If speed isn't important why would you start load dev with a 130gr ttsx which is light for 30 cal? What kind of accuracy did you get with the other barnes weights? Granted they weren't going 3500fps but that doesn't matter right?
Why try out a bullet? It's interesting, that's why!
In this rifle I have tried out
125 NBT
130TSX
130 TTSX
150HSP
150TTSX
168TSX
165HSP
168HMHP
180HSP
180NP
180FS
180TSX
180SMK
200SGK
and maybe a few others that I can't recall. Why? It's interesting to me.
Accuracy with other Barnes bullets has been excellent with the exception of the 168gr TSX, which was still accurate, but not shooting tiny groups like the other Barnes bullets.
Velocity for the other bullets was all about what you would expect with respective bullet weights in a 300WSM.
Top accuracy usually came at or near the higher end of the velocity scale, with all the bullets, which seems pretty consistent for most of the modern rifles I have loaded for.
Velocity does matter, but small differences in velocity between cartridges loaded at high speeds is not significant in the hunting field. Which is why if the 130gr TTSX shot better at 3400 that 3500fps, and I used 3400fps, it wouldn't bother me or the deer one bit.
When I penetration tested the 130gr TTSX in newspaper I found that it penetrated just as deep and left just as big a wound channel as a 180gr NP. The 125gr at the same speed blew up quick. Velocity also has a relationship to bullet performance, with regards to bullet construction.
I use the 130gr TTSX as a deer, bear and sheep bullet that could be used on a moose if needed, and no need to start twisting turrets until after 400 yards, which is about as far as I have ever shot any animal. This load retains 1800fps until 660 yards, so if I wanted to shoot animals at further than that (and I don't) I would use a bullet with a better BC.
For a mixed bag hunt with moose and deer on the menu, I'd use the 150gr TTSX and last year when I was hunting sheep, moose and grizzly I took the 180gr TSX load, just because a heavier bullet is more comforting with grizzlies. Although they have certainly been killed quickly with less...
When I get aorund to it, I'm going to try the 175gr LRX next. Because it will be interesting.
Again you are not acknowledging that you were very wrong in stating that you only gain a few extra feet in kill distance which is incorrect as I showed you. With the new numbers you posted, you again didn't post how much further out you would still have the 1800fps impact. The 2" drop means nothing
.
Sorry, I should have said a few YARDS rather than a few FEET...but using your numbers....
The 300 RUM gets 1800fps to 980yards. The 30-378 gets 1800fps to 1040 yards. 60 yards difference.
At 1000 yards the 300RUM is going 1780fps. The 30-378 is going 1846fps. 74fps difference.
At 1055 yards the 30-378 is going 1780fps
55 yards of difference to get to the same velocity. Wow. That is spectacular.
And the 2" of difference is the WINDAGE, not the drop. I stopped including drop because the concept offended you so.
Tell me again how the 30-378 is going to kill a deer deader at 1000 yards? That 74fps is just gonna SLAM that animal down, eh?
The stevens 200 are good rifles, good hunting rifles stock.
they are good BUDGET hunting rifles stock. They are not the equal of most factory rifles that command higher prices. Why dont' you start a poll and see if anyone agrees with you that they are every bit as good as any other factory rifle? Maybe that would open your eyes.
They are also good enough to be used as platforms for custom rifles. That says something about the quality of the action. Whether you see that or not doesn't change anything.
The remington 700 is a good rifle. Good hunting rifles stock. They are also good enough to be used as platforms for custom rifles. That says something about the quality of the action....
A remington 710 is a garbage rifle. Garbage hunting rifle stock. They are also far to terrible to be used as platforms for custom rifles. That says something about the quality of the action....
See a pattern there?
If a rifle has a good action it can be used for custom projects. If it doesn't it can't. The 200 is a quality action and people working with them say the same. The fact that you don't see this doesn't change anything.
Your concept is:
Because the Stevens 200 action is used to make custom rifles, the Stevens 200 is therefore a good quality hunting rifle, every bit the equal of any other factory rifle. In fact,this is what you said:
I would take a stevens rifle hunting just the same as a remington etc any day of the week. But that's just me.
I think your concept is flawed. But that is just me.
(Well, actually, it's not just me, it's probably 99% of the people that use rifles.) But dont let that influence you. Keep on being happy!
