240 SMK; performance on game, 30-378 Wby

[Broz]

I will give it a shot, thanks.

I am going to try to push them a little harder though. I have a 300 Wby that shoots them at 3000 fps with unbelievable accuracy...so the 30-378 is going to have to earn its keep if it want to get the nod over the 300.

I have owned two 30-378's in recent years, one with an accumark 26" tube and one with a 30" custom barrel. The accuracy node for me with 210 Bergers and H-1000 was at about 98 grains. Velocity for the 26"er was 3050 and the 30"er was 3120. Brass life was very good with these loads and they both shot very well. Both are gone now and I have a lowely 300 Win Mag custom with a 28" tube. It sends the 210's at 2995 fps with 20 gr less powder and is my go to rifle for work out to 1000.

Jeff

 

[Marine sniper]

Like I almost always do when I am working up a load I start right on the edge and go from there :-(

First load was 108 H50BMG touching the lands; 3150 fps, bout .4 in group. Bumped it to 109 and the bolt was very sticky; 3194 fps.....too hot. I am going to back it down to 103 and work up from there. I have some 225 Hornadys on the way.

 

[Marine sniper]

Good tests today, started at 103 and worked up. 3 of the 6 groups were .3 in. or less for 3 shots at 100 yards. Time to load some more and head out to stretch its legs a little.

 

[liltank]

Good tests today, started at 103 and worked up. 3 of the 6 groups were .3 in. or less for 3 shots at 100 yards. Time to load some more and head out to stretch its legs a little.

I do all my load testing at 200yds now. My brother-in-law and his brother use the 240SMK exclusively in there 30-416. There longest kill to date is 1550yds on an elk in Idaho. They are quite deadly with that rifle. They just recently purchased a 338 Extreme from that new bullet maker out of Grassflats, PA. Can't think of the name of the company right now. But they keep going back to old reliable and the 240SMK because they know what it can do.

Tank