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Interesting talk with Hornady rep

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    Posted: May 28 2015 at 9:52pm
I was asking about some 174 and 150 grain Hornady reloading bullets for my 303 , he told me that the 174 were better for closer range hunting on bigger game like bears or moose.
He did say that the 150 grainer was better for critters like antelope or deer at longer ranges than the 174 was useful at.
Jacket thickness had a big part to play in the 150 grain Interlock bullet as it is thinner and will open up better at longer ranges.
Overall he said the 174 was the better choice for the 303, I agree with his advice.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 10:47pm
my last "talk" with a hornaday bullet rep was when my order with marlin rifle was unofficially canceled because they could not fill it - got some nice 308 ammo out of the discussion ,

 i have no issue with hornaday - only with marlin , both owned by the same company , justsayin .......
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DairyFarmer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 30 2015 at 4:39am

Nothing surprising there.

Rule #1 - For general hunting at close to medium range always use the heaviest bullet available.
Heavy bullets retain energy better than light bullets in normal hunting conditions (i.e close to medium range 50-250 meters). Heavier bullets at less susceptible to deviation if hitting a leave or grass blade. They also tend to travel slower with a "harder" punch. Therefore less meat damage.
 
Rule #2 - The longer the shot the lighter the bullet.
Lighter bullets loose more energy over distance, but retain velocity better, which compensates a bit for loss on energy.
 
Heavier bullets tend to expand better and more consistently and can thus have stronger jackets. Lighter bullets need to "come apart" quicker and thus the jacket needs to be thinner.
 
Think of it like a car and a truck. Put them on a straight and drive them towards a house. The car will get there quicker but will penetrate less. It will also crumple up quite a bit. The tuck will get there slower, but will continue through the house.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W.R.Buchanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 19 2015 at 5:34pm
My conversations with Hornady were a little more one sided with my complaining vehemently about them not producing any 150 or 174 gr bullets for .303 for several years, only to see them practically giving away massive overruns of .22 cal. 55gr FMJ's in boxes of 6000ea. for .07 ea! I got one of those as who could pass up such a deal?
 
The guy at the SHOT Show even called the factory to find out when they were supposed to be ran. Came back with "they are being ran as we speak."
 
They finally showed up about 3-4 months later and I got 300ea 150's and 200ea 174 RNs So I should be good to go on these for along time.
 
I also got 100ea 215 gr Woodleighs.
 
I shoot mostly cast boolits in that gun, and my #4 Mk1* Long Branch was rebored to 35-303. Planning on a  250 gr Hornady and a 250 gr Cast Boolit for that gun.
 
I'm big on bigger bullets myself. I like 220's for the .30-06.
 These are dummies I loaded up to test feeding in the #4 all chamber and feed perfectly.
Randy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote White Rhino Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 19 2015 at 6:15pm
Nice !!!! May have to check for some !!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W.R.Buchanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 20 2015 at 11:58am
I got the Hornady's from Mid South Shooters Supply and the Woodleigh's came from Huntington Die Specialties.
 
The Hornady's were about $25-26 a for a box of 100.  and the 174's would probably be good for anything IN N/A and a lot of Africa.
 
The Woodleigh's were nearly $50 for a box of 50, and really a Box of 50 would last a long time if you only used them for hunting. I got 2 boxes. I was told by Woodleigh that the 215's had taken every thing on Planet Earth. They also have a  FMJ solid version of that bullet if you need to shoot Elephants or such with your .303.
 
Randy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Von Gruff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 21 2015 at 1:02am
I have a bag of 230gn Game Ranger bullets from SA. They were quite cheap and seem to be a plated bullet of some sort as there is an unbroken jacket but apparently they give very deep penetration for the 303 on the heavy plains game in SA . I haven't loaded any yet but couldn't pass up a bag at such a good price.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DairyFarmer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 26 2015 at 2:20am
I don't think they make that bullet anymore. Not listed on the local site here in SA. They were originally made for max penetration and damage. Basically a PH backup bullet. They make monolithic bullets that, in my opinion, are better in design, uniformity and ability. But are priced in the BarnesX bracket.
 
if monolithic bullets were not so expensive I would use them across all my rifle reloading range. You can't beat them for uniformity. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote IAM Rand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 18 2015 at 3:40pm
Just recently got my 303 and am planning on using it for Mulies.  I normally use a 270 with the Barnes TSX 150gr and have gotten fantastic results.  My son got a buck at about 115 yrds through the top of the heart.  It went about 25 yards and dropped.  I see that they make a 150 for the 303 and was planning on trying that.  Any one here use it in their 303?

Barnes recommends that you leave it bullet about .05 from the grooves but, I am not sure that the bullet OAL will fit in the mag.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W.R.Buchanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 05 2016 at 9:34am
The 3 easiest to obtain .312 dia bullets are the Hornady 150gr Spire Point Soft Point and 174 gr Round Nose Soft Point.
 
The third is the 215 gr Woodleigh RNSP from AUS. They are sold by Midway and Huntington's.
 
All of these bullets are proven performers, with the 174 RN being very popular in Canada.
 
I have shot a lot of the 150 gr bullets and they have proven to be accurate on Silhouette Targets out to 500M.
 
I have 174's and 215's and will work up a loads for them soon.
 
Do look for .312 dia bullets as lots of one advertised are only .311 and won't produce as good accuracy as the .312's,,, and especially in worn barrels.
 
Randy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W.R.Buchanan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 05 2016 at 9:36am
Originally posted by W.R.Buchanan W.R.Buchanan wrote:

The 3 easiest to obtain .312 dia bullets are the Hornady 150gr Spire Point Soft Point and 174 gr Round Nose Soft Point. The third is the 215 gr Woodleigh RNSP from AUS. They are sold by Midway and Huntington's. L-R 215, 174, 150.
 
All of these bullets are proven performers, with the 174 RN being a very popular all around bullet in Canada.
 
I have shot a lot of the 150 gr bullets and they have proven to be accurate on Silhouette Targets out to 500M.
 
I have 174's and 215's and will work up a loads for them soon.
 
Do look for .312 dia bullets as lots of ones advertised are only .311 and won't produce as good accuracy as the .312's,,, and especially in worn barrels.
 
Randy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote IAM Rand Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2016 at 11:09am

I was wondering about the Woodleigh 174gr bullets to reload for hunting.  Not sure it it would make a difference but, thought that since the bullet that seemed to be designed for the Enfield was a 174 gr bullet use their hunting version.  

Why use the 180gr for under 200yrds?  I have used the 150gr in 30/30 under 200.  The 150 gr 303 has more juice than the 30/30.  I would just be using it for Mule Deer and it would be in the 75-150yrd range?  Anyone else used the Woodleigh stuff?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Darreld Walton Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 24 2016 at 5:23pm
My last contact with Hornady was me asking them to consider making .375 Dia 220 to 250 gr. flex tip type bullets to use in 38 55 and 375 Winchester. That one didn't even get a reply saying they got it.....
For many years, I've shot heavy for caliber bullets and have yet to be disappointed. In my rifles with 308 bore, like the 06 and 308, I use 165 gr. bullets. .300 H&H and Winchester mags, I use 180 and 200 gr. Partitions, and on my Alaska moose hunt, used 220 Noslers in my 300 Winchester.
My Father spoke of several decades of Idaho elk and moose hunts with 170 gr. Silvertip in the 30 30 Win. until he got back from Korea and started using an 06 exclusively.
The only exception that comes to mind on my heavy bullet rule was when I hunted 3 or 4 years with a 375 H&H in Wyoming for Speed Goats, Mule deer, and elk, and shot 235 gr. Speers. That's a light bullet, right?
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