate for a .300 WM. 1/11" actually makes even a 200 grain high BC bullet on the verge of being unstable at slower velocities. The ELD-X shoots great in mine to way out there so I suspect it's actually a little faster than advertised. But that's also one of the reasons that monos are lighter, they are longer and require a faster twist.

The 215 grain hybrids mentioned earlier will most likely however be unstable at what you deem to be too short of a distance.

I have no idea why Tikka chose 1/11", it doesn't make much sense given the capabilities of the round. Like I said, mine shoots the ELD-X really well, but make sure to shoot yours at least to the farthest distance you'll use the rifle, because if the twist is on the slow side of 11 inches, it'll get squirrelly on you well before the bullet gets down to the transonic zone.

You're likely to see worse accuracy with bonded bullets, but if for whatever reason you decide that you need them, then the accubond is your best bet.

 

[Formidilosus]

The issue with bullet length brings us to the twist rate of your barrel. Your Tikka actually has a rather slow advertised twist rate for a .300 WM. 1/11" actually makes even a 200 grain high BC bullet on the verge of being unstable at slower velocities. The ELD-X shoots great in mine to way out there so I suspect it's actually a little faster than advertised. But that's also one of the reasons that monos are lighter, they are longer and require a faster twist.

The 215 grain hybrids mentioned earlier will most likely however be unstable at what you deem to be too short of a distance.

I have no idea why Tikka chose 1/11", it doesn't make much sense given the capabilities of the round. Like I said, mine shoots the ELD-X really well, but make sure to shoot yours at least to the farthest distance you'll use the rifle, because if the twist is on the slow side of 11 inches, it'll get squirrelly on you well before the bullet gets down to the transonic zone.

.

While I wouldn't choose a 1/11" twist for a 30 cal, it will easily stabilize 200gr bullets and nearly any bullet that you could shoot in a 30cal.

 

[luke moffat]

You have a hunting bullet that shoots accurately....why do you wanna change to something else?

 

[Weekender]

You have a hunting bullet that shoots accurately....why do you wanna change to something else?

I went down that road last year, went with the hybrid 215 and wasn't super confident with it. Shot ABLR 190 lights out the past year and wondered what the hell em I doing. Bought more boxes of the 190, not looking back.

Shoot what you have confidence in.


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[JigStick]

We use 1:13 twists on our winmags and shoot the 150s at 3400fps. Talk about "dropping the hammer". For the distance you plan on shooting I would go with the lighter weight bullets. And push them fast. More hydrostatic shock that way, and that's what kills. Not the mass of the bullet

 

[bhylton]

if your worried about meat loss due to violent expansion, you might look at the heavier bullet. it will still expand great it just will have a little slower impact velocity which will help it stay together. both will kill, but you might loose a bit more meat with the higher speed.

178 eld-x @2900fps MV into a white-tail at 200 yds and there was no exit and no bullet fragments recovered greater than 10gr. shot was broadside through the shoulder blade. DRT but lost alot of meat. Switching to 220gr eld-x @ 2500-2600 MV this year

 

[luke moffat]

We use 1:13 twists on our winmags and shoot the 150s at 3400fps. Talk about "dropping the hammer". For the distance you plan on shooting I would go with the lighter weight bullets. And push them fast. More hydrostatic shock that way, and that's what kills. Not the mass of the bullet

Makes ya wonder how a 45/70 even kills anything.

 

[HOT ROD]

I have a tikka 300 wm... It shoots 180 200 grain accubonds. And 200 grain Berger very well out of the clip... It all so shoots 210 Bergers very good to... Not out of the clip.. Any thing under 200 grains gets H4831... 200 and 210s get H1000.... Just my experience.....

 

[fishslap]

I shoot 180gr federal trophy bonded tip in my A Bolt 300wm. Killed whitetail, mulies, and elk of various size from 40 yards to 400. Great accuracy and several recovered bullets show good expansion, retained weight, and bullet integrity. I can't say much on different bullet weights but thought I'd share my experience with the federal 180s.

 

[bhylton]

those federal trophy bonded tip seem to really be a good bullet. correct me if i'm wrong, but those are a tipped version of the Speer trophy bonded bear claw aren't they?

 

[ReddingArcher]

You have a hunting bullet that shoots accurately....why do you wanna change to something else?

I don't necessarily want to change, I'm very happy with the accuracy results with the 200 grainers, I bought some to reload with already. I was more just curious if there was anything to be gained more than just speed with the lighter bullet. I didn't think about the hydrostatic shock ruining more meat but that's definitely true and I would just as soon not do that. Thanks again for everyone's opinions!