416 Ruger & 340gr Cutting Edge Bullets

[Slamfire]

Decided to try loading 340gr MTH V15 Cutting Edge Bullets in my 416 Ruger. These bullets have a ballistic coefficient of 0.78 so will shoot flatter with significantly more downrange energy than conventional 416 caliber bullets. Suitable for my rifle which has the recommended minimum twist rate of 1:14 required for these bullets.

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/416-340gr-single-feed-mth-match-tactical-hunting

I've used 350gr Speer Mag Tip, 300gr and 350gr TSX bullets on Moose, Elk, Bighorn Sheep and Deer always with excellent results. The 416 is a reliable DRT game stomper.

I settled on a near maximum load using Reloder15 which results in a muzzle speed of 2575 fps with excellent accuracy. The scope is a Nikon Omega 3-9x40mm with the BDC 300 ballistic reticle which can be calibrated with this particular bullet using the calculator on the Nikon website.

http://spoton.nikonsportoptics.com/spoton/spoton.html#Index:39

Ballistics compared for the V15 and 350gr TTSX. Going to see how the V15 performs on game. Energy of the V15 at 800 yards is 2556 ft-lbs.

416 Ruger Alaskan with Nikon Omega 3-9x40mm

416 Ruger with 340gr V15, 350gr Mag-Tip and 350gr TTSX (and 223 )

Group at 100m off the benchrest

340gr MTH V15 @ 2575 fps MV

350gr TTSX @ 2575 fps MV

 

[Buckmastr]

Nice
Will they fit in the magazine? What's the oal?

 

[Slamfire]

The V15 rounds have to be single loaded. OAL is 100mm.

 

[Buckmastr]

The case is too full to seat them deep I assume. Maybe possible with a 416 rem mag? Or maybe a rigby in a RSM!
Neat to shoot but I'd need a mag full of these to be practical in a hunting rig

 

[Slamfire]

Should be seated as shown according to the bullet manufacturer's recommendations. Load density is ~95%. Has to be single-fed in all sporting 416's. Can be magazine-fed in 416 Barrett service rifles. Single-fed is fine - 1 shot 1 DRT kill.

 

[buckbrushoutdoors]

I want to try the 340gr .358 in my 358sta would be interesting to see if I could stabilize them in 1-12 twist

 

[Slamfire]

I want to try the 340gr .358 in my 358sta would be interesting to see if I could stabilize them in 1-12 twist

Too slow, won't stabilize according to them -

"These bullets do not mushroom, but instead, fracture. After 1-2" of penetration, 3-4 petals will break off and radiate outward from the main wound channel about 2-3" creating massive trauma. They will expand down to 1600fps. The required twist rate for this bullet is 1:10 or faster."

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/358-340gr-single-feed-mth-match-tactical-hunting

 

[todbartell]

nothing more useful than a DG 416 with one in the pipe and the rest on your belt

 

[Russ]

Incentive to not miss the first go round.

Russ...

 

[Slamfire]

nothing more useful than a DG 416 with one in the pipe and the rest on your belt

My intended purpose isn't for dangerous game.

However, 350gr Mag-Tip / TTSX rounds impact 1" high at 100m with the V15 rounds sighted-in as shown, so a V15 round in the chamber and 3 MT/TTSX rounds in the magazine is feasible.

 

[medvedqc]

nothing more useful than a DG 416 with one in the pipe and the rest on your belt

at least no chance to jam ... well on a real mauser it can be interesting to feed the next round lol ...

 

[Slamfire]

I haven't tried the V15 bullet in my 416 Rem. Mag. Zastava Carbine yet but the V15 round will chamber without having to put it in the magazine (it won't fit anyhow) because the extractor has been beveled to permit this.

 

[Slamfire]

V15 rounds chamber just fine single push-fed in my 416 Rem. Mag. Zastava Carbine because of the beveled extractor. A little more case capacity than the 416 Ruger so a higher muzzle speed is possible.

416 Rem. Mag. Custom Zastava LKM70 Fullstock Carbine with Nikon Monarch 1.5-4.5x20mm

 

[Slamfire]

The trigger in original form on this rifle has a fantastically heavy creepy spongy pull > 5 lbs which isn't conducive to accurate long range shooting. Nicely cleaned-up with a simple bit of work.

 

[BigUglyMan]

nothing more useful than a DG 416 with one in the pipe and the rest on your belt

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Slamfire]

nothing more useful than a DG 416 with one in the pipe and the rest on your belt

I was thinking the same thing.

Great minds think alike?? Or simple minds seldom differ??

My intended purpose isn't for dangerous game.

However, 350gr Mag-Tip / TTSX rounds impact 1" high at 100m with the V15 rounds sighted-in as shown, so a V15 round in the chamber and 3 MT/TTSX rounds in the magazine is feasible.

 

[Camp Cook]

I wouldn't have an issue if I single loading these for long range hunting but then I wouldn't be using them if things were to get up close and personal either.

 

[nowarningshot]

I have done.the.same thing with my 300rum, as the OP. Sight the.rifle in with a single feed long range load, have known loads that fit the mag behind it.

Really doesn't matter as much at long range, as you usually have time to do it the other way.

 

[Slamfire]

Right, put 3 Mag-Tip rounds in the magazine, chamber a V15 round and Tally F'n Ho.

 

[Slamfire]

Knowing what diameter the reticle BDC circles subtend is good to know then the scope can be used as a rangefinder. In the literature the BDC circles subtend 2" at 100 yards but at what power setting? Assumed to be at 9x. Need to go look it up or field-confirm (p.14) -

http://www.nikonusa.com/fileuploads/pdfs/BDC_manual.pdf

The BDC circle diameter subtended is directly proportional to range. Handy to have the top 2 circles together so these subtend 4" per 100 yards. At 9x if the 2 circles cover half the distance from backbone to brisket on a Bull Elk then the range is approximately 400 yards.