Accuracy test: Sellier & Bellot sport shooting rifle ammunition in .223 Rem., .308 Win, .300 WM and .338 LM

The Czech manufacturer Sellier & Bellot has been producing ammunition since 1825 and is thus heading straight for its 200th anniversary. In recent years, the product catalog has been steadily expanded, especially in the field of match and hunting ammunition, as well as the special needs of the law enforcement sector. Today, however, our overview focuses more on the sport shooting sector, which Sellier & Bellot covers with a wide range. Classic calibers such as .223 Remington and .308 Winchester are to be found here, as well as the long range calibers .300 Winchester Magnum or .338 Lapua Magnum. But also fans of "newcomers" such as 6.5 Creedmoor, .300 Blackout or "issue calibers" such as 6.5x55, 7.5x55 or 7.62x54R will find what they are looking for at Sellier & Bellot. And in our opinion, especially the match loads with hollow-point boat-tail bullets often have what it takes to play in the  front row. Prices are quite affordable too.

.223 Remington – You can get these loads at Sellier & Bellot

The smallest cartridge of our quartet has always found supporters in sport shooting in recent years. Whether for static hole punching or dynamic disciplines, the .223 Remington is gaining more and more popularity due to its low recoil and low price. With heavy projectiles, it can even be used on the 300 meter range. The 55-grain FMJ loads mentioned in our tables appeal primarily to shooters who train a lot and appreciate a low price. Occasionally, however, stand regulations also prescribe full metal jacket bullets, so match bullets may not be used. The 52-grain HPBT load is probably the most universal match cartridge. It is suitable for barrel twist rates up to 1:12", but also copes well with shorter ones. Especially for longer ranges, the 69-grain bullets, which can also be found in the table, are suitable. The even heavier 77-grain bullets, which have a BC value of 0.376, are quite new in the catalog. However, they definitely require a shorter twist rate of up to about 1:8". On the other hand, they are also a bit less sensitive to crosswind.

.308 Winchester by Sellier & Bellot

The classic among the center cartridges par excellence. That is why Sellier & Bellot also pays tribute to this universal hunting and sport cartridge with three full jacket loads, from the lightweight and mild-recoiling 124-grain to 147-grain bullets, and the heavy 180-grain bullets. The 168-grain HPBT is almost the classic weight of match cartridges. Sellier & Bellot also started with it, which is why most of the results can be found in our tables. Newer in the product range are the 175-grain, 180-grain and 190-grain bullets, which then have BC values of 0.474, 0.488 and 0.451 respectively. These will be included in the tests in the near future. Sellier & Bellot can thus supply enough match cartridges for this still popular caliber.

Sellier & Bellot in .300 Winchester Magnum

Even though the .300 Winchester Magnum has been overtaken by the performance of the .338 Lapua Magnum, there are still some followers and enough match guns for the belted cartridge. Again, the 168-grains HPBT bullet is a popular choice. Sellier & Bellot is also offering loads with 190-grain and 220-grain bullets. With a BC value of 0.622, the latter clearly appeals to long-range shooters. However, the twist rate for the heavy bullet should be correspondingly short. The manufacturer gives a recommendation of 1:9.5". Especially with this heavyweight we could probably achieve one of the best results of the last years. In combination with an Accuracy International AX MK III, we managed to achieve a fabulous grouping of 17 mm here on the 300-m range.

Long-range sport shooting loads in .338 Lapua Magnum from Sellier & Bellot

The .338 Lapua Magnum has gained more and more importance in the military in the last 10 years and is also found in long-range shooting. Sellier & Bellot offers two match loads. One with the "original bullet weight" of 250 grains and a BC value of 0.637. In addition, the heavy 300-grain bullet has also won its followers due to its lower wind drift. It has a BC-value of 0.760 and according to the manufacturer, it should also harmonize well with twist  rates of 1:11".

S&B ammunition in practical test

Not every gun shoots equally well with every ammunition, that is certainly nothing new. The same applies here as well: the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And we have done this sufficiently. Our extensive table is divided into ascending order of the smallest caliber and lowest bullet weight. The test firearms can be found in the last column and are sorted alphabetically. The accuracy results are based on 5-shot grouping circles at 100 m distance and refer to the most widely spaced centers of the bullet holes. We have chosen the .223 Remington caliber, .308 Winchester .300 Winchester Magnum and the long-range .338 Lapua Magnum. Match loads are also available with inexpensive full metal jacket bullets as well. Maybe your firearm is one of those we used. Otherwise, try the Sellier & Bellot for yourself. It could be worth it.

Here you can find your caliber:

• .223 Remington
• .308 Winchester
• .300 Winchester Magnum
• .338 Lapua Magnum

Test results for the Sellier & Bellot loads in .223 Remington

All bullet and powder weights in grains (to convert to grams, multiply by 0.0648).
FMJ = Full Metal Jacket
HPBT = Hollow Point Boat Tail

The grouping values refer to the farthest apart centers of the bullet holes. The values in brackets indicate the accuracy without a flyer. 

Test results for the Sellier & Bellot loads in .308 Winchester

All bullet and powder weights in grains (to convert to grams, multiply by 0.0648).
FMJ = Full Metal Jacket
HPBT = Hollow Point Boat Tail

The grouping values refer to the farthest apart centers of the bullet holes. The values in brackets indicate the accuracy without a flyer. 

Test results for Sellier & Bellot loads in .300 Winchester Magnum

All bullet and powder weights in grains (to convert to grams, multiply by 0.0648).
FMJ = Full Metal Jacket
HPBT = Hollow Point Boat Tail

The grouping values refer to the farthest apart centers of the bullet holes. The values in brackets indicate the accuracy without a flyer. 

Test results for Sellier & Bellot loads in .338 Lapua Magnum

All bullet and powder weights in grains (to convert to grams, multiply by 0.0648).
FMJ = Full Metal Jacket
HPBT = Hollow Point Boat Tail

The grouping values refer to the farthest apart centers of the bullet holes. The values in brackets indicate the accuracy without a flyer.