Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good 338-06 loads

Hey there,

I've been following the 338 Federal thread for quite some time, and just recently got into 338-06 shooting as well. Every time I do a search on the trusty old interwebs, nothing even close to the Federal data shows up. I was wondering if people had loads they have been testing for the Feds big brother?

Right now I am focused on 225gr Accubond with 61.0 gr RL17, seated to 3.475" in a custom Stevens M200 that I just finished building.

I started with Deep Curl bullets to break in the barrel and get close with RL17, and both 60.5 and 61.0 have been working well.

I keep tweaking seating depth right now, but on average, all of my Accubonds run close to 2825. Group of five at 61.0 gave me an ES of 30 and a SD of 12. Those are numbers I can live with for sure. Second group of five gave me a slightly higher ES at 48, with 19 SD. Still more than reasonable.

Just wondering what people are loading out there and getting for velocities. I plan on pushing H414 and some 200gr Hotcors to the max, always been a pretty accurate bullet for me.

Any additional information would be helpful. After about fifty rounds or so I am already getting 1" groups, just wanting to get it all worked out before hunting season.

Thanks
SHM

In the 3 338-06s I've had all have loved between 59-61 grains of H4350 under a 225 grain accubond. Might need a drop tube to get it in depending on how far out you can seat your bullet

What were you getting for speeds out of them?

If you are getting much over 2600-2625 and your barrel is no longer than 24"...well I fear your pressures are TOO HIGH.

2600-2650. 24" barrel

I'm shooting 185gr GMX and hope to test them on a cow this Nov.
53.3gr of IMR4064 @ 2743fps

My go to loads are a 250 NPT (2300 fps) or an LBT 255 gr LFN cast @2362 fps, both chron'd and using 61 gr. of RL-19. My rifle is an HVA lightweight w/ a 20.5" bbl. If I want to use light bullets I use my other HVA's in 7x57 or.308.-Muddy

RL 15 produces excellent results in my custom 338-06. I've tried quite a few other powders, and found this to produce the best speed and accuracy. Top load in the Nosker Book with 180 gr Accubond

http://www.nosler.com/nosler-load-data/338-06-a-square/

Or top load in the Barnes book with 57gr RL 15 with 185gr TSX.

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Care to elaborate? I'm shooting a 25" barrel, and getting 2825 fps. Recoil is stout, but still less than a magnum. The old addage that an inch of barrel gives you about 25 fps speed still puts me over 150 fps over. I know that reports of Reloder 17 when it first came out was that it would give significant velocity gains due to the fact that the kernals have been treated with a penetrating chemical that allows pressure to be gradual, rather than abrupt.

That being said, my brass looks the exact same as the light load H414 rounds I first fired out of the rifle.



What are you using for a mold? Standard procedure for loading? Lube and GC, then choot'em? For the 300 BLK I will powder coat my casts, they stay hard and there is zero leading. I haven't picked up a 338 mold yet but plan on it soon.

SHM

LBT LFN using LBT blue lube and water dropped old wheelweights. Killed a cow elk with one several years ago at about 25 feet. Also use the same bullet in my 340 Wby with 70 gr. H-870 and ground poly filler.- Muddy