Berger 30. 230gr hybrid target or Tactical for hunting

[Edd]

Edd,
Can you provide a link to the Berger site you're getting your information from?

I just re-visited this Berger web site (see link below), and I find the same bearing surface lengths that I posted above.

The Berger Bullets Catalog | Berger Bullets

I don't know what to tell you. When I go to the link you provided, I find the numbers I posted.

http://www.bergerbullets.com/pdf/Quick-Reference-Sheets.pdf

I have a 2013 spec sheet that has the numbers you posted.

 

[Pdvdh]

Edd,
Can you provide a link to the Berger site you're getting your information from?

I just re-visited this Berger web site (see link below), and I find the same bearing surface lengths that I posted above.

The Berger Bullets Catalog | Berger Bullets

I open the above link, I download the Microsoft Word Version of "The Berger Bullets Catalog". MS Word opens a document titled "Berger_Catolog-2014.doc". This is a copy and paste of page 25 of that document: 0.419", 0.495", 0.560"

So I grabbed and measured the bearing surface on three (3) of the 215gr Hybrid Target bullets I purchased from MidwayUSA in December, 2014. I used my Hornady tool with two 0.298" diameter inserts and measured a bearing surface length of 0.608". That would be bearing surface beginning/ending with 0.298" diameter. I don't have any inserts measuring 0.308" diameter, so I can't obtain the precise bearing surface length beginning/ending at 0.308" diameter.

Regardless, my measurement was so much larger than either my 0.419" or your 0.450" bearing surface values, that I further examined and measured the bearing surface length with the jaws of my Mitutoyo dial calipers. After some careful measurements to identify and mark the location of the ogive, I guarantee that the bearing surface length on my bullets is a minimum of 0.475". The 0.419" value in their 2014 Catalog isn't even in the ballpark. Off by at least 0.055". Even your 0.450" bearing surface length is short by at least 0.025".

So we don't have to bother trying to figure out which chart is correct. They're both wrong for my 215gr Hybrid Target bullets. These bullets were fresh arrivals at MidwayUSA in December 2014. I ordered them the same day I received the e-mail notification from Midway that the bullets were in stock. Lot #6881.

Back to square one...

 

[Chandalar]

1:9 twist with a 300 Win mag. OTM

 

[muleystalker]

Thanks for that info. I talked with Bryan early on and he was at the same velocity we were, but that was a few years ago. He obviously found something I did not.

We never did move on to test the "Targets" with higher BC. I went to the 215's and started testing them. Below is the thread on them. And my son has moved on to a 338 Terminator +P with a 300 Berger.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/comparing-berger-210-vld-215-hybrid-88657/


Don't get me wrong, I am all about heavy for caliber bullets especially with fragmenting bullets. But for our use the 215 having 200 fps more velocity it was our choice for inside the perimeters of where we would take elk and bear with a 300 win. Now it we were to use a 300 rum or 30-378 again we would have 230's in them for sure.

There are 20 some kill reports with the 215 from the same 300 win. Lots of elk and lots of different distances. Look it over and you should have an idea of if they are what you want. In the 300 win the only place I liked the 230's better than the 215 was 500 yards and under.

Jeff

I just finished reading your thread on the 215's, whew, all in one sitting, very informative. I was basing my interest in the 230's target based on the listed velocity of the ammo listed on the berger website of 2850fps for 300wm and 230gr hybrid from a 26" barrel. i ran that in the ballistic calculater against the 215 hybrid with 2900fps, that was what i found in berger reloading manual . at those # the 230 was out performing the 215 from 700 or 800' out to 1500'if I remember correctly. but you are saying you were getting 2950 to 3000fps with the 215gr hybrid and that shifts the calcs a lot closer together. at 2950fps for the 215's the 230's start to surpass the 215 at 1000' and beyond. approx. 100fp of energy and 1" less wind drift. Not that big of a deal. But that is if the published velocity that berger list for the 230gr ammo of 2850fps is true and attainable. I see were the 215 was out doing the 230 at the 2750fps you were able to achieve. If the 2850fps is doable ballistically it seems like a wash between the two, except the 230 has a tiny bit more energy at the extreme ranges.

 

[Broz]

I base my choices of drift inside the area I will take game with a 30 cal. I don't see me taking many elk past 1000 with a 30 as long as I have a big cased 338 to hunt with. Game I do take out there past 1000 like the antelope at 1285 are smaller and in the wide open. My 28" 300 win sends the 215 @ 3035 fps and has seen 3050 before I backed it down a tad. We have seen more than one 300 win with 215's from a 26" barrel get real close to 3000. There are several owners on this site too. As for the 230's at 2850 it is surely possible. We stopped just under pressure signs at 2775 from a 28" tube. They shot amazingly well so we looked no further. There is surely more people here that have spent more time than I with 230's in a 300 win. So 2850 could surely be possible. I just have not heard much of it from 300 wins.

There are some other differences in these two bullets in the tip area that affects terminal performance characteristics. I am still doing some research on that.

Jeff

 

[jlreff]

I went to the 200gr Barnes lrx works great. Shoot the 280gr lrx in the 338 lapua.

 

[muleystalker]

Im probably work up a load with those 200gr Barnes lrx too,i live in California, and starting this year we have to hunt with lead free bullets. Such a joke.

 

[Saracen]

I'm getting ready to build a 300WM and need to decide what bullet i'm going to shoot. i want to shoot the Berger 230gr Hybrid, only they do not make it in their hunting line. Was wondering if anyone on her has used them for hunting with good results, either the Target or tactical? I don't understand why Berger does not make them in their hunting lineup, they are far superior than the 210gr ballistically.

I can totally recommend the 230 OTM in 300 Win Mag. I load mine using Federal 215 M primers, used to use H1000, but as I'm in the UK and H1000 isn't available now, I use 75 grains of N570.. Its awesome!
I too am curious to try the 230 Target Hybrid.

 

[elkaholic]

Everybody uses the 215 target with good success so why not use the 230 version. I think the only difference between the 230 otm and target is the nose shape which would give the target the advantage for opening and a higher b.c.

 

[Terry Scott]

Interesting Story
Went to Zimbabwe a few years ago with the 300 Ultra Mag as my non dangerous game rifle, shooting the berger 230s...The PH was skeptical, but boy did they work out well.
Killed 2 waterbucks, several Kudus, and everything from impalas to Zebra all went down hard with one shot kills.The Ph likes them now, said he has never seen animals go down like that. So I am sold on them. I am shooting one of Shawn Carlocks +P chambered rifles pushing the 230 @ just over 3000FPS couldn't be happier.

 

[tbrice23]

Interesting Story
Went to Zimbabwe a few years ago with the 300 Ultra Mag as my non dangerous game rifle, shooting the berger 230s...The PH was skeptical, but boy did they work out well.
Killed 2 waterbucks, several Kudus, and everything from impalas to Zebra all went down hard with one shot kills.The Ph likes them now, said he has never seen animals go down like that. So I am sold on them. I am shooting one of Shawn Carlocks +P chambered rifles pushing the 230 @ just over 3000FPS couldn't be happier.

Which 230s?? Target or Tactical?

 

[Terry Scott]

Which 230s?? Target or Tactical?

Target

 

[Terry Scott]

I think
I'll go out to the shop and verify

 

[tbrice23]

It was target?