300gr in 416 Taylor

[yumastepside]

I'm building an M17 Enfield in 416 Taylor and was curious if anyone was using 300gr pills for a bit of longer distance work?
Generally I would use 400 grain projectiles but was wondering how the lighter bullets would go. The rifle will have a 23" barrel and mounts for a standard scope over the action and also " scout " style mounts on the quarter rib along with a folding peep sight and a barrel band front sight.
Interested to hear your replies....

Roger

 

[mdwest]

I’ve shot 300, 350, and 400gr from my M98 416 Taylor… all have grouped fine…

For NA game I wouldn’t have an issue with 300gr…

When you say “longer distance” how long are you thinking?

I’ve honestly never shot mine past 100 yards.. and that’s only on the range… it’s outfitted with a 1-4x optic.. so not really built for distance shooting..

 

[yumastepside]

At this point its still theoretical but using something like a 3-9x for testing, I'd like to zero at 200 and go out to 300 max.

Roger

 

[mdwest]

At this point its still theoretical but using something like a 3-9x for testing, I'd like to zero at 200 and go out to 300 max.

Roger

I dont think you'd have any problem stretching out to 200 using a 300gr projectile at all.. you'll get plenty of velocity to keep the flightpath reasonably flat..

My concern with 300 yards is even if you can get proper velocity, you're going to be shooting a projectile with a BC similar to a hockey puck..

For something like a whitetail, I don't see a problem at all.. its still a 300gr projectile, and whitetail are neither particularly big or particularly tough.. But for some other game animals where deep penetration is really important (Moose? Brown Bear? Etc..).. I think I'd rather have something like a 338 Win Mag shooting 225 gr bullets than a 416 shooting 300gr bullets..

Certainly the 416 shooting 300 gr can kill just about anything.. I just question how effective it might be with short/fat bullets once velocity starts to drop.. I haven't run the numbers on a 300 grain load.. but I'd think at 300 yards, even using a powder known to deliver peak velocities, you'd be somewhere south of 2000 FPS..

 

[yumastepside]

300m/y may be wishful thinking at this point but I suppose some judicious handloading and range time will tell. I might look at 350gr's as well.
I just don't like the idea of limiting the gun to short range only.

Roger

 

[mdwest]

Just noticed youre in Australia..

I have zero experience hunting on your home turf.. but other than your buffalo, I cant think of anything off the top of my head in Australia that I wouldn't shoot at 300 with a 300 gr 416T.. (maybe there's something?).. I'd think pigs, roos, feral goats, etc.. would all fall pretty hard to just about any 300gr projectile traveling +/- 2000 fps...

maybe feral cattle or camels or donkeys are off the menu at that range (we don't have any of that here)? but certainly most of what I know about could be taken..

I can get 350 grain projectiles to 2600+ FPS pretty easily.. You might start having a good bit of drop after 300 meters.. but.. with the right optic and enough experience shooting at that distance I'd think you'd be able to make it work..

My go to load is a heavy charge of IMR 4064 under a Barnes 400gr TSX.. The 416T will push that projectile about 2400 FPS without too much of a challenge.. for 100 yards or less I find it to be just about perfect for its intended quarry (big, dangerous game).. 400gr at 2400 is basically replicating the 416 Rem Mag and/or 416 Rigby.. (just a few FPS slower than what many factory loads advertise, but never actually get to..)..

 

[yumastepside]

Yes, for anything here the 300's and 350's would would work fine. The main reason for the 416 is for a Canada / Alaska trip for bear and caribou in the next couple of years...before I get too old...so I reckon if I can get in a bit of testing and practice out to the 300 mark , I should be able to use the one gun / two loads for both animals ( depending on the distance )
I don't think the cattle, donkeys or camel would be a problem at that distance, or sambar.

Roger