Heavy for caliber vs. high velocity monos

[86alaskan]

I run in the med to light for caliber and high velocity crowd now. I did the heavy thing for a bit, but a moderate ranges, I can get better performance and less perceived recoil from a lighter bullet going faster. A 300gr .338 berger has and awesome BC, but at only 2700ish fps it can easily be beaten inside 1000yds by a 250gr .338 at 3000fps. Now, crank that up another notch and shoot the Badlands SB2 240gr and you've got more speed and energy at most effective hunting ranges. I'll be loading the 240gr for this years Montana Elk trip, so that the 6-800 yards shots flatten out and remove some of the guesswork.

 

[memtb]

I run in the med to light for caliber and high velocity crowd now. I did the heavy thing for a bit, but a moderate ranges, I can get better performance and less perceived recoil from a lighter bullet going faster. A 300gr .338 berger has and awesome BC, but at only 2700ish fps it can easily be beaten inside 1000yds by a 250gr .338 at 3000fps. Now, crank that up another notch and shoot the Badlands SB2 240gr and you've got more speed and energy at most effective hunting ranges. I'll be loading the 240gr for this years Montana Elk trip, so that the 6-800 yards shots flatten out and remove some of the guesswork.

Exactly the reason we run 225 TTSX's, pushed pretty hard, through my wife's .338 WM. Pretty much the best of both worlds! When I finish-up with these darn lightweights 250 TTSX's) in my rifle....I'll be using 270 LRX's!

These slightly heavier bullets will work fine for us as we do not intend to exceed 600 yards on game.....though we still have plenty of velocity and energy to 800 or so! memtb

 

[Send it 284]

The PVA cayugas have a hollow point and are an expanding bullet. I know he describes them as tumbling, but I honestly don't think that is what they do. Looking at the design of the hollow point they are similar to hammers with only a slightly smaller hollow point, depth was similar as well. Also in the one elk we shot with them so far, we got multiple exit wounds, very similar to hammers with their often observed nose petal exits. Not saying it's the same by any means, but it appears it does expand.

Unless a bullet is ran in a twist specifically meant to give marginal stability, or is built off balance or with some other physical attribute, all of which would likely affect accuracy, a stable bullet will not suddenly become unstable, and impacting an animal will not change that any more than it does to a Berger, nosler, barnes, hammer, or any other bullet that expands. That's why I don't think the bullet just starts tumbling on it's own, at least not if it is properly stabilized

I wish I still had a few of the recoverd 170 Cayugas to show you
There was basically zero expansion, literally only the first 1/4" of the tip broke off, I emailed pics to PVA and they said it was typical and that expansion wasn't necessary for that bullet to kill.
Between that and the wildly inflated BC I gave the rest away

 

[Starlite]

Starlite, you have a Triggertech on a Savage? How did you do this as they don't have anything listed on their website for Savage.

Sorry meant timber. It's my new Remington that has the trigger tech.

now I'm on the hunt for a trigger for my new ruger RPR. Haven't fired it yet so maybe I'll be satisfied.

 

[VTbluegrass]

I usually hunted boring middle road weights but did start using heavies in my 270 and because I have good data an exposed elevation turret on that rifle I will stick with heavies until the next barrel. This coming hunting season I am gonna roll some lightening with the 30-06 and some Hammers for fun and because no exposed turret on that rifle. Just shooting little bitty southern whitetails anyhow.

 

[Goldengun]

Sounds like a light mono is a perfect choice for you. I've been thinking about trying a 120 hammer in my 7 stw, but I'm not sure if that might be too light? The 143 seems to work good, and it's still fast

No, I prefer heavy for caliber.

 

[SammySTW]

No, I prefer heavy for caliber.

I do too, but I also like to have a faster gun, and for some people that is a better option. Just depends where you are hunting.