# Reloading favorites.



## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

So, the boredom of winter is in it's full force so I was just wondering what everyone's favorite bullets for different types of game in different guns are and why.

Varmints - Hornady V-max's and Nosler Ballistic Tips, whichever is on sale in the cal/weight when I get them. I mostly shoot 22 cal 40's through a few 222's I have. Always accurate, always perform, better ballistic coeff's for when I am stretching all the distance I can out of the 222.

Deer/Antelope - boy I have been through a ton of different ones here. I have settled back upon shooting Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting bullets for pretty much everything. My main deer gun is a 257 ackley improved, shooting 100 gr bullets. 130's through the 270 win but going to try some 150 gr SST's, 165's through the 300 Win Mag after having a bad result with some 180 gr Accubonds. I have used pretty much everything under the sun from barnes, hornady, speer, nosler, remington, sierra and probably some I have forgotten. As you can tell, I like the plastic tipped stuff, mostly because they don't get banged up in the mag or case. I use to use partitions, but for the lead tip reason have stepped away from them. I have never had the failures that I have read about with Ballistic Tips not penetrating, actually, I have never had one not pass through, from anywhere from 50 feet to 400+ yards, mostly shoulder shots.

Elk - well, I have only shot two and both were with the 300 win mag and 180 gr Accubond. I would like to use a partition but the lead noses get so banged up in the magazine upon recoil. Both were 1 shot, one at 250 and one at 325. The closer one in the shoulders and the farther one through the lungs. The bullet did it's job both times here, but not a large sample size and both were shot in the right spot where as long as the bullet penetrated the animal wasn't going far.

Being a reloading/ammo/gun affectionist I am always reading of the new stuff and trying things out, but it seems like anymore it is more of the same with new packages on it.


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

At this time the 168 amax is my favorite for shooting every thing from steel to deer. If the oportunity comes my way to hunt elk i might try some acubonds or maybe a tsx or the gmx. All pushed by varget in my little old .308 unless the boss(my wife) oks another gun and then the dilema of which cal to go with and who to have build it.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Been shooting the 155g Lapua's in the 308win. It works like a charm for just about anything. KurtR, you really need to switch up to the 155g, the BC alone is a golden ticket. Plus you can push them a bit faster so it cuts your air time down at extended ranges, so less wind deflection.

My next barrel will definitely be a 6.5mm variation of some sort. I already know who i'd have do the work. 

Small critters get the 50g Nosler Ballistic Tip in the 22-250. Works well on prairie dogs to coyotes.

xdeano


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

Do the scenars handle a jump because in my lawyer proof remmy there is no way to get them close to the lands even loading single shot. And will i be able to get the fps i need with a 18" bbl? I am pretty dead set on having GAP build my next rifle.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

I'm loading 155 Scenars for the 308, and 50gr Nosler BTs for the 22-250, go figure eh. 

I know there are mixed reviews on using the Scenars for deer hunting. I have a couple hundred Berger 155 VLDs sitting around. When the weather shapes up I will probably do some load testing with them and use them as my deer hunting round, we'll see.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

KurtR said:


> Do the scenars handle a jump .


Yes.

Can't remember what the chamber length is in my factory 700 SPS (it's long), but my load with OAL 2.80" out shoots me by a longshot at this point. It also out shot all the other loads tested; loads that were slightly backed off of the lands included.


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

well hell looks like i am going to go order a box right now. As far as deer after seeing the results from pgs on the hide i will have no problem shooting deer with them if they work for me. I tried the 155 bergers but best i could get was 3" groups and they just never worked but i could not jam them as alot of berger shooters said needed to be done. Thats one thing i like about the amax is they are very tolerant to the big jump.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

KurtR said:


> I tried the 155 bergers but best i could get was 3" groups and they just never worked but i could not jam them as alot of berger shooters said needed to be done. .


I too have heard that about the Bergers. Same with the Scenars though, and I can't argue with the accuracy I'm getting out of them, and they are not even in the same zip code as the lands. 

Well, when the weather shapes up I'll test out them Bergers, and see how they perform.

Before I purchased some Bergers, I emailed them looking for additional info. Here is what Walt send back to me. A couple interesting points in there about the "need" to jam his bullets....



> Hi Adam,
> 
> Along with the load data I have sent some information on how to find you seating depth sweet spot.
> 
> ...


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Kurt,
They handle a jump very well. In my old 700P i had them at SAMMI length 2.800" and the throat on that 700P was super long. The rifle i'm running now was made specifically for them, so i'm .010" off the lands right now and they shoot unreal, my length is still 2.800" COAL. I've run them through a few deer, shot 2 at 420 and 440 yds last year and they both didn't go but maybe 15yds. I shot 2 last year with the 178g Amax, huge exit holes, little to big for what I like, ruined a lot of meat. They do a great job if you hit them in the boiler room. They do great on coyotes, quarter size exit on broad side shots. 
I'm running 45.4g varget in a 22" tube with a yield of 2825fps. I can get out to about 1200yds before going subsonic. the next best bc is the 178g HPBT that Hornady just came out with, the superformance ones, after that you just get really heavy.

xdeano


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

Adam i got the same email from berger when i was trying to get them to work did all that load work up like they said and still nothing would shoot in my gun. I know bergers can shoot just must be some thing about my gun that does not like them.

I ordered a box of the scenars so now i just have to wait for a little nicer weather as the fresh 15 inches of snow puts a little damper on the shooting right now.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

you guys got 15" of snow down there in Mandan, WOW! We didn't get a trace up here. That's pretty good. With the lapua scenars, try to get them in the 2900fps range, they really like it fast. But that being said mine like it kind of slow. It all has to do with the barrel, i'd guess you'll find a very nice tight shooting load with them. Do your load development at 300yds, I know in my 11.25" twist they weren't very spectacular groups at 100, when they really stabilize they make nice little groups. My load development groups were no bigger than 1.5" at 300yds and i'd consistently get .75" at 300yds, mind you this was just load development, they got smaller the further into development I went.  They will shoot!

xdeano


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

No not mandan i live in mobridge,sd i heard bismark only has about 1" or so. Thats what i have heard that they like to be pushed guess i will see what i can do out of the 18" bbl


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

for some reason I thought you were in Mandan. Either way that's a little snow. You should be able to get in the 2800fps range pretty easy i'd guess. But what's velocity if you don't have accuracy right.

I'd like to know how they do for you. So keep us in the loop.

Deano


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I don't know that I have been loading long enough to have "favorites", but I do love the TSX for any medium game, and will use them if I ever get a moose or elk tag too. Most of my white tail and mulies have been taken with the TSX in 30-06, 7mm RM, 6mm, and 25-06. I have had excellent results both on game, and accuracy wise with them. This year I took my mulie doe with a 175gr SMK in my .308. She was at a slow trot at just under 200 and didn't take a step after being hit.

Savage 12 .204 likes 39gr Blitzkings with Varget or RL-15
.223 in my "custom" AR likes 77gr SMKs
22-250 I like 36gr Varmint Grenades over Varget
6mm I like 105gr A-max for varmints and targets, and 85gr TSX for game.
DPMS 260 I am shooting 140gr SMKs and my Savage 6.5X284 Norma is shooting 140 and 142 SMKs over RL-19. Both just for target at this point. 
7mm RM is 140 TSX for game, and 168SMKs for target.
.308 I have become fond of the 175 SMKs, but will be trying the 155s in either the scenar or SMK for target. 
30-06 I like the 165gr TSX for game. 
.444 Marlin I have had great results and good accuracy with 265gr Flex Tip bullets from Hornady. 
.44 Mag 240gr hard cast SWCs over unique.


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

Speaking of bullet jump, my rifles seem to be all over the place. Anything I have with an aftermarket barrel I have no problems getting close to the lands, probably due to the better quality control.

Some of my factory rifles are way out there. My old Rem 722 222 is so far out there it is amazing, yet it groups great and there are no signs of erosion. Of course some of my older rifles were also built back in the day of a lot more round nose bullets, or blunted bullets so that could be the difference.


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

xdeano said:


> for some reason I thought you were in Mandan. Either way that's a little snow. You should be able to get in the 2800fps range pretty easy i'd guess. But what's velocity if you don't have accuracy right.
> 
> I'd like to know how they do for you. So keep us in the loop.
> 
> Deano


If spring ever gets here i will let you know how it goes. Have you ever shot the 155 amax at all? I dont know how the bc on those compare need to do some research on them to.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Hornady 155g A-max has a bc of .435
Lapua 155g Scenar has a bc of .508

I haven't used any of the 155g Amax, if they're anything like the 178g amax, they'll leave big holes in just about anything they go through.

xdeano


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

On the VLD/non-VLD topic.

One problem with seating VLD style bullets "deep" is if your shooting near max loads, your bullet may be seated to the point of infringing on your case capacity.

Playing with VLD, semi-VLD (scenars), and more traditionaly ogived bullets, the VLD's extend further beyond the neck into the case body than others when seated to shorter COALs.

The other "problem" with VLDs when shot in or near the lands is the constant "chasing of the lands" as your round count increases and throat erodes.


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