You have entered the home of data for the Terminator family of cartridges. Like all loading data this is just a guideline to help you and not absolute information. This is simply what worked for us in just one or two rifles with our lot of powder, bullets primers etc. It is still your responsibility to follow safe loading practices and make your own safety decisions. It is not a safe loading practice to take your rifle chambered in one of these rounds even though we built it and simply start with the max load. It is still a required practice that you safely work up to a safe pressure and load. Load date can change from lot to lot with components, ambient temperature or any other number of factors. Please be safe and use this info as a guideline. Have fun and good shooting.
Shawn
The 300 Terminator
215 gr. Berger Hybrid Target
Case: DE 338 Terminator
Case Capacity Formed: 122.0 gr H2O
Max Case Length: 2.740″
Trim Length: 2.730 “
Primer: CCI 250
Bullet: Berger 215 gr. Hybrid Target
Max OAL to Lands: 3.862 “
Test Barrel: Hart # 4, fluted, 1-9 twist, 24″ finished length, standard bore & groove diameters
Powder: H 1000
Max Charge: 100.0 gr (left faint ejector marks & very light bolt lift)
Best Load: 99.0 gr H 1000, OAL 3.857 ” (-.005″ off lands)
Performance: 3 shots @ 100 yards .291″, ES 9 fps, ave velocity 3147 fps
230 gr Berger Hybrid Target
Case: DE 338 Terminator
Case Capacity Formed: 122.0 gr H2O
Max Case Length: 2.740″
Trim Length: 2.730″
Primer: CCI 250
Bullet: Berger 230 gr. Hybrid Target
Max OAL to Lands: 3.862″
Test Barrel: Hart Sendero, fluted, 1-9 twist, 30″ finished length, standard bore & groove diameters
Powder: VV N570
Max Charge:104.0 gr (left faint ejector marks & very light bolt lift)
Best Load:103.0 gr. VV N570, OAL 3.852 ” (-.010″ off lands)
Performance: 3 shots @ 100 yards .261″, ES 11 fps, ave velocity 3308 fps
300 Terminator vs Other 30 Caliber Magnums
Cartridge Bullet Barrel Length Velocity
300 Win Mag 215 Berger 26” Hart 2934 fps
300 RUM 215 Berger 26” Hart 3003 fps
300 Norma Mag 215 Berger 26” Hart 3078 fps
30 Nolser 215 Berger 26” 3163 fps
30-378 Weatherby 215 Berger 26” 3164 fps
300 Terminator 215 Berger 26” Hart 3294 fps
300 Win Mag 230 Berger 30” Hart 2915 fps
300 RUM 230 Berger 30” Hart 3025 fps
300 Norma Mag 230 Berger 30” Hart 3031 fps
30 Nolser 230 Berger 30” 3043 fps
30-378 Weatherby 230 Berger 30” 3153 fps
300 Terminator 230 Berger 30” Hart 3308 fps
Note: if a barrel brand is specified we had actual results, if not the numbers were generated by QuickLoad. Our actual load data was all generated with stable powders so we disregarded the powders on QL that we know to be unstable or not suitable for LR work. We tried to use the best performing powder in all cartridges to compare apples to apples so to speak.
All Terminator series rounds are improved rounds with our patented +P throating technology. As such the brass for these rounds must be fire formed prior to loading. Once the brass is formed, loading and load development may proceed in a normal manner. Here is what we recommend:
1. Purchase formed brass from us and you are done, go straight to step # 8
2. If you choose to form brass yourself get the parent case prepped and primed.
3. Load the appropriate powder and forming charge (see below).
4. Add cornmeal or grits to take up space in the case, do not shake while doing this as it mixes the powder and cornmeal together. Fill until the case is full all way up the neck.
5. Take a small piece of paper towel or tissue and plug the mouth of the case. Take care not to over pack as this can cause higher than normal pressures. It should be just enough to keep the corn meal and powder tight and not shift around.
6. Now in a safe place (shooting range) fire the round through the rifle. The paper patch could be a potential fire hazard in certain conditions use caution here. Now fired, the case is 98-99% formed, the shoulder should be forward but not completely sharp at the edges.
7. Clean the chamber and barrel of debris every 5 rounds or so, this doesn’t require a full tear down cleaning but a removal of the chunks of filler. This is also a good time to let the barrel cool down. You do damage to your barrel anytime you shoot it hot even when there is no bullet going down it.
8. Now that your Terminator brass is formed you are ready to resize it and start normal loading procedures.
The following forming loads are used with filler and a paper patch as described above.
338 Terminator 25.0 gr Winchester Super Field
300 Terminator 25.0 gr Winchester Super Field
260 Terminator 15.0 gr Winchester Super Field
3 shot 100 yard test group 300 Terminator vs 300 Win Mag