Please review my order list

[rangeball]

First, I want to whole heartedly thank everyone for putting up with all the questions I've asked over the last few months. It's been said before and I'll second it, this is an amazing collection of folks who genuinely like to help their fellow man, and the heads up I've gained from all here hopefully will put me on the short track to success once my SMI barrel get's here in a week or so.

I've been contemplating all the bullets and sabots I want to try, and over the past two weeks have added, subtracted, and really wrestled with the list as it grew long and expensive, real quick. My goal will be to shoot 250-300 grain bullets from 22-2500 fps, accurately with N110. SMI recommends harvester sabots with their barrels due to the tighter fit they give, and I'll order both red and black crushed rib and am getting the standard black hp from SMI. I chose the following bullets cause I figured if they are accurate, each should be effective terminally at the range (0-250 yds) and speeds I'd shoot them:

Barnes 250g .451 TEZ fb

Barnes 250g .458 45/70 FN

Harvester 260g .451 Scorpion PT gold

Traditions 275g .4505 shock tip

Barnes 290g .451 TEZ fb

Barnes 300g .458 TSX (Thanks again Zen!)

TC 300g .452 SW

Harvester 300g .451 Scorpion PT gold

Hornady 300g .452 XTP

Hornady 300g .50 FTX (to play with sabotless)

See anything I overlooked? See anything I should eliminate?

Thanks

[wilmsmeyer]

Nope. Get your wallet out. ;D

[jeremylong]

Yes sir that will add a big minus sign in your check book.

My first thought in my $$$ situation would be to add a powder(N120) and select about 3 or 4 packs of your most "hopefull" bullets as a start. My guess is that you can probably meet your goal with the majority of bullets you have listed with the right powder, load, and sabot.

Now if the weather and range time only cooperate for you! Cant wait to see the results!

[DBinNY]

Wow, with that order I think a .45 would be cheaper. 200gr XTS and SSTs, 195 gr. Barnes. Oops, you'd also have to have 275 gr BEs for sabotless. Forget it.

[corvair]

Rangeball,

Those Traditions 275gr are the same as the Parker 275gr BE(Ballistic Extreme). I think you will definately like those. 42-44 gr of N110 or 42-44gr of 4759 will do the trick on those. My Savage 10MLII shoots these into one ragged hole out to 150 yards with 43 gr 4759 and MMP supplied(from Parker) sabot. My NULA has been shooting same bullet/sabot into 3/4" out to 150 yards w/42gr 4759.

Man those Parkers just flatten a whitetail. Shot my buck at 90 yards, high shoulder and it was a complete pass thru.

You have your work cut out, wish you luck and lot's of good shooting! ;D

[rangeball]

Thanks Fellas, looks like I got some ordering to do...

Being a cheap bas, er, frugal person, all that money would usually make me cringe, but I tell ya I'm like a kid at Christmas, can't wait to start flinging smokeless loads downrange

[rangeball]

I'm thinking of making a swap on my list. Dan at SMI told me that .458s with the regular black harvester generally shoot best in their barrels.

Based on this, I'm thinking of going with the 300gr .458 hornday 4500 instead of the 300 gr XTP. BC is a bit higher, and it should perform terminally like the xtp, right?

[younghunter86]

In a way you have the 300 gr XTP's covered, just in the form of the 300 gr TC Shockwaves. I think that would be a good swap. Gives a little variety to the majority of bullets you have listed. That being said the 300gr XTP is a very proven bullet. Maybe get both???

[tar12]

I do not see the 300 grn BO on that list! It is a proven long range smack down bullet!

[rangeball]

If the 300 grain SW/SST shoots would the XTP most likely shoot just as accurately, assuming the same sabot and since they're made by the same company?

I've read both pros and cons on the BO, and for my purposes, have concluded it's too tough as I won't be pushing it as fast as it needs for reliable expansion at range. 2300 fps with a 300 gr is all I need at the ranges I'm likely to get shots.

[Chris Champion]

I've read both pros and cons on the BO, and for my purposes, have concluded it's too tough as I won't be pushing it as fast as it needs for reliable expansion at range. 2300 fps with a 300 gr is all I need at the ranges I'm likely to get shots.

Thats right in the BO's sweet spot ;D

[rangeball]

Maybe, but still an awful lot of reports of pass throughs and long recoveries...

[younghunter86]

Rangeball, I wouldn't hesiate to use the BO. They are just a little pricey and you have to buy $50 worth. I sent you a pm.