CEB 30 cal plains game?

[Sarg]

Those Raptors sound great for the 300BLK & I think might be good in the 350 Legend or the 357AR (rimless 357 Maximum) wish I could get them easier here in NZ !

 

[michael458]

Those Raptors sound great for the 300BLK

Indeed they do. I am a big 300 BLK fan, load the 100 FB Raptor with 20.3/WW 296 54000 PSI. 16 inch guns at 2550 fps and it is devastating on deer/pigs and even black bear. It is an excellent cartridge/bullet combo for younger hunters. I also use the 100 FB Raptor in 308 Winchester, 300 Winchester, and remove the Talon Tips for a devastating 30/30 load. I see in this thread I received an order of 2500 in 2019, many which went into 300 BLK. I used those, and a couple of months ago had to re-order a new batch of 3000.

Since I would not hunt larger than deer/pigs/black bear with .308 caliber, the 100 FB Raptor serves ALL my requirements for any cartridge I shoot in .308 caliber..............Should I move to larger game, then I would move up in caliber as well............That said, my late friend and hunting partner used the 100 Raptor in his 30/06 extensively in culling operations in Africa, taking many wildebeests, oryx, and other similar sized plains game with it very successfully.

 

[TOBY458]

Indeed they do. I am a big 300 BLK fan, load the 100 FB Raptor with 20.3/WW 296 54000 PSI. 16 inch guns at 2550 fps and it is devastating on deer/pigs and even black bear. It is an excellent cartridge/bullet combo for younger hunters. I also use the 100 FB Raptor in 308 Winchester, 300 Winchester, and remove the Talon Tips for a devastating 30/30 load. I see in this thread I received an order of 2500 in 2019, many which went into 300 BLK. I used those, and a couple of months ago had to re-order a new batch of 3000.

View attachment 414280View attachment 414281

Since I would not hunt larger than deer/pigs/black bear with .308 caliber, the 100 FB Raptor serves ALL my requirements for any cartridge I shoot in .308 caliber..............Should I move to larger game, then I would move up in caliber as well............That said, my late friend and hunting partner used the 100 Raptor in his 30/06 extensively in culling operations in Africa, taking many wildebeests, oryx, and other similar sized plains game with it very successfully.

Can you share a load for the 30/30 with the 100gr Raptor? I have a TC Contender carbine that I have had threaded for a suppressor. So I could use these bullets with the tip in place, for backyard deer hunting. I have a CZ 300BLK that I currently use for that application, and with the Barnes TAC 110gr factory loads at 2350fps, it's amazing just how effective it is on whitetails.

 

[michael458]

Can you share a load for the 30/30 with the 100gr Raptor?

Indeed........... 30/30 100 FB Raptor 40.5/AA 2250 41200 PSI. No Tip, works great in all lever guns. Of course, single shot, leave that tip on....... makes a big difference. In 16 inch 30/30s it gives 2620 fps, 20 inch guns 2830 fps and 26 inch 3008 fps..........

300 BLK 100 FB Raptor 20.3/WW 296 54500 PSI gives 2550 fps in 16 inch guns............It is also extremely effective on deer+.............

 

[TOBY458]

Indeed........... 30/30 100 FB Raptor 40.5/AA 2250 41200 PSI. No Tip, works great in all lever guns. Of course, single shot, leave that tip on....... makes a big difference. In 16 inch 30/30s it gives 2620 fps, 20 inch guns 2830 fps and 26 inch 3008 fps..........

300 BLK 100 FB Raptor 20.3/WW 296 54500 PSI gives 2550 fps in 16 inch guns............It is also extremely effective on deer+.............

That 30/30 load should do great in my 21" TC Carbine. Just wish I had some AA2250 powder. I'll have to look it up on the burn rate chart and see if I have anything close....

 

[michael458]

TAC and H-322 did rather well, although neither could match velocity before hitting higher pressures. I keep 30/30 at or close to 42000 PSI to work with most all lever guns. TAC also had a tendency for muzzle flash.

 

[Pheroze]

A little discovery regarding the 30 cal Maximus. The hollow point cavity for both the 150 gr and the 180 gr seems to be the same. I was wondering if the petals would end up being larger on the 180gr but it would seem the base that remains after impact would be larger. I don't know if that is the same with all bullets but I thought I would mention it. I used the very scientific unfolded paperclip method.

 

[Aaron N]

Has anyone been using raptors on NA game? I have some 175gr for an 8x68s that I think would make great moose/elk medicine. Any thoughts?
I am worried about what they may do to a deer should I stumble upon one.

 

[jdemocko]

I have been using a 235 gn ESP Raptor out of my 375 H&H for bears here in Eastern NC. They are DRT.
Shot a Big Kodiak Bear in May with a 275 gn Safari Raptor and he was DRT.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

I'll be giving the 130gr raptors a try in 300 win mag and 80gr raptors in 257 wby this fall on whitetail.

 

[Aaron N]

I'll be giving the 130gr raptors a try in 300 win mag and 80gr raptors in 257 wby this fall on whitetail.

How did these work for you?

 

[Aaron N]

Also, did I read somewhere that FB’s are more accurate than boat trials under a certain distance?

 

[IvW]

200gr Swift A frame....

 

[Aaron N]

200gr Swift A frame....

Yes your dislike of anything “new-fangeled” is well documented.

Sometimes new mouse traps are developed. Do you have experience of CEB raptors not working in the field? If so I’m sure we would love to hear it because I haven’t come across anything that suggests they don’t perform as advertised.

 

[IvW]

The problem with light weight high velocity bullets is getting to the target in the first place with shots often through grass or brush...light weight high speed are easily deflected....perfect shots are rare in Africa....I use heavy for caliber premium grade bullets they have always perfomed 100% and I have no need to test "new-fangled" bullets....if it aint broke dont fix it....
My 2c each can use what they prefer

 

[fourfive8]

I've tested the fragmenting Raptors in media and they do as advertised - shearing off (fragmentation) the petals outward in a star pattern. They also seem very accurate in the loads I've tried. But I'm not convinced they are the best hunting "soft point" bullet design. I can easily use the old straw man argument of what about pass throughs and multiple projectiles hitting other non-target animals? Example: Shoot an impala in a crowd with a 30 cal mag Raptor bullet and I would think the potential for multiple hits on other animals increases quite a bit. I'm kind of with @IvW on this one. My preference among available soft points remains- TBBC, North Fork bonded soft point, Swift A-Frame or Barnes TSX.

 

[Doug3006]

I‘ve always been a tinkerer. New bullets, powders, brass and all of the attendant load testing. Mostly because I don’t know what to do with myself between safaris. I have a library full of the hunting classics, that I’ve read many times. I used to buy and watch hunting videos, but now I find them boring. If I could hunt all the time, I probably would stop tinkering. I’ve settled on Barnes bullets for everything and have loads for every rifle I own. But that doesn’t keep me from experimenting.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

How did these work for you?

In sticking with my usual luck (or lack-there-of) in whitetail hunting, I didn't get to try either on a deer last year.

I've always maintained I'd shoot an elephant before a good whitetail, so I'm hoping this fall I've better luck after accomplishing the first part this spring....

Hopefully I'll have something to report back in mid-October. Planning to take a .308 win shooting 100gr CEB FB Raptors running 3400fps.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

Shot a whitetail buck this morning that weighed out at 197lbs. Frontal shot with no exit. The outfitter was stunned at the performance at the shot (dropped in its tracks) and the processor relayed that the chest was a bowl of jelly. Taking out the 300 Win Mag with 130gr CEB FB's this afternoon.

 

[Aaron N]

Shot a whitetail buck this morning that weighed out at 197lbs. Frontal shot with no exit. The outfitter was stunned at the performance at the shot (dropped in its tracks) and the processor relayed that the chest was a bowl of jelly. Taking out the 300 Win Mag with 130gr CEB FB's this afternoon.

Was this with the 308?