SMK 30 cal 240gr

[freebird63]

I am interested in trying the SMK's 240gr in my sendero 300RUM. I know they recomend a 1/9 twist, but some have said a 1/10 twist will work. How many others have or are using these bullets and what are your thoughts on them?? like or dislike.
I am presently shooting 210gr bergers. I know my gun really likes the heavier bullets. None of the shops around here stock the 240gr, but they do stock the 220gr SMK's. I figure with all the shooting I have been doing just to find a load that my gun likes it will be time to get a new barrel by the time hunting rolls around. Then I can get that 30" barrel I have been looking at. Or should I have my 300RUM bumped up to a 338 edge??? choices

 

[Joel Russo]

You never metioned how far you want to shoot this rifle...

The 10 twist barrel will stabilize the 240 SMK out to a mile, 1,760 yards, if you attain a velocity of 2800 fps or higher.

I have successfully shot them to the mile out of a .300 Wby improved at 2800 fps with a 10 twist, and 3000 fps with an 11 twist.

 

[jmden]

I am interested in trying the SMK's 240gr in my sendero 300RUM. I know they recomend a 1/9 twist, but some have said a 1/10 twist will work. How many others have or are using these bullets and what are your thoughts on them?? like or dislike.
I am presently shooting 210gr bergers. I know my gun really likes the heavier bullets. None of the shops around here stock the 240gr, but they do stock the 220gr SMK's. I figure with all the shooting I have been doing just to find a load that my gun likes it will be time to get a new barrel by the time hunting rolls around. Then I can get that 30" barrel I have been looking at. Or should I have my 300RUM bumped up to a 338 edge??? choices

I've shot the 240 and 210 a fair amount out of a RUM. Used US869 for the 240, but if I went back to it now, I would find a load with H50BMG as it is much less temp sensitive, which was why I ended up going away from the 240. Found a great, extrememly consistent load with Retumbo and the 210 and am not planning on looking back.

If you want to kill larger critters beyond 1K, turning your rifle into an EDGE might not be a bad idea. Seems to be a fairly common thread of thought around here. Good luck.

 

[freebird63]

Right now I am just shooting out to 200 yards, have been trying to come up with a good load that will provide good groups, until yesterday I was just shooting out to 100 yards, had a few loads that showed real good promise, then I moved the target out to 200 yards and my groups openned up big time. I had been seating my 210gr bergers at .010 off the lands. Looks like I am going to have to go back to playing with seating depths. I can honestly say I would never consider shooting at an animal out at 1000 yards, but would love to shoot targets at least out to 1000 yards and a mile, dang straight I would love to be able to shoot a mile. One of my other draw backs at the moment is my trigger, its a stock X-Mark remington trigger, its junk. I want to either buy a timney or jewell. But at the moment money is tight. So I am going to go back and reload some more ammo and play with the bullet seating. I had tried that US 869 once, it was a cold morning and at 100 yards I couldn't even hit the target, so I know about being very temp sensitive.
My main go to powder is retumbo and then from there its, H1000, RE25, RE22.
I have been curious about that 50BMG hogdon powder? I might have to order a box of 240's to play with. Thank you for the info.
Chuck

 

[Joel Russo]

If you are going to shoot the rifle at targets out to 1,000 yards, you may want to consider doing your load development at 300 or 500 yards. The 100 yard targets are a waste of time, bullets, powder and barrel life....

Hang a target at 300 or 500 yards, and shoot over a chronograph. Don't just look for a specific velocity... read what it tells you from load to load and from powder to powder... Look for low ES etc...

Look at the groups, they will talk to you also. See if you have any verticle dispersion in the group. Adjust powder and seating depth based on what you see... Make one change at a time...

It takes time to do proper load development, but once it's completed, you know what the rifle is capable of...

 

[freebird63]

I have owned and shot many guns in my life, but when I got this 300RUM and started loading for long range it seems everything I thought I knew went out the window. I truely now know I know nothing ha ha ha.
Thanks again for the advice, yes I have burned alot of powder, bullets and barrel wear playing around at 100 yards. I have often heard a term used concerning berger bullets and am not sure if that applies to all long range bullets or not, but they say after a certain yardage the bullets go to sleep???
no one really ever explained that to me.
But please feel free to share any other advice that might be useful to me because I am all ears and very much appreciate all the info thats being provided to me.
Chuck