I missed what the elephant and Quickload reference has to do with the 300 gr Sierra question, Clark?
You presented a valid set of assumptions, but as par for the course, framed them to fit YOUR assumed needs/wants/proof requirements...apples and avocadoes. They are both mighty tasty, but don't belong in the same bowl at the same time.
But you know what ASSUME's do, they make an AZZ outa U and ME...ASS/U/ME.
NO FLAME OR DISS INTENDED.
EVRYONE does it, EVERYTIME they build/buy a rifle for a specific purpose(or talk about them) and NO ONE AGREES wholeheartedly on every point, that's why we have so many excellent rifles, bullets and shooting accoutrements AND opinions.
My 7mmRM likes that particular bullet, but even more, liked the ealier discontinued Nosler Solid Based bullet, I only have 27 left and I hoard them like diamonds...BUT, it likes the old 175 gr Sierra MK MUCH better for target and long rang work...I haven't tried the newer 180 gr or any Bergers in that rifle so I can't comment on the grouping OR killing...but I never had ANY problem taking game with either the SB or the MK at least to ~600-700yds for the 175.
Contrary to some popular beliefs, the Sierra MK's kill at long range as well as probably any other bullet...NO bullet at extreme ranges produces "spectacular" kills...not many "bang, flops" or knock'um down, skin'um, butcher'um and wrap'um up...an not a lot of expansion either.
Besides you left out one IMPORTANT FACT...the 250 gr bullet has MUCH MORE energy at the ranges you specify than the 150 gr does. Not withstanding all the happy HS floating around about "killing power" and no one agreeing on what the HE** that is...larger, heavier bullets will do the job much better than the smaller, ligher bullets as the game gets bigger and bigger otherwise we would be plugging ele/buff with 22 LR's...plug that information into your QT and see what happens.
Way back in the olden days I was a total speed freak, following the pied piper, totally oblivious to anything else. Today I'm not much different with the smaller, "varminting" cals...but once the game gets up to deer size and above I want larger cals and heavier, slower bullets...not REAL slow you understand, I like to eat what I kill and while a hi-velo, light weight bullet might kill "spectacularly", it sure the heck ruins a whole lot of chewing stuff. I want to eat right up to the hole, not blow off a shoulder.
While I think all the software programs produce excellent data, I really like my QL and QT and all the other software programs I've used over these long years, that data must be used correctly to mean anything.
Paper data is only ONE part of the equation, and it can lie, cheat and steal like the best of them.
It always boils down to YOUR/MINE/THEIR requirements, as to which and what is important. Whatever you're/my/their requirements are, it is of little or no importance in the scheme of things EXCEPT to YOU the moment you pull the trigger...after that, it us just a memory.
