250 gr. SMK or Scenar for 338LM?
- Thread starter co17
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
royinidaho
Well-Known Member
Go here: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/338-300-grain-smk-test-results-24108/
GoodGrouper also has a thread that shows that the Lapua bullet is pretty good for armour piercing, that is, doesn't open up in flesh but I couldn't find it.
GoodGrouper also has a thread that shows that the Lapua bullet is pretty good for armour piercing, that is, doesn't open up in flesh but I couldn't find it.
long ranger
Well-Known Member
Alot will depend on what distance you are shooting at.
For closer range shots I found that the Scenar was less destructive and more dependable. For longer , plus 500 yard shots then would not hesitate to use the SMK.
Side note, not sure if you are aware , there is a recall on the firing pins of many earlier production TRGs, with yours being a 12 twist you may want to check it out. The new TRGS come 1 in 10 twist
I have just sold my TRG-S which had a 1:12" twist.
I have ordered a TRG 42 instead but haven't received it yet.
According to Sako's homepage the twist is still 12" both according to the FAQ page and the data tables.
The beretta US homepage also says 1:12"
I do hope you are right though.
I have ordered a TRG 42 instead but haven't received it yet.
According to Sako's homepage the twist is still 12" both according to the FAQ page and the data tables.
The beretta US homepage also says 1:12"
I do hope you are right though.
Last edited:
MagMan
Well-Known Member
davewilson
Well-Known Member
i haven't tested any scenars but did shoot 5, 250 grSMK's into some milk jugs full of water, with wet magazines and one telephone book in between. i did this at 1000 yards this past summer. 3 were regular untouched MK's and the last 2 i drilled open the hollow point a bit, with a .047 drill bit, then touched up the tip with mom's nail file. all 5 opened up, basically completely coming apart making it into and through the fifth milk jug. i've only shot a groundhog at 1030 and a turkey at 560 with them. can't give you any results on big game but i have no doubt they will work perfectly.
davewilson
Well-Known Member
i haven't tested any scenars but did shoot 5, 250 grSMK's into some milk jugs full of water, with wet magazines and one telephone book in between. i did this at 1000 yards this past summer. 3 were regular untouched MK's and the last 2 i drilled open the hollow point a bit, with a .047 drill bit, then touched up the tip with mom's nail file. all 5 opened up, basically completely coming apart making it into and through the fifth milk jug. i've only shot a groundhog at 1030 and a turkey at 560 with them. can't give you any results on big game but i have no doubt they will work perfectly.
Using the 250 SMK over the last 10 years or so in my AI AWM 338's I have killed more feral hogs than I can remember at ranges from about 300 to over 800 and I have had exit holes depending on where they were shot and how far away they were from the size of a softball (round went through the shoulder at almost 400 yards) to where it is tough to find the hole because the fat on a hog tends to seal the hole pretty well esp. on the big ones. Over time I have fired many thousands of the 250 gr pills at everything from steel gongs to coyotes and the 250 always brings down what I have shot even if some of the shots were not placed perfectly. Never have I had a bullet fail that I know of because they all have exited what I have shot and I don't do anything to the hogs except drag them off to an open field where the buzzards, coyotes, fire ants and other hogs can eat them.
I hate the hogs and that is what prompted me to buy the AWM's in the first place. Now they have been replaced with 338 Lapua AI's which I have in both sporters and competition rifles and use the 300 now but still have a couple of 500 ct boxes of 250's around just in case a new powder is released that will set the world afire. If you are going to use the SMK's try and buy enough at one time so that you will get the same lot. Whenever I buy bullets I obtain a supply that is great enough to last thru that specific barrels life and for sporters that is about 2000 - 2500 and competition 1000 to 1500.
Also do not ruin the bullets by drilling them!!!! After a couple of other measurement operations will uniform the meplat with a specialized tool and then have a point up die to close them up again but you could uniform the meplats which will only slightly open the tip up and slightly reduce the BC and leave them that way. I shot them that way but now close them back up because I use the same ammo for competition as I do for hunting. Make sure you understand how to do this or you will screw them up and be left scratching your head… Good Luck and let me know if you need more information.
I hate the hogs and that is what prompted me to buy the AWM's in the first place. Now they have been replaced with 338 Lapua AI's which I have in both sporters and competition rifles and use the 300 now but still have a couple of 500 ct boxes of 250's around just in case a new powder is released that will set the world afire. If you are going to use the SMK's try and buy enough at one time so that you will get the same lot. Whenever I buy bullets I obtain a supply that is great enough to last thru that specific barrels life and for sporters that is about 2000 - 2500 and competition 1000 to 1500.
Also do not ruin the bullets by drilling them!!!! After a couple of other measurement operations will uniform the meplat with a specialized tool and then have a point up die to close them up again but you could uniform the meplats which will only slightly open the tip up and slightly reduce the BC and leave them that way. I shot them that way but now close them back up because I use the same ammo for competition as I do for hunting. Make sure you understand how to do this or you will screw them up and be left scratching your head… Good Luck and let me know if you need more information.
Last edited:
