Dope chart help, leaving for Montana Sunday

[Jmh05]

Ok, I'm heading to Montana on Sunday. Cow elk and black bear.

Here's my set up:

Browning Hell's Canyon .300win mag

Ammo: I'm shooting Norma Whitetail 150gr sighted in at 200yrds.

I was only able to get TWO boxes of Hornady Precision hunter ELDX 200gr.

Trajectory sighted in at 200yrds really isn't that much different. I was preferring 180gr bullets as a happy medium but this is what I have.

I feel the 150gr is probably not the better choice to take.

Regarding the dope chart, should I just take the ballistics info/drop info tab off the box and put it in the dope chart pocket on my rifle or do I need to print something else off the website?

I only plan on shooting 350 max. I'm new to rifle hunting relatively speaking, so looking for input.

Advice on bullet grain and chart needed?

[trophy8]

You need to verify actually drop. Don’t go off the box or anything online or your buddy etc. Verify to YOUR rifle.

At 350 it’s not a huge change. But can certainly be enough to make a bad shot. Especially factoring in wind. 150 or 180 will work. I’d choose to the 150s in your case to shoot flatter. There’s going to be a noticeable difference in elevation drop on the 200s.

[cbd10pt]

Yup shoot it.
150s are plenty
Lots of elk get killed with 243, 6.5 grendel etc
Black bears are easy to kill

[SNKETR]

Regarding dope only and not bullet weight, you'll probably be fine out to 350 following the chart but i'm just not a fan of that method. I really like confirming with actual drop. It gives me more confidence in my shot.

I'm a 100yd zero guy, just personal preference. I'll input all my data in an app (currently using StrelokPro with good results) and run it out to 600yds. Then record actual data. The app gets me close but out past 400 I typically have to make minor changes.

[muzzlebrake]

You need to shoot that ammo thru a chrono to get precise velocity out of your rifle before you can get an accurate dope chart. As others said, don't go by what the ammo mfgr says. All guns are different and the test barrels the ammo mfgr uses are usually longer than most people hunt with plus there are other factors. That said most factory ammo trajectory will be pretty close to the same(within and inch or two) at 100yds but when you stretch it out several hundred yards the differences will be huge.
If you are able to shoot at long range paper targets somewhere then that is the other way of knowing. You can shoot at 100, 200 and 300 and get good measurements of the trajectory and plot the curve from there by referring to the bullet mfgr ballistics tables.

[McClain]

Either ammo should work on game as long as your shot placement is on target. Its best to shoot over a chronograph, but if you do not have a chronograph the next best thing is to use the stated muzzle velocity and bullet from the box or website and plug those into a ballistics calculator along with the parameters of your hunting location. I like to use JBM (http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin..._drift-5.1.cgi) but there are others that work as well. This will give you your drop chart. You could run both ammo parameters and choose the flattest trajectory for the distance you expect to be shooting at. The flattest trajectory should aid with the least error when misjudging distance to your target.

[imyomama]

i'd verify sight in at altitude you're going to hunt .. after that ballistic AE or just about any phone app would get you pretty darn close ... screen shot it and go! or a quick sticker on side of your stock would do.

[imyomama]

i'd verify sight in at altitude you're going to hunt .. after that ballistic AE or just about any phone app would get you pretty darn close ... screen shot it and go! or a quick sticker on side of your stock would do.

clarification ...by firing one shot at 100 yards in the same area/altitude you're gonna hunt if that's your sight in distance..

assuming you live in Tx .. you were probably way closer to sea level ...

[Randy]

I just texted you the solution from Ballistic AE for the 200g eldx.

[DirtyDave]

D.O.P.E. = Data Obtained on Previous Engagements. (or Data On Previous Engagements)

If you haven't actually taken the shots and written down your findings, you dont have DOPE. You are just guessing. You have Kentucky Windage LOL.

[imyomama]

he's sighted in at 200 and wants it to 350 on a 300 win mag .. book data will be close enough at those distances as long as he knows his bc and velocity and he's zero'd properly

[TCB]

Maybe I'm too simplistic but a .300 sighted in an 1" high when you get there should be all you need. May not be perfect to 350 yards but holding high shoulder at that distance will kill either animal.

Seems like adding dope charts, etc. when you aren't shooting extreme distances would lead to overthinking in making the shot. Seen it happen several times with guys over thinking the process during a hunt.

[mrc]

Dead on at 200 is about 1" high at 100.
-2 at 250
-7 at 300
-12 at 350
-24 at 400
That will put you in the lungs.With the 200 grain, the lungs are a big target.

[muzzlebrake]

he's sighted in at 200 and wants it to 350 on a 300 win mag .. book data will be close enough at those distances as long as he knows his bc and velocity and he's zero'd properly

Exactly where all my hunting rifles are sighted in for the last 50+ years.
Eliminates all my thinking. Put crosshair in middle of shoulder and pull trigger on anything from 50 to 300. With target rifles they are dead on at 100 so for longer distances I have plenty of time to think and calculate and twist the turret knobs since that paper ain't going anywhere.

[MLank]

Dead on at 200 is about 1" high at 100.
-2 at 250
-7 at 300
-12 at 350
-24 at 400
That will put you in the lungs.With the 200 grain, the lungs are a big target.

I'd call it "good enough":
aim a little high at 300, foot high at 350, 2 ft high at 400