I am going to be taking my .300 RUM to Namibia for plainsgame in 2008. I have been shooting Reminton Premier ammo (Noslers and Scirocco's) and have not been thrilled with accuracy out my rifle.

I am looking to purchase a few boxes of premium ammo in an attempt to get some better groups with a bullet suited for Zebra/Kudu/Gemsbok. Thinking about the Federal Vital Shok in 180 TBBC or 180 Barnes TSX.

Any other suggestions? I would prefer to go with a 200grn bullet if possible and was leaning towards the A-Frame bullets.

I have had excellent results with TSX and A frames, less so with TBBCs. (accuracy in the order written). None have had terminal performance issues. I'd try TSX first, A frames second.

UtahLefty,

Do you reload or do you use factory rounds. Any brands you'd recommend?

The only factory rounds I've used have been the Federal 130 TBBC in .270. I liked them until they discontinued them. All of the others I've reloaded (270,338,375,416) and I've tried TSx,X,TBBC,A frames in all calibers. The Federal premium (noslers) have always been very accurate for me and the calibers above 338 are very tough bullets with thicker jackets. In 30 cal, I'm not sure which factory brand to try first.

My reccomendation would be 200gr A-Frame 1st choice, followed by TSX Barnes. The Rhino bullet, which is sort of a copy of the TBBC, would be my next choice. I would not reccommend Noslers for game larger than gemsbok.

My best accuracy with hunting bullets have been acheived with:

#1. Nosler Ballistic Tip

#2. Nosler Accubond

#3. Hornady Flat Base Spire Point

DC,

You named off three really tough plains game animals. IMHO there is no question that you can not do beter than the Barnes TSX...if they shoot well in your rifle. And I say that only because I have not tried the MRX bullet yet.

Bull1

Thanks for all of the replies. I am ordering the Federal Vital Shok TSX and TBBC in 180 and will find some A-Frame's in 200. Hopefully out of the bunch I will find something that groups well.

DC, I would use at least the 200 gr. bullet. In Africa the general mantra is to use heavy for caliber bullets at moderate velocities. In the 300 mag family of calibers, it is my belief that you get the most out of those calibers with bullets of at least 190 gr. I don't think you can go very wrong with the brands mentioned here, ie: TBBC, TSX, A- Frames. I would just find the one my rifle shoots the best because as has been said many a time, it is bullet placement that will count the most.

Geronimo

DC Roxby ----- I loaded 200 grain North Forks for a buddy who shoots a .300 Rum to take on a Trophy Elk hunt in New Mexico. He got fantastic accuracy and eventually got his Trophy at 418 yards and was extremely pleased. Without reloading resources you can get loaded North Fork cartridges from Superior Ammo of Sturgis, SD. www.superiorammo.com Good luck and good shooting.

phurley5,

Thanks! This is what I was looking for. they've got just about every premium bullet available it looks like. Like the sample packs!

Don

quote:

Originally posted by Karl S:
My reccomendation would be 200gr A-Frame 1st choice, followed by TSX Barnes. The Rhino bullet, which is sort of a copy of the TBBC, would be my next choice. I would not reccommend Noslers for game larger than gemsbok.

Karl did those African animals recently grow Armor Plating that those Nosler bullets starting bouncing off of anything larger then Gemsbok?

www.northforkbullets.com

Have you guys seen this chart showing bullet expansion at varying velocities?

http://www.seahook.com/bestbullet.jpg

My .338 RUM really likes the 225 Gr. TSX and shoots in more accurately than the A-frame and Nosler in similar weights. I've used the TSX both in Alaska (Brown Bear) and Africa (large plains game) with great effect.

Besides being very accurate in several pet 30 cal and 338 loads. I love the Barnes bullets for penetration and as a taxidermist "more importantly" for their cutting thru capes instead of smashing their way through. Typical entry and exit wounds on African game are nominal vs. fist size areas with no hair and epidermis from some of the traditional bullets.

Another thing I have really come to appreciate is the Barnes bullets ability to stay on course thru bone, muscle etc. Internal ballistics are nearly always laser straight!

Mike
www.mikescstomtaxidermy.com

Looking for a heavier bullet than a 180 grain TSX isn't necessary. (30 cal) I generally consider the TSX to "behave" like the next heaviest weight. I'm talking about penetration, toughness, etc. For example, a 150 gr. TSX will give much the same results as a 180 grain TBBC, Nosler, etc. in terms of penetration, etc. You won't go wrong with the 180 grain, 30 cal TSX.

Bill

DC,

A mate of mine used a 300RUM with handloads consisting of RE 25 and 180TSX, on a 18 day plains game hunt, in Namibia this year.

Our PH, Mike Kibble was using a 300Win Mag for back up with 200TBBC handloads. The "squat down" factor in Mike's loads was very much more noticable. Go for them or the Superior ammo loaded with the NF 200 grainers. Clearly better than the TSX.

Cheers,

Blair.

I used the Barnes 200gr TSX in my 300 Mag this year in Namibia for the species you listed as well as others. Outstanding performance, several 250+ yard one-shot kills on gemsbok. The 200gr bullets proved to be a little excessive, the 180's would have worked just as well. If your rifle will group well with them they are a good choice.

I took 8 plains game animals with 8 shots using 180 grain Nosler Partitions, including Zebra/Kudu/Gemsbok. Nothing could have worked better. I only recovered one bullet, which had penetrated 3 feet of wildebeest at an angle.

With the 300 ultra there is only one proj to use and that is the NORTH FORKS, the tsx will shear its petals off!!
daniel

M98,

The high velocities are a concern of mine. My feeling right now is that I am better off with a somewhat heavier bullet that is very well constructed and relatively slow to expand. The TBBC and A-Frame make sense to me. I don't have any experience with the Barnes bullets so I am keeping an open mind. At 200 yards with a 180grn bullet veolicty is around 2700 feet I believe.

quote:

Karl did those African animals recently grow Armor Plating that those Nosler bullets starting bouncing off of anything larger then Gemsbok?

No, Jorrod, it is just that I like being sur ethat the bullet will get to the vitals, whatever the angle. Noslers can't do that from all angles. I have seen too many fail, one again this year on a buff hunt, after I advised against its use. (See pic below) This was a 300gr Nosler Partition, out of a .375 H&H, that could not penetrate deep enough to reven reach the lungs from a angled front-on shot. It lacked penetration, and not because of caliber, but due to overexpansion of the bullet.

Many good choices here, but my 300 RUM loves 200 gr NorthForks and IMR 4350 (right out of the Nosler loading manual), resulting in a load with velocity like a 300 Win mag (still flat enough trajectory for my shooting). Fantastic accuracy (more like a small caliber varmint rifle) and they worked great on Zim plains game, including zebra.

quote:

Originally posted by M 98:
With the 300 ultra there is only one proj to use and that is the NORTH FORKS, the tsx will shear its petals off!!
daniel

DC,

Daniel is 100 percent correct on the petals shearing off on the TSX's!

This is EXACTLY what we experienced. The bonded front core of the TBBC or NF supports the mushroom much better.

Blair.

ICU,how many grains are you useing? molly coated?

The northfork and tbbc are just cheap imitations of the Barnes. BARNES=UNLEADED POWER

ROXBY
i think you not only need o use a NORTH FORK PROJ but also a 200gn proj, I SILL CANNOT UNDERSTAND the choice of 180 gn proj world wide
in 30 cal magnums...im no saying they dont work , but what im saying is they are not the optimum choice in the 30 cal magnums
get some 200gn north forks and you wont ever look back
barnes still have the problem of there bullets loosing petals when big bones are hit or when velocity is to high.....when you have got a combinaion of these two it ends up in bullet failure....its that simple
daniel

My .300 RUM loves the 200 gr. TSX loaded with 4831 SC. I have taken taken animals with this load in Namibia, Asia, and N. Ameria ranging from 50 yards to 400 yards. Never had a problem with petal shearing. (that I am aware of)

It will also will shoot sub 1 inch groups consitently off the bench. I have also used the 180 gr TSX in my .300 RUM, but always rely on the 200 gr for hunting.

Good luck

In 2000 I had a client hunting with a 300 rum as well. He asked me before he came what bullet he should use and since the 180gr was running at 3200 fps I was afraid for bullets breaking up upon impact. So I advised him to load Barnes X so he did.

But for the heck of it the animals were hit perfectly but didn't die as quickly as they should have. After a couple of animals we went back to the shooting range and fired a couple of shots. Digging up the bullets they didn't expand at all actually they caved in and closed the x.

Back home he phoned barnes and they said that over a speed of 2800fps they do not guaraantee full functionality.

Haven't had any experience with the new range of barnes bullets at that speed But I suppose they will have better performance. So I would recommend the 200 grainer if you can. A 200 gr bullet at close to 3000 fps punches quite a bit power.

I believe you must be worried by penetration and then accuracy ,but i always had excelent accuracy with nosler partitions ,i would use 200 grains too,i have had some barnes tsx in the past ,and some bera claws all were left by clients and i used it with good results in red stag and water buffalos.juan