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long range hunting bullets

sutton

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I recently got into hand loading for accuracy and im starting with my .300wsm. I have a boc of hornady 165g interlock bullets. I made a chart with columns that were in .1g to further increase my quality control and therefore increase accuracy. I charted out most of the bullets and not even a quarter of them were 165g and there were a lot that were 164.7g. Is there a bullet and/or company that has better quality control? I don't mind some variance but this one is kinda ridiculous... and im a fan of hornady.im looking for a longe range hunting bullet that's a .308



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Berger.

But really, unless you're shooting loooooooonnnnnngggg distance, that little variation won't matter much. And if you are shooting long range, you ought to choose a bullet with better BC than those. Try Sierra MatchKings (good), Hornady A-Max (better), or Berger (best, but finicky to get OAL right).

You're going to find that the best hunting bullets aren't the most accurate. And also that the most accurate bullets are OK, though not the best, for hunting.

Oh yeah-- check out NorthFork. They are probably the most accurate of the truly good hunting bullets. But they are pricey.

For me, long range starts at 500 yards.

But I don't hunt past 400, and then only very, very selectively.
 
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My son's Rem700 SPS Tactical has a load worked up for 150gr SST (1:12 twist barrel) that shoots less .6 at its best OAL and about .7 at an OAL that fits in the box. We saw the weight difference from bullet to bullet too, but over time have found that it has very little effect .5+- just like the powder charge has some fudge factor room in it with out loosing accuracy. With all that said we still weigh our charges exactly because it just bothers us knowing they aren't all the same.

Our biggest gain in accuracy was getting the right powder and charge weight, then OAL right. We have worked up 110 gr varmint, 130gr youth, 150gr hunting, 150gr target, 180gr hunting & 180gr factory loads that all shoot less than MOA. Most use different powders and charges and all started off about 1/2 MOA less accurate till we got right charge. Mileage does vary.

In the long run it takes a lot of time and extra supplies to sort out bullets by weight, cases by weight and then have lots ready to go. THEN what do you do with all the extras that don't fit in...shoot them for practice, but have less accuracy than when hunting. It didn't all add up.

All that to say 110 grain bullet and 180 grain bullet fall at the same rate and I've not seen personally plus or minus .2 or so gr of weight either way effect the accuracy with a given charge behind it. Then again we are not F-class target shooters, more just hunters.
 
Berger, Lapua, Norma is the best when it comes to brass, and bullets. Also if your are looking for long range in a factory gun might want to measure your max OAL to see if you can even load it in a bolt gun with a magazine, if you do it will essentially be a single shot bolt gun. Also for long range you might want to start looking at neck sizing, reaming, bumping etc...
 
you might want to start looking at neck sizing, reaming, bumping etc...
That's what she said!

Lots of great match ammo out there; I still don't trust reloads...I had a bullet twist/wobble/idkwtf it did but it stuck down the barrel from a "custom" reload.
Luckily it was through a pos Rem700 and not one of my Weatherbys
 
Neck tension consistency is probably more important than slight differences in bullet, powder, brass weight. It is my main focus when trying to load consistent, accurate, long range loads. Extra tension will spike pressure, and increase velocity. When I started focusing on neck tension, my groups started shrinking.
 
I love the Berger H-VLD. It is devastating on deer and my Remington 710 in 7mm Rem Mag will shoot 1/4 MOA all the way to 750 yards with it. Of course I tailored the COAL to suit the rifle. Barnes TTSX bullets are almost as accurate.
 
I love the Berger H-VLD. It is devastating on deer and my Remington 710 in 7mm Rem Mag will shoot 1/4 MOA all the way to 750 yards with it. Of course I tailored the COAL to suit the rifle. Barnes TTSX bullets are almost as accurate.

1/4 minute to 750? That's less than a 2 inch group, with a budget Remmy that usually shoots around 2 minutes. You must be using a Super Sniper scope also. I'm calling BS.
 
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